That's the beauty. It doesn't really matter about the QB. Malzahn adjusts his offense to his players. He is currently 14-1 with a cornerback (Nick Marshall) playing QB. He had one of the top offenses in the nation with a WR (Matt Jones) playing QB at Arkansas. He set offensive records with a mediocre passing QB when he was at Tulsa. He won a championship with Cam Newton. It just doesn't matter with Gus. He just gets it done.
WR Kevin White, West Virginia (Class: 2015) This is a guy that has fallen under the radar but who quickly put himself back on radar with a great game against Alabama to start the year. Well, that and the fact that he's got 32 catches for 460 yards with 2 TDs in only three games this year. He's in Dana Holgorsen's offense so keep in mind this is the offense that helped Justin Blackmon's production go nuclear in 2010 (111 catches, 1782 yards, 20 TDs), so White could be in for one hell of a season in 2013. Be prepared for this guy to be more or less a household name among the 2015 wide receivers class within the next month or two. Here's the thing to notice about Kevin White aside from his mega production through three games. He's produced against top opponents. Even last year WVU played three ranked teams (Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor) and he produced 10 catches for 227 yards and 3 TDs against those programs. Then this year against Bama he produces 9 catches for 143 yards and a TD. He's a JUCO transfer. These guys often seem to come out of nowhere. It's not as if he didn't produce last year, as I noted he produced against the best of WVU's opponents. He just didn't consistently produce outside of those games, but a lot of that could probably be laid at the feet it being the first year with a newly transferred Clint Trickett at quarterback, with a full on quarterback carousel all year long as injuries took root and the players at the position just didn't play well. Coaches also think he just wasn't ready for the demands of going to an FBS program after transferring from Lackawanna College. But that seems to have changed: He's listed by NFLDS as 6027 and 209 lbs. His height and build are deceiving on the film. You could actually buy him being a shorter guy at times, depending on who is standing next to him. That's not a bad thing. It means he moves around like a small guy even though ultimately he's a big guy. It probably also means his arms are long. There are a few tendencies as noted by WVUDolphan on finheaven for him to shy away from hits. You can see it in minute impulses and reactions with bodies flying around him. He's a guy that has a natural inclination toward running away from rather than through defenders. I wouldn't say it's problematic. I'm just describing who he is. But there are other times you watch him and you realize this is a 6'3" and 210 lbs specimen that gives defensive backs a hard time when they're trying to tackle him. There was a play against Bama where he pushed the pile and when I say that I mean he really pushed a whole pile of bodies trying to tackle him...kept spinning off tacklers and pushing forward. Sometimes I get fooled by guys who wear their gloves a certain way but he looks like he's got big hands and he certainly uses them well to make contested catches. He has good body language going into a catch and he's as capable as anyone of catching the ball at its highest point. He also excels particularly well going to the ground and making catches that way, which is impressive. Run after the catch is where he continually flashes. You'll see it this year against Maryland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpSzwDHhm9c ...and you'll see it last year during the Gold-Blue game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKKZmbRDMYU The big question is what does he bring to the table physically in the tangible department. His size is a nice clue. Not only does it translate well but the fact his size looks deceptive on the field tells you something about his ability to move relative to other players out there. He's already getting a ton of Larry Fitzgerald comparisons, many of which are superficial based on his dreads and the number, but it's probably more than that. He's only a few pounds shy of being a body double of Fitzgerald. How will he test? Ask his JUCO coach at Lackawanna: Now to the fun stuff. Some of his film. Plays vs. Maryland (2014) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHr-ERFseRM&feature=player_detailpage#t=97 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHr-ERFseRM&feature=player_detailpage#t=663 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHr-ERFseRM&feature=player_detailpage#t=846 (INC) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHr-ERFseRM&feature=player_detailpage#t=1300 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHr-ERFseRM&feature=player_detailpage#t=1326 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHr-ERFseRM&feature=player_detailpage#t=1354 (FLAG: OFF. HOLDING) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHr-ERFseRM&feature=player_detailpage#t=1404 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHr-ERFseRM&feature=player_detailpage#t=2192 (TD) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHr-ERFseRM&feature=player_detailpage#t=2776 (INC) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHr-ERFseRM&feature=player_detailpage#t=2886 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHr-ERFseRM&feature=player_detailpage#t=3337 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHr-ERFseRM&feature=player_detailpage#t=5139 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHr-ERFseRM&feature=player_detailpage#t=5577 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHr-ERFseRM&feature=player_detailpage#t=6263 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHr-ERFseRM&feature=player_detailpage#t=8177 