Three really good mid-rounders, and three I hate. - Page 14

Direckshun · 03-12-2014, 11:12 AM

ILB/OLB Jordan Tripp, Montana -- Tripp's skillset will only really translate to a very specific kind of role in the NFL. You're talking about a good-sized OLB in the 4-3 (and maybe a WILB in some 3-4 schemes) at 6'3", 234, with very good speed and athleticism for a linebacker (4.58 40, 37" vertical with 10' broad jump). But Tripp is not a heat-seeking missile at the line of scrimmage. He's not a thumper in any way, and really his work at the line of scrimmage is really sloppy -- he gets washed in with the trash nearly every time. He can't get to the QB, and he plays with approximately zero power. But where Tripp excels is in space, as his great athleticism would suggest. He'll need work in coverage, but he has the tools to be very good there. He plays very smart on off tackle runs, keeping gap integrity, and he can truly play sideline-to-sideline. Tripp's gifts will get him drafted, but he will be a special teamer for a year or two while he gets stronger and his coverage technique down. But if your scheme puts your OLBs in space, in coverage, and on slot receivers, Tripp's a really solid midround option.

Direckshun · 03-12-2014, 11:49 AM

DT Ego Ferguson, LSU -- Unlike Anthony Johnson, Ferguson's soft teammate at the same position in this year's draft, Ferguson is an incredibly tough, strong player with 1st round abilities. If the right staff lands Ferguson and places him in the right system, he can be Pro Bowl caliber talent. Ferguson might potentially have some versatility at the 3-4 DE spot, but at 6'3", 315 lbs with only 32" arms, he's more suited at the NT position, or more aptly, as a run-clogging DT in the 4-3. Ferguson has zero passrush other than a standard (but sometimes-overwhelming) bullrush, but his leverage and get-off in the run game is second-day quality. He struggled against Mississippi State's Gabe Jackson, who is more polished than he is, but he has beat up OL all year otherwise, bursting into the backfield, collapsing the pocket, and two-gapping extremely well. If Romeo Crennel was still the DC for this team, Chiefs fans would likely groan at yet another LSU DL who will be a non-impact yet sturdy two-gapper, but that's exactly what Ferguson will bring. He's said to be athletic, but I don't see it -- this is a phone booth player if there ever were one. In a normal draft year, he'd be 3rd round quality with the upside of a typical 1st rounder.

Direckshun · 03-12-2014, 12:07 PM

RB Lorenzo Taliaferro, Coastal Carolina -- Watching Taliaferro (pronounced "tala-ferro") is like watching two different RBs. On some plays, he is an untackle-able force (6'0", 229 lbs) that drives his legs through defenders. Other plays, he's a total wet noodle. That discrepancy can be linked to a single, critical factor: his get-off is really sorry. He timed in the low 1.6s in his 10 yard split at the Combine, but he looks like he's in the 1.7s on the field. His starting speed is downright sorry, but his eventually speed/power ratio goes up the longer he's able to run without defenders stacking him up. Taliaferro, as a result, will require a good OL for him to make any noise whatsoever in the NFL. He ran in the 4.5s at the Combine, but this guy is purely a between-the-tackles guy. He has good hands in the receiving game, but he's not a sharp route-runner at all. The Chanticleers also never (read: never) asked him to stay into block, either, which is something he'll have to learn from scratch in the NFL. I think Taliaferro's an UDFA with promise, but I wouldn't spend a pick on him with his limitations.

Direckshun · 03-12-2014, 12:20 PM

DT Shamar Stephen, Connecticut -- Shamar Stephen is a lesson in "if you're only going to do one thing, do it as well as you can." Stephen is a bear to move off the point of attack in the run game. He is a block of granite in the heart of the DL, and at 6'5", 309, he has the body and apparent strength to take on multiple blockers without giving as much as a yard. He looks like he'd be a great candidate as a two-down DL. The problem, however, is that the NFL prefers players who do more than just one thing, and that's where Stephen completely falls short. He is one of the worst athletes in this draft -- he ran a 5.25, which is about 3-4 NT level, with a horrific 10-yard get-off of 1.81. His strength and power could be exposed at the next level by quicker guards who can get into him before he's set. I think Shamar's complete lack of skills outside of clogging the phone booth will land him as a UDFA worth gambling on. I don't know what he offers that can't be passed on in the draft.

