How did Ricky Elmore do in the drills? Wouldn't mind giving him a look in rd 4 as an OLB for us. Kid looks nasty in highlights.
Tony Pauline - Pro Day Info from SI Don't know what you guys think of Tony Pauline's work, but thought this might be of some interest. I bolded info on some players of interest to posters, and several small school and/or potential sleepers. You draft gurus, what do you know about Marc Schiechl, Stephen Burton, Byron Stingily, Chris Conte and Brian Lainhart?
Tony Pauline Pt. 2 Thursday, March 10, 12:17 p.m. Several pro days have already concluded, including at Kentucky and Indiana. • In Lexington, receiver Randall Cobb and running back Derrick Locke both stood on their combine numbers but did perform position drills for scouts. When it came to catching the ball, one scout described both as "putting on a clinic" as each player caught everything thrown to them, ran crisp, precise routes and looked natural in all their skills. The feeling from scouts leaving the workout is Cobb is a second-round lock and there's a chance that Locke, who has been compared to Dexter McCluster of the Kansas City Chiefs, could slide into the late part of the same frame. Wildcat receiver Chris Matthews, who was not invited to the combine, had a solid performance. The 218-pound wideout was clocked at 4.56 seconds in the 40 and also caught the ball well. Matthews, who was not on the radar screen prior to the season, leaves pro day as a late-round pick. • In Bloomington, receiver Terrence Turner shaved almost .06 seconds from his combine performance as he clocked 4.54 then caught everything thrown in his direction. The 215-pound wideout has been moving up draft boards since January and now looks like a solid fourth-round selection. Thursday, March 19, 10:08 a.m. Defensive end Da'Quan Bowers, who's still recovering from minor knee surgery done in January, won't run for scouts at Clemson's pro day. He has a date of April 1 set to showcase his skills. Another highly rated junior won't run for scouts, this time at the Indiana's pro day. Receiver Tandon Doss, graded as a top 75 choice, underwent groin surgery last December and will workout on April 5. Texas Tech is a pro day to closely monitor as quarterback Taylor Potts gets his chance to throw for scouts. One of the most efficient and productive quarterbacks in the nation, Potts,was not extended a combine invite. Tech's passing offense has offered little in the way of next level quarterbacks, yet most scouts think Potts is the most physically gifted passer to come out of the program in a long while. Wednesday, March 9, 6:08 p.m. • NFL teams flocked to Berkeley, Calif., to watch defensive end Cameron Jordan and several of his draft-eligible teammates' workout. Jordan, running back Shane Vereen and linebacker Michael Mohamed all stood on their combine numbers but participated in position drills. For his part Jordan looked terrific. Even in shorts he looked forceful, explosive and displayed a great burst in his movement skills. The bottom line for Jordan, who projects as a top-10 pick, is he's a terrific athlete on the defensive line -- a combination that's always sought out in the early part of the draft. One of the big winners from Cal's pro-day was Chris Conte. The defensive back measured just over 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds. His 40 times averaged an even 4.5 seconds. Conte looked terrific in position drills displaying quick footwork and the ability to move sideline to sideline. The feedback from teams has been terrific with no less than a half dozen squads stamping him as a late second- to early third-round choice. With the weakness at the safety position in April's draft no one would be surprised if Conte is one of the first to be selected, with his name being called during the draft's second day. • In Wisconsin the buzz on pro-day surrounded quarterback Scott Tolzien. The signal caller threw close to 80 passes and just three fell incomplete. Tolzien displayed speed on the shorter passes and surprised scouts with his deep throws. For Tolzien, who performed well during Shrine week, then put in a good showing at the combine, it's another reason for teams to consider him in the late rounds. Offensive linemen Gabe Carimi and John Moffitt as well as defensive lineman JJ Watt stood on most of their combine times, but were strong in drills. Carimi impressed scouts with his toughness as he finished the workout despite injuring his ankle while running the three cone. The situation was a little different for John Clay. The running back tipped the scale at 233 pounds (three more than the combine, but 35 less than his 2010 playing weight) and ran his 40 in the mid 4.7's (4.76 seconds), almost a one-tenth of a second faster than his time in Indianapolis. Clay did have his struggles catching the ball during drills and teams are torn as to what to do with him in the NFL. Wednesday, March 9, 2:37 p.m. • Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller continues to fly up draft boards with his impressive performances. Although he turned in a tremendous combine workout, Miller ran for scouts today in College Station and improved some of his marks. His 40 time was clocked as fast as 4.50, compared to an average of 4.53 in Indianapolis. Miller also ran the short and long shuttle and his times were comparable to his combine performance. The athletic defender has positioned himself in the draft's initial eight selections. • The position drills have ended in Alabama and the 40s have been