2010 DRAFT - OFFENSIVE RANKINGS & CAPSULES - SKILL POSITION PLAYERS
This is your second draft cheat sheet, it covers offensive skill position players. Defensive front seven late Monday, defensive backs on Tuesday & some mock draft action on Wednesday.
Quarterbacks
1. Sam Bradford--6' 5" 236--Oklahoma--Very smart, goes thru progressions quickly, makes up his mind & the ball is gone. Very quick delivery, comfortable in the pocket, not a scrambler, mechanics suffer when he's moving. Played almost exclusively in the spread offense from shotgun formation. Extremely accurate in the pocket, good velocity when needed but still has a nice touch too. Some scouts compared his game to Phillip Rivers minus the weird throwing motion. Surgically repaired AC joint in his shoulder.
2. Jimmy Clausen--6' 2 1/2" 222--Notre Dame--Smallish, with a surgically repaired big toe from a turf injury he suffered with nearly all season last year. Played in a pro-style offense for Charlie Weis, took most of the snaps under center. Strong, accurate arm with a good delivery. Not a scrambler but can move around behind the line of scrimmage buying himself time. Leadership is the biggest question about Clausen, tends to blame others when in fact the QB is in charge, so the buck stops with him. He could walk right in & play for several teams right now but I don't see a lot of upside & he could crash & burn, so buyer beware.
3. Colt McCoy--6' 1 1/4 216--Texas--Four-year starter, won more games than any QB in NCAA history. Smallish, thin frame & not a lot of strength. Excellent arm & accuracy, good touch & very quick release. Played in a simplified spread offense & took his snaps from the shotgun, will need patient coaching to learn dropbacks & the footwork. Quick feet to sidestep rush & get outside the pocket to buy more time or scramble. At least a year away, may never be more than a dependable backup.
4. Tim Tebow--6' 2 3/4" 236--Florida--Powerful physique, very tough & productive scramble/runner & difficult to tackle. One of college football's all-time best leaders. Ultra competitive & has a football IQ thru the roof. Throwing motion & accuracy issues are the major roadblocks to Tebow's success as a pro QB. Can he re-invent himself to a level good enough to become a a starter in the NFL? If you ask all 32 teams what their impression of Tebow is, you'll get about 3 different ,very strongly worded, opinions. Anything from "he'll never make it" to "with his athleticism, he could succeed at tight end" to "eventually he'll hone his skills & be the winner he was at Florida." That's how tough scouting Tebow is.
5. Tony Pike--6' 5 3/4" 223--Cincinnati--Tall, thinly framed & often injured. With his build, it will be tough to put on much weight. Defenders drag him down one-handed. Good vision scanning the field & gets the ball out on time & with some zip in his arm. Can't see him ever being a starter, especially with his injury history. Has broken his non-throwing arm twice in two years, both times requiring surgery. Very productive in a QB-friendly system.
6. Dan LeFevour--6' 3 1/4" 230--Central Michigan--Solidly built, quick & fast for a QB, good scrambler & runner. Avoids the rush well, but he tends to bail out too quickly. I don't like the mechanics of his delivery of follow thru. Has exceptional short area touch & accuracy. Downfield is another story, ball sails on him & he's prone to interceptions deep down the middle. He does have some potentially big upside, so if he goes to a team that has 2-3 years to groom LeFevour could pay off in a big way.
7. John Skelton--6' 5 3/8" 243--Fordham--Never saw him in a live game, only on highlight film & at the combine. Ideal size & stature, tough to sack I've read. Stands tall in the pocket surveying the field. I did see his arm strength, it's top-notch. Gets the ball out quickly & at a high release point. From what I've seen, he has decent mechanics & possesses a powerful arm, but the competition he's faced & the quality of his coaching comes into question. Someone will draft Skelton around the top of round 5.
8. Jarrett Brown--6' 2 7/8" 222--West Virginia--Excellent athletically & flat-out fast for a QB,
4.54 is very quick. Only a 1-yr starter & his mechanics are raw to say the least. His reads while in the pocket take too long right now & his throwing motion needs work. Tough leader who could make it as a Wildcat QB at the next level.