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHr-ERFseRM&feature=player_detailpage#t=8222 (FLAG: DEF. P.I., CAUGHT IT ANYWAY) Plays vs. Alabama (2014) https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FJ6fE2aY0Is Update 9/30/2014: Zack Sanchez is a sophomore at Oklahoma that was voted Freshman All American last year. He's on the Jim Thorpe Watch List and the Bronco Nagurski Watch List. NFLDS ranks him 7th among CBs in his class and he supposedly has 4.50 speed. And he got absolutely embarrassed by Kevin White when they matched up. Not once. Not twice. Not three times. I counted 6 catches on Sanchez' direct coverage (not counting screens), with at least 1 more catch possible with a better ball. I also count 4 times Sanchez went to tackle White and White either made him miss or broke through contact cleanly. Finally there was a deep pass interference flag that went against Sanchez when White was getting ready to burn him deep again despite Sanchez having given him a huge cushion at the snap in off-man. To be fair, White was also flagged for an illegal hands to the face for barely grazing Sanchez' mask with his fingertips while breaking one of Sanchez' tackle attemps. Unbelievably dominant performance against a young corner that many like. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=m6cXkf5VMBk
CB Chris Dunkley, South Florida (Class: 2015) Chris Dunkley is a former 5-star wide receiver prospect that initially went to Florida. Not entirely sure why things didn't work out there but he landed at USF and wasn't able to make much an impact at wide receiver. The coaches saw something so this year during camp they moved him to corner. Honestly, he's been a bright spot in an otherwise dim season. He fits that position very well. He also has significant return skills. Those skills won't show up in his stats as I believe he's got a big return touchdown called back on penalty, but the skills are there. CB Trovon Reed, Auburn (Class: 2015) Going back to Trovon Reed, Tyler Lockette is an extremely quick and very fast player. He's very difficult to cover and that is what impressed me so much about the job Reed did on him last night. I'm not sure if Reed was on Lockette the whole game but there was definitely a point at which it seemed like they matched Reed up on Lockette wherever he went on the field, and at 6'0" & 190 lbs Reed was able to stay in Lockette's hip pocket and then dominate him at the catch point with his superior frame. He got an interception, his second of the season.
DE Randy Gregory, Nebraska (Class: 2016) Watching Randy Gregory really challenges your nature-versus-nurture instincts when it comes to draft prospects. Start tallying up everything that Gregory needs serious work on from his read and recognition speed to his hand work to his foot work and balance, his approach angles, his tackling and leverage, and by the end you're thinking...ok, aside from that Mrs. Lincoln, how'd ya like the play? But the fact of the matter is he's got something that few other guys have, and those guys will likely NEVER have it. His combination of size and explosiveness is really something else. There are secondary moves he can make after his initial rush...that just can't be blocked by one guy by himself.
WR Chris Moore, Cincinnati (Class: 2016) In connection with two new quarterbacks that really deserve a lot of attention (Cincinnati's Gunner Kiel and North Carolina State's Jacoby Brissett), I think it behooves us to take a look at some of the receivers that are helping them stand out so much. One such is redshirt junior Chris Moore of Cincinnati. He is averaging 42.7 yards per catch. He has 6 catches for 256 yards and 5 touchdowns. This after catching 45 balls for 645 yards and 9 touchdowns in 2013 with Brendon Kay throwing the ball. So what Moore just lucky to get 6 big catches this year? Well I don't think it's that simple and I think his team-leading 9 touchdowns in 2013 shows that. But we definitely just need to see more from him before we can make any judgments. Six catches aren't enough, no matter how huge. He's listed 6'1" & 190 lbs but he looks like he could be a bit heavier than that. Obviously the guy is mainly used as a vertical threat yet I'm not sure I'd put him in the 4.3 speed category. Based on my analysis, which I'd say is probably inconclusive, I'd have to put his speed somwhere around 4.48, maybe even a bit faster. He should run faster than his 4.54 listing on NFL Draft Scout. Very soft hands. One of his touchdowns against Ohio State involved coming back and fighting for a contested, underthrown ball. The touchdown called back on account of a penalty, he had to reach out and let a ball coming over his shoulder fall into his fingertips softly, was very impressive. He seemed to improvise that route into a vertical from off a screen option, so he's an instinctive playground type of player. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_79XJeUAXew&feature=player_detailpage#t=374 (OSU: Touchdown) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_79XJeUAXew&feature=player_detailpage#t=1214 (OSU: Incomplete) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_79XJeUAXew&feature=player_detailpage#t=3385 (OSU: Touchdown Reversed on Penalty) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_79XJeUAXew&feature=player_detailpage#t=4929 (OSU: Touchdown) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_79XJeUAXew&feature=player_detailpage#t=6013 (OSU: Touchdown) Damn there are a lot of OSU touchdowns LOL
Gunner Kiel looks like a former frat party guy who became an insurance actuary and recently fell off the wagon. "You've been comin to work late a lot Gunner, and what's with your TPS reports? Is there something we should know about?" -"I'm fine, damnit!" "Go home, Kiel! You're drunk!"
