Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
I spent several hours yesterday and today reviewing the All-Star Bowl games and here are my notes:
Here were my favorites at the positions of need for the Cardinals:
QB:
1. Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan. Has a more than adequate arm and very good feet. Moves the team with a great sense of tempo and command. Throws a very catchable ball, and has excellent touch, like the 40 yard fade TD he dropped in to Mardy Gilyard. Superb red zone threat because of his feet and passing touch.
2. Mike Kafka, Northwestern. Another up tempo QB who plays a gritty, gutsy style. Throws over the top (which I have always preferred) and has very good anticipation of the precise moment to deliver the ball. Has very good feet, similar to LeFevour's, and he steps strongly into his throws. Runs a great two minute drill. Won the East-West Shrine game on a 60 yard drive with 1:44 left, making several excellent throws (including the game winner to TE Andrew Quarless with under 20 seconds left) and clutch scrambles.
RB: (not a need but I wanted to add this player in)
1. LeGarrette Blount, Oregon. Despite his temper issues, this guy is a load with serious wheels. Runs a little to high for my liking but moves the pile anyway.
OL:
1. Mike Iupati, G, Idaho. Big, strong mauler, who has horrible pass protection technique. But, the physical upside is enormous. Which made me wonder: at 6-5, 329, what would he look like at NT?
2. Vladimir Ducasse, T, UMass. Can maul you with his strength and finesse you with his quickness. Has a rare blend of both. Russ Grimm would turn this guy into a Pro Bowler in three years or so.
WR:
1. Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati. He's one of those rare players who has a knack for making his presence felt at key times in ballgames. Some WRs might be a little faster or bigger, but they don't command the ball being thrown his way the way Gilyard does. Cris Carter wasn't the biggest or fastest, but he was a TD magnet. Gilyard was in college and should be in the NFL as well. Very good return man.
2. Dexter McCluster, Misssissippi. He will be electrifying for whatever team takes him. You can line him up in the backfield or in the slot or motion him wide, and he has about as quick a set of feet as you will ever find. Plus, he has a very good sense of how to avoid punishing contact, which at his size is key. Very good return man as well.
3. Andre Roberts, The Citadel. This kid is sneaky fast, runs great routes and has excellent stick-um hands. Looks like a capable #3-4 WR who will develop into a productive #2.
4. Taylor Price, Ohio. A real burner who needs to command the ball the way Gilyard does.
5. Jacobi Ford, Clemson. Ditto.
6. Blair White, Michigan St. Looks like a sure handed Jerheme Urban. Smart at getting open, as Urban is...but very reliable at catching the ball.
TE:
1. Dennis Pitta, BYU. Not only does he catch everything in sight and has a real knack for breaking open, unlike most TEs you see these days after the catch, Pitta lowers his shoulder and does not shy away from contact. he's not much of a blocker, but this kid is a first-rate receiver.
2. Colin Peek, Alabama. Big, tough, athletic and sure-handed. Whiz's kind of TE. I could see Whiz taking him on Day 3.
3. Andrew Quarless, Penn. St. Has all the physical tools, needs to as John Lott says, "get your mind right."
DT:
1. Dan Williams, Tennessee. Love the way he initiates the contact and stands the center up in an effort to drive him backward. But, he needs to maneuver the center quicker in order to make more plays on the ball.
2. Geno Atkins, Georgia. This kid is on the smaller side, but has outstanding feet and quickness.
3. Jared Odrick, Penn. St. Works his legs non-stop and plays with a tremendous sense of urgency. Has tremendous stamina and the will to win.
4. Mike Neal, Purdue. Very athletic. Locates the ball quickly and finishes off plays showing very good lateral and upfield quickness.
5. Nate Collins, Virginia. Too small for NT, but with his quick feet and sneaky strength he could be a real force as a 3-4 DE.
6. Terrence Cody, Alabama. Shows surprising quickness for a man his size...but disappointing strength for a man his size.
ILB:
1. Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri. Has tremendous sideline to sideline speed and coverage ability. Looks and plays small in other areas, like stepping up to meet blockers and RBs. Plays with great energy and enthusiasm. Needs to get stronger.
2. Daryl Washington, TCU. Unlike Weatherspoon who is actually 241 pounds, Washington looks and plays bigger, despite his 226 weight. However, Washington does not react as quickly as Weatherspoon and will need to hone his instincts as he gets physically stronger.
3. A.J. Edds, Iowa. Great cover LB, who, like Washington needs to play more physcial and more instinctively in the running game.
4. Mike McLaughlin, Boston College. Has rebounded quickly from a torn Achilles...packs a punch on his hits and runs down hill to the ball very well. Lack preferred sideline to sideline speed, which makes him strictly a MILB. Tough, gritty competitor. Very good tackler.
