Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
BA said that this was the most excited he's been about Day 3 picks in quite some time.
In a nutshell:
* the Cardinals drafted a potential day 1 starter at RG in Dorian Johnson. Johnson is the best and most experienced guard in the draft. He slid as a potential Round 2 selection due to a congenital liver enzyme disorder, that Johnson says he's had all his life and is controlled by medication. What is so appealing about Johnson is that at his elite size (6-5, 300) and long arms, he is very difficult to get around and yet he shows a facile ability to pull and trap. Pitt had a record breaking offense this past year and Johnson was the leader up front.
* they added more quality depth to the tackle position by selecting Will Holden (6-7, 313), a 2nd Team All-SEC performer at Vanderbilt. Holden created some legit draft buzz hone he performed well at the East West Shrine game and some thought he could sneak his way into the late portions of Round 3. The Cardinals will try to develop him into a swing tackle and eventual starter.
* what BA&SK love about Johnson and Holden is that they are football smart -- they believe they will transition well and readily into the offense.
* then they bolstered the STs by adding 4.3 speedsters in RB/return specialist T.J. Logan (5-10, 190) from North Carolina and CB/S/STs gunner Johnathan Ford (5-11, 200) from Auburn. Logan can add some spark as a 3rd down running and receiving specialist and Ford, whom the coaches are going to play at CB, can work the perimeter and the slot. Ford has good length and speed for a CB and he is an aggressive tackler.
* Steve Keim pulled the strings very adeptly throughout the draft by trading up to acquire FS Budda Baker and in adding a 7th rounder whole giving up 3 picks (2nd, 4th and 2018 4th), he was able to trade both 7th round picks to move up to Round 6 to take Ford, who has been working out with Rod Hood and Patrick Peterson. In addition, by moving back in round 3 in his trade with the Panthers, Keim was able to re-gain the 4th rounder he gave up in the Baker trade and add G Dorian Johnson with that pick.
Keim's and the scouts' work was still in full swing as the draft ended as they signed the following UDFAs:
* Krishawn Hogan (6-3, 222, Marian) -- small school phenom who scored 56 TD the past 2 seasons (80/1,435, 15 TDs, 10 TDs rushing in 2016). Very good size and respectable 4.56 speed.
* Andy Kwon, T, Georgia Southern (6-1, 295) -- 1st team All Sun Belt.
* Darrien Howard, NT, West Virginia (6-1, 300) -- 66 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 FF, 2 FR in 2016. Ran a 4.96.
* Jon McLaughlin, T, Virginia Tech (6-5, 313) -- 4 year starter who improved his QB pressures allowed from 26 to 13 in 2016.
* Ryan Watson, OLB, Air Force (6-3, 245) -- 8 sacks, 10 TFL in 2016. Ran a 4.48 and did 23 reps at 225.
* Brandon Clemons, G, Michigan St. (6-3, 303) -- coming off solid year as starter. Ran 5.37 and had 25 reps at 225.
* Antonio Pipkin, QB, Tiffin (6-1, 225) --51/12 TD/INT the past 2 seasons. Dual-threat as runner.
* Lucas Crowley, C, North Carolina (6-3, 300). Was Remington Award nominee last 2 seasons. 2nd team All-ACC.
* Gump Hayes, CB, Arizona St. (5-11, 187) -- Converted RB to CB. Ran 4.32 and has 36" vertical.
* Seth Coate, WR, St. Francis (6-2, 215) -- MVP on NAIA Championship game (9/180yds/3 TD). Wears #11. Runs a 4.6.
* Pasoni Tasini, DT, Utah (6-3, 295) -- earned Honorable Mention Pac-10, 35 tackles, 9.5 TFL. Ran 4.97.
* Sojourn Shelton, CB, Wisconsin (5-9, 172) -- 4 year starter, 2nd Team All Big Ten. 23 tackles, 4 ints and 12 pbus in 2016.
* Ricky Seals-Jones, TE, Texas A&M (6-5, 243) -- cousin of Eric Dickerson, has size but needs to separate.
* James Summers, RB, East Carolina (6-3, 218) -- 869 rushing yards, 5.4 ypc and 7 TDs in 2016. Superb athlete, played some QB and is a good receiver. Has some David Johnson type qualities.
* Carlton Agadosi, WR, Rutgers (6-6, 205) --35/513/2 TD in 2016. Big target and superb kick blocker. At 6-6 he has a 40" vertical.
* Ironhead Gallon, LB, Georgia Southern (5-9, 204) -- 102 tackles, 6 TFL, 6 PBUs, 1 FF. Ran 4.57 with 38.5" vertical, 10'10" Broad Jump and 18 reps at 225.
* Collin Bevins, DE/DT, NW Missouri St. (6-6, 285) -- had 15.5 sacks as a junior...career 165 tackles and 34.5 sacks. Suited to play the 5 technique in a 34.
* Tre'Von Johnson, OLB, Weber St. (6-0, 235) -- 1st team All Big Sky, 8 tackles a game, 10.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks. Ran 4.55.
* Ryan Lewis, CB, Pittsburgh (6-0, 194) -- 79 tackles, 8 PBUs, 2 ints (both in end zone, one to seal their win versus Penn St. and the other versus Deshaun Watson). Ran 4.37. Benched 16 reps.
* Trevor Knight, QB, Texas A&M (6-1, 219) -- Oklahoma transfer ---fastest QB at Combine at 4.54 -- came back from should;der injury to beat Kansas St. in bowl game with over 300 yards passing and 3 TDs -- only completed 54% of his passes on the season.