completed. Running back Mark Ingram's times ranged between 4.50 and 4.56, which is better than his fastest hand held time from the combine, 4.62. • Twenty teams were on hand in Stillwater, Okla., for the Oklahoma State workout, part of which took place outdoors in windy, 38-degree weather. Running back Kendall Hunter timed 4.43 in the 40, slightly better than his best combine time of 4.46. It was a tremendous performance considering the weather. Hunter rested on his remaining marks from the combine but will take part in position drills during the remainder of the workout. • There were several standout performances at the Kent State pro day. Highly considered safety Brian Lainhart ran 4.55 in the 40, touched 37.5 inches in the vertical jump and completed 28 reps on the bench. Lainhart is considered a thinking man's defensive back, yet his marks today could push him into the late rounds. Linebacker Corbani Mixon, who began his career at Michigan before transferring to Kent State, put on a show for linebackers. Potentially a weak-side linebacker in the NFL, Mixon clocked 4.65 in the 40, completed 39 reps on the bench and had a vertical jump of 35.5 inches. Scouts have always loved Mixon's potential and he's a prospect who has fallen under the radar screen. Wednesday, March 9, 10:05 a.m. There are four important pro days on today's schedule -- Alabama, Mississippi State, Wisconsin and California. • Top-rated running back prospect Mark Ingram will be the one to watch in Tuscaloosa, as the former Heisman Trophy winner hopes to improve on the very average 40 time he turned in at the combine. Defensive tackle Marcell Dareus and offensive lineman James Carpenter are set to do position drills and will rest on most of their combine marks. Quarterback Greg McElroy, who cracked a bone in his hand during the Senior Bowl, recently had his cast removed yet won't work out for scouts. He is tentatively scheduled to throw April 5 if his rehabilitation continues at its present pace. • In Berkeley, star defensive lineman Cameron Jordan is another who will rest on his fine combine marks and partake only in position drills. • Some late results from Tuesday's pro days: -- Fresno State junior receiver Jamel Hamler improved his 40 time from the combine by almost .05 seconds. Hamler was timed at 4.55 by scouts on Tuesday. -- Eyebrows were raised when Northwestern linebacker Quentin Davie did not receive an invitation to the combine; he showed Tuesday why someone made a mistake. The 6-foot-4 Davie, who tipped the scales at 232 pounds, posted 40 times as fast as 4.68 seconds and a vertical jump of 35 inches. The 40 time was faster than all but six linebackers who ran at the combine while the vertical jump was surpassed by just five in Indianapolis. Davie, who can be used at a variety of linebacker positions, has likely secured a spot for himself in the late rounds.
Tony Pauline Pt. 3 Tuesday, March 8, 6:17 p.m. After his poor throwing performance at the combine, Cam Newton took to the field at Jordan-Hare Stadium today for what his quarterback coach George Whitfield Jr. referred to as the "true test" of the Heisman Trophy winner's passing skills. The bottom line on the workout -- it was a much needed improved performance from Newton. The quarterback stood on all his combine numbers and waited almost four hours before starting his passing workout. For some reason, possibly stress, Newton looked tired to the point of exhaustion when he began the workout. Assessing Newton, Mallet Pro Day Source: SI SI.com's Tony Pauline evaluates whether Cam Newton or Ryan Mallett improved their draft stock with their pro-day performances. He threw an array of passes, taking all his snaps from underneath center Ryan Pugh. Newton showed better footwork as he threw the ball off three-, five- and seven-step drops. Of the 60 scripted passes thrown by Newton, 11 were incomplete, including five catchable throws that were dropped by receivers. His throws were crisp and he showed much better rhythm and timing, compared to his combine workout. The further down the field Newton threw the ball, the more on target his passes were. He also displayed nice touch on throws, softly placing the ball in the hands of intended targets when necessary. He had no problem firing the ball to receivers on the occasions he wanted to show off his arm strength. Most of the passes that dropped to the ground were thrown too high, a consistent problem for him at the combine. After completing his scripted workout, Newton remained on the field throwing passes, which the NFL coaches in attendance requested. All the teams that own top-12 picks and desperately need a quarterback had their general manager, head coach or both in attendance. This does not compare to Sam Bradford's incredible pro day from a year ago, nor does it push Newton to the top of the quarterback list. What it did was show scouts the physically gifted junior is headed in the right direction. Newton's defensive teammate Nick Fairley turned in another good performance. Just like in Indianapolis, Fairley looked incredibly athletic displaying great footwork and quickness. This was made all the more impressive by the fact the defensive lineman weighed in at 297 pounds, six heavier than he tipped the scales at the combine. Tuesday, March 8, 3:30 p.m. The Arkansas pro day is over and by all accounts quarterback Ryan Mallett turned in another terrific throwing workout. As was the case at the combine, Mallett got into a good rhythm, displaying terrific accuracy and timing on all his