Three really good mid-rounders, and three I hate. - Page 7

Direckshun · 01-30-2014, 01:15 PM

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.

Direckshun · 02-12-2014, 02:47 PM

WR Bruce Ellington, South Carolina -- Ellington is a lot of things, but first and foremost, he is an almost-too-much-to-believe athlete. Get this: Ellington has been a true two-sport athlete for the Gamecocks. He was the starting point guard and leading scorer for the university's basketball program, even though he's 5'9". On top of that, he led the Gamecocks receivers in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns -- is this kid real?? Ellington is a fantastic athlete in space on the football field (his 40 time is projected at 4.4) with really good hands, but what's really surprising considering he splits time between sports is how sharp his route running is. He gets in and out of his cuts very fast, and he even throws a gorgeous spiral as an emergency QB. Once he starts dedicating 12 months a year to football, he could be a really special contributor in the NFL. If there were ever an argument for letting Dexter McCluster walk in free agency, the fact that you can get a receiver like Ellington in the 4th round should be all you need to hear.

Direckshun · 02-12-2014, 03:54 PM

WR Tevin Reese, Baylor -- Reese is the Brandon Coleman of speed. The reason everybody and their mother is looking at this guy is because he's a speed demon. The problem, however, is with everything else. But, to me at least, speed is more valuable in a WR than height -- it's harder to cover somebody who's genuinely faster than you, and can often require two defenders, rather than just a tall guy who struggles to shake people. But it remains to be seen if Reese does in fact contain that speed -- he's a projected 4.3 guy, but 4.4 is a possibility as well. He is also undersized at just 167 lbs, though he is an acceptable 5'11". He does come with durability concerns (broke his wrist this past season). But I've saved the worst for last: Reese has really blah hands. Part of his problem is small hands. Part of it is concentration problems receiving the ball -- he's always looking towards the next juke. But mostly, he's just not an outstanding receiver. He's just really, really stupid fast. Is that enough to get him drafted?

Direckshun · 02-13-2014, 12:12 AM

WR Devin Street, Pittsburgh -- Street is a player with unknown potential. He's been stowed away at Pitt under two incompetent quarterbacks and two entirely different offensive systems. Under that adversity, however, Street has set the record for the most receptions in school history. Watching him, it's easy to see why. Despite all the adversity, Street gives 110%, working hard to make himself available for his QBs and trying like hell to reel in poor passes thrown his way. There's a lot of stuff about Street that's pretty good but doesn't blow the doors off anybody: his size at 6'3", 196 lbs; he runs hard and makes quick cuts, but isn't necessarily a burner; his routes need some work, but his slants and go routes look great... Street does have really good hands, however -- not a lot of drops on his tape, period. And I know this is not a tangible measurable, but he just looks like a winner to me. He doesn't quit, he fights through everything, and improved his game every year. So while it's hard to know what exactly you have in Street as a prospect, because his QBs were so bad, I can't help but feel like he's a gamble worth taking.

Direckshun · 02-13-2014, 11:36 AM

CB Victor Hampton, South Carolina -- I really, really like Victor Hampton. A 5'10" corner who plays with incredible competitiveness, Hampton has run with almost all the receivers he's faced this year (his 40 time is projected as 4.4-ish). What I really like about Hampton, and what the Chiefs would really like about Hampton, is his great aggressiveness that springs from his fierce competitiveness. He tracks the ball really well in the air, almost as well as receivers do. In addition to that, his ballskills are outstanding, to the point where he returned punts for the Gamecocks, a function the Chiefs may be in dire need of should they let McCluster walk in free agency. I think Hampton plays like a 2nd day talent -- we'll see if he times that way at the Combine.

Sandy Vagina · 02-13-2014, 12:38 PM

Cool thread to read through, thanks for taking the effort. I don't agree with some of your assessments.. but that's okay. I still like to get a long look at what other draftniks are thinking.

How would you currently rank a potential 3-4 DE list for KC in rds 3-6?