Running Backs
1. Ryan Mathews--5' 11 1/2" 217--Fresno State--I like Mathews better than Spiller because he's proven to be more durable, more powerful & can carry the load week after week. Excellent short-yardage & goal line runner. Decent blocker, receiver & shows good field vision. Can run between the tackles consistently, good cutback instinct. Broke three 70+ yard touchdown runs in the Boise game, an NCAA record.
2. C.J. Spiller--5' 10 1/2" 196--Clemson--Blazing speed at 4.37, gamebreaker out of the backfield & on kickoff returns(NCAA record 7 TD's) & an excellent pass receiver. Has had numerous injuries associated with speed guys, hamstrings, turf toe etc. Not a dependable short yardage runner or between the tackles. Being compared to Chris Johnson, not so fast, Johnson has proven pretty damn durable, 2,000 yards last year speaks for itself.
3. Montario Hardesty--5' 11" 226--Tennessee--Workhorse runner who breaks tackles & moves the chains. Not a gamebreaker, but he has a burst & he has great vision for the cutback. Tough, plays thru pain.
4. Ben Tate--5' 11" 220--Auburn--Very productive in a somewhat mediocre offense. A grinder who just moves the chains. Good short-yardage production. Decent receiver & a willing blocker.
5. Jahvid Best--5' 10" 199--Cal--He's fallen from 1st on my list early in the season to 5th & sliding even more with things I'm hearing from him. Best has blazing speed, is a true gamebreaker & an excellent pass receiver. He is smallish without the frame to add bulk, he hasn't been productive between the tackles or in short-yardage. Has missed playing time every season at Cal with the typical speed guy injuries. Scared everyone with his launch into the endzone against Oregon State resulting in a severe concussion, his 2nd in 2 weeks. He has said he's "very concerned about future concussions" which is not a good sign. A running back in the NFL has to have a balance of protecting themselves & reckless abandon. He might not last long at the next level.
6. Jonathan Dwyer--5' 11" 229--Georgia Tech--A one-trick pony, Dwyer has inflated stats from playing in a triple-option offense that ran, ran, ran the ball. Hasn't blocked or been a pass receiver & his weight has fluctuated about 20 lbs, up & down. Quick feet, makes one cut & he heads downhill, break a lot of tackles but isn't fast, 4.59 forty attests to that. Very durable, smart(was recruited to the Naval Academy) & extremely tough. A lot to learn in the passing game tho.
7. Dexter McCluster--5' 8 1/2" 172--Ole Miss--He's a mighty mite in the Darren Sproles mold. Extremely tough for any size, plays much faster than he times. Excellent in the open field & despite his small hands, he's a proven producer in the passing game. Slot receiver, kick returner, 3rd down back or Wildcat QB, McCluster will make an impact at the next level.
8. Toby Gerhart--5' 11 7/8" 231--Stanford--Extremely productive inside runner, runs thru arm tackles every time. Moves the pile in short-yardage, patient enough to wait on his blockers & doesn't shy away from contact. Starting outfielder on the Stanford baseball team. Willing blocker who will improve with coaching. He's super tough but because of his receiving deficiencies, I question if he'll be a starter in the NFL, but he would make a monster change of pace & short-yardage back.
9. Anthony Dixon--6' 1/2" 233--Mississippi State--Very productive, solid, he looks the part of a power back. Very quick feet for a big'un. Breaks a lot of tackles. Played for crummy teams & still produced. The red flag on this prospect is over 900 carries as a collegian. He took a lot of hits too with his upright running style.
10.Joe McKnight--5' 11" 198--USC--Productive runner, receiver & kick returner. Very quick feet, has the ability to cut on a dime & accelerate. Don't see him as an NFL starter, wasn't productive running inside & rarely breaks a tackle. Not very strong head to toe, goes down with 1st contact, but he is very good on swings & draws, that's what will keep him on a roster.
