Gus Ornstein's School of Sports » florida

Scouting the 2008 WR’s

Gus — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:57:26 +0000

Here is a look at the playmakers of 2008, your WR’s:

1	4	Kelly	Malcolm	Oklahoma U	WR	6036v	224v	4.50e	I
	Impressive looking player with excellent hands, body control & ability to adjust to the ball. Catches equally well on or off his person. Uses size to effectively shield defender on under routes or in the red zone. Has the athletic ability & strength to avoid the hold up and the speed to climb a defender on his open releases. Liked ability to snatch the ball away from his body. Should factor quickly as an inside receiver & develop into a frontline player.
2	5	Thomas	Devin	Michigan St	WR	6017v	216v	4.43v	I
	Has excellent athletic skills, versatility, good hands, and was a real threat after the catch. Runs well and showed the ability to accelerate at the top of the route. Potential # 1 receiver with a club. Top return potential (quick, instinctive, breaks tackles and has a burst). Six catches as a soph and 79 as a junior. Used mostly on slip screens and shallow screens. Round 1 draft consideration
3	86	Manningham	Mario	Michigan U	WR	5116v	181v	4.45v	G
	A talented receiver who runs well in his pads. Is a proven commodity with athletic ability who makes big game changing plays on the football. Showed a good take off on open releases and broke off a point effectively. Excellent tracking skills paticularly on the deep ball and has soft hands (don’t watch Ohio St). Changes speeds well and will contribute within the running game. Late 1 top of the 2nd draft consideration.
4	5	Caldwell	Andre	Florida U	WR	6002v	204v	4.38v	I
	Go to receiver who has regained the foot speed he had prior to his knee surgery. Has size, experience & has been a very productive player. Works underneath effectively. Solid run after skills. Impressive getting in and out of a break on speed cuts. Gets head around & locates the ball. I really liked his work at the senior bowl, where he showed his skills and savvy. Bigger, faster & more powerfully built then what I remembered. Mid 2nd round draft
5	9	Doucet	Early	LSU	WR	6001v	209v	4.53v	F
	Skilled receiver with size, speed, quicks, body control & hands. Gets head around and in and out of a break well. Adequate RAC and instincts. Had problem with him running the in route from the left side (too much chopping). Can avoid the hold up effectively with both power & finesse releases. Will work away from the ball and contribute in the run game. Bottom of the 1st round top of the 2nd draft potential. Not a great one but has few holes. Anquan Boldin clone.
6	2	Avery	Donnie	Houston U	WR	5111v	182v	4.36v	I
	A very fluid, talented athlete. Explosive on his take off. Closes the cushion quickly & got in and out of a break extremely well. Has good but not exceptional hands. Showed courage & has the ability to make the difficult off target catch. After the catch was dangerous in space and when he saw a crack, he was gone. Had some problems with his deep over the shoulder adjustments & didn’t always finish vertically. Should contribute quickly. Round 2 consideration.
7	4	Sweed	Limas	Texas U	WR	6037v	215v	4.56v	F
	Was injured for much of the 2007 season. Has rare size and a huge receiving radius and although realize he has a tremendous amount of playing potential, but I thought he lacked concentration and consistency. Tracks the ball extremely well. I particularly liked the way he adjusted to the deep ball. Very awkward getting into a lateral break (plants his heels). Still too many unknowns to consider this player in either of the top two rounds.
8	1	Jackson	DeSean	California U	WR	5096v	169v	4.39v	G
	Undersized “Z” receiver with rare speed & as natural a pass catcher as there is in this year’s draft. An outstanding athlete with rare quickness and body control. Comes out of a break with a lot of juice. Works back to the ball with confidence & can snatch it away from his body. lightening in the bottle after the catch. Dangerous punt return man who can take it to the house. Will get lazy in his routes and lose his concentration. Acutely undersized. Round 2 – 3
9	85	Douglas	Harry	Louisville U	WR	5112v	176v	4.54v	G
	Talented player with rare timed speed. Is quick, fast, smart, tough and competitive. Gets in and out of a break well although I felt he got open more by scheme rather then by individual routes. Excellent instincts run vision. On the negative side, he is really small (can he hold up)? Competed inside, seldom won in traffic. Dropped far too many balls on contact. Is a ball player, but I wouldn’t roll the dice too soon on this player. Round 2 – 3 consideration
10	27	Nelson	Jordy	Kansas St	WR	6025v	217v	4.53v	I
	Top nickel and inside receiving prospect. Has size and can uncover effectively underneath. Good zone awareness and ability to catch on and off his person. Will catch on contact and gets N-S quickly.Is sneaky fast, but lacks the juice to run away from the top defenders in the NFL Can make the difficult catch and showed good sideline awareness. Good block effort (adequate results). Is going to surprise a lot of people at the pro level. Round 3-4.
11	4	Royal	Eddie	Virginia Tech	WR	5095v	184v	4.46v	G
	Little man, who was both quick and fast. Has good hands but likes the ball in on his body whenever possible. Has small hands and a short receving radius. Has the quicks and feet to avoid the hold up, but was more effective lining up in the slot. Can track down the field, but doesn’t offer the QB much in the way of a target. Questionable to win in traffic. Adept KO and punt returner; catches well, hits the crease and goes. Gd courage and judgement. Round 3 – 4.