QB Gunner Kiel, Cincinnati (Class: 2017) Gunner Kiel had been putting up impressive numbers against Toledo and Miami (OH), but it wasn't until he went 21 of 32 for 352 yards, 4 TDs with 0 INTs before I think people started to notice this guy. It isn't that his previous tape was unimpressive, quite the contrary, but he's a guy that only threw his first college football pass in 2014 and has a grand total (as of 10/2/2014) of 3 games under his belt. Understandably, it takes a while for people to notice a guy like that no matter what his numbers are against sub-par programs. That gets sped up quite a bit when you put up 28 points on Ohio State's defense and give them much more of a run than people thought you would. There are some flags in Gunner's background. I won't pretend to know the extent of them or even to have researched them, but I know he originally committed to Indiana, de-committed from there and committed to LSU, de-committed from there and began attending at Notre Dame. Then he transferred out of Notre Dame and went to Cincinnati, sitting out all of 2013 as part of the transfer rules. He's eligible for the 2015 NFL Draft but one would naturally think he'd stay in school to get at least one more year of starting under his belt. However, when you look at that history of erratic decision-making, you can't discount any possibility. He may up and decide the NFL is his birthright, and come out very early. He's got great height at 6'4" and a thick build to go with it. He's listed only 208 lbs but I would be very surprised if that were accurate. Connor Halliday is listed 6'4" & 201 lbs and if you stood the two up next to one another, there isn't a single person with two working eyes that would say seven pounds is the difference between them. From an arm strength standpoint, he's got everything you want. He drives the football to the perimeter with great velocity and really leads the receiver to the sidelines, which is a good sign. His posture and mechanics remind me of a slightly less refined Chad Henne, and that shouldn't be considered an insult because Henne had a whole lot of pure throwing ability coming out of Michigan. Some (e.g. Bill Polian) argued Henne had the best pure throwing ability and accuracy coming out of that draft, Flacco included. When I say slightly less refined I mean that Kiel's weight transfer may need a little bit of polish. But he throws a very high quality ball, for the most part. He has very lively feet during his drop. No concerns there. His instincts and ability to slide within the pocket are often textbook. Kiel is a pocket guy but he does have the ability to run a little bit. I wouldn't call him a natural athlete when running with the ball in his hands, anymore than I would accuse Ryan Tannehill of being the same. Gunner may test out similarly to Blake Bortles though, from an athletic standpoint. When Kiel does run, he gets north-south in a hurry and then he's looking to slide. I think it's important to note that he's run for 5 first downs in his 3 games thus far. It's something to keep an eye on. I think that can be a telling measure for a pocket guy like Gunner Kiel. From 2010 to 2011, Andrew Luck ran for 39 first downs in 26 games. Blake Bortles, downright infamous for stealing base, ran for 60 first downs in 27 games from 2012 to 2013. Compare that with another pocket guy like Sean Mannion, who has run for 6 first downs in his last 22 games from 2012 to present day. In other words, Kiel's not an athletic ball carrier but he knows how and when to steal base. There was a play against Ohio State, I believe it was 2nd & 3 near the red zone, he saw Ohio State's defensive line open up a massive hole up the middle while seven defenders were dropped back into coverage, and he just clicked into run mode. It was part of his decision-making. He got his first down, slid, and moved on to the next play. As a passer, the thing that intrigues me most about Gunner Kiel are his middle-of-field (MOF) reads. Against Ohio State, he flashed the ability to read the safeties and click over to the correct throw. He burned the Buckeyes on at least one deep ball where he did exactly that, read the safety biting down on the dig route and then immediately clicked over to his right side, found his receiver on the post and hit him for a deep touchdown. There were a few other times you could tell he was making sound decisions based on MOF reads. Furthermore, though I haven't seen the full game, several touchdowns in the Toledo game on highlight film were thrown into very tight windows between defenders over the middle of the field. That said, we should not go on pretending we know exactly what Gunner is as a decision maker yet. He consistently makes sound pre-snap decisions based on defensive alignment. However, some of the more clever throws you saw against Ohio State that