Wide Receivers
1. Dez Bryant--6' 1 1/2" 222--Oklahoma State--Has become somewhat of an enigma in this draft class. Except for Tim Tebow, more has been rumored, reported & written about Bryant than any other prospect. Suspended as a junior last season in week 4 by the NCAA for lying to an investigator about a lunch date at Deion Sanders' home. The whole thing was ridiculous, the lie(there's no rule about eating at Deion's) the punishment(like receiving the death penalty for jaywalking) & the resulting turmoil surrounding this very talented prospect. Bryant survived a horrific upbringing & he does stumble from time to time(late for practice, late for classes, forgetting equipment etc. etc. etc.). The facts regarding his talent as a wide receiver are undeniable. He has the size, strength, long arms, sure hands, quick feet, great vision & superior competitiveness to excel at the next level. The big question is, can he keep everything else together in his life. He might require a full-time babysitter to take care of the "details" of everyday life. Bryant is a high-risk, high-reward prospect who could go anywhere from the #4 overall pick down to #25.
2. Golden Tate--5' 10" 199--Notre Dame--Awesome run-after-the-catch prospect, like a running back in the secondary. Makes a lot of guys miss & breaks more tackles than any other receiver in this draft. Excellent ball skillls, catches it at the high point, fights hard for every catch. Not really fast but he gets separation consistently. Fine punt returner too. Comparable in size & skills to Carolina's Steve Smith, can Tate be as good?
3. Arrelious Benn--6' 1" 219--Illinois--Strong, fluid, intense with excellent body control. Tough blocker, good size & effort at all times. Looks chiseled, he wants to excel at the next level. Is a good route runner but he can improve in that area. Catches the ball consistently with big soft hands. Good run after the catch, shows a wicked stiff arm.
4. Damaryius Thomas--6' 3 1/4" 224--Georgia Tech--Big, strong, unpolished wide receiver from a triple-option offense. Rarely ran routes inside the hash marks, drops more passes than he should & gives an inconsistent effort as a blocker. He will require a lot of work, but he has a big upside if he comes together as a pro.
5. Damien Williams--6' 1/2" 197--USC--A polished route runner with superior after the catch running ability. Plays faster than he clocks, a fine punt returner as well, he's dangerous in the open field. Good, reliable hands & he doesn't get jammed getting off the line. Not a #1 receiver, but he will contribute to the team that drafts him.
6. Mardy Gilyard--6' 184--Cincinnati--Excellent after the catch & on kick returns, super-quick feet, makes a lot of guy miss, extremely creative when he gets loose. Good, but not great hands, but he does have excellent body control & will consistently high point the ball. Played in a wide-open uncomplicated offense, he didn't run the full route tree at Cincy. Fearless over the middle, plays with a swagger.
7. Eric Decker--6' 3" 217--Minnesota--Excellent route runner with great hands & body control. Knows how to get open despite somewhat marginal speed. Fearless over the middle & ultra-competitive. Very productive in a so-so program with marginal QB play, missed the last 5 games in '09 with a Lisfranc sprain in his left foot. This can be a recurring problem, so this has to be taken into consideration regarding his future.
8. Brandon LaFell--6' 2 1/4" 211--LSU-- From a program that has been consistently disappointing in recent years, LaFell might just be another Bayou Bengal that doesn't live up to his potential. Very small hands, he drops a lot of passes. Inconsistent getting off jams at the line. Inconsistent effort. When he's on, he runs routes with the best of them & can generate yards after the catch as a runner. Other times he looks almost disinterested. High bust factor with this prospect.
9. Andre Roberts--5' 11" 195--The Citadel--Very similar to Golden Tate in size, speed & ability. Like Tate, another ex-RB, very dangerous in the open field & as a punt returner. The reason he's not rated up there with Tate is very simple, The Citadel. Hardly a football factory, he only got some respect when he excelled at the Senior Bowl. I'd seen him before & liked him, but in Mobile, he was competing with the best & he showed he belongs. Very smart & disciplined coming from a military school. He could be one of the top picks in the middle rounds.
