Best of the rest

[Chiefnj2]

Best Players Remaining after 2nd Round from PFW's Top 238

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Rk. Pos First Name Last Name School
33 ILB Dan Connor Penn State
37 FS DaJuan Morgan North Carolina State
38 WR Mario Manningham Michigan
44 OLB Cliff Avril Purdue
48 DE Jeremy Thompson Wake Forest
51 CB Tyvon Branch Connecticut
52 WR Andre (Bubba) Caldwell Florida
53 WR Early Doucet III LSU
54 CB Reggie Smith Oklahoma
61 OT Oniel Cousins UTEP
62 TE Craig Stevens California
64 RB Tashard Choice Georgia Tech
65 CB Justin King Penn State
66 DT Marcus Harrison Arkansas
67 TE Brad Cottam Tennessee
68 DE Kenny Iwebema Iowa
70 OLB Xavier Adibi Virginia Tech
71 CB Charles Godfrey Iowa
72 FS Thomas DeCoud California
73 RB Jamaal Charles Texas
74 DT Patrick Sims Auburn
75 OT Anthony Collins Kansas
77 OLB Bryan Kehl Brigham Young
78 OLB Ali Highsmith LSU
79 RB Kevin Smith Central Florida
86 OG Roy Schuening Oregon State
87 DT Dre Moore Maryland
88 DE Chris Ellis Virginia Tech
89 OLB Tavares Gooden Miami (Fla.)
90 WR Earl Bennett Vanderbilt
92 OT Carl Nicks Nebraska
93 DT Letroy Guion Florida State

[Mecca]

Connor is dropping due to that, he isn't a 3 down LB and what is asked of a MLB in the cover 2 he'd struggle hard..

Dan Connor is a less athletic Pozluszny he needs to end up on a team that lets him play downhill, our defense doesn't let him do that, he's a bad fit.

[Basileus777]

Originally Posted by BigChiefFan

Connor has been in the 4-3,we run the 4-3-he fits. He also has some INTs in his career-I don't think he's the liabilty you pretend he is.

Connor is a MLB, and in our Cover 2 system MLBs need to be able to cover the deep middle of the field. Thats basically Connor's biggest weakness.

[Kylo Ren]

After reading their draft reports these four guys sound good to me:

48 DE Jeremy Thompson Wake Forest
52 WR Andre (Bubba) Caldwell Florida
53 WR Early Doucet III LSU
68 DE Kenny Iwebema Iowa

[Mecca]

I'm the only person with love for Morgan.....you guys do realize that Smith and Morgan are the 3rd and 4th rated safeties in this draft right? Getting one of them is a steal...

[CosmicPal]

Gil Brandt's Best Available for the Third Round

Day One of the draft is a wrap, and 56 of the 63 players selected were among my top 70 players in my Hot 100. That means 14 players among that top 70 are prime targets to be called early Sunday morning when Round 3 begins.
Photos ...
2008 NFL Draft

Here are the 14 players:

Jamaal Charles, RB, Texas

Pat Sims, DT, Auburn

Jeremy Thompson, LB, Wake Forest

Dan Connor, LB, Penn State

Marcus Harrison, DT, Arkansas

Cliff Avril, DE, Purdue

Bryan Kehl, LB, BYU

Justin King, CB, Penn State

Mario Manningham, WR, Michigan

Tyvon Branch, CB, Connecticut

Oniel Cousins, OL, UTEP

Tavares Gooden, LB, Miami (Fla.)

DaJuan Morgan, S, N.C. State

Kevin Smith, RB, Central Florida

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by CosmicPal

Gil Brandt's Best Available for the Third Round

Day One of the draft is a wrap, and 56 of the 63 players selected were among my top 70 players in my Hot 100. That means 14 players among that top 70 are prime targets to be called early Sunday morning when Round 3 begins.
Photos ...
2008 NFL Draft

Here are the 14 players:

Jamaal Charles, RB, Texas

Pat Sims, DT, Auburn

Jeremy Thompson, LB, Wake Forest

Dan Connor, LB, Penn State

Marcus Harrison, DT, Arkansas

Cliff Avril, DE, Purdue

Bryan Kehl, LB, BYU

Justin King, CB, Penn State

Mario Manningham, WR, Michigan

Tyvon Branch, CB, Connecticut

Oniel Cousins, OL, UTEP

Tavares Gooden, LB, Miami (Fla.)

DaJuan Morgan, S, N.C. State

Kevin Smith, RB, Central Florida

I think Gooden and Morgan there are the best "fits" for us.

[BigChiefFan]

You're off your rocker... he has SIXTEEN INTERCEPTIONS ...

