Posts tagged "Alabama"

2010 NFL Draft Updates (3-11-2010)

Alabama, Auburn, Kansas, and Colorado all had their Pro Days this week. Plus updates on Perrish Cox and Akwasi Owusu-Ansah.

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NFL: Alabama’s Rolando McClain Going Pro

Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain announced he will skip his senior season of eligibility to enter the 2010 NFL draft Monday. McClain is widely considered a top ten prospect and is the consensus top linebacker prospect eligible for this year's draft.

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Early Entries

This is a list of known college players giving up their remaining eligibility to enter the NFL Draft.  Read below to get my spin on where they may land in the draft next spring.  Continue to check back regularly as we will be adding to this page as players declare for the draft.

Eric Berry (S, Tennessee)

Barring any unforeseen complications Berry is almost a mortal lock to go in the top five of the draft.  He is rated by Scouts, Inc. as the top draft eligible prospect for the 2010 draft.

The consensus on Berry is that he has the ability to be a game changing safety and has drawn comparisons to Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu.  He has tremendous athleticism and a knack for always being around the ball and making plays.  Berry could potentially go anywhere in the top five as the Rams, Lions, Chiefs, Buccaneers, and Browns all have a need at safety.

The prevailing opinion on Berry seems to be that he will end up in Tampa Bay who reportedly has a strong interest in Berry.

Gerald McCoy (DT, Oklahoma)

McCoy entered the season as the top-rated defensive line prospect in the country only to be surpassed by Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh.  That is not to say McCoy’s stock dropped only that Suh was that incredible this season.  McCoy is still considered by many to be one of the two or three best defensive prospects available in next year’s draft.  He lacks the size to be a middle of the line run stuffer but he has the strength and quickness to shed blocks and wreak havoc in opposing backfields.  He also excels at collapsing the pocket in passing situations.

With teams like St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Detroit, Kansas City, and Cleveland picking at the top of the draft and in desperate need of defensive line help McCoy is not likely to last long.  Kansas City and Cleveland do not seem like good fits at this time given they run 3-4 schemes and McCoy does not have the bulk to play nose tackle, however, if he shows enough speed one of those teams might consider drafting him and converting him to an end.

My best guess is he ends up in either Tampa or Detroit, two teams in desperate need of play makers on their respective defensive lines.

Derrick Morgan (DE, Georgia Tech)

Morgan has assumed the spot at defensive end since Florida’s Carlos Dunlap pulled a DWI charge in the week leading up to the SEC Championship Game.  He is considered by many to be a top five prospect and is expected to be the first pass rusher taken off the board in April.  He has the prototypical frame that teams look for in a pass rusher and should be able to handle adding another 15 to 20 pounds of muscle if need be.  Derrick uses his speed to get to the quarterback and his 12 sacks tied for the fourth most in the nation.

If the Seahawks decide to pass on taking a quarterback with the sixth pick then Morgan is a good bet to land there.  The ‘Hawks are in desperate need of a pass rusher, but, with Matt Hasselbeck struggling to stay healthy enough to play 16 games at this stage of his career Seattle could very well opt to go after someone like Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clausen with its top pick.

If Seattle passes then Cleveland and Oakland are expected to have an interest as well.

Joe Haden (CB, Florida)

Haden has good size, is a solid tackler, and has sound technique at the corner back position.  He is considered to be the most polished and best cover corner prospect for next April’s draft.  Joe is considered the only real shutdown corner back prospect and is rated by some as a top five prospect and at the worst a top ten pick.

The upcoming draft is not considered to be terribly deep in terms of elite corner back talent meaning Haden is a lock to be the first corner taken and should come off the board early.

He could go to the Browns who are in desperate need of a a difference maker in the secondary.  The Browns have just 9 picks this season and are giving up 248 passing yards per game.

The Seahawks are also in desperate need of some corner back help with Marcus Trufant apparently in the twilight of his career.

He definitely will not last past San Francisco or Jacksonville who both need secondary help as well.