proved really nasty should probably be attributed to the play-calling because I think Gunner was only executing what was drawn up. As a passer, three things concern me about Gunner. They're not so much issues that will get in his way as they are issues that require further research. The first is his temperament. For almost three quarters of the Ohio State game he was close to perfect. But late in the third quarter with Ohio State starting to pull ahead and the pressure coming on stronger, he let an upsetting call by an official (along no doubt with the mounting scoreboard pressure) rattle him. It was pretty clear in his body language, the frequency with which he begged for calls, and most importantly it bled into both his accuracy and his decision-making. It was the sort of thing that reminded you that, regardless of reason, this is a three-time divorcée and there is research to be done. The second thing that bothers me a little is that even though his techniques for working the pocket are very sound and his instincts for sliding are advanced, when he is forced to slide it definitely seems to detract from his accuracy. But this is something that you will need to see a number of other games to see if it's consistently an issue. The third thing that would bother me some is when he has to open up his hips and throw a deep ball to the perimeter of the field, a few times against Ohio State that ball came out too far to the interior of the field. He needed to get it more to the sidelines in order to let the receiver create space and opportunity.
QB Jacoby Brissett, North Carolina State (Class: 2016) Just to give you an idea beyond the stats what this guy is doing, here's the Florida State game. [video=youtube;oo2pdkyiy4E]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=oo2pdkyiy4E[/video] Dude ****ing balled out against a fearsome National Champion defense. Notched just about everything you'd want to see out of a pro prospect. It's actually one of those almost-can't-believe-my-eyes type of films. The problem with this dude is prior to 2014, the only full game he played was 2012 against Jacksonville State. So this guy's got practically nothing other than recruiting knowledge and word-of-mouth from coaches going for/against him. This year is the first he's laying something significant enough to grade down on film. But I can ****ing guarantee this Florida State game is being dissected by teams right now, and the South Florida and Georgia Southern games are being Fedex'd to them as we speak. And they have their blood hounds all over people who have coached him, taught him, etc in the past. I don't know his past at all other than that he's a former Florida Gator. You want a trait that might not be obvious until you see it or are told to look for it and then you're like "Oh yeah!"? His hands. BIG hands that control the football easily. Cam Newton style. Guy is 6'4" & 230+ lbs, has a hose for an arm, big hands and running ability (times in the 4.6's). Comes outta nowhere and starts throwing like Russell Wilson (the Wisconsin version). Yowsa.
He was flat out disgusting against Oklahoma..booking another 173 yards against what some are saying is the top team in the nation. Not even gonna get my hopes up..but damn Id sure love to see him Miami
Sammie Coates needs to catch the damn ball a lot more consistently. But he's more like a Kelvin Benjamin than anything. Sick, ridiculous catches, with a LOT of catchable balls hitting the turf. Kelvin got rid of the drops, somehow. Maybe Sammie can too.
Coates worries me. The ability is obviously there, but I'm still trying to figure out if he's just an athlete playing WR like others who have failed before him, guys like Arrelious Benn. I might like the Louisville kid better. Too bad Green-Beckham is likely staying put. At this point I'd settle for Funchess and then hold out till 2016 for DGB, Marquez North, Laquon Treadwell, or Ricky Seals-Jones for a big man WR compliment.
Green-Beckham could be a disaster off the field especially with the current climate on domestic abuse. Dude kicked in his girlfriend's apartment door right when her roommate wouldn't let him in, he then knocked that roommate down the stairs and dragged his girlfriend out of the apartment by the neck. Kevin White is the guy to watch for this draft. Sick player.
Consider it biased, but as of now I'd start the draft with back-to-back Clemson picks. Beasley first to replace Wheeler, then Stephone Anthony who seems like an ILB version of our own Jelani Jenkins. We'd have a trio of 3-down linebackers who can cover a lot of ground, make plays, and get to the QB. Vernon can kick inside in nickel, as can Jordan if he gets his stuff together. After Hickey missed out on Shazier, I could see Beasley jumping to the top of his 2015 draft board the moment Roger Goodell called out Shazier's name.