12	82	Hardy	James	Indiana U	WR	6053v	217v	4.53v	F
	Early entrant into draft. IU records for receptions (191) yards (2,740) and TD (36). Played 2 years of basketball before focusing totally on football. Rare size, firm hands and physical dexterity. Has good speed but doesn’t have quick speed. Wasn’t physical or creative as a runner after the catch and did little to nothing away from the ball (won’t block). Gave up on balls far too quickly and goes down too easily after the catch.Primarily a red zone threat at this stage.
13	21	Moore	Kenneth	Wake Forest U	WR	5106v	195v	4.50v	G
	Productive and very tough inside receiver. Former RB with very good hands (will catch on contact). Ran predominately choice routes between the numbers with no fear or apprehension. Showed running strength and was creative after the catch. Runs well, but I question whether he has the juice to separate vertically at the next level. A highly dependable return man who should factor at the pro level as a multi-purpose inside slot receiver. Round 4 – 5.
14	19	Burton	Keenan	Kentucky U	WR	6004v	201v	4.49v	I
	Really like this players overall game. Competes very hard in both games and practice and prepares himself like a pro on game week. Has good hands, playing smarts and position awareness, but does not play near as fast as his timed speed. I didn’t see any glaring negatives in this player’s game, but he also may not have a true long suit (non factor vs LSU and Vandy). Don’t see starting potential, but should factor as a back up, returner and special teams performer.
15	19	Hubbard	Paul	Wisconsin U	WR	6026v	221v	4.48v	F
	Outstanding size and speed / top prep triple jumper in the country. Very limited playing production in 07. Drops too many easy ones in my opinion to be considered with the top level of receivers. Good body control and route quickness. Can adjust on the move and find the open area. Skilled player, but just does not play to his timed speed. A 3rd receiver type who with experience could develop into a functional second. Has 3-4 round draft potential.
16	14	Shields	Arman	Richmond U	WR	6006v	193v	4.40v	I
	Played in only two games in 07. An athlete with size, firm hands & tracking ability. Closes the cushion quickly on his open release & can track the ball downfield. On his under routes drops his base & got in and out of his routes (some flag). Uses his body to effectively shield the defender from the ball & will catch in contact. Adjusts on the move and sat in the zone hole effectively. Good teams background although is not a returner.Solid middle rd potential (4-5).
17	19	Simpson	Jerome	Coastal Carolina	WR	6016v	198v	4.44v	I
	Good body control, size and the ability track & catch the ball.. Is smart and adaptable, but was raw and underdeveloped in terms of athletic ability & position skills (question route running skills & speed to separate).. Loved the way he went upcompeted for the ball in traffic. Simply “out athletes” people at this level of play. A semi long stride, who was not a burner, but there is no question as to his ability to make the difficult catch..5th to 7th consideration.
18	10	Bennett	Earl	Vanderbilt U	WR	5114v	209v	4.52v	F
	Productive, game ready player. Has quick feet, and got in and out of his routes well and was a confident catcher. Good zone awareness. Made easy adjustments to off target throws. Can make the difficult catch and showed sideline awareness. Don’t see a lot of foot speed or vertical separation skills. I see him as a steady contributing nickel receiver. Similar to the Giants Steve Smith in playing style. Should be given solid 4th round consideration.
19	22	Hall	D.J.	Alabama U	WR	6017v	193v	4.59v	F
	A some off the field baggage which will need to be addressed at the scouting combine and spring workouts. Early on didn’t buy into Saban’s program, but came around during the fall. Has been a playmaker over his career. Has size, very good physical dexterity and showed the ability to track ball and separate vertically. Will drop balls (concentration) and his timed speed is not near what I expected. Late 3rd to early 4th consideration.
20	22	Alridge	Anthony	Houston U	WR	5090v	170v	4.39v	G
	College running back who also alligns in the slot. Has rare speed and quickness. Is undersized but showed excellent running instincts. Has feet, body control and balance, but was not as fluid out of a laterall break as I expected him to be. Will need some refinement of skills, and isn’t a big man, but has a chance to be something special as a receiver, KOR and special situation back.Not a believer; see UTEP, Oregon, and Rice. Draft consideration round 3 – 4.
21	13	Johnson	Steve	Kentucky U	WR	6017v	210v	4.52v	F
	Late bloomer. Has size and straight speed but was very inconsistent as an underclassman. Much improved hands confidence and playing toughness. Wouldn’t work inside the numbers in the past, and although isn’t a sure thing in this area has improved a good deal. Don’t think he is a natural catcher, but my gut tells me we haven’t seen the best from this player yet. Size and speed are a hard combination to beat. Has strong early second day consideration
22	9	Bryant	Dorien	Purdue U	WR	5096v	174v	4.51v	G
	Up and down performer in 07.Has outstanding speed and a vertical burst (can run by you). Is undersized & didn’t catch the ball as clean as one would want. Dangerous in the open field & as a return man. Did little away from the ball or within the running game. Awful blocker (very little effort). Pain in the butt, but not a bad kid. Talks too much. Literally took over the Iowa game. Similar, but not as explosive as Ted Ginn. Round 3-4 consideration.
23	3	Franklin	Will	Missouri U	WR	6004v	214v	4.39v	I
	Has size & real talent, but was disappointed in his overall game, Wasn’t tough & didn’t make plays in competitive situation. After the catch will hit the deck when he sensed body heat (watching too many pro games). Virtually all of his production was outside the hash & underneith. Does show route quicks & has the body control to be outstanding in this area. Top talent, but is not the same player when the bullets start to fly. Round 3-5 consideration.