Rolando McClain (ILB, Alabama)

McClain makes all of the defensive calls for the Crimson Tide defense, is as good a tackler as there is in the nation, and shows good coverage skills for an inside linebacker.  He has no real glaring weaknesses as a football player.  Rolando displays sloppy technique at times and does not have sideline-to-sideline range but he makes up for it by taking disciplined routes and angles to get to the ball carrier.

Tide coach Nick Saban has said that McClain is one of the smartest players he has ever coached.

He could go as high as fifth to the Chiefs who are in desperate need of a run-stuffer in the middle of the defense.  Improving on sagging run defenses is high on the priority list this spring for the Browns, Raiders and Bills as well.  It is hard to imagine McClain lasting further than 11 where the Broncos currently reside.

Jimmy Clausen (QB, Notre Dame)

It comes as no surprise to see Clausen enter the draft, especially, now that Charlie Weis has been fired.  It is tough to convince draft eligible players such as Clausen to come back for another season under a new head coach and learn a whole new system.  Might as well go pro and get paid to learn a new offense right?

Clausen says he was planning on leaving regardless if Weis was back next year or not and that likely is the case.  Unless he completely tanks his workouts or does something colossally stupid he is almost assuredly going to be a first round pick.  What remains to be seen is whether he can shake off the stink of Weis’ last college prodigy, Brady Quinn, and land at the top of the draft.  I have a sneaking suspicion that Clausen will be the guy that scouts and coaches fall in love with how well he throws the ball and is going to battle for the top QB spot.

With the Rams and the Browns still in the running for the top pick it is not entirely out of the question that a quarterback ends up going at the top of the 2010 draft.  Aside from that there is a very good possibility that, depending on what other QBs put their names in the hat, three quarterbacks could go in the top six picks with the Redskins currently residing in the top six of the draft as well. The Bills and Raiders, currently battling it out for the 7th and 8th spots, could be in the market for a quarterback come next April as well.  Any way one looks at it Clausen is most likely looking at going in the top 10 of the draft barring any major catastrophes.

Carlos Dunlap (DE, Florida)

Prior to his DWI arrest Dunlap spent most of the season atop a lot of draft boards.  He was once considered to potentially be the top pick in the draft and prior to his arrest was the consensus top defensive end prospect in the nation.  Dunlap is still considered to be a top 10 talent but it is expected that his arrest may scare some teams off causing them to opt for the safer “character” guys in Derrick Morgan and Jason Pierre-Paul.

What makes Dunlap so attractive is he has the speed and quickness to play in a 4-3 defense and the size to able to play end in a 3-4 scheme.  At just under 6′ 6″ and 300 pounds he has the prototypical size teams look for in defensive ends.  He is extremely athletic and versatile and the Gators often lined him up at different spots along the line to leverage the best matchup for Dunlap.  He basically has all of the physical skills teams look for, however, he had a reputation at Florida for being inconsistent and a bit immature.

Dunlap is going to be a true wild card in this draft.  If he does all the right things between now and the combine and interviews well with prospective teams he could still go towards the top of the draft because his physical abilities are that great.  But, if he does not interview all that well and teams think he has not learned from his mistakes he will fall to the middle of the first round a-la Warren Sapp when rumors of a positive drug test got out just days before the draft.

He could go as high as fifth to the Kansas City Chiefs who need a pass rushing end out of their 3-4 alignment.

Al Davis has never been one to shy away from problem children and he could sneak into the 8th spot where Oakland currently resides.

If things go as expected and teams become gun shy over his character issues then look for him to end up some place like Tennessee or Atlanta, who pick 16th and 19th respectively, who both have needs for a play-maker at the defensive end spot.

Dez Bryant (WR, Oklahoma State)

After being suspended by the NCAA for lying to them about his relationship with Deion Sanders Bryant is expected to make the leap to the pros.  He came into the season as the top receiver prospect for the 2010 draft and little has changed since then.  Prior to being suspended Bryant had caught 17 passes and scored 4 touchdowns in Oklahoma State’s first three games.  He had an amazing sophomore year that saw him catch 87 passes and score 19 touchdowns and the consensus was that he would have been rated higher than Michael Crabtree was and been the top receiver prospect in last spring’s draft.