Overview
Overview
Joe Paterno's first perfect season came in 1968, his third year of coaching the Nittany Lions. Ever since, the Penn State coaching staff has produced an incredible number of NFL-quality linebackers who had success at the next level.



From Dennis Onkotz in 1968 to Paul Posluszny in 2006, Penn State boasted 16 linebackers garnering All-American first-team honors, with Onkontz ('68-69), Shane Conlan (1985-86), LaVar Arrington (1998-99) and Posluszny ('05-06) receiving that prestigious honor twice.



At the end of his standout '07 season, Dan Connor became Joe Pa's Sweet 17th.



In addition to his All-American selection, the PSU middle linebacker was the recipient of the Bednarik Award (top defensive player), was a finalist for the Butkus Award and set the school record with 419 career tackles while his 145 tackles in 2007 led the Big Ten Conference and ranked seventh in the nation.



Connor comes from a family of football players. The Crime, Law and Justice major learned from his older brothers and became the third sibling to play in the collegiate ranks. Jim played football at Boston College and Mike played at Lehigh. But even before he stepped on the field at Penn State, Dan Connor earned national attention.



At Strath Haven High School, Connor was a consensus All-American, and the four-year starter was selected the nation's top prep linebacker by Parade. He earned first-team All-American accolades from USA Today, Super Prep and numerous other media outlets. The 2003 Associated Press Big School Player-of-the-Year, Connor was named first-team All-State three times. He also earned All-Region, All-City, All-County and All-League honors.



The captain and MVP of his team, Connor also won the Maxwell Football Club's prestigious Jim Henry Award as the Philadelphia Area Player-of-the-Year and was the Philadelphia Inquirer Southeastern Pennsylvania Player-of-the-Year as a senior. He totaled 4,556 rushing yards and 77 touchdowns during his prep career. Defensively, he made 451 tackles, 18 sacks, 16 interceptions and six fumble recoveries.



As a senior, Connor rushed for 1,807 yards on 251 carries, for a spectacular 7.2-yard average, scoring 28 touchdowns. He was instrumental in Strath Haven winning the 2000 Pennsylvania Class AAA state championship and played in the AAA state title game in 2001 and '02. He played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in 2004 and also lettered in basketball and track, where he participated in the high jump, javelin, discus and shot put.



Connor enrolled at Penn State in 2004, appearing in 10 games while earning four starting assignments.



After lining up at outside linebacker most of the season, the Freshman All-American shifted to middle linebacker for the season's final three games, leading the team in tackles in each of those contests. In 558 plays, he finished second on the team with 85 tackles (50 solo), adding a sack, 4 1/2 stops for losses and an interception.



During the 2005 offseason, Connor was charged with making prank phone calls to a former PSU assistant coach. Joe Paterno suspended the linebacker in August for his involvement in the incident, keeping him out of the lineup for the team's first three games. He started six of the nine contests in which he played, posting 76 tackles (38 solo), 1 1/2 sacks and 5 1/2 stops for losses, to go along with eight quarterback pressures from his right outside linebacker position. He also recovered a fumble that he returned for a score.



In 2006, Connor gained national attention for his exploits on the football field, walking away with All-American and All-Big Ten Conference first-team honors. He combined with fellow All-American Paul Posluszny (116 tackles) to become the first Penn State tandem since Andre Collins (130) and Brian Chizmar (110) in 1989 to record more than 100 tackles in a season.



The right linebacker started all 13 games, participating in 908 snaps. He finished second to Posluszny with 113 tackles (70 solo), adding five sacks, nine stops for losses and three forced fumbles. He also deflected a pair of passes and intercepted two others.



Connor and Posluszny will be forever linked. The two star linebackers squared off against each other in the 2002 PIAA Class AAA championship game. Posluszny, then a senior, led Hopewell High School to a 21-10 victory against Connor's Strath Haven team.



Posluszny later served as Connor's host for his official visit to Penn State. Both broke into the starting lineup as freshmen at Penn State, albeit a year apart. "If you ask me, I'd say Paul's better," Connor said. "If you ask him, he'd probably say the opposite."



Connor joined Posluszny as one of three finalists for the Bednarik Award in 2006, as Connor became the 13th Penn State linebacker to earn first-team All-American honors under Paterno. He was the 77th Penn State player selected a first-team All-American.



Connor moved back inside to middle linebacker as a senior. He finished seventh in the nation in tackles and led the conference with a career-high 145 stops (69 solo). He delivered 6 1/2 sacks with 15 stops for losses and two fumble recoveries. He also picked off a pass and deflected six others. He would record at least 10 tackles in eight contests, giving him 20 games during his career that he reached double digits.