OLB/DE
1. Brandon Graham, Michigan. Was the best player I saw in the games, maybe by a wide margin. Despite having short height and arm length, Graham is a whirling tornado on the field who has tremendous lower body strength to go with quick feet and impressive closing speed...this kid is a great tackler...he reminds me of a cross between Dwight Freeney and Lamarr Woodley.
2. Koa Misi, Utah. Splendid athlete, high motor player, very good tackler. Needs to be able to keep on a little more weight.
3. Dakota Watson, Florida St. Had a very good Senior Bowl showing exemplary edge quickness versus the run. Is lean and chiseled. Needs to add strength...but, like Misi, is the kind of athlete who could play both inside and outside in the 3-4.
4. O'Brien Schofield, Wisconsin. Super active player who can step up and make plays and cover in space.
5. Austen Lane, Murray St. Thick and reasonably ahtletic. Could be a sleeper.
6. Greg Hardy, Mississippi. A little loose jointed, but he turns the corner well and has a burst to the QB.
7. James Ruffin, Northern Iowa. Had a very good sack in the East-West game, after a so-so week of practice apparently. But, he looks the part and had a very good stutter-step move.
8. Brandon Lang and Cameron Sheffield, Troy. Lang's the stronger of the two but Sheffield is much quicker off the ball. Both have upside.
CB:
1. Devin McCourty, Rutgers. Smooth and fast...good ball awareness.
2. Kyle Wilson, Boise St. Same. Both have great feet. And both are very good return men.
3. Chris Cook, Virginia. Tall, fast and fiesty.
4. Javier Arenas, Alabama. One super tough cookie, with smallish but strong frame and tremendous feet. A nickle back and premier return man.
5. Perrish Cox, Oklahoma St. Aniother tough cookie. A real enforcer on the edge in coverage and in run support.
6. Brandon Ghee, Wake Forest. Has all the tools, but, needs to play with greater passion.
7. Patrick Robinson, Florida St. Maybe the best cover CB feet wise, but, like Ghee needs to add more passion and physicality to his game.
8. Jamar Wall, Texas Tech. A real battler out there...takes some risks, but has his head totally in the game. Good physical player.
K
1. Leigh Tiffin, Alabama. Lacks a huge leg especially on kickoffs, but as many times as I've watched Alabama the past few years, I don't think I have ever seen him miss a field goal, especially in clutch situations.
I didn't list the players I wasn't as impressed with, but if you would like my thoughts on anyone please let me know.
Here were my favorites at the positions of need for the Cardinals:
QB:
1. Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan. Has a more than adequate arm and very good feet. Moves the team with a great sense of tempo and command. Throws a very catchable ball, and has excellent touch, like the 40 yard fade TD he dropped in to Mardy Gilyard. Superb red zone threat because of his feet and passing touch.
2. Mike Kafka, Northwestern. Another up tempo QB who plays a gritty, gutsy style. Throws over the top (which I have always preferred) and has very good anticipation of the precise moment to deliver the ball. Has very good feet, similar to LeFevour's, and he steps strongly into his throws. Runs a great two minute drill. Won the East-West Shrine game on a 60 yard drive with 1:44 left, making several excellent throws (including the game winner to TE Andrew Quarless with under 20 seconds left) and clutch scrambles.
RB: (not a need but I wanted to add this player in)
1. LeGarrette Blount, Oregon. Despite his temper issues, this guy is a load with serious wheels. Runs a little to high for my liking but moves the pile anyway.
OL:
1. Mike Iupati, G, Idaho. Big, strong mauler, who has horrible pass protection technique. But, the physical upside is enormous. Which made me wonder: at 6-5, 329, what would he look like at NT?
2. Vladimir Ducasse, T, UMass. Can maul you with his strength and finesse you with his quickness. Has a rare blend of both. Russ Grimm would turn this guy into a Pro Bowler in three years or so.
WR:
1. Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati. He's one of those rare players who has a knack for making his presence felt at key times in ballgames. Some WRs might be a little faster or bigger, but they don't command the ball being thrown his way the way Gilyard does. Cris Carter wasn't the biggest or fastest, but he was a TD magnet. Gilyard was in college and should be in the NFL as well. Very good return man.
2. Dexter McCluster, Misssissippi. He will be electrifying for whatever team takes him. You can line him up in the backfield or in the slot or motion him wide, and he has about as quick a set of feet as you will ever find. Plus, he has a very good sense of how to avoid punishing contact, which at his size is key. Very good return man as well.
3. Andre Roberts, The Citadel. This kid is sneaky fast, runs great routes and has excellent stick-um hands. Looks like a capable #3-4 WR who will develop into a productive #2.
4. Taylor Price, Ohio. A real burner who needs to command the ball the way Gilyard does.
5. Jacobi Ford, Clemson. Ditto.
6. Blair White, Michigan St. Looks like a sure handed Jerheme Urban. Smart at getting open, as Urban is...but very reliable at catching the ball.