He has the size and strength teams love in receivers and break away play-making speed to go along with it.  There are a ton of teams at the top of the draft who could potentially be interested in Bryant’s services.  With Antonio Bryant struggling to stay healthy and no real depth after him at the position Tampa would love to get a high profile target for rookie quarterback Josh Freeman to throw to. I would not be surprised if the Chiefs took a long look at Bryant with the idea of shipping Dwayne Bowe, who has become a bit of a distraction, off to another team. After that it gets a bit murky though.  Would the Lions spend yet another top pick on a receiver when they have more glaring needs on defense? The Rams and Browns need to figure out who their quarterback is going to be and have needs all over the place and Bryant really does not rate that high on most expert’s draft boards. The Redskins could be a possibility but it seems that they will go with a quarterback if there is one they really like.  The same can be said for the Bills and the Raiders.

Chicago and Carolina would definitely have an interest in Bryant, but, unfortunately, neither or those teams hold first round picks and it seems unlikely the Broncos and Niners are going to spend those picks on a receiver.  The Broncos already have an elite receiver in Brandon Marshall and the Niners have Michael Crabtree who many think will be a top receiver in a year or two.  Bryant could potentially slip down the draft board the way Jeremy Maclin did last April.  But, it seems unlikely as some team will surely take him if he is there and figure out what to do with him.

Anthony Davis (OT, Rutgers)

Davis is considered to be in the discussion with Oklahoma’s Trent Williams as the second best tackle prospect behind Oklahoma State’s Russell Okung who is the consensus top tackle prospect right now.  Okung is the only draft eligible offensive tackle who is considered the complete package while others have some glaring weaknesses.

It is believed that Davis will be a first round draft pick.  Some experts have him rated as a top ten prospect, but, the overall consensus is that he will be at worst a mid-round pick depending on how the order lines up in the next couple of weeks.

His overall draft slot will depend largely upon where Okung ends up going.  Kansas City, Washington, Buffalo, Seattle, and Oakland all picking in the top ten have offensive line needs.  However, these teams also have other pressing needs.

The Chiefs are awful on defense and the Redskins are likely going to take a quarterback with their top pick.

With neither Trent Edwards or Ryan Fitzpatrick striking fear in opposing defenses the Bills are candidates to take a quarterback as well.

With Matt Hasselbeck getting long in the tooth and Seneca Wallace having yet to establish himself as a long term option the Seahawks could go quarterback as well, but signs point to them going offensive line as they can probably squeeze another year or two out of Hasselbeck.

The Forty Niners would be the next team in line considering an offensive lineman.  After the Niners the next team(s) potentially in the market for a tackle would be the Steelers or Giants who are currently trending to pick in the late teens or early twenties.  The Steelers offensive line has been porous this season while the Giants tackles are starting to show their age a bit and have been nicked up of late.

Davis could go possibly go anywhere from fourth to 20th depending on how the draft unfolds.

Jahvid Best (RB, California)

Best entered the season as the top draft eligible running back prospect in the nation due to his all around versatility and elite speed.  He has since slipped behind Clemson’s C. J. Spiller after a concussion ended his season causing him to miss the last four games of the season.

He suffered a concussion and back injury when he landed on the back of his head while scoring a touchdown against Arizona State on October 31st.  Best says he is still recovering from the injuries and is not yet 100%.  This is going to present a bit of concern for prospective NFL teams and could cause him to fall out of the first round much like DeSean Jackson did after a disappointing junior season at Cal.

Jahvid has elite speed and can catch ball out of the backfield.  He returned kicks for Cal during his freshman and sophomore seasons.

He is currently considered a mid-to-late first round prospect, but, I would not be surprised if he slipped into the second round as he has never been able to complete a season in college without missing games due to injury.

He could go to Houston in the middle of the first round provided Spiller is off the board when the Texans pick.