10. Jacoby Ford--5' 9" 186--Clemson--He's rated this high for one reason, blazing speed, he's the fastest prospect in this draft, 4.27 in the forty. He's a decent receiver & despite small hands, he does catch the ball O.K. It's after he catches it, look out. The best way to utilize his speed is to put him in motion, with a rolling start, he's a nightmare to cover as he goes full speed into his break. He also returns kicks & needless to say, he's always a threat there as well.
Tight Ends
1. Jermaine Gresham--6' 5 1/4" 261--Oklahoma--Blew out his right knee in practice before last season began. In just 2 full seasons he caught 103 passes for 1,468 yards & 25 TD's, an amazing total, that's a TD every 4th catch. Good route runner, deceptive speed, uses his body well to shield defenders & consistently catches the ball with his hands. Does have difficulty with passes below the waist. Good in-line blocker even tho he could use some upper body strength. Good work ethic & very coachable.
2. Rob Gronkowski--6' 6" 260--Arizona--Also missed last season after undergoing back surgery. There have been rumors regarding spinal stenosis, which could shorten his career if it's true. Excellent blocker in-line & in the open field. Good size with long arms & huge, soft hands. Consistently catches the ball away from his body. Not a great runner after the catch & if he rounds a pattern off, he has difficulty getting separation.
3. Dennis Pitta--6' 4 1/2" 247--BYU--Best receiving TE in this draft. Might have the best hands at any position. Excellent body control to make the catch on poorly thrown balls. Excellent production with 221 catches for 2,904 yards & 21 TD's. There's not a hole in his receiving game. Pitta runs excellent routes & even when covered, he finds a way to catch & secure the ball. Not a great runner after the catch, but he will move the chains. Strong & a willing blocker, doesn't have the frame to get any bigger, so he won't ever become a top-notch blocker but he can become an excellent pro TE.
4. Aaron Hernandez--6' 2 1/4" 245--Florida--Not the traditional tight end, Hernandez excels catching the ball & gobbling up yards after the catch. Not used as a blocker, he's no strong or tough. He does have excellent hands & runs good routes. He's kind of like the Colts' Dallas Clark, only not as good, but he could be in 2-3 years.
5. Ed Dickson--6' 4 1/4" 249--Oregon--Started 39 straight for the Ducks, catching 124 passes for 1,557 yards & 12 TD's. Very good routes, body control & hands, plucks the ball out of the air almost every time. Not an effective in-line blocker but he is very good in space, hitting linebackers & safeties. Because of the blocking deficiency, Dickson falls somewhere in the middle rounds.
6. Clay Harbour--6' 2 1/2" 252--Missouri State--Came on big in the Texas vs The nation All-Star game & then at the combine. Harbour had a position best 30-bench press reps, 40" vertical jump & other top-5 agility & quickness numbers. He catches the ball very well, is a fierce blocker(tho he needs work staying lower) & a tough, tough kid. Not a creative runner after the catch, but if his blocking improves, he could make an impact at the next level. Very smart & intense.
7. Garrett Graham--6' 6 1/2" 263--Miami--Is he the next Tony Gonzalez or Antonio Gates? Basketball starter for the U, blocked 104 shots in his career. Unlike Tony G. Graham played only 1 season on the football team & had just 17 receptions. But his measurables are off the chart. Ran a 4.56 forty, had a 38.5" vertical & he has very long arms & huge hands that are used to catching a ball. He's a prospect with a major upside.
8. Anthony McCoy--6' 4 1/2" 259--USC--Career underachiever, only 46 catches & 3 TD's in forty games. Gets grabby as a blocker, poor hand placement & effort is inconsistent. Has good physical talents they don't translate to game play. If the light goes on, he has a good upside.
9. Tony Moeaki--6' 3" 245--Iowa--A good athlete who consistently gives an excellent effort, good route runner & reliable hands. The problem is Moeaki's inability to stay of the field. He missed 15 games the last 3 seasons with a litany of injuries, the guy just can't stay healthy. He's willing but only a marginal blocker.
10.Andrew Quarless--6' 4 1/2" 254--Penn State--Limited athletically, with a checkered past, 3 suspensions. Doesn't play as fast as he clocks, slow starter & a long strider. Inconsistent effort as a blocker.