Think we really ought to see how deep the rabbit hole goes on McCain. The dude was superb in the preseason. I haven't seen a Dolphin so clearly impactful during his first preseason since Cameron Wake. Part of me still thinks the clock could strike midnight on Jelani Jenkins. If we're talking about needs, and it's usually not a good idea to just draft off need but if we're talking about it, then you know as well as I do that wide receivers unit needs a whole new foundation. And the defensive secondary isn't far behind (especially at safety, but corner as is likely to look depleted within a year or two as well).
Agreed. Those guard positions need looked at as well, I thought for sure we'd take a safety in the 2014 draft.
WR Breshad Perriman, UCF (Class: 2016) As we go through the 2014 season with UCF, I think we're seeing Breshad Perriman really solidify himself as the top player on the offense. He always had the look of being the most physically talented wide receiver in terms of triangle numbers and big play ability. J.J. Worton was the guy who could make a circus catches but may not have the tangibles and Rannell Hall as I've said before reminds me a little more of a Keshawn Martin as he's got a little more dry powder in his ankles plus some RAC skills. But Perriman is the guy with the height, speed and big play-making ability...sort of like a Justin Hunter. This year it looks to me like Justin Holman the quarterback at UCF is throwing rocket fast footballs all over the place, often very early in the route (too early) and this is really helping us shake out which of the receivers are capable of catching an NFL ball consistently and which ones are struggling. Rannell Hall is failing the test, in my opinion, while Breshad Perriman is shaking out as the guy you want to watch for. Here's a good look at him, a big touchdown against Houston: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4njLtvuGolg&feature=player_detailpage#t=22 He's a full 6'2" or 6'3" & 214 lbs, and he looks big on the field. NFL Draft Scout has him running a 4.52 and it's tough to tell what he's going to run in a Combine setting. But he looks fast. He's caught 15 balls for 341 yards and 2 TDs this year. That's a 23 yard per catch average. That's big play ability. Unlike a guy I mentioned before Chris Moore of Cincinnati, I think Perriman is making these big plays a little bit more with his pure ability. His work against Penn State: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=umm5YESLH68#t=1231 (Big TD) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=umm5YESLH68#t=1254 (REPLAY) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=umm5YESLH68#t=1585 (Catch) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=umm5YESLH68#t=2158 (Catch) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=umm5YESLH68#t=2196 (Incomplete) His work against Missouri: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m47vst55PWg&feature=player_detailpage#t=12 (Run) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m47vst55PWg&feature=player_detailpage#t=644 (Catch) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m47vst55PWg&feature=player_detailpage#t=1260 (Catch) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m47vst55PWg&feature=player_detailpage#t=1321 (Drop) While it's hard not to admire the work of a J.J. Worton because of how balanced he is, how well he changes directions, how much pure want-to he has and his hands, I think it's a guy like Breshad Perriman that ultimately will project better at the next level.
CK I have to ask what you think about Duke Johnson as an NFL prospect. Even as a Canes fan I'm really on the fence about him. If you've already covered this ill find it if you point me in the right direction.
Gotcha. I ask because I'm unsure about his ability to run between the tackles at the next level. He actually does it well in college, but often I see the tackle and guard creating a pretty gaping hole. You never really see him gliding through NFL sized holes. I have no doubt he will be a good role player somewhere but I'm 50/50 on him being a back that gets more than seven to ten touches a game on average.
Auburn is so fun to watch. There really is talent all over the place. I think people know about Sammie Coates and they're quickly learning about D'haquille Williams. But Quan Bray also had about as fantastic an adjustment and catch on a 50/50 hail mary type of throw against Louisiana Tech as you'll see, and he shows a lot of potential. Melvin Ray is like 6'3" & 207 lbs and runs like the wind. I mean, TE C.J. Uzomah has only caught 4 balls this year and he could literally be the most compelling senior I've seen at tight end this year. The left tackle that replaced Greg Robinson, the guy that survived cancer Shon Coleman...he's got serious talent and he's only a sophomore. LB Kris Frost is a legit good NFL prospect for 2015 or 2016. So are DT Gabe Wright and S Robenson Therezie. I think CB Trovon Reed is a guy that kind of came out of nowhere after converting from WR and he's been really impressive to me, has a lot of natural talent and big potential. And RB Cameron Artis-Payne is also damn talented. Then at QB you have Nick Marshall. Are you going to draft him as an NFL QB? No. You might not find him a spot on an NFL roster at all, to be honest. But he's great for what they do at the college level. And the guy behind him Jeremy Johnson might legitimately be a good NFL quarterback prospect. The guy is 6'5" & 230 lbs, has a great arm and throws a great ball, has completed 79% of his passes this year at 14.0 yards per attempt with 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions on 28 attempts. Jebus. I will be very surprised if this team is not in the NCAA Championship Game again for the second straight year. In fact I could definitely see a rematch between Auburn and Florida State, but with Auburn getting revenge this time.