New England or Green Bay are also possibilities for a guy like Best.

Detroit, Cleveland, Washington, or Oakland could all be possibilities at the top of the second round.

Jermaine Gresham (TE, Oklahoma)

Gresham decided early on he was going to enter the draft as well after having to fore go his senior season and have knee surgery.  Gresham was considered a top prospect prior to last spring’s draft and many were surprised by his decision to come back for his senior season after scoring 14 touchdowns and averaging 14.4 yards per catch during his junior season.   He is still considered to be the top TE prospect for next year’s draft and many think he could still be a first round pick.

He has the size team’s love in tight ends and had the speed to get down the field.  Where he goes in the draft hinges entirely on how well he runs for teams at the combine and private workouts.  In general it tends to be tough to gauge where a tight end may go in the draft as there are very few who are the entire package.  Most teams have a pass catching tight end and a blocking tight end.  The ones that excel at both end up in the first round.  But, one of the problems is they are not typically seen as a must have to run a successful offense.  Even before his injury Gresham was never considered to be a guy who was going to go near the top of the draft and most of the teams currently trending to the back half of the first round do not really need a tight end.

The Bengals are the one team drafting in the 20 to 30 range that has a glaring need for a pass-catching tight end.  They drafted Chase Coffman in the past draft but he has yet to see the light of day this season for a Bengals team that gotten just 30 catches from the position this season.  Denver, where Tony Sheffler is solid but nothing special, could also be another team interested in a guy like Gresham. If he fails to go in the first round there are several teams who would be interested in grabbing him at the top of the second.  The Rams, Browns, and Chiefs all have a need for a pass catching tight end.

Jonathan Dwyer (RB, Georgia Tech)

Dwyer is considered by many to be the third best back available in the draft and could go as high as the end of the first round.  Teams like the Saints and Chargers who like to feature a power running game are expected to have some interest in Dwyer who is considered to be the best between the tackles prospect in next spring’s draft.

LaDanian Tomlinson has seen better days and Darren Sproles simply does not have the chops to be the every down back in San Diego, while the Saints struggled to keep Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell healthy this season.

An long shot contender for Dwyer could be the Packers who are currently sitting at 23 in the draft.  It could be considered a bit of a reach but if Dwyer works out well they may grab him as the Pack is said to be dissatisfied with Ryan Grant’s lack of consistency this past season.

Ryan Matthews (RB, Fresno State)

Matthews is considered to be in the conversation as the next best running back prospect behind C. J. Spiller and Jahvid Best.  The consensus, right now, seems to be that Georgia Tech’s Johnathan Dwyer is #3 while Matthews is #4.

With that said, Matthews could be the most complete draft eligible running back prospect.  He has that nice blend of size and speed similar to guys like DeAngelo Williams and Johnathan Stewart in Carolina.  He is not lightning fast but fast enough to outrun lineman and linebackers and big enough to run over defensive backs.

Matthews is currently considered a mid second round prospect, but, his draft status could hinge on what Jonathan Dwyer decides to do.  As it stands right now Dwyer is the consensus #3 back and the best between the tackles prospect out there and currently considered a late first round prospect.

If Dwyer stays in school for another year then Matthews likely ascends to his spot as a late first round prospect.  It seems unlikely that Dwyer comes back for a senior season with Mark Ingram becoming draft eligible after next season he would likely be the top RB prospect for the 2011 draft.  It seems unlikely that Dwyer’s stock would get much higher given his lack of elite top end speed.

It is also not entirely out of the question that Matthews works out better than Dwyer and steals the #3 spot away.  There is also a possibility that Best drops down team’s draft boards due to him missing at least one game each of his three years due to injury.  There is also the possibility Best stays in school to try and prove he can play an entire 12 game schedule.  His smallish build and injury history could scare some teams off to the point where they are not willing to invest first round money in a guy like him.

If Matthews manages to sneak into the tail end of the first round Green Bay, New England, and San Diego are possibilities for Matthews.