Direckshun · 03-12-2014, 12:45 PM

RB David Fluellen, Toledo -- I'm not sure if Fluellen is draftable, as he carries an injury red flag and he doesn't really pop to me on tape. Here's what I do see: against inferior competition, Fluellen has a suprising number of elusive moves for a 5'11, 224 lbs guy. At least that's what he weighs in as, because he looks more like he's 6'1", 210 on tape. He's long and thin, and whereever he's carrying that extra weight, it's not in his legs, which at 224 you'd hope would be thick trunks for power. But not only has Fluellen skipped a few leg days, he doesn't use them very well in powering through holes. He's an athletic, upright runner with good game speed but zero passblocking experience and recurring ankle injuries. I'd avoid.

Direckshun · 03-12-2014, 01:01 PM

TE A.C. Leonard, Tennessee State -- If there is a guy in this draft I don't know what to make of, it's Leonard. Watching his tape is maddening: you expect a tight end kicked out of the Florida Gators program (domestic abuse) to be more powerful, speedier, and just more explosive than everybody else on a field full of inferior football players. You look at his Combine numbers and you're blown away: a 4.50 40, ridiculous athleticism, and seemingly great hands on the field. But his tape... oy. His blocking is atrocious: he gets driven by linebackers and can't engage or sustain blocks. His routes are lazy and his first step off the line of scrimmage is terrible. He has great straight line speed but zero quickness or elusiveness. And you just hate the guy. But then he catches a 60 yard bomb with a corner struggling to keep up, and you wonder... can this guy be developed? Do you even want to try?

Direckshun · 03-12-2014, 01:16 PM

ILB Avery Williamson, Kentucky -- This draft has a few ILBs who are far better in space than they are mixing it up at the line of scrimmage, and Avery Williamson is one of those players. What sets Williamson apart from most of them is that he's sporting an NFL-caliber physique (6'1", 248) while still retaining tons of speed (high 4.5s in the 40), and extreme productivity in the SEC. Williamson is not a punishing hitter, but he can make big hits on occasion, and he does make a lot of 5-yard tackles that would have been 15-yarders if he had not held his position. And he looks like he could be outstanding in coverage -- he seems to be pretty good now with a roof. And he has a frame that could add extra muscle if he elected to. Williamson put up 135 tackles this past year, and any tape on him suggests he's always around the ball. I think he's a solid midrounder for a team looking for LB depth this year; he could go as high as the 4th if a team thinks he looks like an eventual starter, as he does to me.

Direckshun · 03-12-2014, 01:29 PM

DE/DT Bruce Gaston, Purdue -- The first, second, and third thing that pops on tape when Gaston plays is his motor. Gaston has a relentless motor that never shops churning, even when his team is getting beat like a drum as he faces double-teams all game. That's something that not a lot of the DL in this year's draft have, and it's damn near impossible to coach into somebody. Gaston played primarily DE in the Boilermakers' 3-4 defense, even though his size (6'2," 318) suggests he'd be better losing about fifteen pounds and moving inside. Playing DE in the 3-4 isn't beyond Gaston who, despite some pretty shoddy technique against both the run and the pass, plays very stout and with great explosion against the pass, his full potential often obscured as opponents double-team him regularly. A team will have to work on his technique, but I think he'd be really interesting as a developmental undertackle in a 4-3. Late round pick.

Direckshun · 03-12-2014, 01:59 PM

DT Zach Kerr, Delaware -- If there were ever a poor man's Dontari Poe, you're getting pretty close to him with Kerr. Kerr is a surprisingly, shockingly athletic man for somebody who's 6'1", 326 lbs. He's got a completely skillset and could actually find himself getting drafted on the second day of the Draft. I can't believe I'm saying this, because you run across these players so rarely, but his get-off is strong and his pursuit doesn't stop until the whistle blows. He has a series of passrush moves and can stop the run outside of the phone booth if need be. He'll have some technique work to button down but I don't anticipate there being anything major he'll have to pickup -- though a year in a strength & conditioning program will take him to the next level. This guy has future Pro Bowl talent written all over him, and I think in a weak draft year, he'd be a first rounder.

OldSchool · 03-12-2014, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direckshun

DT Zach Kerr, Delaware -- If there were ever a poor man's Dontari Poe, you're getting pretty close to him with Kerr. Kerr is a surprisingly, shockingly athletic man for somebody who's 6'1", 326 lbs. He's got a completely skillset and could actually find himself getting drafted on the second day of the Draft. I can't believe I'm saying this, because you run across these players so rarely, but his get-off is strong and his pursuit doesn't stop until the whistle blows. He has a series of passrush moves and can stop the run outside of the phone booth if need be. He'll have some technique work to button down but I don't anticipate there being anything major he'll have to pickup -- though a year in a strength & conditioning program will take him to the next level. This guy has future Pro Bowl talent written all over him, and I think in a weak draft year, he'd be a first rounder.

