Yahoo lists our best linebacker, David Harris, as 6'2 243. I know he's much more compact than Herzlich, but Hitman Harris proves game in and game out that he's big enough for the 3-4. It's very possible for Herzlich to put on weight -- he's only a junior in college. I can see him bulking up to 260 and not losing any speed. Herzlich is a Mike Vrabel clone. I've never seen a college linebacker that's so versatile...
I've watched all South Carolina games this year and went to the Carolina/Clemson game. I like Jasper Brinkley, although he clearly was not as explosive as he was before the injury. I'm sure he can completely heal, but it will hurt his draft stock. I wouldn't mind the Jets drafting him. Emanuel Cook would be a great pick. Very explosive player and really a game changer. Also, Mike Hamlin from Clemson would be a solid pick. Speaking of Clemson, I think if CJ Spiller enters the draft and is available for us in the first round, we HAVE to draft him. He is just a bigger Maurice Jones-Drew and his potential has not nearly been reached. If he stays, he could easily be a heisman contender.
Brinkley is only at 85% right now. I think he'll get back to full strength - he is supposedly trying to get from 270 to 255 to get faster. The knee injury killed his draft stock, but I think he's still got what it takes to be a great pro linebacker. E-Cook is my favorite prospect right now. He's so fun to watch...Hamlin will be a good pick up for a team after the second round. He's a great tackler too. CJ Spiller said that he would stay at Clemson if Dabo Swinney remained head coach - so it looks like Clemson will have one thing going for them next season. You can never trust what a college star says until the draft actually comes and goes though...He's one of the sickest running backs that I have ever seen. His cutback ability is amazing and when he gets into the secondary, he's usually gone. Jones-Drew is much more powerful than Spiller, but their breakaway ability is very similar.
That's a good point about Harris. I didn't realize that he was "only" 243. I watched the BC game today, and Herzlich plays like a madman (in a good way). If he could bulk up a little I think he would be a great addition if he comes out. From the way the announcers were raving about him, he probably should come out. It is unlikely that his stock will ever be higher than it is right now.
I'm watching to SEC Championship right now, and I really, really like Glen Coffee. He's a truck. He'll probably be around in the 3rd round...he could be a good replacement for Thomas Jones.
While we should definitely consider a S, ILB, and CB on draft day, Tangini should definitely consider Mark Sanchez as a possible solution to our future QB problem. I love the idea of going after Massaquoi as well.
Mr E, what do you think of this guy, he's got a high motor as well as the following,"..... George Selvie - DE (USF) Ya gotta consider this kid I have watched him for the last 2 years and he is gonna be a sleeper in the draft..... couple of comments from the local press, "......Arguably the most accomplished returning defensive player, along with Ohio State’s James Laurinaitis ... National leader in career tackles for loss (46.5) and second in sacks (20) ... On nearly every preseason All-American list ... A candidate for Lombardi, Nagurski, Bednarik, Hendricks and Lott Trophy ... High motor athlete ... Coaches call him the best practice player on the team ... Intensity in practice sets a standard for his drive during games ... A solid citizen off the field ... Participates in every community service opportunity around the athletics department and football program ... Gained weight steadily during the off-season ... Quiet and humble nature comes from his upbringing in a military family...."
I like Selvie a lot, but he'll probably get drafted within the Top 20. He's fairly light for a defensive end weighing only 245 -- he has the potential to be a great pass rusher in the 3-4 or the 4-3, but he'd have to bulk to play either position in the NFL. He's a lot like DeMarcus Ware. Quick off the edge and he never, ever quits. I wouldn't call him a sleeper at all. He made a lot of noise last season, and almost everyone knows what this kid's got. I like Greg Hardy out of Ole Miss a little more. He's bulkier at 265, and he has the same type of motor. He might not be as quick as Selvie, but he's much more powerful and he's a more developed pass rusher. Former Ole Miss head coach Ed Orgeron has a great defensive mind. He definitely helped Hardy become ready for the NFL.
as previously stated, havent done any work on college prospects yet, but I watched the USC Oregon State game, and I had read quite a bit of hype on USC and Sanchez, for starters he had a horrible game, especially that last INT it was a horrendous throw. But watching the game, I just didnt see a guy who was NFL ready, much less ready to be a first round QB, or a guy I would have enjoyed seeing on the Jets. again, thats the only USC game I have watched this year, so far. But it was not a good outing by Sanchez, and I didnt come away with a positive outlook. On a side note, that kid Jacquizz Rodgers, good lord if that kid gets a little bit bigger, by the time he graduates, he will be a really hot commodity, in that people will be looking to obtain the next Leon Washington for their own franchise. The kid just looked to me like he could do it all. Granted it was a single game from his freshman year, but he impressed me, one hell of a lot more than Sanchez did.
Rodgers will always bee 5'6 - I don't think he'll ever put on enough weight, like Jones-Drew did, but he can be a Darren Sproles type back in the NFL. Mark Sanchez can make all the throws, he just can't make all of his reads...yet. He's the real deal, but he's not the best QB in college football -- by far.
when i was talking about rodgers, i did mean his weight, also it is not impossible for an 18 year old to grow an inch or two. but agreed it is unlikely. Yes I do agree that he could be a sproles/washington type of do the dirty work guy, get those return yards, and a great screen player and things like that. On sanchez as i said, only watched a single game, but didnt come away with a positive feel for him. Whats your quick breakdown of the top QB prospects regardless of junior/ senior who will/wont come out electric?