It's so funny that you say this. I was just talking with a buddy of mine a couple days ago that Auburn will not lose a game this season. Malzahn has the most talented and athletic team he's ever had. It's ridiculous when you look at the weapons he has on offense. Everyone is big and fast. The running back is damn near just as good as the guy who left last year. Marshall has become a decent passer. The defense looks legit. It's almost unfair that Malzahn has all of this talent to work with. Many people are picking Miss.St. to beat Auburn on Saturday. I will be sitting back laughing it up while Auburn drops 45 on them. It's going to be a blowout. What's really scary is that I think Malzahn's backup QB is even better than Marshall. That kid has an arm. They are locked and loaded for next year.
I'm on the fence with Duke as well. At the moment I wanna say he's a nice complimentary back, what we'd call today's #3 RB for many teams. 8-12 touches a game, but when the starter goes down, Duke still remains in that change-of-pace role. But I've got more watching to do.
TE Jeff Heuerman, Ohio State (Class: 2015) One thing to keep in mind about scouting college tight ends is that their college production almost doesn't matter...at all. Some of the greatest tight ends you think of in the NFL were nothing in college, as they converted from a different sport or position. That said, Jeff Heuerman of Ohio State actually had some production in 2013. He caught 26 balls for 466 yards and 4 touchdowns with Braxton Miller throwing the football. Thus far in 2014 he only has 4 catches for 66 yards and 0 touchdowns. Is that all his fault? No, only partially. He's listed about 6'5" & 255 lbs and when you watch him on the hoof I think you feel that size. He's a big guy, prototype for the position at the NFL level. The main attraction to Heuerman is the fact that he can run. NFL Draft Scout has him having run a 4.68 in college testing which is good for that size, and probably more significantly when you watch him run on the field (when he has the opportunity) it's clear that he can really hoof it and guys have a tough time keeping up. Below one of the clips you will see is of Maryland LB Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil covering Heuerman one on one from snap-to-whistle from an on-the-line position all the way to the sideline on a wheel route. The thing to note on the play is that Cudjoe-Virgil gets a good jam on Heuerman, really knocks him laterally, impeding Heuerman's ability to get vertically up the field. But it doesn't matter because Heuerman can outrun him and maintain separation, then finish the catch. NFL Draft Scout lists Cudjoe-Virgil as having run a 4.74 during campus testing. This corroborates the 4.68 estimate they have for Heuerman. During the replay of the touchdown catch against Purdue during his junior year, you can see him sit between the zones and accelerate to the end zone. Note the corner (2014 5th round draft pick CB Ricardo Allen) covering the flat in the cover two zone look. He sees the ball come out and makes a beeline up the field to chase it. He gets up to his maximum speed while Heuerman is still sitting and catching the football. Before long Heuerman has also gotten up to top speed and Allen has a very tough time closing anymore additional distance between them. Ricardo Allen was tested out at 4.54 at the Combine last year. This play doesn't necessarily show Heuerman to be faster than Allen, but it does show his speed is significant enough that a 4.54 guy had trouble closing once he'd gotten up to speed. Against Clemson you see another instance where a defensive back (Jayron Kearse) is running top speed trying to close on Heuerman, who is at a disadvantage in that he's sitting as he catches the football and has to accelerate, and though ultimately Kearse will be faster than Heuerman, the margin is small enough that Kearse couldn't close. Kearse is listed as having run a 4.57. Sometimes you can get caught up in a number with respect to speed, but it's important to do these exercises on tape because this is where the rubber meets the road. He's too fast for a linebacker with average (Misi-like) speed to keep up with over distance in man. He's fast enough to keep defensive backs with average safety speed from closing on him quickly and easily in zone. That gives you some ideas of what you can do with him if you're a coach. He seems to be a very natural receiver with soft hands, the ability to make challenging catches, and probably most important the balance and maneuverability to put himself in position to make the catch at the top of the route. That should make him dependable which is a big deal as you're throwing over the middle where defenders are looking to make plays. Wouldn't really call him a quick twitch or COD guy which is one reason his run after catch is poor, even for the position. At best he's just looking to leap over someone, and at worst he's freezing his legs and being pulled down from below all too easily. Definitely willing to use his hands to create separation, but I wouldn't necessarily say he has powerful hands or upper body. He's physical and not intimidated by physical coverage. Hard to tell if he's truly effective against it either, though. He seems like a pretty good blocker. I'm not sure if it's that important to be honest. He's good with his hands, has balance, is physical, and is big. Those are probably the most important things with respect to blocking. 