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

[Direckshun]

Just because. Midrounders are anything from low-3rds to 5th round.

I LIKE:

OT/G Joel Bitonio, Nevada -- At this point, he's looking more like a guard, since he played there all of the Senior Bowl. However, Bitonio played extremely well at the Senior Bowl, ending up one of my Top 10 players from that week. Bitonio (6'4", 307 lbs) is a very, very athletic tackle who could crawl into the 2nd round if that athleticism translates to a sub-5.0 40 time, which I honestly think it will. He looks like a great zone blocker at guard, but I honestly think he can play tackle -- he played Anthony Barr to a standstill. Blocked for the NCAA's 2nd most rush yards, and held excellent protection at left tackle for the Wolf Pack.

DE/DT Dominique Easley, Florida -- I absolutely adore Easley. Extremely high effort, high-athleticism guy who absolutely never quits. He can push back against bigger OLs, and penetrate, penetrate, penetrate. The big question is -- where do you put him. He played everywhere in Florida's 4-3, but 280 lbs is pretty light for defensive tackle in the NFL, even at undertackle. He's a little on the short side (6'2") but powerful enough for DE in the 4-3, but he played primarily at DT for the Gators, so he's a project there. As for the 3-4... I hate him on the edge in a two-point stance. His first step is far too valuable to take him out of the three-point. So he'd have to play DE in our system, making him purely a passrush specialist. I don't know if that'd be worth the 3rd we'd have to spend to get him, but I really want him on our roster. He's 1st round talent, coming off a terrible ACL tear.

TE Xavier Grimble, USC -- I think Grimble is going to pleasantly surprise everybody. His numbers in college were hampered by the great talent he played with and the injuries he suffered, but here's what we do know: Grimble is a fast, athletic, big (6'5", 255) tight end with good hands. His performance at the Combine could endear him to a lot of people, if he holds his own in blocking drills and looks sharp getting in and out of the cuts in his routes.

I DON'T LIKE:

S Ahmad Dixon, Baylor -- Bernard Pollard 2.0. If you want big hits, he's an option. But even with those big hits, Dixon (6'0", 205) isn't that great in the run game, and he's disasterous in the passing game. He doesn't break down for tackles at all, and will throw his shoulder instead of wrapping up. His coverage will be passable on backs out of the flat, but he will struggle keeping up with NFL caliber TEs and god help him against WRs. More of a strong safety. No discipline. Had an assault charge on him over the offseason.

ILB/OLB Lamin Borrow, LSU -- Can somebody tell me why anybody thinks anything of this guy? He's consistently rated as a mid-rounder but aside from his rangey speed, I don't see why. He's not good in coverage. He can't shed blocks. He doesn't make plays behind the line of scrimmage. He's fast but not especially so. He's not especially big (6'2", 232). He's just a guy. He's not a difference maker, wasn't in college, and won't be in the NFL. Blah.

OLB Demarcus Lawrence, Boise State -- A great athlete with a good motor, but undersized. He has some experience standing up, but he really struggled against the scant NFL talent he went up against. The best player he played all year was Bitonio, and he avoided him most of the game. The few meetings these players had was soundly won by Bitonio. He's just too undersized to play in a three-point stance in a 4-3, so he'd have to occupy some Von Miller role as an OLB in that setup, but he has almost no experience in coverage. I think Lawrence will be a valuable special teamer, nothing more.

[OldSchool]

Should check out Jonathan Dowling. My biggest concern about him is off the field. Has he matured and dedicated himself to become a great football player?

[Direckshun]

DE/OLB Morgan Breslin, USC -- Breslin is a player I absolutely love and can't help but root for, but I really don't think he's going to translate well to the NFL. Breslin has put up nearly 20 sacks in two years -- which is incredibly impressive, considering he only played five games this year due to a bad hip injury. He's done it the old fashioned way: as a pure down lineman, beating tackles and tight ends with a combination of good power and unrivaled determination. Breslin's motor never, ever quits, and may be the highest this draft class has to offer. He is enthusiastic against the run as well, but he has some technique issues in holding off blockers and breaking down in space that he's going to have to work on, and his hyper-aggressiveness in pursuit is a curse as often as it is a blessing. If Morgan were 6'4', 260 lbs, he'd be in the conversation as a 2nd day pick. But Morgan is actually 6'1", 240 lbs with short arms, and with only a 4.75 40 yard dash, chances are he's going to struggle to even get drafted. I think some team will gamble on him in the late rounds, but it's hard to see how much he can actually develop. But I'm not going to bet against a player with this much heart on the field.

[Direckshun]

DT Will Sutton, Arizona State -- I assume fans of many 4-3 teams will be drooling over the idea of landing Sutton somewhere in the midrounds, but I can't help but think Sutton is dramatically overrated. The obvious upside here is that he is an All American defensive tackle with a great motor, standing strong at a stout 6'0", 303 lbs. He does play with good leverage and has shown some flashes shooting the gaps. My problem is he seems to fade any time he's face NFL caliber talent (namely David Yankey of Stanford and Xavier Su'a-Filo of UCLA). He has short arms (31") and isn't particularly strong. He isn't particularly skilled at dropping anchor, and will time to need to learn two-gapping techniques. He tries very hard but isn't athletic, and he's not nimble enough to be a passrusher at the next level. If I were a 4-3 team, I'd probably gamble on him no earlier than the 5th round, but I'd hold off even at that point.