24	2	Morgan	Josh	Virginia Tech	WR	6002v	219v	4.45v	I
	I really liked his physical stature and speed, but does not have natural hands (dropped far too many balls). Has track speed, but will clutch to start, thus negating his both quicks and explosive in his open releases. Vs the press, will gives up chest off the go. Has good hands and can stem a route effectively but his uneven concentration and attention to detail bothers me (2 drops vs UNC).
25	12	Bowman	Adarius	Oklahoma St	WR	6027v	223v	4.77v	F
	Has been a productive player since transferring from UNC in 2005, but I was rather disappointed in his play at the senior bowl practices. Very stiff running style who didn’t show the speed to push a defender on his open releases.Can’t drop his hips on his under routes. I liked his size, but in my opinion was not a natural catcher. Mismatches many defenders and showed some strength after the catch, but wasn’t nifty or instinctive. Would not give this player 1st day draft consideration.
26	2	Reynaud	Darius	West Virginia U	WR	5092v	201v	4.51v	G
	Talented athletic receiver who caught a majority of his passes on bubble and slip screens, hitches and shallow crosses. Has firm hands, can make off target adjustments and catch on contact. Adept catching both off and on his person. After the catch, got north south quickly while showing creativity after the catch. showed a burst to run under the deep ball, but lacks the juice to separate vertically. Solid KOR prospect Late consideration who has a chance.
27	16	Purify	Maurice	Nebraska U	WR	6031v	224v	4.53v	F
	Has size, athletic ability and body quicks. Firm hands & catching range, although his concentration level was not always evident. Runs well in his pads, but not a true race horse. Can break off a point on his under routes showing strength after the catch. High ceiling, but his position skills are far from fully developed. Add to the puzzle some highly publicized off the field issues and we see an incomplete puzzle developing. Risk – Reward Player Rd. 5-7.
28	81	Harper	Justin	Virginia Tech	WR	6034v	213v	4.61v	F
	Has all of the physical qualities you look for in a professional receiver, something appears to be missing. Has good hands and was best on underneith routes where he caught the ball and turned up the field. Showed a tendency to breaks off his routes (doesn’t finish) Was neither coverage aware or very instinctive. Didn’t compete for the ball on the inside. Should be a dominent player but wasn’t. Draft consideration 5 – 6
29	85	Monk	Marcus	Arkansas U	WR	6042v	221v	4.51v	F
	Big slot receiver who gives a club a huge miss match advantage particularly in the red zone or on crossing routes. Needs a pre release to consistently get into his routes. Can reach and extend away form the body. A special situation player who just doesn’t have the juice one looks for at the position. Wasn’t sudden in and out of a break and lack the top speed to separate vertically, but in the right offensive system could contribute significantly in the under zones. Round 4 to 5 draft potential.
30	7	Hawkins	Lavelle	California U	WR	5110v	187v	4.59v	F
	A skilled receiver who showed come immaturity in the past (will pout and isn’t the toughest guy on the block. Has shown very good route running and catching skills. Was a dependable third down receiver working in the under zones and was adept working the sidelines. Gives you some added return potential. Lacks the deep speed to factor as a vertical threat, and doesn’t process quickly (need to keep it simple) Late round draft potential / 6-7
31	2	Jackson	Dexter	Appalachian St	WR	5094v	182v	4.37v	G
	Little guy with a great deal of speed and quickness. Did some double catching but overall I thought he caught the ball well. Explosive in and out of a break. showed the ability to adjust and run under the ball on vertical routes. After the catch runs away from people in the open field. Not as savvy as David Patton, but has more more acceleration. In spite of his size, proved to be a tough guy on the inside. Round 6 to 7 consideration.
32	2	Blackman	Darrell	No Carolina St	WR	5103v	210v	4.62v	F
	Former RB who has proven to be a tough versatile player. I liked his hands and his ability to catch with confidence. After the catch I liked his toughness and vision. Needs further route development, but feel this player has the skills to factor in a professional setting. Return skills only enhance this players overall potential . Not an instant study, but could contribute quickly in a number of ways. Has late second day draft potential. Round 6 – 7.
33	86	Henry	Marcus	Kansas U	WR	6035v	207v	4.58v	F
	The star of the East West shrine game, was just a guy during the 07 season. Is a good atlete with size, but was an inconsistent catcher. Lacks route polish (raw) and his hands were inconsistent. Doesn’t create either after the catch or as a route runner (gets open by offensive design). Has a real chance (should be a good test athlete), but needs a great deal of development in his individual routes. Strong late round draft consideration (6 -7)..
34	4	Smith	Tajiddin	Syracuse U	WR	6003v	187v	4.63v	F
	Bakersfield JC transfer. Is a great kid who has overcome a great deal in his life. Has graduated but will not return for a 6th year. Is smart, has good speed and ran good routes, but his hands were just adequate (Didn’t make any wow catches). Faster then combine timed speed. Going to have to make it as your 4th or 5th receiver since he does not play or have potential to play on teams. 6th to 7th round draft consideration.
35	11	Caddell	Matt	Alabama U	WR	5103v	185v	4.42v	G
	I was really impressed with this players hands, body control and overall body dexterity (made some very good off target adjustments in games viewed). Smooth route runner who can track and adjust to the ball. Has speed (sneaky fast), but lacks the juice to consistently separate vertically from defenders. Will contribute within the running game. Round 6 – 7
36	1	Garcon	Pierre	Mount Union College	WR	5117v	210v	4.44v	I
	Good looking player from a physical and athletic standpoint. Has been dominant player at this level of competition (D-III), although was very impressive when he lined up on the big stage (post season all star game). Not elusive, but was a strong instinctive runner after the catch. Had some problems coming out of his break on his underneith routes. Need a great deal of position developmental work, but has size and skills. Round 6 – 7.