throws. Mallett hit receivers in stride and rarely had pass catchers reaching backwards or going vertical to grab his throws. He also showcased his rifle arm throughout the workout. Earlier in the day, Mallett ran the 40 in a pedestrian 5.37 seconds. Will that time hurt his draft stock? Probably not. Teams that require quarterbacks to roll outside the pocket and throw on the move are likely to frown upon it, but overall Mallett's passing skills have been impressive the past two weeks. Teams must now factor in Mallett's character questions with his awesome physical skills and come up with a final draft grade. • Offensive linemen Ray Dominguez built upon his combine result and once again performed well for scouts. He improved on just about all his combine marks and looked terrific in position drills. Most project the Arkansas tackle to guard in the NFL and some teams presently grade him as a third-round pick. • Another Razorbacks offensive line prospect, DeMarcus Love, didn't fare as well Tuesday. Love looked athletic on the field but struggled in his position drills. He lacked balance and overall coordination. The belief is Love, who was graded as a potential first-round pick entering the year, now will be selected at least a round later than Dominguez. Tuesday, March 8, 12:32 p.m. Pro day at Oklahoma has finished as the draft eligible Sooners worked out for nearly two hours. • Running back DeMarco Murray chose to stand on his combine numbers in the 40 (4.37) but did participate in position drills. Murray looked terrific in pass-catching drills and now moves towards April as a solid top 75 selection. • The same cannot be said for Jeremy Beal. The Sooners' top pass rusher (28 sacks and 53.5 tackles for loss since his sophomore season) barely broke 5.20 seconds at the combine and looked slow again today. During position drills, Beal was sluggish, showed limited burst and poor footwork. Beal's measurables and poor athletic skills now pose a dilemma for teams. He measures 6-2½ and 262 pounds, which is too small for defensive end in a conventional four-man front, and he's too slow to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 alignment. At one time considered a possible top 45 choice, expect Beal to drop to as late as the fourth round. • The sleeper of the day was receiver Cameron Kenney, who caught 33 passes for the Sooners last season with an average of 16.4 yards per catch. He ran his 40 in 4.52 seconds then posted solid marks in the vertical jump (35.5 inches) broad jump (10-9) and 20-yard shuttle (4.09 seconds). Considered a free agent entering the day, he may now move into the late rounds. Tuesday, March 8, 10 a.m. With last week's NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis in the books, the next phase of talent evaluation for the 2011 NFL Draft kicks into high gear this week. Personnel from all 32 NFL teams, including scouts, coaches and general managers, are hitting the road to check out players as they conduct their pro-day workouts at their college campuses. Today, all eyes will be on quarterback Cam Newton, who will try to improve upon his disappointing throwing workout at the combine. Newton completed only 11 of 21 passes in Indianapolis and some scouts said he displayed poor mechanics. Also today, Arkansas' Ryan Mallett, will again throw for scouts (while likely running a 40 too), with hopes of wowing NFL personnel with his arm strength and accuracy -- just like he did at the Indy combine. And in Norman, Okla., a dozen Sooners will try to impress NFL teams at their workouts. Also on this week's pro-day docket: Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Indiana, Oregon State and Arizona. Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/football/nfl/nfl-draft-pro-days-2011/index.html#ixzz1GJV1jjMq [/QUOTE]
Matt Bitonti Draft Chat Now that the NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone it is time to start putting together the New York Jets draft board. Recently Matt Bitonti from DraftDaddy.com took the time to answer a few questions about the 2011 NFL Draft, which is scheduled to begin on April 28th. TR: Matt before we go into some of the players, what is your evaluation of this year’s draft class? Do you think it is a deep class in terms of talent? MB: It depends on how we define deep. At the top end, Carolina’s draft slot at one overall is a tough place to be. There’s no Mario Williams or a Jake Long type of ideal player that is a physical prototype available at the top end. There is no Ndamukong Suh in this draft. But overall there are a higher number of blue chip players than usual, and there are tons of great red chip players. In other words, once you get past the top 10 or 15 picks there’s great value for the next 40 slots. Good news for the Jets picking at #30 overall. TR: In the past the Jets have been very aggressive trading up to get guys that they want. Can you see a guy in the first round that the Jets may move up to get? MB: Jets scout Joey Clinkscales has stated in the press that they like defensive end Cameron Jordan out of California. If the Jets really want Jordan they will have to trade up, because he’s probably not escaping the top 20 picks. However, due to the Antonio Cromartie trade the Jets do not have a second round pick. If the Jets want to trade up, they probably don’t have the ammo with this year’s draft picks. To do it, they might have to mortgage future picks. In addition if there is no CBA agreement between the players and owners, then player-for-pick deals (like the Mark Sanchez