I really hope we can get him. He'll be a steal in the 5th round but it's possible someone might take him even higher than that.

Direckshun · 03-12-2014, 08:45 PM

Man, I can't help but think I'm overvaluing the guy, but he is a ridiculous athlete for somebody that size.

I'd take him in the 2nd round. Not even shitting you.

OldSchool · 03-12-2014, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Man, I can't help but think I'm overvaluing the guy, but he is a ridiculous athlete for somebody that size.

I'd take him in the 2nd round. Not even shitting you.

He really does remind me of Wilfork and I think that's his upside. At worst he'll develop into a serviceable starter who has a great motor for a big man at NT.

Direckshun · 03-12-2014, 09:25 PM

RB Kapri Bibbs, Colorado State -- Easily having one of the most awesome names in this draft, I really wish Bibbs could have stayed in college for a couple more years at least so the scouting community (of which I am not a member) could have an easier time figuring out what Bibbs is all about. At this point, it's very possible that Bibbs ends up a UDFA, justified or not. But he crushed rushing records for Colorado State in his only year rushing for the Rams, and declared for the draft immediately. His tape looks good; he runs with decent (not great) power, rushes with good (not great) speed, and protects the pocket adequately (not very well). Then he goes to the Combine and lays an egg in just about every measure you can. I think Bibbs could have a future if he can land on a practice squad and develops for a year or two, but it remains to be seen if he can even (a.) get drafted, or (b.) beat out the many superior athletes he'll face for a roster spot.

Direckshun · 03-12-2014, 10:13 PM

WR Cody Lattimer, Indiana -- Lattimer has some work to do in order to fulfill his potential at the next level, but I really like the tools he's working with. You're talking about a guy with surprising quickness at 6'2", 215 lbs, who uses his body to shield off defenders like a champ. Lattimer can make all kinds of ridiculous catches, but sometimes gets a bit cocky in that and loses concentration -- he'll have some technique work to do. And he'll need to work on his routes as well, because while Lattimer is a great presence who can make catches in traffic, and blocks like a tight end, he's not fast at all. He didn't run at the Combine, but on film he looks like he has 4.7 speed. He was still able to be successful against CBs like Darqueze Dennard in 2013, but once he's removed from that wide-open offense ridiculousness at Indiana, and it's just him and a corner on an island, he's going to need more tricks in his bag to reliably create separation. Late round pick.

OldSchool · 03-13-2014, 05:02 AM

Check out OSU's Andrew Norwell, OG/OT for me. He lined up at LG for them last season but can play tackle as well.

03-12-2014, 11:12 AM	#1
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2023447	ILB/OLB Jordan Tripp, Montana -- Tripp's skillset will only really translate to a very specific kind of role in the NFL. You're talking about a good-sized OLB in the 4-3 (and maybe a WILB in some 3-4 schemes) at 6'3", 234, with very good speed and athleticism for a linebacker (4.58 40, 37" vertical with 10' broad jump). But Tripp is not a heat-seeking missile at the line of scrimmage. He's not a thumper in any way, and really his work at the line of scrimmage is really sloppy -- he gets washed in with the trash nearly every time. He can't get to the QB, and he plays with approximately zero power. But where Tripp excels is in space, as his great athleticism would suggest. He'll need work in coverage, but he has the tools to be very good there. He plays very smart on off tackle runs, keeping gap integrity, and he can truly play sideline-to-sideline. Tripp's gifts will get him drafted, but he will be a special teamer for a year or two while he gets stronger and his coverage technique down. But if your scheme puts your OLBs in space, in coverage, and on slot receivers, Tripp's a really solid midround option.
Posts: 59,694

03-12-2014, 11:49 AM	#2
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2023447	DT Ego Ferguson, LSU -- Unlike Anthony Johnson, Ferguson's soft teammate at the same position in this year's draft, Ferguson is an incredibly tough, strong player with 1st round abilities. If the right staff lands Ferguson and places him in the right system, he can be Pro Bowl caliber talent. Ferguson might potentially have some versatility at the 3-4 DE spot, but at 6'3", 315 lbs with only 32" arms, he's more suited at the NT position, or more aptly, as a run-clogging DT in the 4-3. Ferguson has zero passrush other than a standard (but sometimes-overwhelming) bullrush, but his leverage and get-off in the run game is second-day quality. He struggled against Mississippi State's Gabe Jackson, who is more polished than he is, but he has beat up OL all year otherwise, bursting into the backfield, collapsing the pocket, and two-gapping extremely well. If Romeo Crennel was still the DC for this team, Chiefs fans would likely groan at yet another LSU DL who will be a non-impact yet sturdy two-gapper, but that's exactly what Ferguson will bring. He's said to be athletic, but I don't see it -- this is a phone booth player if there ever were one. In a normal draft year, he'd be 3rd round quality with the upside of a typical 1st rounder.
Posts: 59,694

