Skini
04-22-2008, 02:35 PM
Considering the way things are shaping up we have nothing to lose by taking a few gambles in this draft. I make a list of who I’d like to see drafted every season, but this year I’ve left off the 1st and 2nd rounds. At this point (as long as we don't do something incredibly stupid) almost anybody drafted in the 1st or 2nd round is going to help us out. This year I’ve made a list of guys I consider to be sleepers that may be worth a pick...I'm sure most of it is unrealistic but for whatever reason I have fun doing it so here goes...
Josh Johnson, QB, San Diego
The Upside: In an excellent athlete and great speed. He is very accurate and has good touch and timing as well as solid arm strength. He has a quick release and is able to buy time in the pocket as well as pose the threat to run when he needs to. He was extremely productive and dominant. He has toughness, confidence, leadership, and is very football smart, all of which are traits of a successful quarterback. He has shown his toughness with his ability to play through injuries. His production was as good as it gets finishing his college career with 113 touchdowns and only 15 interceptions. As a senior he threw for 43 touchdowns and only 1 interception. A west coast style offense would most likely fit his style in the NFL.
The Downside: He needs to improve his ability to take something off of certain passes. He could also use some work on footwork and fundamentals. He did not face great competition which makes the NFL a big jump.
Why I like him: He has the physical traits of an NFL quarterback but just as important he has the mental tools of an NFL quarterback. His great speed and quick release fits our current offensive line better than the current QB situation. The fact that he threw 43 touchdowns and 1 interception last year is mind blowing.
Projected Round: 3rd
Marcus Howard, OLB/DE, Georgia
The Upside: Great athlete with outstanding speed (4.4 forty), quickness, and agility. Has great ability at changing direction and has fluid hips. Could be very versatile having experience at linebacker, defensive end, and special teams. Was a great pass rusher his senior season finishing with 10.5 sacks, 42 quarterback pressures, and 3 forced fumbles.
The Downside: Is a liability against the run. Didn't start until his senior season, so experience is a concern. His stock has risen lately which makes him a bigger risk.
Why I like him: And as usual the pass rush ability is very attractive to me. He is a top notch athlete coming off an excellent senior season. He not only has the body and athletic ability to make an easy transition to linebacker, he originally was a linebacker. If he falls past the third round he is definitely worthy of a look.
Projected Round: 3rd
Brandon Keith, OT, Northern Iowa
The Upside: Very big and athletic at 6'5, 343. Has the ability to move and get to the second level. He is versatile and could fit as a guard as well.
The Downside: He can be too aggressive, and his technique and footwork are raw. Has shady history with off the field problems, originally he committed to Oklahoma but twice left the team, and was arrested in march and faces potential rioting charges along with 2 former teammates.
Why I like him: Has the athletic ability and the size to match. With the current state of our line his versatility shows upside. His off the field troubles raise obvious red flags, but if that is an issue that can be resolved he has tremendous potential.
Projected Round: 4th - 5th
Marcus Monk, WR, Arkansas
The Upside: Has great size at 6'4. Has good big hands. He is extremely athletic and smooth for his size, with a 4.4 forty. Is very strong and tough and knows how to use his frame making him very effective in the redzone. Is very intelligent.
The Downside: May have trouble separating from NFL corners, and is an average route runner at best. Is not much of a blocker despite size. Has limited ability after the catch and is not a big play receiver. He is coming off of a knee surgery so durability is a concern; however his recent pro day results suggest that he is recovered.
Why I like him: With the combination of size, athletic ability, good hands, and toughness in the redzone his upside far outweighs his downside in my opinion. We don't need a big play receiver at this point, and considering our line couldn't block his poor blocking skills don't bother me a bit.
Projected Round: 5th
Colt Brennan, QB, Hawaii
The Upside: Very accurate passer with average arm strength. Has great touch and timing with a quick release. Moves well in the pocket and does well under pressure. Was a very productive three year starter.
The Downside: Was not in an NFL offensive system, working mostly out of the shotgun not having to make many reads or throws seen in the NFL. As recently as two weeks ago underwent surgery to repair his right hip, so durability is a major concern.
Why I like him: He could be a waste of a pick and not be able to adapt to an NFL system, but with our current situation the upside may be worth the risk. The quick release, pocket mobility, poise under pressure and record breaking productivity interest me enough to take a look. With our current offensive line situation his qualities are the best possible match.
Projected Round: 6th - 7th
Hilee Taylor, OLB/DE, North Carolina
The Upside: Great athlete with solid speed and quickness. He is a natural pass rusher, having 10.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss his senior season. Is a good tackler with good instincts, and offers possible versatility including special teams.
The Downside: Although possibly versatile, his size (6-3, 242) makes him a possible tweener. He is smaller than the typical defensive end, and has average speed for an outside linebacker. He is below average against the run, and considering he was a defensive end at North Carolina his coverage ability is a concern.
Why I like him: Especially if Jared Allen is gone an effective pass rusher is very attractive. More than likely he would have to transition to linebacker, but the transition may be less difficult considering that he was originally a linebacker and saw playing time there as a freshman. He also has special teams background and potential.
Projected Round: 7th - Undrafted
Brian Witherspoon, KR/CB, Stillman
The Upside: Has rare speed and quickness, running a 4.25 forty at the combine, although his fastest recorded time is 4.15. He has shown the ability to recover when beat and has great hands and has shown potential to be a playmaker. His biggest upside is his potential as a returner.
The Downside: Did not play best competition coming from a Division II school. He has below average strength and is not especially physical. His technique is very raw and will need a lot of work.
