Arizona Cardinals 2008 Draft Prospects

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Charted comments are mostly drawn from NFL Draft Scouts.com narratives (shown in black) with comments from additional sources shown in different colors. BRS = Red Sporting News War Room = Orange. USA Today = Green. Surfire Scouting = Purple. PFW - Blue.

There has been a lot of talk about the Cardinals' seeking to add a more explosive outside dimension - either at DE or OLB. The interchangeability of the two positions makes it hard to gauge depth (because we can always move an OLB to DE to shore up depth or vice versa). But all in all, we'd have to agree that - our backup depth at both positions is, at best, kind of shaggy (and we'll have to pray that Chike and B-Train remain healthy. We expect to draft a pass rush specialist in the first 3 or 4 rounds - probably not the first (unless someone like a Keith Rivers were to fall to us at #16) but more likely someone like Quentin Groves or a Phillip Merling in round 2 or 3 would be more logical.

Name/School

20S

60S

Chris Long, Va.

6-4

266

4.75

1.61

2.71

10-4

4.21

7.02

Pro Day - Kept his combine numbers for everything else. Virginia head coach Al Groh put him through linebacker drills and did not include defensive line drills, which he will do at a later date.

BRS (Gollin) - Poster child for the type of player you'd like to draft #1. Comes from terrific FB pedigree. Physically outstanding. Bright. Character guy. He will be long gone by the time we pick (In fact, we have him rated #1 of all players).

The Sporting News War Room - One of the most polished college DE's our scouts have ever evaluated. Plays smart and shows great technique.

Surefire Scouting - A naturally gifted athlete who also possesses the toughness, work ethic, intelligence and drive to be great. Long is the embodiment of a "Professional Football Player."

PFW -Arguably the safest pick in the draft. The big question teams must answer is if his production is due to top shelf effort or innate athletic ability and they must determine how much better he'll get.

Physical	Has long arms and large hands, with good upper body muscle tone, tight waist and hips and shows good lower body thickness
Strength	Has better leverage than strength to anchor...Has enough size and strength to hold up at the point-of-attack and the flexibility to sit in the crease and hold his ground or get off blocks...has the functional strength to generate inside pressure vs. offensive line-man's outside shoulder.
Quicks/COD	Quick-twitch athlete who shows good quickness, agility and flexibility, showing good knee bend...Builds to top acceleration nicely in long pursuit and shows good redirection skills in his pass rush off the edge...outstanding quickness off the ball and natural movement ability to close...Comes off the snap with good pad level, getting into the blocker quickly with a solid hand jolt to rock the opponent back on his heels...But lacks an explosive burst...Has very crisp plant-and-drive agility to make quick change of direction moves working down the line...One of his better assets is his lateral agility
Pass Rush	Best when taking angles to the quarterback, as he does not have the foot speed to take the wide loop in pursuit...Lacks suddenness off the snap to surprise a lethargic blocker....When he takes dead aim on the quarterback he shows good intent to get there...With his leverage, he can beat the blocker in and out to close on the passer...Might be a better fit as a defensive tackle in a 4-3 alignment, so as not to expose his adequate closing burst
Run Defense	Defends the run well, using his hands and extending at the point-of-attack
Pursuit	Moves very well laterally and displays good effort in pursuit...His above average lateral quickness is utilized well in his back-side pursuit...High energy type who's had better success disengaging thanks to clearing his feet and chasing hard to run down plays in pursuit...takes good angles when pursuing downfield
Diagnostics	Quick instincts to locate the ball through trash
Tackling	Physical tackler who can bend, roll his hips and drive through the ballcarrier...Does a good job when asked to wrap up and drag down the ballcarrier in space...Might not generate explosive hits, but he has the strength to push the pocket...Makes a good effort to arm tackle.
Hands	Uses his long reach well to keep blockers away from his body, also utilizing it, along with good timing and leaping ability to bat down a fair share of passes at the line of scrimmage...demonstrates good hand placement and the ability to separate from blockers...has good leverage and reach to separate from blocks and close on the quarterback...has the hand punch to quickly shed blockers...When he extends his arms (and keeps them active), he plays with good leverage and can hold ground at the point of attack vs. the isolated blocker...When he keeps his hands inside the framework, he can keep separation from the blocker (exposes his chest when his hands get too wide).
Shedding Blocks	Susceptible to the low block and needs to do a better job of slipping off double teams (must execute his spin move more)...Has a good feel for blocks and knows what to do to avoid in pursuit
Moves	Has developed a solid inside counter move to generate pressure...Has the upfield speed, along with swim and rip moves to go with the inside counter and bull rush (asset needed for a potential move to defensive tackle)...Uses flexibility and a good burst to collapse the pocket and displays the quick hands and feet, along with good hip-flex to turn the corner on edge rushes...Needs to be more active with his hands, especially when executing counter moves...Does not use his reach or counter moves with consistency
Smarts	What sets him apart from most young defensive ends is his keen knowledge of the game and his uncanny ability to read block pressure and quickly locate the ball
Intangibles	Shows solid football instincts and is able to learn and retain information easily...Plays and practices hard and with a purpose, showing good effort and toughness throughout the play...Leads by example, as well as with his voice, as the coaches encourage the younger players to emulate his great work ethic...Can handle tough coaching and is harder on himself than the staff is when he fails to make a play or blows an assignment.
Resembles	Aaron Kampman

Name/School

20S

60S

Cliff Avril, Purdue DE/LB

6-2

250

4.52

1.52

2.59

9-9

4.31

6.90

Pro Day - Had a 36½-inch vertical jump and 4.31 short shuttle. Ran position drills and stuck with his combine numbers for everything else.