03-12-2014, 12:07 PM	#3
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2023447	RB Lorenzo Taliaferro, Coastal Carolina -- Watching Taliaferro (pronounced "tala-ferro") is like watching two different RBs. On some plays, he is an untackle-able force (6'0", 229 lbs) that drives his legs through defenders. Other plays, he's a total wet noodle. That discrepancy can be linked to a single, critical factor: his get-off is really sorry. He timed in the low 1.6s in his 10 yard split at the Combine, but he looks like he's in the 1.7s on the field. His starting speed is downright sorry, but his eventually speed/power ratio goes up the longer he's able to run without defenders stacking him up. Taliaferro, as a result, will require a good OL for him to make any noise whatsoever in the NFL. He ran in the 4.5s at the Combine, but this guy is purely a between-the-tackles guy. He has good hands in the receiving game, but he's not a sharp route-runner at all. The Chanticleers also never (read: never) asked him to stay into block, either, which is something he'll have to learn from scratch in the NFL. I think Taliaferro's an UDFA with promise, but I wouldn't spend a pick on him with his limitations.
Posts: 59,694

03-12-2014, 12:20 PM	#4
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2023447	DT Shamar Stephen, Connecticut -- Shamar Stephen is a lesson in "if you're only going to do one thing, do it as well as you can." Stephen is a bear to move off the point of attack in the run game. He is a block of granite in the heart of the DL, and at 6'5", 309, he has the body and apparent strength to take on multiple blockers without giving as much as a yard. He looks like he'd be a great candidate as a two-down DL. The problem, however, is that the NFL prefers players who do more than just one thing, and that's where Stephen completely falls short. He is one of the worst athletes in this draft -- he ran a 5.25, which is about 3-4 NT level, with a horrific 10-yard get-off of 1.81. His strength and power could be exposed at the next level by quicker guards who can get into him before he's set. I think Shamar's complete lack of skills outside of clogging the phone booth will land him as a UDFA worth gambling on. I don't know what he offers that can't be passed on in the draft.
Posts: 59,694

03-12-2014, 12:45 PM	#5
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2023447	RB David Fluellen, Toledo -- I'm not sure if Fluellen is draftable, as he carries an injury red flag and he doesn't really pop to me on tape. Here's what I do see: against inferior competition, Fluellen has a suprising number of elusive moves for a 5'11, 224 lbs guy. At least that's what he weighs in as, because he looks more like he's 6'1", 210 on tape. He's long and thin, and whereever he's carrying that extra weight, it's not in his legs, which at 224 you'd hope would be thick trunks for power. But not only has Fluellen skipped a few leg days, he doesn't use them very well in powering through holes. He's an athletic, upright runner with good game speed but zero passblocking experience and recurring ankle injuries. I'd avoid.
Posts: 59,694

03-12-2014, 01:01 PM	#6
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2023447	TE A.C. Leonard, Tennessee State -- If there is a guy in this draft I don't know what to make of, it's Leonard. Watching his tape is maddening: you expect a tight end kicked out of the Florida Gators program (domestic abuse) to be more powerful, speedier, and just more explosive than everybody else on a field full of inferior football players. You look at his Combine numbers and you're blown away: a 4.50 40, ridiculous athleticism, and seemingly great hands on the field. But his tape... oy. His blocking is atrocious: he gets driven by linebackers and can't engage or sustain blocks. His routes are lazy and his first step off the line of scrimmage is terrible. He has great straight line speed but zero quickness or elusiveness. And you just hate the guy. But then he catches a 60 yard bomb with a corner struggling to keep up, and you wonder... can this guy be developed? Do you even want to try?
Posts: 59,694