37	4	Smith	Marcus	New Mexico U	WR	6012v	221v	4.59v	F
	Former RB who made the transition to a wide receiver position two season’s ago. Is a good looking individual physically (strong) Appeared very stiff as a route runner and although was strong, just doesn’t have the juice. Lacks separation speed on his intermediate and deep route. Has been very productive (91 catches for 1,125) using only about a third of the route tree, but only scored 4 TD’s. Would give late round consideration within the league.
38	1	Grice-Mullen	Ryan	Hawaii U	WR	5100v	187v	4.55v	G
	Undersized inside receiver with skills but lacks vertical speed to separate vertically from defenders. Has been very productive within their passing game over the past two seasons, but his potential is further eroded by the fact that he is not a returner and due to his lack of size is not likely to factor as a special team’s player. Caught an amazing 237 passes and 36 TD’s over a three year career. Has a chance of being drafted, but is more likely a free agent
39	16	Arrington	Adrian	Michigan U	WR	6027v	203v	4.57v	F
	Solid complimentary receiver. Has good athletic ability and size, but didn’t show the necessary speed to separate vertically and was unremarkable after the catch. If he can effectively play on teams, has a chance to make it as a 4th or 5th receiver. Worked away from the ball and ran pretty fair routes but there was nothing special in this players game. Would give late round consideration based on his size and moderate play production.
40	7	Bess	Davone	Hawaii U	WR	5097v	194v	4.76v	F
	Highly productive inside receiver with good hands and after the catch run instincts . Has essentially turned his life around over the past three years after some juvenile problems. Has very good zone awareness and the ability to convert. Works back to the ball and was a dangerous runner after the catch. Does not run well on a clock, but plays fast. Sure handed effecient punt return man. Workout numbers were not impressive, but this guy is a football player.
41	84	Rivers	Jason	Hawaii U	WR	6012v	200v	4.62v	F
	Not very tough nor was he very physical. Will drop in traffic and didn’t work inside the numbers with a lot of confidence. Would question his speed and deep separation skills. Said to be immature and mouthy, but is not considered a thug. Has good size and was effective in the short zones. Has late late round league draft potential but is more likely a priority free agent.
42	6	Robinson	Kevin	Utah St	WR	5116v	196v	4.67v	F
	Has been an outstanding return man throughout his collegiate career. Is a play maker who can make things happen after the catch, but lacks the speed and surprisingly neither a polished route runner and or catcher.. I felt he got in and out of a route effectively, with adequate tracking skills. On deep routes, lacks the burst at the top of the route (didn’t separate vertically). Has a chance basically on the strength of his returns.
43	5	Raymond	Paul	Brown U	WR	5091v	176v	4.39v	G
	Undersized raw talent with impressive tools, but at the outset is a very long way from playing at the professional level. Has the speed to flat out run away from people at this level., but routes were not precise or polished. A fast twitch athlete who was explosive on his take off from (open release). Not as productive as I would have expected and is acutely undersized. Kick returner background is a plus. Late potential, but is more likely priority FA
48		Carter	Xavier	LSU	WR	6014e	180e	4.30e	I
	Left Squad prior to the start of the 2006 season to run in the pro track circuit.. Rare speed (might well be the fastest man in the world), has a powerful loping stride and eats up ground very quickly. Has a good frame (tight muscular body), adequate hands and very good athletic ability. Was an outstanding prep football player. Home run threat and an effective KOR man as a frosh and soph. Not natural stemmng a route. Probable Olympic team, but can’t overlook.
49	1	Schilens	Chez	San Diego St	WR	6037v	208v	4.39v	I
	2007 season was slowed with a stress fracture to his right foot. Has rare size and straight speed. Wide catching radius. Played in only 8 games in 07 and caught 22 of his 35 passes in the final three games of the season. Does not play as fast as his timed speed. Long strider who was just adequate in and out of a break. Top rated prep baseball player (Tigers # 34 in 2003). Has too much size and speed to ignore. Late round or priority free agent consideration.
44	7	Urrutia	Mario	Louisville U	WR	6053v	232v	4.63v	F
	Other then his physical stature, I didn’t see much that I liked about this player’s game. Drops far too many catch able balls, wasn’t tough inside, was a very stiff route runner, and lacks the speed to separate on vertical routes. Wasn’t a confident catcher and showed little in the way of route quickness. Somebody is going to draft this player, but I don’t see much that I liked about this player’s game.
45	8	Jenkins	Darnell	Miami U	WR	5092v	187v	4.68v	F
	Good athletes with quickness, body control, and eye-hand coordination. Was disappointed with his overall speed, but I liked his play making ability. Has battled injuries throughout his playing career and is not as polished as one would expect coming from this program. Not special run instincts after the catch, but has made some big plays in 07. Late round or priority FA consideration.
46	12	Arthur	Jabari	Akron U	WR	6033v	225v	4.65e	F
	A big Canadian, who was originally recruited to play quarterback. Catches everything thrown in his direction. A pure possession receive who worked effectively in the under zonesr. Is tall with long limbs and big hands, but is just not very fast. Can’t separate vertically but was surprisingly an impressive runner after the catch (broke secured tackles and showed some awareness in the open field). Draft consideration round # 7.