The Packers are rumored to be in the market for someone who will push starter Ryan Grant and they do not really have an established backup for him.  The team has apparently grown tired of Grant’s inconsistent play.

The Patriots have been a running back by committee offense the past couple of years mostly due to injuries and an inability to get Laurence Maroney to play consistently on a week-to-week basis.

LaDanian Tomlinson’s days as a feature back are over in San Diego and Darren Sproles has shown that he does not have the chops to be the primary ball carrier in the Chargers offense.

If he slips to the second round Detroit, Cleveland, Washington, and Seattle could be potential teams interested in Matthews.

With Kevin Smith coming back from a knee injury the Lions may be looking for some insurance in the event Smith is not ready to go or up to full speed at the start of next season.  Prior to Smith’s injury there were some rumblings that the Lions may be in the market for someone to share carries with Smith next season, but, they may have a smaller speed back in mind to compliment what Smith does.

Jamal Lewis has already said he plans to retire next season, Jerome Harrison has been inconsistent and the Browns do not know what James Davis is going to give them next season.  Cleveland could be interested in Matthews to shore up the position for them.

With Clinton Portis’ future with the team up in the air the Redskins may be in the market for a feature back as well.  A lot will hinge on who they bring in as the head coach as to whether they would be interested in a back like Matthews or a smaller speedier back.

Julius Jones has struggled with consistency in Seattle this year and the Seahawks could have an interest in Matthews to compliment the speedy Justin Forsett who has come on the second half of the season.

Golden Tate (WR, Notre Dame)

Tate currently ranks fourth in the nation with 1,496 receiving yards and his 15 touchdown catches are the second most in college football.  Tate is probably making the right move here.  He is generally considered to be in the mix as the next best receiving prospect after Bryant and is stock is probably not going to get any higher than it is now if he goes back to Notre Dame for another year.  Tate is an explosive play maker who had at least one play of 30 or more yards in 9 of the Irish’s 12 games this season and has two rushing touchdowns and a punt return for a touchdown in addition to his 15 TD receptions.

The biggest knock on Tate is he is built more like a running back than he is a wide receiver.  He is listed at 5′ 11″ and 195 pounds and one begins to wonder a bit how he will be used at the next level.  A lot may depend on how well he runs for the scouts.  He will need to post some blazing 40 times if he wants to be a first round pick.  However, with most of the back end of the first round of the draft looking pretty well off at receiver for the time being it seems unlikely Tate will sneak into the first round.    The Rams, Browns, Bucs, Chiefs, and the Redskins could all be in the market for a wide out next spring making him a likely target at the top of the second round.

Bruce Campbell (OT, Maryland)

At over 6′ 6″ and 300-plus pounds Campbell has the size teams look for in a prospective left tackle.  Whether or not he should have stayed in school another year remains to be seen, but, as it stands right now most seem to see Campbell as a late first to early second round pick.  His status will depend in large part what Rutgers’ Anthony Davis and Iowa’s Bryan Bulaga decide to do.  Davis is considered by many to be the top junior tackle and rates ahead of Campbell along with seniors Trent Williams and Russell Okung.

If Davis and Bulaga come out Campbell could slip to the second round, if they stay in school Campbell could go late in the first.

San Diego, Green Bay, and Dallas have struggled with consistency and depth along the offensive line this season and Campbell could be a candidate to go there.  The Packers and Cowboys specifically have aging veterans they need to think about finding replacements for within the next year or so.

If he slips to the second round Kansas City, Oakland, Washington, Buffalo, and Seattle are all teams picking near the top of the second round that are in need of upgrades in the offensive line and he could go there if none of those teams opt to address their line issues in the first round.

Arrelious Benn (WR, Illinois)

Benn is currently rated as the third best receiver behind Dez Bryant and Golden Tate and the 33rd best prospect overall by Scouts inc. while Mel Kiper actually has him rated ahead of Tate on his junior receiver rankings.

At 6′ 2″ and 220 pounds Benn has the size teams love in possession receivers and he is likely looking at being selected at the tail end of the first round or early in the second round.  Where he ends up going will depend largely on how well he runs for scouts.