Direckshun · 02-13-2014, 01:01 PM

Currently:

Dominique Easley, Florida (2nd-3rd rnd)
Taylor Hart, Oregon (4th rnd)
Brent Urban, Virginia (5th)
Will Clarke, West Virginia (4th-6th)
Deandre Coleman, California (5th-6th)
Ed Stinson, Alabama (5th-6th)
George Uko, USC (6th-7th)
Josh Mauro, Stanford (7th)
Calvin Barnett, Oklahoma State (7th-UDFA)
Anthony Johnson, LSU (7th-UDFA)

Sandy Vagina · 02-13-2014, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Currently:

Dominique Easley, Florida (2nd-3rd rnd)
Taylor Hart, Oregon (4th rnd)
Brent Urban, Virginia (5th)
Will Clarke, West Virginia (4th-6th)
Deandre Coleman, California (5th-6th)
Ed Stinson, Alabama (5th-6th)
George Uko, USC (6th-7th)
Josh Mauro, Stanford (7th)
Calvin Barnett, Oklahoma State (7th-UDFA)
Anthony Johnson, LSU (7th-UDFA)

Wow... most looks solid enough to me.. but I would expect Calvin Barnett to get 5th round consideration, and Anthony Johnson to get 4th rd looks.

O.city · 02-13-2014, 01:34 PM

Easley would be a 3rd round steal if healthy

Direckshun · 02-13-2014, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandy Cheeks

Wow... most looks solid enough to me.. but I would expect Calvin Barnett to get 5th round consideration, and Anthony Johnson to get 4th rd looks.

I'll admit to being forced by outside factors on Barnett. I think he's decent late round value, but he hasn't been invited to the Combine, which is damning.

I'm far more down on Johnson than just about everybody else. I think he looks soft.

Direckshun · 02-13-2014, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by O.city

Easley would be a 3rd round steal if healthy

Absolutely.

I'd take him even if he wasn't. He won't have to start right away, so he can take some time to get healthy if he needs it.

Just a great, fun talent to watch.

Sandy Vagina · 02-13-2014, 01:47 PM

Two torn ACLs for Easley... no one concerned?

Direckshun · 02-13-2014, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandy Cheeks

Two torn ACLs for Easley... no one concerned?

I'm only as concerned as teams are rumored to be.

At this point, teams are (reportedly) still looking at him as a 2nd day pick. Keep in mind, this is a guy with 1st day talent.

Now, that could be total bullshit, but I still like him too much.

O.city · 02-13-2014, 01:51 PM

You want a guy that can push the interior of the pocket in subsets and be a nasty mofo, but don't want to spend a first rounder on it, Easley is your guy.

Direckshun · 02-13-2014, 01:56 PM

I love Easley. I think he's a tone-setter.

OldSchool · 02-13-2014, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I love Easley. I think he's a tone-setter.

The only thing he has that might be better than his quick burst off the line is his motor and work ethic. I'm praying that he drops due to size and health concerns.

01-30-2014, 01:15 PM
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4423447	Three really good mid-rounders, and three I hate. 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.
Posts: 59,250

02-12-2014, 02:47 PM	#91
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4423447	WR Bruce Ellington, South Carolina -- Ellington is a lot of things, but first and foremost, he is an almost-too-much-to-believe athlete. Get this: Ellington has been a true two-sport athlete for the Gamecocks. He was the starting point guard and leading scorer for the university's basketball program, even though he's 5'9". On top of that, he led the Gamecocks receivers in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns -- is this kid real?? Ellington is a fantastic athlete in space on the football field (his 40 time is projected at 4.4) with really good hands, but what's really surprising considering he splits time between sports is how sharp his route running is. He gets in and out of his cuts very fast, and he even throws a gorgeous spiral as an emergency QB. Once he starts dedicating 12 months a year to football, he could be a really special contributor in the NFL. If there were ever an argument for letting Dexter McCluster walk in free agency, the fact that you can get a receiver like Ellington in the 4th round should be all you need to hear.
Posts: 59,250