47	81	Fagg	De’Cody	Florida St	WR	6012v	211v	4.66v	F
	Was injured at the 2008 combine (leg fx) which might well require him to miss the 2008 season. Has size and although not a natural catcher, I thought he did a good job of adjusting on or off his body. Tendency to round things off underneith. Not fast but can close the cushion on his open releases. Tracks the ball well on vertical routes. Built like a RB. Was effected by his teams lack of a consistentcy at QB, Late draft prior to injury. Not likely to be drafted
	87	McIntosh	Nicolas	College of the Sequoias	WR	6010e	185e	4.30e
	Might well be the second fastest prep player in Florida history. State 100 and 200 meter champion. Signed with the U of Florida but did not qualify. Attended Dodge City CC (red shirted in 2004), before transferring to the College of the Sequoias. Haitian decent. Signed with Toronto of the CFL in 2007

Scouting the 2008 Centers

Gus — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:47:24 +0000

No offensive line can be effective without a great center, and here the best ones that are going to be eligible for the draft on Saturday.

1	78	Lichtensteiger	Kory	Bowling Green	OC	6022v	298v	5.28v	G
	Four year regular. Very good player although not impressive to look at physically (short arms). Good balance and quick feet. Very tough and nasty. Very smart and aware (makes all front calls). Quick to the second level. Shows good knee bend and leverage on his blocks. Struggled with big people on pass protection, but never stopped working. A blue coller player, who plays the game with passion and heart. Has strong second day draft consideration.
2	76	Pollak	Mike	Arizona St	OC	6034v	301v	4.99v	I
	A good serviceable football player, but I didn’t think he was particularly strong or effective at the point of attack. but going to have some real problem with big people inside. Is smart, experienced took good angles and plays on his feet. On pass pro, looked around well, was a good knee bender and overall athletic skills. Not a nasty individual and is never going to be a big finisher, but has solid play skills and should become a steady swingman inside. Round 4 – 5
3	74	Justice	Steve	Wake Forest U	OC	6033v	290v	5.29v	G
	Has a pre existent condition which required his parents had to sign a waiver in order to play at Wake each season (no apparent effect in his play). Has athletic ability, experience and intelligence. Good athlete with toughness. Can reach effectively playside. Had problems with big people on his nose. Lacks core strength and rear power. Solid football player who could develop into a steady professional.
4	78	Sullivan	John	Notre Dame	OC	6034v	301v	5.39v	F
	Disappointed with his play in 2007. Is an experienced hand with intelligence, but was surprisingly not a natural knee bender (extensive wrestling background) and didn’t get consistent fits inline. On pass pro didn’t appear able to drop his base and make a stand vs a power rush. Had some very untimely gun snap errors in 07. Round 5 to 7 draft consideration.
5	70	Wallace	Cody	Texas A&M	OC	6042v	296v	5.31v	F
	Over achiever. Not a supple athlete, but is tough, experienced and durable. Had problems with people on his nose. Not strong at the point of attack. Just adequate contact balance. Tough, nasty individual. Journeyman player who has the potential to fill in at the OG spot. Problems with the bull rush. If he goes to a club that employs a zone blocking scheme (slide protection) could play a long time. Mid to late second day draft consideration (5 – 6).
6	71	Richard	Jameson	Buffalo U	OC	6046v	297v	5.12v	F
	A limited athlete, but was tough, strong, and very physical. Gets after people and showed better then expected upper body leverage. Good angles to 2nd level, but was inconsistent to sustain. Will also overplay or miss the target. On pass protection, showed adequate anchor when working against the bull rush. Is going to need some work, but was very pleased with his work throughout the season. Would give 6th to 7th round draft consideration.
7	69	Spanos	Matt	USC	OC	6053v	322v	5.39v	F
	Stepped into a starting role with an injury this past year and played far better then expected. Is both big and strong, but was not an explosive player. . Walls off effectively and worked well in tandem. Improved with each passing game. Not an especially good athlete but will fight you to the end. Played much of the season with a triceps injury which need to be repaired. Has an outside chance of being drafted, but is more likely a priority free agent within the league.
8	67	Miller	Drew	Florida U	OC	6046v	302v	5.30e	F
	Doesn’t play big. Lacks functional playing strength and finishing skills. Is smart and plays with savvy, but will have a particularly tough time blocking big people at the next level. On pass protection,I didn’t think he had near enough physical ability to handle a professional defender. Is smart, experienced and has lined up at both OG and the OC position, but lacks the necessary skills to play. Marginal free agent.
9	72	Bujnoch	Glen	Cincinnati U	OC	6046v	285v	5.24v	G
	Dad (Glen) played with the Bengal’s. Undersized player with limited play strength. Great kid with size potential, experience and good intangibles. I thought he played too rigid. Playing a tackle position, but did work at the center position in the spring and appears physically far better suited to project inside in the professional ranks. Will have get stronger and to do a far better job of keeping his pads down to play the OC position, but has a chance.

Scouting the 2008 Defensive End’s

Gus — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:35:01 +0000

This is an inside and in depth look at the 2008 class of DE’s. The list has been compiled by NFL scout Tom Marino, who has over 35 years of experience and is one of the most well respected scouts in the business. For all the draft enthusiasts out there this is the kind of hard hitting information that you are after. I will be bringing you the scouting reports for every position over the next week or so as we gear up for the 2008 NFL Draft. On this list you will find the player, his school, his height and weight and their 40 time.