[Direckshun]

OG Anthony Steen, Alabama -- The official NFL Combine site says something to the effect of "Steen doesn't look the part, but he somehow gets the job done." I think that's about as succinct as it could be said, and the tape bears it out. Steen's biggest setback is that he doesn't have the armlength of an NFL lineman -- 30" is very short by anybody's standards. Defensive lineman can ostensibly get into his body at the next level and possibly throw him where ever they want. (As a comparison, he'll give up half a foot in arm length to Daniel McCullers.) But Steen just plays the position extremely well. He anchors brilliantly, and while he's not an overpowering run blocker, he is a technically efficient one who can reliably create holes. He looks great pulling and getting to the second level, blocking well in space. He is a great cooperator on the OL -- his head stays on a swivel and he picks up blitzes extremely well. And despite the lack of pure power in the run game, he is reportedly very strong. Steen is maxed out physically and NFL ready, and he does play with the ability of a 10 year NFL starter. I don't know how badly those short arms will set him back, however, so I'd probably wait until the later rounds to get him, then try him out to see if he can start. If he can, you've hit jackpot. If he can't you'll at least get a very reliable backup with spot-starting ability.

[Direckshun]

WR Paul Richardson, Colorado -- Richardson was a guy who had some people's attention as a potential 2nd day pick at the start of draft season. But then more and more tape of Richardson became available (it's very meh), and more and more really good underclassmen declared, and now I really wonder how late into the draft Richardson could go. He measured in at the Combine as 6'0", 175 lbs, but he plays much longer than that with a good vertical and an ability to go after the ball at its highest point. He's got really good speed (4.40 40), but his measurables are really where the celebration ends. He's going to be a complete project at the next level; his route-running, separation, and blocking are all subpar. He can adjust to throws, but he's not very good at shielding off defenders. Ultimately, Richardson is going to need a couple seasons getting bigger and stronger, earn his keep on special teams, and if everything goes right, he's a #3 receiver at the next level at very best.

[Direckshun]

TE Marcel Jensen, Fresno State -- If there were ever an NFL body prototype at TE, Jensen has it: 6'5", 260 lbs, thick body with long legs. Just a great specimen at the position, and that's going to be enough to get him drafted in the late rounds. Jensen as a prospect looks like a guy you could potentially develop into a solid #2 TE. He's got experience blocking defensive linemen, has experience going from a three-point stance into a route tree, and even played split out wide some for the Bulldogs. He looks tremendously soft, however. When playing Fresno State's inferior, smaller competition, he still gets lit up and knocked off his feet. His route-running is lazy-slow and his numbers were largely dependent on the ascension of Derek Carr. I'm not sure if he needs to get in better shape or if he's just slow (he ran a 4.8 at the Combine). But he's a project at the next level, and some team will have to treat him that way for a season or two. My guess is he ends up a 7th rounder.

[Direckshun]

C Weston Richburg, Colorado State -- The demand at center this year has teams inspecting less obvious candidates for potential 10-year starters at the position, and Richburg has started rising up boards as a result. Richburg is a really good developmental prospect at the center position, particularly if you prefer more finesse-oriented linemen to pull get get out in space. He's got long arms and a thick lower half with good athleticism, allowing him to play very well at the second level. He looks a lot like Eric Kush, really, in his ability to move off the snap quickly. He's a technically sound player but will need to get a lot stronger to survive in the NFL; if I was coaching against him, I'd put my biggest NT right at the 0-tech position and plow right through him. He's reportedly great in the locker-room, and backs that up with scrappy play on the field. I think he's a great investment to make in the midrounds if you don't have to start him right away.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

TE Marcel Jensen, Fresno State -- If there were ever an NFL body prototype at TE, Jensen has it: 6'5", 260 lbs, thick body with long legs. Just a great specimen at the position, and that's going to be enough to get him drafted in the late rounds. Jensen as a prospect looks like a guy you could potentially develop into a solid #2 TE. He's got experience blocking defensive linemen, has experience going from a three-point stance into a route tree, and even played split out wide some for the Bulldogs. He looks tremendously soft, however. When playing Fresno State's inferior, smaller competition, he still gets lit up and knocked off his feet. His route-running is lazy-slow and his numbers were largely dependent on the ascension of Derek Carr. I'm not sure if he needs to get in better shape or if he's just slow (he ran a 4.8 at the Combine). But he's a project at the next level, and some team will have to treat him that way for a season or two. My guess is he ends up a 7th rounder.

His numbers were a result of Derek Carr for sure, but it's the lack of numbers versus high level production numbers.

He was basically an in-line blocker in the scheme starting his sophomore year when they switched over to a four and five man receiver spread offensive set. If he was on the field at all other than special teams situations due to the change in offensive alignments.

He's got really long arms, a very good vertical and has very good acceleration.

He's a very nice TE prospect that simply got buried due to the change in the offensive scheme.