2013 Jeff Heuerman vs. Purdue & Clemson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knCR5W_vM8Y&feature=player_embedded 2014 Jeff Heuerman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZoUjpbWD4M&feature=player_detailpage#t=3086 (Incomplete) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_79XJeUAXew&feature=player_detailpage#t=779 (Catch) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_79XJeUAXew&feature=player_detailpage#t=5589 (Catch) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_79XJeUAXew&feature=player_detailpage#t=6500 (Catch) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yf3ziZsEIWs&feature=player_detailpage#t=4672 (Incomplete) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yf3ziZsEIWs&feature=player_detailpage#t=5822 (Catch) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yf3ziZsEIWs&feature=player_detailpage#t=5859 (REPLAY)
TE Rory "Buster" Anderson, South Carolina (Class: 2015) South Carolina's Rory Anderson may have peaked as a sophomore in 2012 as he caught 14 balls for 271 yards and 5 touchdowns. As a junior he caught 17 for 235 yards and 0 touchdowns, and thus far he's got 17 for 180 and 1 touchdown. But as I said, college production based evaluation at this position doesn't mean a whole lot when you've got guys like Julius Thomas, Antonio Gates, Jimmy Graham, Cameron Jordan, Delanie Walker and Larry Donnell dominating the NFL landscape production-wise. The son of two law enforcement officers, I would certainly HOPE the guy knows how to keep his nose clean that way, lol. Compared with a big chest of drawers like a Jeff Heuerman or even a C.J. Uzomah, Rory Anderson looks a lot thinner and more WR-like in his build. He's listed 6'5" & 227 lbs but I wouldn't be shocked to see him a bit heavier than that as he's pretty well muscled. As you'd expect from a guy that is probably about 30 pounds lighter than a Jeff Heuerman, he bounces around on his toes a lot more nimbly and so he's got good change of direction skills and agility. But despite that he's got a pretty good frame that really belongs at the position, so don't be fooled into thinking this is a guy that should be playing wide receiver. The catch is that despite his moving easily on his feet, ultimately I don't think he is that fast, especially for his size. You get him into situations where he's covering a lot of ground with man coverage in trail, I'm not positive he's really creating a lot of separation that way. There's a touchdown below where Georgia LB Amarlo Herrera picks up Rory in man coverage vertically down the field and even though Rory is able to create last second separation via a subtle push-off and use his superior body control and ball skills to come down with that ball, this was a linebacker with average to below average speed (i.e. Misi-like) and he wasn't really creating separation vertically just by virtue of his being faster. In man coverage like that he's going to have to rely on his height, subtleties like that push-off, and his body control and ball skills. Because of his agility, he's a guy that you probably feel comfortable with running across zones. He's got the body control and hands off the line of scrimmage to get a free release, and he moves very fluidly through coverage. His strong toes and start-stop-start ability give him the ability to get into the soft spot in the zone, sit down and get his hands up, then start up again for run after the catch very quickly. He plants his foot and cuts well on speed-outs and should be interesting that way. The flip side of that is I think he gets a little interesting when it comes to run after catch, because of his ability to get going quickly and the fact that he has flexibility and body control. Really good balance, this is a high quality prospect. When he's up against defensive backs he's still got 6'5" and 230+ lbs of heft to throw around, and he's a strong player with very physical hands and disposition (kind of nasty). Overall I probably like him to produce a little bit better than a Jeff Heuerman at the next level, but the jury is still out on whether I would like him above a C.J. Uzomah. 2013 Rory Anderson Spotlight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQj1k13IJKE 2014 Rory Anderson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sLN1PZ2eo0Q#t=2209 (Catch) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sLN1PZ2eo0Q#t=2360 (Incomplete) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sLN1PZ2eo0Q#t=3046 (Incomplete) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sLN1PZ2eo0Q#t=4105 (Incomplete) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sLN1PZ2eo0Q#t=5907 (Incomplete) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sLN1PZ2eo0Q#t=7395 (Catch) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sLN1PZ2eo0Q#t=8120 (Catch) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sLN1PZ2eo0Q#t=8257 (Incomplete) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sOp4g1ngR2Q#t=41 (Catch) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sOp4g1ngR2Q#t=944 (Catch) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sOp4g1ngR2Q#t=997 (Catch) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sOp4g1ngR2Q#t=1040 (Touchdown) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sOp4g1ngR2Q#t=1105 (REPLAY) http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sOp4g1ngR2Q#t=1644 (Catch)