91	Long	Chris	Virginia U	DE	6030v	272v	4.81v
Quality individual and player. Finishes everything. Great playing character, tenacity and toughness. Good initial get off, sees things quickly, reacts, and shows excellent play range. Rare backside effort. Wasn’t as nifty as I expected (bend and trim the edge). Great bend and core strength. More of a self made player then a natural talent. Great leverage meeting and playing off blocks. The ultimate team guy. Top defensive player in the country.
91	Harvey	Derrick	Florida U	DE	6045v	271v	4.89v
Smooth athletic player with excellent speed, get off quickness and impressive edge rush skills. Like his stride length, hand quicks, counter moves and close. Effectively worked down inside and get to the ball. Run down player who can drop his base and stack. Seldom on the ground and on the rare occasion that he was bounced up quickly and got back into the play. Didn’t see much I didn’t like or can’t be improved. The real deal. Slam dunk # 1
50	Gholston	Vernon	Ohio St	DE	6030v	266v	4.59v
Great physical presence. Has blacksmith arms, broad shoulders and thick muscular torso, but even with 14 sack and rare speed, I don’t consider him a natural pass rusher (paper production). Not an edge rusher (not nifty and lacks hand moves). A power rusher with a motor that doesn’t always run on high. Disappointing in space. More of an inside type, but is never going to have the mass to project.. Rare numbers, but I wouldn’t draft with my 1st selection.
54	Groves	Quentin	Auburn U	DE	6030v	259v	4.57v
Has had some off field issues which will need to be addressed. Former OB. Lean looking cut up athlete. Has a hot and cold playing motor. Undersized to factor as down linemen full time (not good match up) and needs space to operate, but has rare take off skills and the ability to close on the ball. Excellent playing range. Can retrace his steps and run down the ball carrier from the backside. Was run at some. Late 1st round consideration.
81	Campbell	Calais	Miami U	DE	6076v	290v	5.01v
Has lots of skills, play strength, initial get off quickness, but has a tendency to lose his focus. Has good COD and can really close on the ball. Very good inside counter move as a pass rusher. Huge wing span will pose a major problem for QB’s within the league. Very nimble big man, but is not there yet. Top round draft potential.
94	Merling	Philip	Clemson U	DE	6042v	276v	4.80e
More physical vs the run then I expected. Liked his intensity. Disruptive. Good range and versatility. Showed a tendency to play to high, but I loved his motor, quickness, toughness and the ability to finish. Good backside effort and playing range. Locates the ball on the inside. needs better point strength. Could have some nickel inside pass rush potential with maturity. Round # 1
49	Ellis	Chris	Virginia Tech	DE	6042v	263v	4.76v
Is a three year regular. Is an athlete who runs particularly well, has quick hands, good feet and pleanty of range. I liked the way he was able to consistently leverage the point (flexibility) and sheding blocks when playing the run. Vs the pass, I liked his get off quicks, stride length, bend at the top and close. Uses hands well can can convert speed to power. Needs to continue to make strides with maturity off the field. Round # 2
54	Jackson	Lawrence	USC	DE	6042v	271v	4.86v
Saw him as somewhat of an under achiever, but he has the skills to become a factor as a 4-3 pass rusher. Has good range, quickness. Has natural pass rush skills (quick hands, gets small at the top of the rush and the ability to close on the ball). Vs the run, will need to improve his overall body strength. Was run at with some success (got his pads up). Wouldn’t pull the switch too quickly with this player. Late 2nd mid 3rd consideration.
32	Avril	Cliff	Purdue U	DE	6027v	251v	4.63v
A 3-4 outside backer prospect who overall was somewhat disappointing. Got stuck on blocks and wasn’t particularly effective in his movement away from the ball. More of a “Sam backer” prospect and nickel rusher. Did show some short area pop when meeting blocks and the ball carrier. Has some natural leverage. Looks to have strong contributing back up potential within the league. Round 3 to 4 consideration.
90	Robertson	Darrell	Georgia Tech	DE	6037v	255v	4.75e
A very good athlete who played on his feet and covered a great deal of range. I liked his leverage and use of hands when meeting blocks. Good feet and balance (plays with bent knees). Got moved around by big people but didn’t stay blocked. As a pass rusher, really came hard on the outside (gains ground). Does not convery speed to power at this time, but with maturity should develop. Has strong 3rd to 4th round draft potential.
92	Iwebema	Kenny	Iowa U	DE	6040v	274v	5.00v
A talented player but something appears to be missing. Way too up and down. Showed good initial quickness and used his hands well, but seldom finished anything. Can converts speed to power, but too often just hung on blocks. Would like to have seen more consistent pad level. Has ability but needs further skill refirement and consistency. Late 3rd consideration, but is more likely a 4th round playing talent.
38	Howard	Marcus	Georgia U	DE	6004v	239v	4.51v
Undersized rocked up DE. Highly explosive & the speed to pose a real problem for a lot of tackles in nickel. Questionable instinctive & playing background, but there is no doubt what he can do on 3rd & long (nickel rusher). Physical explosive tackler. Vs the run, got covered up & was generally ineffective. Plays fast and is very tough, but can never be an every down guy. Good teams potentiial. A Robert Mathis clone.