If he runs as well or better than Tate does then he could sneak up into the first round to someone like the Dolphins who are in dire need of a top end receiver for Chad Henne to throw to.  It seems unlikely he will last too long into the second round with teams like St. Louis, Tampa, Cleveland, and Kansas City all in need of receiving depth picking at the top of the round.

Demaryius Thomas (WR, Georgia Tech)

Thomas has the size and speed to be an elite receiver in the NFL, but, due to playing in Paul Johnson’s option offense at Georgia Tech he did not have the opportunity to hone his skills as much as he would have liked to.  He averaged an astounding 25.1 yards per catch during his junior season and 8 of his 46 grabs went for touchdowns.  Thomas saw his streak of 29 straight games with a reception come to an end at the Orange Bowl.  He is very athletic with home run speed, however, he drops some passes he should catch.

His raw physical skills alone make him a second round prospect.  With a lack of clue chip receiving talent in the upcoming draft If Thomas shows good hands and route running ability in his workouts for pro teams he could potentially sneak into the first round.  If he stays where he is projected, which is the middle of the second round, look for teams like Carolina, Kansas City, and possibly Houston or Cincinnati to have an interest in Thomas.

Muhsin Muhammad and Dwayne Jarrett are on the outs in Carolina and they need a complimentary receiver for Steve Smith.

Dwayne Bowe and Todd Haley have not gotten along well in Kansas City past year and they could have an interest in Thomas if they decide to part ways with the enigmatic Bowe.

The Texans lack any real depth at receiver and could use a home run hitter to pair with Andre Johnson.

The Bengals lost their home run hitter in Chris Henry and without that legit deep threat their passing game tends to stall out a bit.

Donovan Warren (DB, Michigan)

Warren is primarily a corner but says he has the versatility to play both corner and safety.  At just a shade under six feet Warren has the size teams look for in corners and he was a three year starter for the Wolverines.

Most experts have him slotted as a second round prospect and Warren claims the NFL’s Draft Advisory Board told him he would go in the first or second round if he decided to declare for the draft.

The consensus seems to be that he is the fourth or fifth best draft eligible corner back out there.  Joe Haden is considered the blue chip cover man who is eligible for next spring’s draft.  After that the consensus seems to be that Florida State’s Patrick Robinson and Virginia’s Ras-I Dowling are the next best draft eligible corners.

Warren heads up the group vying for the number four spot.  San Diego, Dallas, and Minnesota are teams trending towards the back end of the first round that could be in the market for a corner next spring.

If Warren falls out of the first round there are scads of team picking at the top of the second round in need of secondary help including the Browns, Rams, Raiders, Lions, and Chiefs.  Seattle and Houston are also other possible second round destinations for a guy like Warren.

Morgan Burnett (S, Georgia Tech)

Burnett is solid against the run and is known for creating turnovers for the Yellow Jackets.  He has the prototypical size to play safety in the NFL and could potentially be used as an outside linebacker if he is willing to add an extra 15 to 20 pounds to his frame.  He is considered to be a second or third round prospect at this time.

Dezmon Briscoe (WR, Kansas)

Briscoe made his decision to leave school last week and says it has nothing to do with the Mark Mangino fiasco.  Dezmon currently ranks sixth in the country with 1,337 receiving yards and scored 9 touchdowns for the Jayhawks this season.  At 6′ 2 1/2″ he has the height NFL coaches like in their receivers and has above average speed, but, he is not considered to be a great route runner or have outstanding hands. He is considered by many to be one of the ten best receiving prospects for the 2010 draft, however, he is not considered a candidate to go very high in the draft.  Most have him pegged as a third round prospect.

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College Football 2009: Week One News & Notes

With week one of the college football season in the books the Pickle is here to break down the highlights and headlines of the college football world. Oregon loses its top rusher for the year, Oklahoma's title hopes take a huge hit as does Bradford's Heisman chances, The ACC looks rather underwhelming, the SEC struggles on the road, and more.

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