TE:
1. Dennis Pitta, BYU. Not only does he catch everything in sight and has a real knack for breaking open, unlike most TEs you see these days after the catch, Pitta lowers his shoulder and does not shy away from contact. he's not much of a blocker, but this kid is a first-rate receiver.
2. Colin Peek, Alabama. Big, tough, athletic and sure-handed. Whiz's kind of TE. I could see Whiz taking him on Day 3.
3. Andrew Quarless, Penn. St. Has all the physical tools, needs to as John Lott says, "get your mind right."
DT:
1. Dan Williams, Tennessee. Love the way he initiates the contact and stands the center up in an effort to drive him backward. But, he needs to maneuver the center quicker in order to make more plays on the ball.
2. Geno Atkins, Georgia. This kid is on the smaller side, but has outstanding feet and quickness.
3. Jared Odrick, Penn. St. Works his legs non-stop and plays with a tremendous sense of urgency. Has tremendous stamina and the will to win.
4. Mike Neal, Purdue. Very athletic. Locates the ball quickly and finishes off plays showing very good lateral and upfield quickness.
5. Nate Collins, Virginia. Too small for NT, but with his quick feet and sneaky strength he could be a real force as a 3-4 DE.
6. Terrence Cody, Alabama. Shows surprising quickness for a man his size...but disappointing strength for a man his size.
ILB:
1. Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri. Has tremendous sideline to sideline speed and coverage ability. Looks and plays small in other areas, like stepping up to meet blockers and RBs. Plays with great energy and enthusiasm. Needs to get stronger.
2. Daryl Washington, TCU. Unlike Weatherspoon who is actually 241 pounds, Washington looks and plays bigger, despite his 226 weight. However, Washington does not react as quickly as Weatherspoon and will need to hone his instincts as he gets physically stronger.
3. A.J. Edds, Iowa. Great cover LB, who, like Washington needs to play more physcial and more instinctively in the running game.
4. Mike McLaughlin, Boston College. Has rebounded quickly from a torn Achilles...packs a punch on his hits and runs down hill to the ball very well. Lack preferred sideline to sideline speed, which makes him strictly a MILB. Tough, gritty competitor. Very good tackler.
OLB/DE
1. Brandon Graham, Michigan. Was the best player I saw in the games, maybe by a wide margin. Despite having short height and arm length, Graham is a whirling tornado on the field who has tremendous lower body strength to go with quick feet and impressive closing speed...this kid is a great tackler...he reminds me of a cross between Dwight Freeney and Lamarr Woodley.
2. Koa Misi, Utah. Splendid athlete, high motor player, very good tackler. Needs to be able to keep on a little more weight.
3. Dakota Watson, Florida St. Had a very good Senior Bowl showing exemplary edge quickness versus the run. Is lean and chiseled. Needs to add strength...but, like Misi, is the kind of athlete who could play both inside and outside in the 3-4.
4. O'Brien Schofield, Wisconsin. Super active player who can step up and make plays and cover in space.
5. Austen Lane, Murray St. Thick and reasonably ahtletic. Could be a sleeper.
6. Greg Hardy, Mississippi. A little loose jointed, but he turns the corner well and has a burst to the QB.
7. James Ruffin, Northern Iowa. Had a very good sack in the East-West game, after a so-so week of practice apparently. But, he looks the part and had a very good stutter-step move.
8. Brandon Lang and Cameron Sheffield, Troy. Lang's the stronger of the two but Sheffield is much quicker off the ball. Both have upside.
CB:
1. Devin McCourty, Rutgers. Smooth and fast...good ball awareness.
2. Kyle Wilson, Boise St. Same. Both have great feet. And both are very good return men.
3. Chris Cook, Virginia. Tall, fast and fiesty.
4. Javier Arenas, Alabama. One super tough cookie, with smallish but strong frame and tremendous feet. A nickle back and premier return man.
5. Perrish Cox, Oklahoma St. Aniother tough cookie. A real enforcer on the edge in coverage and in run support.
6. Brandon Ghee, Wake Forest. Has all the tools, but, needs to play with greater passion.
7. Patrick Robinson, Florida St. Maybe the best cover CB feet wise, but, like Ghee needs to add more passion and physicality to his game.
8. Jamar Wall, Texas Tech. A real battler out there...takes some risks, but has his head totally in the game. Good physical player.
K
1. Leigh Tiffin, Alabama. Lacks a huge leg especially on kickoffs, but as many times as I've watched Alabama the past few years, I don't think I have ever seen him miss a field goal, especially in clutch situations.
I didn't list the players I wasn't as impressed with, but if you would like my thoughts on anyone please let me know.
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