Draft Audibles Insider: Upshaw not first-round pick.About the Author Nolan Nawrocki nnawrocki@pfwmedia.com Senior editor .Recent posts by Nolan NawrockiWhy Blackmon might slide Posted April 10, 2012 @ 7:16 p.m. Nawrocki's 'fit-based' mock draft Posted April 10, 2012 @ 10:53 a.m. PFW's exclusive draft value chart Posted April 06, 2012 @ 1:11 p.m. Mock draft 2.0 Posted March 26, 2012 @ 11:08 a.m. Montana's Johnson excels in press coverage Posted Feb. 28, 2012 @ 10 a.m..Related StoriesQ&A with draft analyst Nawrocki Posted April 11, 2012 @ 5:07 p.m. Coples tops PFW's 2012 draft DE rankings Posted April 11, 2012 @ 11:07 a.m. Why Blackmon might slide Posted April 10, 2012 @ 7:16 p.m. UCLA's Coleman sidesteps hearing loss for NFL chance Posted April 10, 2012 @ 3:08 p.m. Nawrocki's 'fit-based' mock draft Posted April 10, 2012 @ 10:53 a.m. With Luck, Stanford rising up list of top-pick factories Posted April 08, 2012 @ 2:43 a.m. DeCastro No. 1 in OG rankings Posted April 07, 2012 @ 12:11 p.m. Draft prospect Tinsley found dead at age 22 Posted April 06, 2012 @ 4:54 p.m. Bucs RB Blount can count on competition Posted April 06, 2012 @ 2:16 p.m. PFW's exclusive draft value chart Posted April 06, 2012 @ 1:11 p.m. Tags2012 NFL drafta51Alshon JefferyAudiblesChris PolkCourtney UpshawFeatured-homeKendall WrightKevin ZeitlerMorris Claiborneriley reiffStephon Gilmoretop-storyTrent RichardsonYahoo Posted April 11, 2012 @ 5:43 p.m. ET By Nolan Nawrocki The following quotes are from NFL executives, coaches and front-office personnel, speaking on the condition of anonymity. • "The more Courtney Upshaw talked (in the interview process), the more I got scared. He has a lot of distractions in his life. There are a lot of concerns there. We need an edge guy, but we wouldn't touch him in the first (round). I'd have hesitations in the second where we're picking, after hearing him talk about grabbing his girlfriend by the hair." • "You can't take away (Baylor WR Kendall) Wright's production. He is falling (in the draft), but he's still a playmaker." • "(Wisconsin OG Kevin) Zeitler struggles in pass pro a little bit. The program is known for its run blocking. That’s their flavor of the day. He has 31-inch arms and gets out of sorts in pass protection." • "(Former LSU CB) Patrick Peterson had one unique quality — he could fly. That is why he went where he did. He has been more productive as a punt returner than he has been as a corner. He won games as a returner. (Morris) Claiborne is not as fast. I worry about LSU skill guys — look at the corners and safeties and receivers that have come out of the program. How many have been free of issues coming out?" • "(Iowa OLT) Riley Reiff is a guard all the way. He is a tough, grinding guard — the same as (Ravens All-Pro and former Hawkeye Marshal) Yanda. That’s what I think he is." • "Everyone says (South Carolina CB) Stephon Gilmore is rising after his workout. That is what I am hearing on the street. He is a big corner, and everyone is going big now. The value is in the late first. I’ve heard teams talking about him in the top 10." • "(Washington RB Chris) Polk was productive on a (bad) team, but he gained weight this year and lost some speed and did not have any burst. He was coming off knee surgery. I’m not sure if he ever had explosive speed, to be honest. We have him in the fifth (round)." • "(South Carolina WR) Alshon Jeffery can't run a lick. Show me the tape where he separates with speed or quickness." • "I hope that big sucker (Alabama RB Trent Richardson) does not come to our division. He's a man's man. I don't want to see him twice a year." .
....what is this? Are you just copying and pasting something you saw on a website and expect people to talk about it? I dont know whos talking nor what is even being talked about. Cmon man.
http://www.profootballweekly.com/2012/04/11/insider-upshaw-not-first-round-pick He needs to qoute it becasue its an artice and post a link.
This gives the thread some damn substance, because frankly I had no idea what was going on. Thanks Harpua.
Now that we know what the heck is going on... Thats a quote to note. If a lot of teams feel that way, he could be in for quite the slide... That said, I am sure at least one team is going to take him in round 1. Cincy supposedly has a hard on for that guy...
I knew that thing about his girlfriend would eventually surface. It's kinda bad when her dad took Upshaw's side instead of his own daughter's. That bitch cray...
Just random crap from some anonymous "independent scout" which amounts to exactly nothing. I read one that said Robert Griffin won't be a QB at the next level. All exaggerated nonsense. No name = no care.
I really can't believe all of the Upshaw hate as of late. All of the tape I've seen says he's going to be a great OLB at the next level, even if he may not be an elite passrusher (which I think is overblown as well). I also don't buy into all the dogging on his workouts. The guy is a football player, period.
The Upshaw concerns of recent, is the lack of a quality workout. I don't believe Upshaw has been"dogging" his workouts, he's just not as athletic as some of his peers. I still think he's a very good football player and has to go to the right team. Upshaw has shown to be stiff and not fluid in his workouts, it's quite evident even to the novice observer. Also, there are issues about the position he will play in the NFL.
If Chris Polk somehow is around in round 5, the Jets BETTER do everything in their power to grab him. He's a round 2 talent that's being underrated due to a bad 1 month.
Misspoke there, didn't mean to imply he was lacking effort in his workouts, was just referring to people criticizing his workouts. I'll take game tape over workouts any day, and Upshaw has had the most impressive tape of any OLB I've seen in this draft. He has violent hands, never gets pushed out of position, has a good burst to get to the QB/ballcarrier, and shows great strength. He can also separate from tackles as well as any LB I've seen in the draft. Reminds me a bit of Brian Orakpo in how he plays, not from an athletic standpoint obviously. He's easily the most complete OLB in the draft, in my opinion.
that and his injury history is hurting him big time in this process. Besides, he won't be around that late. this is just one scouts opinion of him.
Not team** Just one random person (independent scout, what a waste of a position) who wanted to spout his mouth off.
Upshaw is a strong player and gets a good push. I'm not ready to call him the most complete OLB. It's funny, I know they played different positions at Bama, but Hightower has always looked more aggressive, at least to me, and made more plays than Upshaw. The only reason Hightower is valued lower than Upshaw, by most, is because he played ILB.
Some of it is magnified because there's pretty much a Team Ingram-Team Upshaw ordeal going on up in here, as if putting down one will raise the other up. I mean, even a shot at Upshaw made it into a completely unrelated thread about OT Jon Martin. Then you have so-n-so posting 2 threads a day about "Ingram good, Upshaw bad". Then you have the "product of surroundings" line that keeps popping up, which makes my head hurt on so many different levels. FTR I'm on the fence between the two, both are flawed players in different ways. Not to say I wouldn't want either on the Jets, as I would welcome the addition. I can except the fact that not every 1st round pick will be elite, but can still be a solid 8-10 year starter. After all, isn't that a win? I'd make that pick all day knowing I'd get 8-10 years of solid play out of him...
For waht its worth, the article claims So if its an independant scout making it up, he lying through and through.