Why I Like Him: His incredible speed and athleticism is an obvious eye catcher. He is probably more of a track runner playing football, but I love the thought of trying him out as a returner.
Projected Round: 7th - Undrafted
Josh Johnson, QB, San Diego
The Upside: In an excellent athlete and great speed. He is very accurate and has good touch and timing as well as solid arm strength. He has a quick release and is able to buy time in the pocket as well as pose the threat to run when he needs to. He was extremely productive and dominant. He has toughness, confidence, leadership, and is very football smart, all of which are traits of a successful quarterback. He has shown his toughness with his ability to play through injuries. His production was as good as it gets finishing his college career with 113 touchdowns and only 15 interceptions. As a senior he threw for 43 touchdowns and only 1 interception. A west coast style offense would most likely fit his style in the NFL.
The Downside: He needs to improve his ability to take something off of certain passes. He could also use some work on footwork and fundamentals. He did not face great competition which makes the NFL a big jump.
Why I like him: He has the physical traits of an NFL quarterback but just as important he has the mental tools of an NFL quarterback. His great speed and quick release fits our current offensive line better than the current QB situation. The fact that he threw 43 touchdowns and 1 interception last year is mind blowing.
Projected Round: 3rd
Marcus Howard, OLB/DE, Georgia
The Upside: Great athlete with outstanding speed (4.4 forty), quickness, and agility. Has great ability at changing direction and has fluid hips. Could be very versatile having experience at linebacker, defensive end, and special teams. Was a great pass rusher his senior season finishing with 10.5 sacks, 42 quarterback pressures, and 3 forced fumbles.
The Downside: Is a liability against the run. Didn't start until his senior season, so experience is a concern. His stock has risen lately which makes him a bigger risk.
Why I like him: And as usual the pass rush ability is very attractive to me. He is a top notch athlete coming off an excellent senior season. He not only has the body and athletic ability to make an easy transition to linebacker, he originally was a linebacker. If he falls past the third round he is definitely worthy of a look.
Projected Round: 3rd
Brandon Keith, OT, Northern Iowa
The Upside: Very big and athletic at 6'5, 343. Has the ability to move and get to the second level. He is versatile and could fit as a guard as well.
The Downside: He can be too aggressive, and his technique and footwork are raw. Has shady history with off the field problems, originally he committed to Oklahoma but twice left the team, and was arrested in march and faces potential rioting charges along with 2 former teammates.
Why I like him: Has the athletic ability and the size to match. With the current state of our line his versatility shows upside. His off the field troubles raise obvious red flags, but if that is an issue that can be resolved he has tremendous potential.
Projected Round: 4th - 5th
Marcus Monk, WR, Arkansas
The Upside: Has great size at 6'4. Has good big hands. He is extremely athletic and smooth for his size, with a 4.4 forty. Is very strong and tough and knows how to use his frame making him very effective in the redzone. Is very intelligent.
The Downside: May have trouble separating from NFL corners, and is an average route runner at best. Is not much of a blocker despite size. Has limited ability after the catch and is not a big play receiver. He is coming off of a knee surgery so durability is a concern; however his recent pro day results suggest that he is recovered.
Why I like him: With the combination of size, athletic ability, good hands, and toughness in the redzone his upside far outweighs his downside in my opinion. We don't need a big play receiver at this point, and considering our line couldn't block his poor blocking skills don't bother me a bit.
Projected Round: 5th
Colt Brennan, QB, Hawaii
The Upside: Very accurate passer with average arm strength. Has great touch and timing with a quick release. Moves well in the pocket and does well under pressure. Was a very productive three year starter.
The Downside: Was not in an NFL offensive system, working mostly out of the shotgun not having to make many reads or throws seen in the NFL. As recently as two weeks ago underwent surgery to repair his right hip, so durability is a major concern.
Why I like him: He could be a waste of a pick and not be able to adapt to an NFL system, but with our current situation the upside may be worth the risk. The quick release, pocket mobility, poise under pressure and record breaking productivity interest me enough to take a look. With our current offensive line situation his qualities are the best possible match.
Projected Round: 6th - 7th
Hilee Taylor, OLB/DE, North Carolina
The Upside: Great athlete with solid speed and quickness. He is a natural pass rusher, having 10.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss his senior season. Is a good tackler with good instincts, and offers possible versatility including special teams.
The Downside: Although possibly versatile, his size (6-3, 242) makes him a possible tweener. He is smaller than the typical defensive end, and has average speed for an outside linebacker. He is below average against the run, and considering he was a defensive end at North Carolina his coverage ability is a concern.
Why I like him: Especially if Jared Allen is gone an effective pass rusher is very attractive. More than likely he would have to transition to linebacker, but the transition may be less difficult considering that he was originally a linebacker and saw playing time there as a freshman. He also has special teams background and potential.
Projected Round: 7th - Undrafted
Brian Witherspoon, KR/CB, Stillman
The Upside: Has rare speed and quickness, running a 4.25 forty at the combine, although his fastest recorded time is 4.15. He has shown the ability to recover when beat and has great hands and has shown potential to be a playmaker. His biggest upside is his potential as a returner.
The Downside: Did not play best competition coming from a Division II school. He has below average strength and is not especially physical. His technique is very raw and will need a lot of work.
Why I Like Him: His incredible speed and athleticism is an obvious eye catcher. He is probably more of a track runner playing football, but I love the thought of trying him out as a returner.
Projected Round: 7th - Undrafted