44	Davis	Bruce	UCLA	DE	6025v	252v	4.83v
Undersized player who was a pass rusher first and foremost. I felt he was a very good athlete who can run and close as a outside speed rusher. Disappointing effort and competes within the running game. I didn’t think his motor always ran on high when chasing backside . Proved tio be ineffective in a two point stance. A one dimentional player who should warrent mid round draft consideration (4 – 5).
98	Thompson	Jeremy	Wake Forest U	DE	6043v	264v	4.77v
A three year starter predominately on the right side. Has the quickness you look for when engaging blocker defending the run, but I also thought he got his pads up, thus negating his power. Didn’t always finish or chase backside. Has potential as a pass rusher (good hand use, stride length and closing speed, but unless he beat people off the go, lacks the necessary body strength to defeat big people at this time. Round 5 – 6 consideration.
89	Scott	Trevor	Buffalo U	DE	6052v	252v	4.62v
Converted TE who has been banged up, but has measurable and athletic potential. I liked his motor & playing character (great energy). Not a lot of know-how at this stage or strength, but has some natural pass rush moves coming off the edge. Needs to shed blocks more effectively and finish. Also appeared to wear down working against big people (stamina)? Has tools and could develop in time. Draft consideration round 5 – 6.
92	Harrington	Chris	Texas A&M	DE	6043v	264v	4.86v
A little bit of a tweener. Is a good worker who played with a good deal of energy. As an outside pass rusher came off the ball (good stride length), but lacked the bend at the top of the rush (far more effective as a junior). Vs the run, was not a stout physical player. Was marginal to get off block and make plays. Has some athletic ability and quickness, but is more of a back up player at the next level. Round 5 – 6 draft potential.
98	Langford	Kendall	Hampton U	DE	6054v	287v	5.01v
Showed initial quickness on his get off, but does not play with a lot of power and or strength. Sharted each game viewed with a lot of energy, but had a tendency to run out of gas (stamina and conditioning)? Has particularly small hands, no hips or butt. Just feel if he can’t beat you off the go, will have a difficult time. Should be given strong late round draft (6 – 7) consideration.
52	Hayes	William	Winston Salem St	DE	6026v	272v	4.71v
Impressive small college linemen who showed explosiveness on his take off, the ability to convert speed to power and close on the football. Has a pro body and very good athletic ability. Mike backer in his first two season of play. Needs to keep his pads down more consistently, but did meet blocks and play with leverage. Has good first step quickness as a pas rusher, but will need to improve in his ability to counter. Strong late round draft or priority FA potential.
33	Taylor	Hilee	No Carolina U	DE	6023v	244v	4.59v
Is an undersized nickel rusher with rare speed who was generally an ineffective run stopper; plays high, was inconsistent with his hands and did not get off blocks particularly well. Can range and will make some plays with his backside chase. Vs the pass, is a fast twitch guy with a great 1st step, forces separation, get to the top of his rush, leans and accelerates to the ball. Too stiff to consider at LB. One dimentional, but give you something pretty special
45	Hall	Alex	St Augustine	DE	6051v	239v	4.72v
Has a great deal of natural gifts, but is physically underdeveloped and from a position skill perspective is at least two years behind in terms of development. As a pass rusher, has long arms, good first step quickness, the stride length to get to the top of the rush and the closing speed to pressure the QB. Currrently lacks the body strength, plan of attack and practical experience to factor. Raiders type pick.
83	Jones	Jason	Eastern Michigan U	DE	6052v	273v	4.80v
Is a former tight end who was moved to a defensive tackle position at the midpoint of the 04 season. Looks like a basketball player. Needs to play outside. Is a very raw player who had a tendency to get his pads up off the go. Limited use of hands to shed (gets stuck on blocks). Has skills and was not out of place at the Senior Bowl workouts, but is no better then a developmental player at this time. Late selection but more likely a PFA.
1	Johnson	Curtis	Clark-Atlanta	DE	6025v	242v	4.78v
Quick side end with good speed and playing range. Needs a great deal of work with his technique (use of hands). Effective edge rusher who can trim the edge effectively. I really liked his competes and the way finished. Perfect fit as an OLB in a 3-4 scheme. Needs refinement, but has tools and intensity to play. aLooks like a contributing back up within the league who should be able to add bulk and strength to his frame. Round 6 -7 consideration.
51	Baldwin	Ervin	Michigan St	DE	6012v	270v
Undersized (length) outside rusher, who played very hard. I thought he showed good leverage when meeting blocks, although will need to get off them more effeciently. Come hard as an outside rusher, but lacks hand use, counter skills, and finishing skills. A special situation rusher who has shown enough to merit late round consideration (6th to 7th).
9	Geathers	Jeremy	UNLV	DE	6021v	259v	4.82v
Undersized Juco transfer (son of long time NFL tackle James). Was far better player then I originally expected. Has excellent hip strength and lower body power.Good leverage and hands defending the run. Didn’t make a lot of plays on wide plays, but was strong and effective. As a pass rusher, showed good lean and dip at the top of rush (has an inside counter), but just modest results (only 11 sacks in 2 years). A work in progress, but has some tools. Round 7
92	Dingle	Johnny	West Virginia U	DE	6013v	265v	4.98v
Originally signed with Florida but was a non-qualifier and transferred. Is a undersized player with athletic ability who flashed skills as an edge rusher. Comes hard. Gets upfield, trims the edge, and showed a closing burst. Was just inconsistent in this area, and was in my opinion a non entity defending the run. Motor doesn’t always run on high. Just when you are about to give up on him will make a “wow” play to get you excited. 7th or priority free agent.