03-12-2014, 01:16 PM	#7
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2023447	ILB Avery Williamson, Kentucky -- This draft has a few ILBs who are far better in space than they are mixing it up at the line of scrimmage, and Avery Williamson is one of those players. What sets Williamson apart from most of them is that he's sporting an NFL-caliber physique (6'1", 248) while still retaining tons of speed (high 4.5s in the 40), and extreme productivity in the SEC. Williamson is not a punishing hitter, but he can make big hits on occasion, and he does make a lot of 5-yard tackles that would have been 15-yarders if he had not held his position. And he looks like he could be outstanding in coverage -- he seems to be pretty good now with a roof. And he has a frame that could add extra muscle if he elected to. Williamson put up 135 tackles this past year, and any tape on him suggests he's always around the ball. I think he's a solid midrounder for a team looking for LB depth this year; he could go as high as the 4th if a team thinks he looks like an eventual starter, as he does to me.
Posts: 59,694

03-12-2014, 01:29 PM	#8
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2023447	DE/DT Bruce Gaston, Purdue -- The first, second, and third thing that pops on tape when Gaston plays is his motor. Gaston has a relentless motor that never shops churning, even when his team is getting beat like a drum as he faces double-teams all game. That's something that not a lot of the DL in this year's draft have, and it's damn near impossible to coach into somebody. Gaston played primarily DE in the Boilermakers' 3-4 defense, even though his size (6'2," 318) suggests he'd be better losing about fifteen pounds and moving inside. Playing DE in the 3-4 isn't beyond Gaston who, despite some pretty shoddy technique against both the run and the pass, plays very stout and with great explosion against the pass, his full potential often obscured as opponents double-team him regularly. A team will have to work on his technique, but I think he'd be really interesting as a developmental undertackle in a 4-3. Late round pick.
Posts: 59,694

03-12-2014, 01:59 PM	#9
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2023447	DT Zach Kerr, Delaware -- If there were ever a poor man's Dontari Poe, you're getting pretty close to him with Kerr. Kerr is a surprisingly, shockingly athletic man for somebody who's 6'1", 326 lbs. He's got a completely skillset and could actually find himself getting drafted on the second day of the Draft. I can't believe I'm saying this, because you run across these players so rarely, but his get-off is strong and his pursuit doesn't stop until the whistle blows. He has a series of passrush moves and can stop the run outside of the phone booth if need be. He'll have some technique work to button down but I don't anticipate there being anything major he'll have to pickup -- though a year in a strength & conditioning program will take him to the next level. This guy has future Pro Bowl talent written all over him, and I think in a weak draft year, he'd be a first rounder.
Posts: 59,694

03-12-2014, 08:45 PM	#11
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2023447	Man, I can't help but think I'm overvaluing the guy, but he is a ridiculous athlete for somebody that size. I'd take him in the 2nd round. Not even shitting you.
Posts: 59,694

03-12-2014, 09:25 PM	#13
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2023447	RB Kapri Bibbs, Colorado State -- Easily having one of the most awesome names in this draft, I really wish Bibbs could have stayed in college for a couple more years at least so the scouting community (of which I am not a member) could have an easier time figuring out what Bibbs is all about. At this point, it's very possible that Bibbs ends up a UDFA, justified or not. But he crushed rushing records for Colorado State in his only year rushing for the Rams, and declared for the draft immediately. His tape looks good; he runs with decent (not great) power, rushes with good (not great) speed, and protects the pocket adequately (not very well). Then he goes to the Combine and lays an egg in just about every measure you can. I think Bibbs could have a future if he can land on a practice squad and develops for a year or two, but it remains to be seen if he can even (a.) get drafted, or (b.) beat out the many superior athletes he'll face for a roster spot.
Posts: 59,694

03-12-2014, 10:13 PM	#14
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $2023447	WR Cody Lattimer, Indiana -- Lattimer has some work to do in order to fulfill his potential at the next level, but I really like the tools he's working with. You're talking about a guy with surprising quickness at 6'2", 215 lbs, who uses his body to shield off defenders like a champ. Lattimer can make all kinds of ridiculous catches, but sometimes gets a bit cocky in that and loses concentration -- he'll have some technique work to do. And he'll need to work on his routes as well, because while Lattimer is a great presence who can make catches in traffic, and blocks like a tight end, he's not fast at all. He didn't run at the Combine, but on film he looks like he has 4.7 speed. He was still able to be successful against CBs like Darqueze Dennard in 2013, but once he's removed from that wide-open offense ridiculousness at Indiana, and it's just him and a corner on an island, he's going to need more tricks in his bag to reliably create separation. Late round pick.
Posts: 59,694

03-13-2014, 05:02 AM	#15
OldSchool MVP Join Date: Sep 2013 Casino cash: $10035212	Check out OSU's Andrew Norwell, OG/OT for me. He lined up at LG for them last season but can play tackle as well.
Posts: 12,727