BRS (Gollin) - We've moved him way up because we see him as a terrific needs/position fit for the hybrid DE/OLB position. He has 4.52 speed. He's a primo pass rusher but also tough against the run. He's a student of the game and a character guy.

The Sporting News War Room - One of the better athletes in this class. Projects as a 3-4 outside LB...does not use his hands effectively as a pass rusher.

Surefire Scouting - Lack of prototypical size may force a move to OLB. Shows nice burst off the corner but can be overpowered. Uncertainly as to Avril's ability to play in space and drop into coverage as a 3-4 OLB will restrict his draft status to a degree. Ultimately, he may end up as a 4-3 pass rush specialist.

PFW - Lacks ideal athleticism to line up outside in a 3-4 and lacks the instincts needed inside but will be tried there.

Physical	Undersized to be any every down defensive end, but he has good upper-body muscle tone, ideal arm length, big hands, tapered thighs and calves, along with the feet, balance and change-of-direction agility to bring better value as a strong-side linebacker...
Strength	Attacks the point with good intent, even when he knows he will be washed out by the bigger blockers...Undersized defensive end who converted from outside linebacker early in his junior year and lacks the bulk to face up to the bigger offensive tackles...if the lineman gets his hands locked on, he struggles to shed...Lacks the anchor to maintain ground vs. double teams and can be pushed back when trying to work inside...Not strong enough to plug the inside rush lanes as a defensive lineman...
Quicks/COD	Has exceptional closing speed vs. plays in front of him and the lateral agility to string plays wide...builds acceleration nicely when attacking downfield...His best asset is his initial step off the snap, as he is quick to elude, dip his pads and redirect to plays underneath....Has good balance, staying on his feet and bounces up quickly when cut...Is quick to react to the play when he locates the ball and has the short-area quickness to spill inside, getting his hands up to deflect passes at the line of scrimmage...Carries his pads well, evident in Senior Bowl practices when he constantly chased down ballcarriers on the outside or challenged the QBs on naked bootlegs...
Pass Rush	Can impact the pocket coming off the edge, using his sudden burst to slip past a lethargic blocker, but needs to add some more pass rush moves and keep his hands more active when attempting counter moves...Has the agility to bend down the line and cover ground well, showing good urgency closing on the pocket... Will generate better production standing up, but even with his hand down, if he gets a dip inside, a slower blocker can't recover...shows good vision to locate the quarterback and flush him out of the pocket...when he finds a clean rush lane, he will sell out, go airborne and do whatever is needed to pressure the pocket...Has a decent feel for the blitz and with his speed, he can bring the heat, thanks to good change-of-direction skills that make it difficult for slower linemen to block him.
Run Defense	Good go-with-the-flow outside run container who can run, slide and move in space to make plays...
Pursuit	Gives total effort in his chase ...Capable of getting very good production making plays from the backside...Keeps his feet and will sell out to get wide on a play (runs long distances to deliver the hit)....Covers ground and closes well from the backside better than he does in-line...
Diagnostics	Plays with his head up, showing good instincts to find the ball, especially vs. naked bootlegs...Has a good feel for reading blocking keys and is usually in proper position, rarely biting on play-action...Will flow too fast and overrun a few plays, but is quick to redirect....
Tackling	You won't see too many misses or leaks when tackling, if he keeps his hands inside and pad level true......ot a hammer-type of hitter, but can run the field, hit and sell out, showing the body control to break down and wrap up (gets lazy at times and tries to take a side)...Can get the ballcarrier down along the outside, but needs to wrap and get in front of the opponent better, as he tends to grab or take a side
Hands	Uses his hands well to keep separation when he keeps them inside his frame...uses his hands better vs. the run than as a pass rusher...
Shedding Blocks	Better performer on the move than working through trash and has the balance to quickly redirect and close...Needs to use his hands more to ward off blocks, but is a slippery type with good avoidance skills on the move...Will sometimes run around blocks, but can stay square in one-on-one encounters...
Moves	Prefers using his swim move at the "five" technique to combat turn out blocks, but just needs to do it with better consistency...does have a nifty spin move in-line to beat a lethargic blocker...pass-rush moves are still raw and he needs to add to those array of moves (has a great spin move, but must be more forceful with his hands on club moves and show better shoulder positioning on rip moves)...Telegraphs his moves coming off the snap and when his hands get outside his frame, blockers can easily neutralize his counter moves...
Smarts	Smart player who will have no problem digesting a playbook at multiple positions...
Intangibles	.Plays until the whistle...Puts in extra hours studying tape of the upcoming opponent and, while a leader by example, he will not hesitate to get vocal in the huddle.....Plays with good aggression and determination, despite being outweighed vs. every opponent...Will need time to re-adjust to playing linebacker (must refine his pass drop depth and open his hips quicker to come out of his breaks).
Resembles	Shaun Phillips

Name/School

20S

60S

Vernon Gholston*, Ohio St.