Monday I'll have the defensive front seven analysis, Tuesday, the defensive backs & Wednesday I'll have a 1st round mock draft as well as a 5-round mock for Chiefs' fans.
Quarterbacks
1. Sam Bradford--6' 5" 236--Oklahoma--Very smart, goes thru progressions quickly, makes up his mind & the ball is gone. Very quick delivery, comfortable in the pocket, not a scrambler, mechanics suffer when he's moving. Played almost exclusively in the spread offense from shotgun formation. Extremely accurate in the pocket, good velocity when needed but still has a nice touch too. Some scouts compared his game to Phillip Rivers minus the weird throwing motion. Surgically repaired AC joint in his shoulder.
2. Jimmy Clausen--6' 2 1/2" 222--Notre Dame--Smallish, with a surgically repaired big toe from a turf injury he suffered with nearly all season last year. Played in a pro-style offense for Charlie Weis, took most of the snaps under center. Strong, accurate arm with a good delivery. Not a scrambler but can move around behind the line of scrimmage buying himself time. Leadership is the biggest question about Clausen, tends to blame others when in fact the QB is in charge, so the buck stops with him. He could walk right in & play for several teams right now but I don't see a lot of upside & he could crash & burn, so buyer beware.
3. Colt McCoy--6' 1 1/4 216--Texas--Four-year starter, won more games than any QB in NCAA history. Smallish, thin frame & not a lot of strength. Excellent arm & accuracy, good touch & very quick release. Played in a simplified spread offense & took his snaps from the shotgun, will need patient coaching to learn dropbacks & the footwork. Quick feet to sidestep rush & get outside the pocket to buy more time or scramble. At least a year away, may never be more than a dependable backup.
4. Tim Tebow--6' 2 3/4" 236--Florida--Powerful physique, very tough & productive scramble/runner & difficult to tackle. One of college football's all-time best leaders. Ultra competitive & has a football IQ thru the roof. Throwing motion & accuracy issues are the major roadblocks to Tebow's success as a pro QB. Can he re-invent himself to a level good enough to become a a starter in the NFL? If you ask all 32 teams what their impression of Tebow is, you'll get about 3 different ,very strongly worded, opinions. Anything from "he'll never make it" to "with his athleticism, he could succeed at tight end" to "eventually he'll hone his skills & be the winner he was at Florida." That's how tough scouting Tebow is.
5. Tony Pike--6' 5 3/4" 223--Cincinnati--Tall, thinly framed & often injured. With his build, it will be tough to put on much weight. Defenders drag him down one-handed. Good vision scanning the field & gets the ball out on time & with some zip in his arm. Can't see him ever being a starter, especially with his injury history. Has broken his non-throwing arm twice in two years, both times requiring surgery. Very productive in a QB-friendly system.
6. Dan LeFevour--6' 3 1/4" 230--Central Michigan--Solidly built, quick & fast for a QB, good scrambler & runner. Avoids the rush well, but he tends to bail out too quickly. I don't like the mechanics of his delivery of follow thru. Has exceptional short area touch & accuracy. Downfield is another story, ball sails on him & he's prone to interceptions deep down the middle. He does have some potentially big upside, so if he goes to a team that has 2-3 years to groom LeFevour could pay off in a big way.
7. John Skelton--6' 5 3/8" 243--Fordham--Never saw him in a live game, only on highlight film & at the combine. Ideal size & stature, tough to sack I've read. Stands tall in the pocket surveying the field. I did see his arm strength, it's top-notch. Gets the ball out quickly & at a high release point. From what I've seen, he has decent mechanics & possesses a powerful arm, but the competition he's faced & the quality of his coaching comes into question. Someone will draft Skelton around the top of round 5.
8. Jarrett Brown--6' 2 7/8" 222--West Virginia--Excellent athletically & flat-out fast for a QB,
4.54 is very quick. Only a 1-yr starter & his mechanics are raw to say the least. His reads while in the pocket take too long right now & his throwing motion needs work. Tough leader who could make it as a Wildcat QB at the next level.
