UDFA article on front page

[Skkorpion]

One man's opinion.

http://arizonasportsfans.com/storypage.php?Story_ID=225&Category=cardinals

 

[az643dp]

Hey Skkorp,

Thanks for all of the info on the UDFA's. That helps. I have a few takes of my own:

Rhett Nelson
6'0" 200lbs
CB/Colorado State

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I read in the Denver Post right after CB Rhett Nelson (Colorado State) signed with the Cards that he is a good pickup. Evidently the dude runs in the upper 4.2's and is a hell of a special teams player. The article also mentioned that he had shoulder problems his Junior year and that set his development back. He was really coming into his own as a CB toward the end of the season last year. I think that he is more than just "camp fodder" based on his special teams potential alone.

Reggie Newhouse
6'0" 189
WR/Baylor

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Reggie Newhouse has been a consistent performer for the Baylor Bears during his career. He is the school's all-time leading WR and has proven to be durable. While I agree that he will be a long shot to make the Cards roster, I completely disagree that the Cards would sign him just because his brother is a Pro Personnel Assistant with the team. This kid's numbers are pretty good and I feel that he may have been the next best rated WR on their board at the time they signed him. I don't think that any team would sign a guy as a courtesy to a family member.

Phillip Doolin
6–1, 225
RB/WR/Arkansas Pine-Bluff

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Phillip Doolin actually went to Arkansas Pine Bluff not Stephen F. Austin as reported. This is a strange story. Doolin actually bulked up to 237lbs before his SR year to make the move to RB. Then the coaches moved him back to WR. So in essence, the Cards signed a guy who played WR primarily but also lined up at RB sometimes. How mnay FB's gain 1,000 yds receiving in a year? I think the Cards saw something in him at either RB/FB or at WR. He may be the complete definition of "Camp Fodder" but who really knows at this point. The 6-foot-0, 225-pound pass catcher ran 4.46 at 237 pounds last summer, while also possessing a 36.5" and averaging nearly 20 reps of 225 lbs. Here is a nice link with more information on Doolin:

http://www.draft2003.com/nlsports/Draft2003.nsf/0/DD8CD903ECCA2B3988256C7E0029D94E?OpenDocument

Talifaia Atoe,
6–1, 315
DT/Idaho

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I don't know much about this guy but I read that he is the cousin of former Cardinal Mao Tosi who also went to Idaho.

 

[ajcardfan]

Doolin was working at WR at the Fan Fest day. Never lined up anywhere else. He's listed as a FB by the Cardinals. What they think they might get from this guy is a headscratcher.

 

[az643dp]

Originally posted by ajcardfan
Doolin was working at WR at the Fan Fest day. Never lined up anywhere else. He's listed as a FB by the Cardinals. What they think they might get from this guy is a headscratcher.

Well, judging from the article on Doolin that I posted earlier in this thread, it looks like they have raw size and speed to work with. He will probably be a victim of numbers. Although, that is what we thought about Jake Soliday last year!

 

[pinnacle]

skorp: I agree with az643 on rhett nelson.. He is #1 on my list of UDRFA having a chance to make the practice squad.. I agree with your other choices.. Rhett is fast, strong and has decent size - and I think he could be tried at corner - but based on minicamp - we may be projecting him as a safety. Gil brandt had him rated as the 18th best corner in the draft..He had 11 teams invite him to training camp - and he thought his best shot was with the cardinals...he is also the kind of player who may play very well on special teams - which should help his chances. we also outbid other teams for initial signing bonus (I read this somehwere)..so we must have thought he had a shot... If we sign a veteran safety and a veteran corner (which I hope we do) - rhett may be out of luck..but if we cannot find any quality at these positions after june 1 - and if rhett has a clue in training camp..he may stick.

 

[JeffGollin]

My Top 4 to succeed would be: Nelson, Atoe, Diamond (if he can beat out Banks) and the offensive tackle dude (for practice squad).

Plus possibly, a WR or DB if he can return kicks and punts better than anyone else we've got.

Hamilton and Savage might be able to stick on some NFL roster, but face an uphill battle on ours due to the logjam at wideout.

 

[Ed B]

Our backup DBs are Renaldo Hill, Michael Stone, and Quentin Harris.

Rhett Nelson has a very good chance to make this squad if he can play at all......even just special teams. If he shows one stinkin' thing on the field, he's better than Stone.

 

[pinnacle]

another point on nelson...we have starks as our #1 - and the knock on him is size. Stone is also a small corner (may not matter - he may be cut). hill and barrett are bigger - but hill is probably our slowest defensive back. at minicamp - it seemed to me that nelson was our tallest cornerback..and he may be our fastest cornerback (he ran a really fast time at his pro day in colorado) - but there is mixed results on his 40 time..the time ourlads had was quite a bit higher (not sure where they got their information). Summary - we need a big fast corner - and they are a rarity in the NFL these days...if nelson is as fast as some reports say - he will get a shot..if he is just a stiff and not that fast - then he is training camp fodder.

By the way..the height listing on some of our cornerbacks is almost college level quality..Stone and nelson are both listed at 5' 11"...but I swear at minicamp that nelson was at least 2 inches (maybe more) taller. seems they are all listed at 5' 10 or 5'11" (Rhinehart, hill, stone, starks, barrett, nelson).. If nelson is 5' 11" then starks, stone are like 5' 8" or 5'9"!

 

[Skkorpion]

Thanks, az643. I haven't seen any of these guys play except Lorenzo Diamond so my opinions aren't worth much. It's a challenge to try to figure out what the scouts see in some of these guys.

With only 11 camp positions open, I doubt we wasted a UDFA spot on sure busts. We'll see.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Robert Cromartie, Cornerback • 5–7, 192 • Florida

Cromartie is the guy that I think surprises some people. Sure he is on the short side but I think he has the experience to be a solid nickle corner. If he makes the team it will be because of his special teams performance.

 

[WizardOfAz]

Originally posted by az643dp
He will probably be a victim of numbers.

You're right....Phillip Doolin gone as of yesterday!

 

[Jim O]

Originally posted by WizardOfAz
You're right....Phillip Doolin gone as of yesterday!

That was quick.