[Direckshun]

Nonsense. He got tons of snaps in-line as a blocker and receiver. I didn't record the snaps, but I'm guessing he was in-line 2/3 of the time, and split out the remaining 1/3.

[Direckshun]

ILB Preston Brown, Louisville -- I'm not a professional scout or anything, but I find it really hard to get excited over Preston Brown. But he has extremely good size at 6'1" and a rock hard 251 lbs, and the Cardinals used him perfectly by essentially slamming him into the line of scrimmage about 90% of the time he was on the field. Brown's game is that of a two-down mike backer who'll play the run and be subbed out in obvious passing situations. He's just not built for coverage at the next level, and honestly he's not looking too sharp as a tackler, either. Even when he's shooting the gaps, he will slam into the line of scrimmage and get push, but frequently get washed out and/or fail to wrap up on a ball carrier. He also seems to have a very difficult time shedding blocks; almost all of his "flash" plays are when he shoots a gap untouched. There are questions about Brown's motivation, too, so I really struggle figuring where I'd draft him, if at all. He seems to be UDFA fodder, but teams may like his hyper-aggressive nature and long arms enough to take a flier late.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Nonsense. He got tons of snaps in-line as a blocker and receiver. I didn't record the snaps, but I'm guessing he was in-line 2/3 of the time, and split out the remaining 1/3.

One of Fresno's bigger games this past season. Go to the 30 minute mark and watch the three downs at Boise's one yard line. How many times do you see Jensen in there as a blocker or a receiver?



They simply just didn't use the TE position but rarely.

(Lot's of players in this game. Good game to watch for draftable guys btw.)

[Direckshun]

DT E.J. Dunston, Central Florida -- Dunston's going to have to land on a team that favors smaller defensive lineman, because at 6'2", 302 lbs, he plays a lot more like a nose tackle than he does a penetrating undertackle. Although it's possible that aspect of his game could developed; while Dunston is not anybody's idea of a great athlete, he does have an impressive first step that gives him maximum leverage in the phone booth. Regardless, he wasn't much of a sack artist in college and he probably won't in the NFL. While I've seen some tape on Dunston, I haven't seen much written about him; he doesn't look like he has long arms but he does look bearishly strong, but nothing online confirms or denies this. Teams could sniff out Dunston in the late rounds if they find him to be a good developmental guy to help their run game, as I think he could be. Otherwise, he'll have to earn it on a practice squad. I think about 5-6 years of quality depth is his ceiling in the NFL.

[Direckshun]

OT/G Charles Leno, Jr., Boise State -- Boise State only has one prospect worth getting excited over this draft season in Demarcus Lawrence, but there's some promise for Leno if (a.) he commits to converting himself to guard, and (b.) performs well at his pro day. Leno is a pure 6th or 7th round pick for some team running the ZBS looking to capitalize on his great length at guard. Not quite quick enough to defend the edge, Leno would be somebody you bench for a couple years while he gets dramatically stouter and stronger, since he is slight at 6'4", 297 lbs. Leno isn't nearly strong enough at this point to handle the tackles he'll face in the NFL, but his long arms and decent athleticism at the second level could give him a long future at guard if he gets the coaching he needs.

[Direckshun]

OG?/C Gabe Ikard, Oklahoma -- Ikard definitely has the look of a draftee simply due to the fact that he is a legit power center for a power running scheme. There's not a whole lot of those going around, and Ikard plays every bit the part. He gets out of his snap pretty slow and he needs work making some of the line calls, but those are correctable issues. When lined up against a DL, he can drop anchor and stop any bullrush dead in its tracks. It's more difficult when he has to line up against quicker, shiftier undertackles -- Ikard has zero recovery ability due to his limited athleticism. He's not a real powerdriver of a runblocker, either, but he can effectively handle and negate about any nose tackle he faces in the run game, so long as he has them properly lined up. Ikard's technique, however, is excellent; he is a tall center (6'4", 304) who never gets his pads too high, with long arms that can hit DTs before they hit him. I'd definitely take a flyer on him in the late rounds if I ran the power scheme, because I think he could be even better at guard, where he could start out in pre-maul mode, rather than having to go through his slow transition from the snap.

[Direckshun]

ILB Greg Blair, Cincinnati -- It's hard to get excited about Greg Blair, despite his impressive tackles totals and his great physique. He's definitely got an NFL body at 6'2", 252 lbs, and he hits the line of scrimmage like a ton of bricks. At the next level, however, he is strictly a "will" ILB in a 3-4, since that's really all the Bearcats ever used him as. Tape of Blair dropping back in coverage is sparse, since Cincinnati either subbed him out on obvious passing downs, or sent him to the QB. In that scenario, teams will almost certainly let Blair fall into UDFA. Blair looks pretty good, actually, rushing the passer. He's not particularly fast, but he has great closing speed when the QB is in sight. He does frequently struggle shedding blocks, which will definitely be problematic at the next level, and he struggles tackling in space, since so many of the RBs and WR he faces are faster and more athletic. I like Blair's fire on the field, but this is a guy that's going to have to earn it on special teams. Pass.