Running Backs
1. Ryan Mathews--5' 11 1/2" 217--Fresno State--I like Mathews better than Spiller because he's proven to be more durable, more powerful & can carry the load week after week. Excellent short-yardage & goal line runner. Decent blocker, receiver & shows good field vision. Can run between the tackles consistently, good cutback instinct. Broke three 70+ yard touchdown runs in the Boise game, an NCAA record.
2. C.J. Spiller--5' 10 1/2" 196--Clemson--Blazing speed at 4.37, gamebreaker out of the backfield & on kickoff returns(NCAA record 7 TD's) & an excellent pass receiver. Has had numerous injuries associated with speed guys, hamstrings, turf toe etc. Not a dependable short yardage runner or between the tackles. Being compared to Chris Johnson, not so fast, Johnson has proven pretty damn durable, 2,000 yards last year speaks for itself.
3. Montario Hardesty--5' 11" 226--Tennessee--Workhorse runner who breaks tackles & moves the chains. Not a gamebreaker, but he has a burst & he has great vision for the cutback. Tough, plays thru pain.
4. Ben Tate--5' 11" 220--Auburn--Very productive in a somewhat mediocre offense. A grinder who just moves the chains. Good short-yardage production. Decent receiver & a willing blocker.
5. Jahvid Best--5' 10" 199--Cal--He's fallen from 1st on my list early in the season to 5th & sliding even more with things I'm hearing from him. Best has blazing speed, is a true gamebreaker & an excellent pass receiver. He is smallish without the frame to add bulk, he hasn't been productive between the tackles or in short-yardage. Has missed playing time every season at Cal with the typical speed guy injuries. Scared everyone with his launch into the endzone against Oregon State resulting in a severe concussion, his 2nd in 2 weeks. He has said he's "very concerned about future concussions" which is not a good sign. A running back in the NFL has to have a balance of protecting themselves & reckless abandon. He might not last long at the next level.
6. Jonathan Dwyer--5' 11" 229--Georgia Tech--A one-trick pony, Dwyer has inflated stats from playing in a triple-option offense that ran, ran, ran the ball. Hasn't blocked or been a pass receiver & his weight has fluctuated about 20 lbs, up & down. Quick feet, makes one cut & he heads downhill, break a lot of tackles but isn't fast, 4.59 forty attests to that. Very durable, smart(was recruited to the Naval Academy) & extremely tough. A lot to learn in the passing game tho.
7. Dexter McCluster--5' 8 1/2" 172--Ole Miss--He's a mighty mite in the Darren Sproles mold. Extremely tough for any size, plays much faster than he times. Excellent in the open field & despite his small hands, he's a proven producer in the passing game. Slot receiver, kick returner, 3rd down back or Wildcat QB, McCluster will make an impact at the next level.
8. Toby Gerhart--5' 11 7/8" 231--Stanford--Extremely productive inside runner, runs thru arm tackles every time. Moves the pile in short-yardage, patient enough to wait on his blockers & doesn't shy away from contact. Starting outfielder on the Stanford baseball team. Willing blocker who will improve with coaching. He's super tough but because of his receiving deficiencies, I question if he'll be a starter in the NFL, but he would make a monster change of pace & short-yardage back.
9. Anthony Dixon--6' 1/2" 233--Mississippi State--Very productive, solid, he looks the part of a power back. Very quick feet for a big'un. Breaks a lot of tackles. Played for crummy teams & still produced. The red flag on this prospect is over 900 carries as a collegian. He took a lot of hits too with his upright running style.
10.Joe McKnight--5' 11" 198--USC--Productive runner, receiver & kick returner. Very quick feet, has the ability to cut on a dime & accelerate. Don't see him as an NFL starter, wasn't productive running inside & rarely breaks a tackle. Not very strong head to toe, goes down with 1st contact, but he is very good on swings & draws, that's what will keep him on a roster.