This is kind of how I see it as well. You give Gus Malzahn that much pure talent on the roster and really it would take some monumental "blowing it" for them to drop a game, even against a very tough Mississippi State squad. That said, some of their receivers most certainly displayed some of that "blowing it" potential against Kansas State. Sammie Coates couldn't catch a cold and even D'haquille Williams got in on the act. But that was a short week, Thursday Night Football game, potential trap game as K-State wasn't viewed to be able to keep up with an Auburn, and it was on the road in a traditionally tough place to play. This Mississippi State game...everyone's getting up for it. It's #2 in the country versus #3 in the country. Game of the Week. Potentially the game of the season, until the Championship game. The things that applied to the K-State game aren't going to apply here. They could still blow it, but in my opinion between a Gus Malzahn team and a Dan Mullen team, I think it more likely for a Mullen team to underperform in a big situation. Last year MSU lost every game they played against a ranked opponent. This year they squeaked by LSU, but then Auburn STOMPED the same team...which shows that LSU just isn't that good. And I don't think Texas A&M was as good as purported. They barely escaped with their life against Arkansas, and there weren't any special circumstances there. That was at home for TAMU, Saturday game, etc. Auburn had beaten Arkansas pretty handily and that was with Nick Marshall suspended for a half. TAMU could barely get by them in OT at home, so it's not surprising they turned around and got beat by MSU the next week. Anyway, just a hunch but I agree with you...Auburn over MSU and it could be by a big margin.
im giving Moreno a full year audition.not writing him off..if he's healthy and finishes the year on a high and plays like he showed, I sign him.
There's other talent to consider on Marshall. RB Devon Johnson is a MAN. I keep looking for Cato highlights and I find twice as many Devon Johnson highlights. He's huge, strong as hell, and he can't do what he does without being explosive. I also get the feeling that if I take to the tape to start evaluating their OLs, I'm going to find some real sleepers there. I think that probably starts with C Chris Jasperse, who is a really excellent snapper. I get the feeling he's good enough that you can run a shotgun based zone ground scheme with him because he's that consistent with how he snaps the football and he can probably even directionally get it to certain spots depending on the play call. In addition, I mean the Marshall ground game is excellent this year and if I look I'm sure I'd find that Chris Jasperse is a big part of it. There's some defensive talent as well but I think the good ones are underclassmen.
I believe ssmiami said that Devon Johnson actually converted from TE to RB this past season. Really just an awesome combination of strength, size, and quickness.
What are your thoughts on us drafting Bryce Petty if he is available to both develop and compete.with.Tannehill?
That is obviously because of Taggert's relationship with the Harbaugh's..I like himAlways upsetting to me how the Dolphin's miss out on alot of our in state players.
I've not been a huge fan of Bryce Petty as I am not really sure that he's capable of reading the field and making good throws beyond a certain distance. I think you can see at times that his feet aren't really tuned in to the field and his reads, and he basically ends up throwing a combination of short throws out to the flat or deep throws down the sideline to guys that can just run under the ball. And some of those throws end up pretty wildly off target. I also question how much of a pure play-maker he is and that's something I feel is important nowadays when evaluating in a quarterback coming into the NFL. These guys aren't getting away with anymore just "operating an offense" and "making all the throws". They've got to be play-makers if they want to compete with the best teams. That's why even though I have some concerns about Marcus Mariota, I refuse to just say the dude is going to be bad at the next level or anything like that. He can make plays. I think a quarterback prospect has to basically have it all. He has to be both a play-maker and a guy that "makes all the throws" and operates the offense with consistency. And I don't know that Bryce Petty has that because I don't know how well he reads the field, if he can be accurate consistently, or if he can make plays.
Thank you and as always I ask you because I value your input and for the life of me do not understand why you are not head of the Dolphins scouting dept. As welln as a few others in here I wish were scouting for us...Thanks.again.. Side note.. I am also impressed with Cato and I really like Hackenberg
Hackenberg has a little bit to go in terms of improvement but by all means he appears to have a bright future ahead of him.
Okay Chris I'll start joining in the talks soon. I've totally fallen behind this year. Almost forgot we've a top 10 ranking to jump into this year in Play the Draft!!