Well...this year, the junior quarterbacks are so much better than the seniors. I like Mark Sanchez a lot. He has tons of potential and a cannon for an arm, but his head isn't all the way there yet. 1. Sam Bradford JR Oklahoma is my favorite prospect - he's got the size, the accuracy, the arm strength, and the smarts to be a star in the pros. He reminds me of a more athletic Peyton Manning. 2. Matt Stafford JR Georgia is just a step behind Bradford - he's got the best arm I've seen in a long time and he has legit size. 3. Nate Davis JR Ball State is the next great MAC QB - I said earlier that he reminds me of a more athletic Chad Pennington. 4. Colt McCoy/Mark Sanchez/Tim Tebow - all of these guys have the POTENTIAL to be good quarterbacks in the NFL. Tebow and Sanchez just aren't ready yet -Tebow needs to work on his mechanics and Sanchez needs to work on his coverage reads and decision making. McCoy will probably benefit from coming out early, because I don't see him putting up Heisman-type numbers in 2009. The seniors really aren't worth mentioning. I tried to pitch Tom Brandstater from Fresno State way too early in the year. He was a total letdown this season, as was Cullen Harper from Clemson.
Only if he's projected into the first round. Last recent report I read had him listed as a likely second round pick. But, he gets better and better each game. His stock has been rising, and I think a strong bowl game may just lock him into the first round. He could be one of those guy that just shoots up the draft board in the final weeks. Keep an eye on whether or not Frank Spaziani starts getting feelers for head coaching jobs, Herzlich may not want to stick around for a new coordinator. He's finally settled into a position, and he wouldn't want a switch of philosophy to screw up his 2010 draft status. As it is, he won't have BJ Raji and Ron Brace waiving their fat asses waiving in his face and clogging up the middle next year. That'll be a big loss for him.
Bradford needs a "harmless injury" to knock his draft grade down to the Jets.... I love that kid like I loved Matt Ryan last year. Bradford has that look in his eye just like Ryan had the confidence in front of a camera.
You are leaving out Josh Freeman JR from Kansas State. He has all the tools (6'6, 250 lbs, 4.80 40 yard dash, big accurate arm) to be a great NFL QB but he is still quite raw. He doesn't have much talent around him but he has managed to improve every year since starting his true freshman year. If he can be groomed for 2 years under an NFL coach while a vet QB plays he could be a great one by the time everything is said and done. His QB passer efficiency rating and his TD-INT ratio have improved every year, and this year he added a new dimension to his game - running - compiling 404 rushing yards and 14 rushing TDs after being strictly a pocket passer in his freshman and sophomore years. He is likely to come out this and year and is rated a 4th round pick. I'd definitely take him to groom behind Favre (if he comes back) or Kellen, and to compete with Ratliff.
Raji and Brace are a huge part of Herzlich's success at BC...but it's a team game and there are also 8 other players on BC's starting defense that play around him. Herzlich is the best player on that defense, by far. He's one of those guys that makes huge plays - and in return - EVERYONE around him plays better. If he stays, he'll be the leader of that defense for the second year in a row, but it will be smart for him to come out now. Like you said: "he gets better and better each game" - - and he's showing no signs of slowing down.
I've known about this kid since he first committed to K-State...this is the first year that he's shown some sort of life and some of that potential that they hoped for. His first two seasons were full of growing pains, and he basically plays for a JUCO...K-State has given 30 JUCOs scholarships in the past two season - giving that team no continuity whatsoever. HC Ron Prince is gone and former KS HC Bill Snyder is back in -- he's a guy that LOVES to run the football. In his final successful year at K-State, Snyder opted to run the ball on 688 total plays, while only throwing for 371 times. Former KS QB Ell Roberson became a college star under Snyder mainly because of his running ability. Under Prince, the pass/run ratio has nearly flip-flopped. Josh Freeman has the potential and size you look for in a young NFL QB, but I don't see as much of what you see in him. K-State was a good football team not to long ago, and much of that was because of Snyder -- but Freeman is 14-34 as a starter on a team he was supposedly built around him... Freeman's stats come mostly in games that are out of reach. I know that's not all his fault, but he's playing against most of the Big 12's backups. They play an absolutely atrocious non-conference schedule, which they went 3-1 in : (W) beat 1-11 North Texas 45-6 - Freeman played until midway through the 4th (W) beat I-AA Montana State 69-10 - Freeman played the entire game (L) Lost to a horrible Louisville team 38-29 - Freeman was picked twice late in the game (W) beat Louisiana-Lafayette 45-37 - Freeman has another solid game against garbage After that, Kansas State lost 6 of the last 8. They averaged about 27 points a game in those losses, and like I said earlier - Freeman got to play against a lot of second teamers in those loses. This kid had 16 passing TDs before he played in a shootout with the worst team in the Big 12, 2-10 Iowa State. I like the fact that he can and he shows great athleticism, but a lot of his rushing TDs, I think at least 12 of his 14 are QB draws inside of the 10 yard line, and at 6'6 250 - you better score on those. He's got potential, but he doesn't come close to being even a top underclassmen in this year's draft.