Wide Receivers
1. Dez Bryant--6' 1 1/2" 222--Oklahoma State--Has become somewhat of an enigma in this draft class. Except for Tim Tebow, more has been rumored, reported & written about Bryant than any other prospect. Suspended as a junior last season in week 4 by the NCAA for lying to an investigator about a lunch date at Deion Sanders' home. The whole thing was ridiculous, the lie(there's no rule about eating at Deion's) the punishment(like receiving the death penalty for jaywalking) & the resulting turmoil surrounding this very talented prospect. Bryant survived a horrific upbringing & he does stumble from time to time(late for practice, late for classes, forgetting equipment etc. etc. etc.). The facts regarding his talent as a wide receiver are undeniable. He has the size, strength, long arms, sure hands, quick feet, great vision & superior competitiveness to excel at the next level. The big question is, can he keep everything else together in his life. He might require a full-time babysitter to take care of the "details" of everyday life. Bryant is a high-risk, high-reward prospect who could go anywhere from the #4 overall pick down to #25.
2. Golden Tate--5' 10" 199--Notre Dame--Awesome run-after-the-catch prospect, like a running back in the secondary. Makes a lot of guys miss & breaks more tackles than any other receiver in this draft. Excellent ball skillls, catches it at the high point, fights hard for every catch. Not really fast but he gets separation consistently. Fine punt returner too. Comparable in size & skills to Carolina's Steve Smith, can Tate be as good?
3. Arrelious Benn--6' 1" 219--Illinois--Strong, fluid, intense with excellent body control. Tough blocker, good size & effort at all times. Looks chiseled, he wants to excel at the next level. Is a good route runner but he can improve in that area. Catches the ball consistently with big soft hands. Good run after the catch, shows a wicked stiff arm.
4. Damaryius Thomas--6' 3 1/4" 224--Georgia Tech--Big, strong, unpolished wide receiver from a triple-option offense. Rarely ran routes inside the hash marks, drops more passes than he should & gives an inconsistent effort as a blocker. He will require a lot of work, but he has a big upside if he comes together as a pro.
5. Damien Williams--6' 1/2" 197--USC--A polished route runner with superior after the catch running ability. Plays faster than he clocks, a fine punt returner as well, he's dangerous in the open field. Good, reliable hands & he doesn't get jammed getting off the line. Not a #1 receiver, but he will contribute to the team that drafts him.
6. Mardy Gilyard--6' 184--Cincinnati--Excellent after the catch & on kick returns, super-quick feet, makes a lot of guy miss, extremely creative when he gets loose. Good, but not great hands, but he does have excellent body control & will consistently high point the ball. Played in a wide-open uncomplicated offense, he didn't run the full route tree at Cincy. Fearless over the middle, plays with a swagger.
7. Eric Decker--6' 3" 217--Minnesota--Excellent route runner with great hands & body control. Knows how to get open despite somewhat marginal speed. Fearless over the middle & ultra-competitive. Very productive in a so-so program with marginal QB play, missed the last 5 games in '09 with a Lisfranc sprain in his left foot. This can be a recurring problem, so this has to be taken into consideration regarding his future.
8. Brandon LaFell--6' 2 1/4" 211--LSU-- From a program that has been consistently disappointing in recent years, LaFell might just be another Bayou Bengal that doesn't live up to his potential. Very small hands, he drops a lot of passes. Inconsistent getting off jams at the line. Inconsistent effort. When he's on, he runs routes with the best of them & can generate yards after the catch as a runner. Other times he looks almost disinterested. High bust factor with this prospect.
9. Andre Roberts--5' 11" 195--The Citadel--Very similar to Golden Tate in size, speed & ability. Like Tate, another ex-RB, very dangerous in the open field & as a punt returner. The reason he's not rated up there with Tate is very simple, The Citadel. Hardly a football factory, he only got some respect when he excelled at the Senior Bowl. I'd seen him before & liked him, but in Mobile, he was competing with the best & he showed he belongs. Very smart & disciplined coming from a military school. He could be one of the top picks in the middle rounds.
10. Jacoby Ford--5' 9" 186--Clemson--He's rated this high for one reason, blazing speed, he's the fastest prospect in this draft, 4.27 in the forty. He's a decent receiver & despite small hands, he does catch the ball O.K. It's after he catches it, look out. The best way to utilize his speed is to put him in motion, with a rolling start, he's a nightmare to cover as he goes full speed into his break. He also returns kicks & needless to say, he's always a threat there as well.