02-12-2014, 03:54 PM	#92
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4423447	WR Tevin Reese, Baylor -- Reese is the Brandon Coleman of speed. The reason everybody and their mother is looking at this guy is because he's a speed demon. The problem, however, is with everything else. But, to me at least, speed is more valuable in a WR than height -- it's harder to cover somebody who's genuinely faster than you, and can often require two defenders, rather than just a tall guy who struggles to shake people. But it remains to be seen if Reese does in fact contain that speed -- he's a projected 4.3 guy, but 4.4 is a possibility as well. He is also undersized at just 167 lbs, though he is an acceptable 5'11". He does come with durability concerns (broke his wrist this past season). But I've saved the worst for last: Reese has really blah hands. Part of his problem is small hands. Part of it is concentration problems receiving the ball -- he's always looking towards the next juke. But mostly, he's just not an outstanding receiver. He's just really, really stupid fast. Is that enough to get him drafted?
Posts: 59,250

02-13-2014, 12:12 AM	#93
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4423447	WR Devin Street, Pittsburgh -- Street is a player with unknown potential. He's been stowed away at Pitt under two incompetent quarterbacks and two entirely different offensive systems. Under that adversity, however, Street has set the record for the most receptions in school history. Watching him, it's easy to see why. Despite all the adversity, Street gives 110%, working hard to make himself available for his QBs and trying like hell to reel in poor passes thrown his way. There's a lot of stuff about Street that's pretty good but doesn't blow the doors off anybody: his size at 6'3", 196 lbs; he runs hard and makes quick cuts, but isn't necessarily a burner; his routes need some work, but his slants and go routes look great... Street does have really good hands, however -- not a lot of drops on his tape, period. And I know this is not a tangible measurable, but he just looks like a winner to me. He doesn't quit, he fights through everything, and improved his game every year. So while it's hard to know what exactly you have in Street as a prospect, because his QBs were so bad, I can't help but feel like he's a gamble worth taking.
Posts: 59,250

02-13-2014, 11:36 AM	#94
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4423447	CB Victor Hampton, South Carolina -- I really, really like Victor Hampton. A 5'10" corner who plays with incredible competitiveness, Hampton has run with almost all the receivers he's faced this year (his 40 time is projected as 4.4-ish). What I really like about Hampton, and what the Chiefs would really like about Hampton, is his great aggressiveness that springs from his fierce competitiveness. He tracks the ball really well in the air, almost as well as receivers do. In addition to that, his ballskills are outstanding, to the point where he returned punts for the Gamecocks, a function the Chiefs may be in dire need of should they let McCluster walk in free agency. I think Hampton plays like a 2nd day talent -- we'll see if he times that way at the Combine.
Posts: 59,250

02-13-2014, 01:01 PM	#96
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4423447	Currently: Dominique Easley, Florida (2nd-3rd rnd) Taylor Hart, Oregon (4th rnd) Brent Urban, Virginia (5th) Will Clarke, West Virginia (4th-6th) Deandre Coleman, California (5th-6th) Ed Stinson, Alabama (5th-6th) George Uko, USC (6th-7th) Josh Mauro, Stanford (7th) Calvin Barnett, Oklahoma State (7th-UDFA) Anthony Johnson, LSU (7th-UDFA)
Posts: 59,250

02-13-2014, 01:34 PM	#98
O.city In Search of a Life Join Date: Jul 2009 Casino cash: $2794064	Easley would be a 3rd round steal if healthy
Posts: 81,178

02-13-2014, 01:51 PM	#103
O.city In Search of a Life Join Date: Jul 2009 Casino cash: $2794064	You want a guy that can push the interior of the pocket in subsets and be a nasty mofo, but don't want to spend a first rounder on it, Easley is your guy.
Posts: 81,178

02-13-2014, 01:56 PM	#104
Direckshun __ Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Springpatch Casino cash: $4423447	I love Easley. I think he's a tone-setter.
Posts: 59,250