trade with the Browns) cannot happen. It has to be picks-for-picks. This all adds up to a trade-up being highly unlikely. TR: It is no secret that the Jets are in desperate need of a pass rusher. What players do you think can fill that role for the Jets? Are there are any potential sleepers? MB: Absolutely there are some great pass rushers in this draft. Let’s start with Brooks Reed out of Arizona. Reed was a beast in Mobile and followed it up with an outstanding workout at the scouting combine. He’s a high motor prospect with exceptional strength and aggression; a perfect fit for Rex Ryan’s defense. There are other interesting names, for example outside linebacker from Nevada Dontay Moch, a speed rusher who tallied twenty-seven career sacks for the Wolfpack. Looking further, Fresno State linebacker Chris Carter, another all-WAC performer could be an interesting pass rush specialist available in the middle or possibly even late rounds. We could talk about famous players like Purdue’s Ryan Kerrigan and Ohio State’s Cameron Heyward, but these are unlikely to be available when the Jets pick. Long story short, if they are there, it’s an easy pick. TR: There is a chance that the Jets will lose defensive back Antonio Cromartie to free agency. What is your evaluation of second year player Kyle Wilson? Are there any corners that caught your eye at the combine? MB: Rookies like Wilson often “hit the wall” halfway through their first year in the NFL. Usually football players get an off-season to recover. Rookies don’t get an off-season. Wilson went from the bowl game to the Senior Bowl, to the combine, to his pro-day, to Jets mini-camp, and then Jets training camp. There were short breaks along the way but no real recovery time like a true off-season would provide. With Darrelle Revis holding out, Wilson was taking a lot of reps in preseason and it all caught up to him. With a full off-season, there is still hope for this player to fit in as a second CB in the Jets defense. I liked this player last year in Mobile and I still like this player today. As for the draft eligible cornerbacks, I don’t believe the Jets will choose one in the first round. Looking later, I have a high opinion of Virginia Tech’s Rashad Carmichael. He doesn’t have ideal size/speed numbers but that’s part of the reason he could make it to the Jets pick at #94 overall. He’s a man-to-man player who can shadow opposing receivers and be left on an island. Other less-than-premium players that have value in Rex’s defense scheme include Louisville’s Johnny Patrick, Stanford’s Richard Sherman, and Virginia’s Ras-I Dowling. TR: What is your evaluation of the safety position in this year’s draft class? Do you see any players that can fit in with the Jets schemes? MB: We talked earlier about how the draft overall isn’t a bad crop. However the Jets do have a safety need and this is an atrocious free safety crop overall. There are names at strong safety, but there is a problem finding coverage players who can rove deep middle on passing downs. It might make more sense to take a cornerback and move Dwight Lowery to safety permanently. Or convert a cornerback like Dowling or South Carolina’s Chris Culliver to safety from day one in the league. If the Jets do decide to draft a safety, two names I think are tolerable are Clemson’s Marcus Gilchrist and North Carolina’s Deunta Williams. It’s very possible that we don’t see any safeties drafted until the third round this year. TR: The Jets have a significant amount of players heading to free agency, which will make this a very important draft to fill some holes. How do you see this draft working out for the Jets? What would be your ideal draft for the Jets round by round? MB: Great question. Ideally they need a pass rusher in round one, someone who can collapse the pocket. Whether that player is a defensive end or an outside linebacker, it almost doesn’t matter. With Shaun Ellis and Jason Taylor likely leaving they need both positions. I tend to believe outside linebacker is a bigger need. What the Jets don’t need is a defensive run stuffer, as they have those types of players already. It’s also possible that the Jets will target a wide receiver if they decide not to bring back Braylon Edwards. Miami’s Leonard Hankerson actually ran faster than expected at the scouting combine and has a knack of catching less than ideally thrown footballs. Leonard could be a safety blanket for Mark Sanchez. So to break it down I’d like to see a OLB or Hankerson in round one and a cornerback or safety in round three. As for the later rounds, the Jets need a blocking tight end (like Marshall’s Lee Smith) to replace Ben Hartsock, a swing offensive tackle to back fill for Wayne Hunter, and some developmental linebackers to work on special teams. Finally I’d like to see some more defensive line sleepers on which Rex Ryan can work his magic. I could see a player like West Virginia’s Chris Neild being completely overlooked by the entire draft and Rex Ryan turns him into the next Mike Devito. Rex Ryan has a knack for turning cheap defensive line talent into functional if not dominant players, and the Jets should take advantage of that asset. Only if there is obvious value (i.e. Cameron Heyward) in the first round will the Jets take a defensive down lineman. TR: Matt, thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions it is greatly appreciated. Please check out DraftDaddy.com as the website provide a tremendous amount of draft information including player rankings and mock drafts.