82	Craig	Angelo	Cincinnati U	DE	6040v	252v	5.09v
First year regular. Former WR, TE and LB before finding a home at DE. Is a good athlete, with foot speed and a burst. Can trim the edge and has the physical make up (long arms) to alter the throwing lanes (flashed impressive hand use). Up and down playing intensity. Have to question both his mental and physical toughness. Late consideration with the hope of developing at the LB position.
93	Ortiz	Chase	TCU	DE	6020v	249v	4.93v
Outside backer in a 3-4 look. Plays with a good motor and had some adequate backside chase and outside pass rush potential. A straight line guy who doesn’t have the hips and COD to project to linebacker. Too small to line up at as a 4-3 end. Gets muscled on the inside by big people. Looks like a steady back up prospect with second day (5th to 7th) round draft potential.
1	Holmes	Louis	Arizona U	DE	6035v	263v	4.89v
Highest rated Has size and a great deal of natural talent, but has made some highly questionable off the field decisions which can’t be overlooked. Said to be very immature and inconsistent as a player. Not a high motor guy but when he wants to has more then enough playing skills to impact a game. A club could well hit big with this player, but I really don’t know he can be counted on over the long haul. Has 7th round or free agent potential.
93	Smith	Dorian	Oregon St	DE	6014v	264v	5.08v
An under rated player who makes plays on the strength of a motor that always runs on high. Does not have a natural feel for the position, nor does he have special tools, but made plays due to his sustained effort Is never going to have the size and strength for full time participation. Would consider in a late round ate round 5-7 draft consideration.
93	Hout	Kurt	Ferris St	DE	6010v	266v	4.91v
A tough undersized small college player who played extremely hard. Flies around and makes plays. Not particularly strong, but was physical and has an edge to him. Has had some off the field issues but has matured over the past two years (raised himself). Didn’t think he located the ball on the inside as well as he should have (lack of height likely contributed to his lack of success). Outside chance to factor at the professional level
55	Artis	Wallace	Furman U	DE	6033v	266v	5.00e
97	Fountain	Marque	Oklahoma St	DE
47	Franklin	Vegas	Miami U	DE	6022v	239v	4.91v
97	Blake	Tommy	TCU	DE	6025v	272v	4.83v
92	Gilberry	Wallace	Alabama U	DE	6022v	268v	4.99v
90	Studebaker	Andrew	Wheaton College	DE	6030v	249v	4.54v
95	Jackson	Robert	Kansas St	DE	6032v	256v	4.91v
58	Mullenix	Matt	Washington St	DE	6054e	255e	4.80e
49	Pittman	Kirston	LSU	DE	6023v	254v	4.74v
97	Schlekeway	Nick	Boise St	DE	6033v	268v	4.93v
90	Udofla	Udeme	Stanford U	DE	6035v	244v	5.03v
49	Van Orsow	Jeff	Oregon St	DE
89	Reynolds	Antonio	Tennessee U	DE	6035v	266v	4.92v
7	Gunheim	Greyson	Washington U	DE	6050e	260e	4.90e
93	Burnett	Martail	Utah U	DE	6026v	257v	4.79v
93	Mitchell	Xavier	Tennessee U	DE	6026v	258v	4.88v
58	Clermond	Joe	Pittsburgh U	DE	6022v	253v	4.97v
91	Henderson	Robert	Southern Mississippi	DE	6027v	281v	4.87v
57	Gray	Derrick	Texas Southern	DE	6041v	269v	5.00e
45	Bright	Eugene	Purdue U	DE
54	Dotson	Alonzo	Oklahoma U	DE	6030e	250e
99	Mattison	Bryan	Iowa U	DE	6027v	290v	5.09v
96	Flynn	Dallas	Northwest Missouri St	DE	6045v	260v
2	Johnson	Roderick	Oklahoma St	DE	6024e	255e	4.95e
42	Oliver	Adamm	Georgia Tech	DE	6036v	271v	4.80e
94	Osborn	Nick	San Diego St	DE	6033v	251v	4.80e
98	Boston	Alex	Florida St	DE	6023v	261v	4.76v
41	Brown	Martel	No Carolina St	DE	6010e	255e	4.90e
88	Cox	Brandon	Louisville U	DE
99	Hardie	Rudolph	Howard U	DE	6017v	257v	4.90e
57	Larkin	Nick	Boston College	DE	6036v	244v
58	Mester	Craig	Miami (Ohio) U	DE	6040e	245e
59	Nading	Jesse	Colorado St	DE	6047v	261v
12	Noa	Karl	Hawaii U	DE	6035v	239v
93	Owens	Jacob	Fairmont St	DE	6047v	266v	4.91v
94	Saint-Dic	Jonal	Michigan St	DE	6002v	253v	4.90e
11	Amos	John	Calif-Davis	DE	6031v	254v
90	Baker	Maurice	CW Post	DE	6034e	260e
92	Bakhtiari	Eric	U of San Diego	DE
56	Cummings	Kenwin	Wingate U	DE	6017v	258v	5.08v
31	Griffin	Kerby	California (PA)	DE	6005v	266v	5.14v
90	Chapman	Jeremiah	No Texas U	DE
40	Boynton	Blair	Northern Arizona U	DE
41	McKillop	Chris	Pittsburgh U	DE	6024v	252v
94	Joseph	Kirby	McNeese St	DE	6014e	270e	4.94v