Connor started 36 of 45 games in which he played at Penn State, including 16 contests at middle linebacker. He holds the school's career record with 419 tackles (227 solo), produced 14 sacks for minus-101 yards and 34 stops for losses totaling 141 yards. He recovered three fumbles, returning one 18 yards for a touchdown and had three forced fumbles. He deflected eight passes, gained five yards on four interception returns and registered one safety.


Career Notes
Holds the school record with 419 tackles, topping the previous mark of 372 by Paul Posluszny (2003-06)...That duo joined Greg Buttle (343, 1973-75) and Brian Gelzheiser (315, 1991-94) as the only players in school history to record over 300 tackles in a career...Registered 145 tackles in 2007, the second-best season total in school history, topped only by Greg Buttle (165 in 1974), marking only the fourth time in school history a player posted 140 or more tackles in a season (Buttle had 140 in 1975 and Shawn Mayer made 144 in 2002)...Recorded at least 10 tackles in 20 of the 45 games he played in...His 14 sacks rank eighth in school annals among PSU linebackers (16th overall) and his 34 stops for losses rank sixth among Nittany Lions linebackers (13th overall)...Recorded 18 tackles twice -- in the '07 Ohio State and Temple games -- the second-highest total by a Penn State player in the last 22 seasons (Paul Posluszny posted 22 vs. Northwestern in 2005. The previous high was 21 by Trey Bauer vs. Rutgers in 1985 and the school record is 24 by Greg Buttle vs. West Virginia in 1974 and matched by Bill Banks vs. North Carolina State in 1977).


High School
Attended Strath Haven (Pa.) High School, playing football for head coach Kevin Clancy...Consensus All-American...The four-year starter was selected the nation's top prep line-backer by Parade...Earned first-team All-American notice from USA Today, Super Prep and numerous other media outlets...2003 Associated Press Big School Player-of-the-Year and named first-team All-State three times...Earned All-Region, All-City, All-County and All-League honors...Captain and MVP of his team...Won the Maxwell Football Club's prestigious Jim Henry Award as the Philadelphia Area Player of the Year and was the Philadelphia Inquirer Southeastern Pennsylvania Player of the Year as a senior...Totaled 4,556 rushing yards and 77 touchdowns during his prep career...Defensively, he made 451 tackles, 18 sacks, 16 interceptions and six fumble recoveries...As a senior, Connor rushed for 1,807 yards on 251 carries, for a spectacular 7.2-yard average, scoring 28 touchdowns...Instrumental in Strath Haven winning the 2000 Pennsylvania Class AAA state championship and playing in the AAA state title game in 2001 and '02...Played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in 2004..Lettered in basketball and track, where he participated in the high jump, javelin, discus and shot put.



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[Coogs]

Originally Posted by Mecca

I'm the only person with love for Morgan.....you guys do realize that Smith and Morgan are the 3rd and 4th rated safeties in this draft right? Getting one of them is a steal...

Have not seen him play. I think this team could use a total stud at saftey. Look at the difference Sanders makes in the cover two for the Colts. I think it would be a great move. Either one of them or Branch as well.

[Mecca]

Um because you get picks doesn't make you good in coverage.....stats and ability.

If Conner could cover he'd have gone high like Poz did, he's not the overally player that Poz is/was.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Coogs

Have not seen him play. I think this team could use a total stud at saftey. Look at the difference Sanders makes in the cover two for the Colts. I think it would be a great move. Either one of them or Branch as well.

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/sco...uanmorgan.html

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by Mecca

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/sco...uanmorgan.html

Just read it. Back at you on Brnch from the same site...

Tyvon Branch
Height: 5-113/8 | Weight: 204 | 40-Time: 4.31

Official Bio

Strengths:
Has terrific size and bulk...A great athlete....Outstanding timed speed...Tough and physical...Will come up and support the run...A reliable tackler...Smart with a great football IQ...Good instincts and awareness...A respected team leader...Three-year starter with a lot of experience...He should also contribute as a special teams ace.

Weaknesses:
Does not have very good hands or ball skills...Hips aren't fluid and he struggles to transition...May not be a perfect fit for every team...He could be forced to make a position change...Is not a playmaker...Doesn't always play up to his measurables.

Notes:
Also being looked at as a potential safety...As a prep he was named the Gatorade New York State Track Athlete of the Year and won the 2004 National Indoor Track Championship in the 60 meters (6.82)..Was arrested in May of 2005 when he and some teammates shot out a car window with a B.B. gun...Does a much better job in zone coverage than he does in man..Workout Warrior with prototypical triangle numbers..Snuck up on people as a pro prospect but he really is the total package.

[HolmeZz]

I like Morgan quite a bit.

[Mecca]

I know I like Morgans size though.

[HemiEd]

I am sold on the Morgan choice.

[BigChiefFan]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Um because you get picks doesn't make you good in coverage.....

Okay, Meckie. Sure thing.