Tight Ends
1. Jermaine Gresham--6' 5 1/4" 261--Oklahoma--Blew out his right knee in practice before last season began. In just 2 full seasons he caught 103 passes for 1,468 yards & 25 TD's, an amazing total, that's a TD every 4th catch. Good route runner, deceptive speed, uses his body well to shield defenders & consistently catches the ball with his hands. Does have difficulty with passes below the waist. Good in-line blocker even tho he could use some upper body strength. Good work ethic & very coachable.
2. Rob Gronkowski--6' 6" 260--Arizona--Also missed last season after undergoing back surgery. There have been rumors regarding spinal stenosis, which could shorten his career if it's true. Excellent blocker in-line & in the open field. Good size with long arms & huge, soft hands. Consistently catches the ball away from his body. Not a great runner after the catch & if he rounds a pattern off, he has difficulty getting separation.
3. Dennis Pitta--6' 4 1/2" 247--BYU--Best receiving TE in this draft. Might have the best hands at any position. Excellent body control to make the catch on poorly thrown balls. Excellent production with 221 catches for 2,904 yards & 21 TD's. There's not a hole in his receiving game. Pitta runs excellent routes & even when covered, he finds a way to catch & secure the ball. Not a great runner after the catch, but he will move the chains. Strong & a willing blocker, doesn't have the frame to get any bigger, so he won't ever become a top-notch blocker but he can become an excellent pro TE.
4. Aaron Hernandez--6' 2 1/4" 245--Florida--Not the traditional tight end, Hernandez excels catching the ball & gobbling up yards after the catch. Not used as a blocker, he's no strong or tough. He does have excellent hands & runs good routes. He's kind of like the Colts' Dallas Clark, only not as good, but he could be in 2-3 years.
5. Ed Dickson--6' 4 1/4" 249--Oregon--Started 39 straight for the Ducks, catching 124 passes for 1,557 yards & 12 TD's. Very good routes, body control & hands, plucks the ball out of the air almost every time. Not an effective in-line blocker but he is very good in space, hitting linebackers & safeties. Because of the blocking deficiency, Dickson falls somewhere in the middle rounds.
6. Clay Harbour--6' 2 1/2" 252--Missouri State--Came on big in the Texas vs The nation All-Star game & then at the combine. Harbour had a position best 30-bench press reps, 40" vertical jump & other top-5 agility & quickness numbers. He catches the ball very well, is a fierce blocker(tho he needs work staying lower) & a tough, tough kid. Not a creative runner after the catch, but if his blocking improves, he could make an impact at the next level. Very smart & intense.
7. Garrett Graham--6' 6 1/2" 263--Miami--Is he the next Tony Gonzalez or Antonio Gates? Basketball starter for the U, blocked 104 shots in his career. Unlike Tony G. Graham played only 1 season on the football team & had just 17 receptions. But his measurables are off the chart. Ran a 4.56 forty, had a 38.5" vertical & he has very long arms & huge hands that are used to catching a ball. He's a prospect with a major upside.
8. Anthony McCoy--6' 4 1/2" 259--USC--Career underachiever, only 46 catches & 3 TD's in forty games. Gets grabby as a blocker, poor hand placement & effort is inconsistent. Has good physical talents they don't translate to game play. If the light goes on, he has a good upside.
9. Tony Moeaki--6' 3" 245--Iowa--A good athlete who consistently gives an excellent effort, good route runner & reliable hands. The problem is Moeaki's inability to stay of the field. He missed 15 games the last 3 seasons with a litany of injuries, the guy just can't stay healthy. He's willing but only a marginal blocker.
10.Andrew Quarless--6' 4 1/2" 254--Penn State--Limited athletically, with a checkered past, 3 suspensions. Doesn't play as fast as he clocks, slow starter & a long strider. Inconsistent effort as a blocker.
Monday I'll have the defensive front seven analysis, Tuesday, the defensive backs & Wednesday I'll have a 1st round mock draft as well as a 5-round mock for Chiefs' fans.
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