In a nutshell:
* the Cardinals drafted a potential day 1 starter at RG in Dorian Johnson. Johnson is the best and most experienced guard in the draft. He slid as a potential Round 2 selection due to a congenital liver enzyme disorder, that Johnson says he's had all his life and is controlled by medication. What is so appealing about Johnson is that at his elite size (6-5, 300) and long arms, he is very difficult to get around and yet he shows a facile ability to pull and trap. Pitt had a record breaking offense this past year and Johnson was the leader up front.
* they added more quality depth to the tackle position by selecting Will Holden (6-7, 313), a 2nd Team All-SEC performer at Vanderbilt. Holden created some legit draft buzz hone he performed well at the East West Shrine game and some thought he could sneak his way into the late portions of Round 3. The Cardinals will try to develop him into a swing tackle and eventual starter.
* what BA&SK love about Johnson and Holden is that they are football smart -- they believe they will transition well and readily into the offense.
* then they bolstered the STs by adding 4.3 speedsters in RB/return specialist T.J. Logan (5-10, 190) from North Carolina and CB/S/STs gunner Johnathan Ford (5-11, 200) from Auburn. Logan can add some spark as a 3rd down running and receiving specialist and Ford, whom the coaches are going to play at CB, can work the perimeter and the slot. Ford has good length and speed for a CB and he is an aggressive tackler.
* Steve Keim pulled the strings very adeptly throughout the draft by trading up to acquire FS Budda Baker and in adding a 7th rounder whole giving up 3 picks (2nd, 4th and 2018 4th), he was able to trade both 7th round picks to move up to Round 6 to take Ford, who has been working out with Rod Hood and Patrick Peterson. In addition, by moving back in round 3 in his trade with the Panthers, Keim was able to re-gain the 4th rounder he gave up in the Baker trade and add G Dorian Johnson with that pick.
Keim's and the scouts' work was still in full swing as the draft ended as they signed the following UDFAs:
* Krishawn Hogan (6-3, 222, Marian) -- small school phenom who scored 56 TD the past 2 seasons (80/1,435, 15 TDs, 10 TDs rushing in 2016). Very good size and respectable 4.56 speed.
* Andy Kwon, T, Georgia Southern (6-1, 295) -- 1st team All Sun Belt.
* Darrien Howard, NT, West Virginia (6-1, 300) -- 66 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 FF, 2 FR in 2016. Ran a 4.96.
* Jon McLaughlin, T, Virginia Tech (6-5, 313) -- 4 year starter who improved his QB pressures allowed from 26 to 13 in 2016.
* Ryan Watson, OLB, Air Force (6-3, 245) -- 8 sacks, 10 TFL in 2016. Ran a 4.48 and did 23 reps at 225.
* Brandon Clemons, G, Michigan St. (6-3, 303) -- coming off solid year as starter. Ran 5.37 and had 25 reps at 225.
* Antonio Pipkin, QB, Tiffin (6-1, 225) --51/12 TD/INT the past 2 seasons. Dual-threat as runner.
* Lucas Crowley, C, North Carolina (6-3, 300). Was Remington Award nominee last 2 seasons. 2nd team All-ACC.
* Gump Hayes, CB, Arizona St. (5-11, 187) -- Converted RB to CB. Ran 4.32 and has 36" vertical.
* Seth Coate, WR, St. Francis (6-2, 215) -- MVP on NAIA Championship game (9/180yds/3 TD). Wears #11. Runs a 4.6.
* Pasoni Tasini, DT, Utah (6-3, 295) -- earned Honorable Mention Pac-10, 35 tackles, 9.5 TFL. Ran 4.97.
* Sojourn Shelton, CB, Wisconsin (5-9, 172) -- 4 year starter, 2nd Team All Big Ten. 23 tackles, 4 ints and 12 pbus in 2016.
* Ricky Seals-Jones, TE, Texas A&M (6-5, 243) -- cousin of Eric Dickerson, has size but needs to separate.
* James Summers, RB, East Carolina (6-3, 218) -- 869 rushing yards, 5.4 ypc and 7 TDs in 2016. Superb athlete, played some QB and is a good receiver. Has some David Johnson type qualities.
* Carlton Agadosi, WR, Rutgers (6-6, 205) --35/513/2 TD in 2016. Big target and superb kick blocker. At 6-6 he has a 40" vertical.
* Ironhead Gallon, LB, Georgia Southern (5-9, 204) -- 102 tackles, 6 TFL, 6 PBUs, 1 FF. Ran 4.57 with 38.5" vertical, 10'10" Broad Jump and 18 reps at 225.
* Collin Bevins, DE/DT, NW Missouri St. (6-6, 285) -- had 15.5 sacks as a junior...career 165 tackles and 34.5 sacks. Suited to play the 5 technique in a 34.
* Tre'Von Johnson, OLB, Weber St. (6-0, 235) -- 1st team All Big Sky, 8 tackles a game, 10.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks. Ran 4.55.
* Ryan Lewis, CB, Pittsburgh (6-0, 194) -- 79 tackles, 8 PBUs, 2 ints (both in end zone, one to seal their win versus Penn St. and the other versus Deshaun Watson). Ran 4.37. Benched 16 reps.
* Trevor Knight, QB, Texas A&M (6-1, 219) -- Oklahoma transfer ---fastest QB at Combine at 4.54 -- came back from should;der injury to beat Kansas St. in bowl game with over 300 yards passing and 3 TDs -- only completed 54% of his passes on the season.
What a story that would be!