6-2

263

4.58

1.59

2.69

10-5

4.40

7.12

): Pro Day - Ran the 40 in 4.58, had a 42-inch vertical jump, ran position drills and stuck with his other numbers from the combine.

BRS - Although he aced the numbers part of his combine workout, Gholston was said to appear stiff and muscle-bound in his position drills. Will no doubt be gone by the Jets pick at #6.

The Sporting News War Room - Can dominate some games and totally disappear in others.

Surefire Scouting - Great combination of size, speed and power. While he and Saint DE Will Smith will draw comparisons, Gholston plays with more intensity and gives a more consistent effort.

PFW - A rare physical specimen who has shown the ability to dominate. Gholston is smart, hard working and loaded with upside. Does not know how good he can be and may have more upside than any player in the draft.

Physical	Has a well-built frame with a wide back, broad shoulders, V-shaped torso, large hands, long limbs, defined muscles throughout and thick thighs and calves..
Strength	Has a low center of gravity and strong anchor, making it very rare to see him on the ground...Has that good blend of quickness and strength to hold ground at the point of attack...
Quicks/COD	Low center of gravity...Has loose hips, good knee bend and balance in his running stride when chasing long distances...Has rare ability to run the field for a player his size and can be sudden in his initial movement...When he is taken off of his feet, he is quick to recover and get back into the action...Has the quickness to penetrate when working inside and is very disruptive coming off the snap, as he is quick and active with his hand punch to rock the bigger blockers back on their heels..Has great flexibility and balance working down the line and changing direction....
Pass Rush	Excellent speed rusher who needs to be accounted for on every play ...Has the ability to consistently disrupt the backfield, as he has the speed to escape and the strength to overpower offensive tackles off the edge...Has a sudden first step to defeat an offensive tackle coming off the edge and the uncanny ability to anticipate the snap cadence and time his jumps...Consistently plays on his feet and is very quick coming off the edge, as he can turn the corner, showing the flexibility and counter moves (must be more consistent with the counter) to come under and also has the strength to bull rush or push the pocket...Is starting to develop a good feel for his pass-rush package and knows how to keep his hands off and get free...Has the second gear to close on the pocket and, while he gets most of his sacks off backside pursuit
Run Defense	Has good field presence, locating the ball quickly to fly to it and contain the run...able to take an in-line gap to impact the backfield...Could punch and shed blockers sooner but he can get upfield and collide with the ballcarrier with good pop on contact..
Pursuit	No info
Diagnostics	Can be fooled by misdirection and while he gives total effort, he sometimes can't find the ball until it is past him...
Tackling	Strong wrap-up tackler who can adjust in space and finish plays on his own...
Hands	Generally uses his hands effectively to shed and separate, as he battles until the whistle...
Shedding Blocks	Must develop a better feel for blocking schemes, as he doesn't always protect his body from cut blocks...
Moves	Has improved his technique, but can't be considered a technician using his hands or displaying an array of pass rush moves...
Smarts	Instinctive player, but is still a relatively new to the game and needs more reps to help him gain experience...
Intangibles	Plays with the type of effort and emotion that makes a coach comfortable knowing that he will make plays all over the field...Plays with a high motor and shows a natural feel for the game, as he continues to improve his ability to anticipate and jump the play...Self-starter with a great passion for the game and is a hard worker in the training room...While very confident in his ability, he is also a humble character with no off-field issues...Rare to see him talk trash and just goes about his business..
Resembles	John Abraham

Name/School

20S

60S

Phillip Merling*, Clemson

6-4

276

4.75

BRS (Gollin) - Another good Cardinal fit and, like Avril, likely to be on our board at #16 and, therefore, a good possibility. More of a traditional DE than the smaller Avril but less of a pass rushing terror (although still pretty danged good).

The Sporting News War Room - Goes 100 MPH every snap. Might lack the premier athleticism of some of the other prospects but will be a more productive NFL starter.

Surefire Scouting - Has prototypical size (is stout)...will have to learn a variety of pass rush moves...has adequate quickness but is not a speedy edge pass rusher. Lacks top notch athleticism but nonetheless develop into a solid starter because of his size, strength and football instincts.

PFW - Merling's a cross between Michael Strahan and Jamaal Anderson but tougher, stronger and more stout.

Physical	Well-built with thick legs and long arms, tight waist and hips, and minimal body fat...
Strength	Has decent anchor and leverage ability to hold ground vs. isolated blockers at the point of attack...Still needs to improve his overall strength, but he has enough raw power to deliver pop when making contact with the quarterback...His lower-body frame lacks the power to take on bulky blockers with consistency, and he shows a decent anchor vs. tight ends and backs, but he can still be driven off the ball when offensive linemen go directly at him...doesn't have the raw power needed to split double teams...
Quicks/COD	Flashes good explosion off the ball...Shows good balance in his moves down the line, demonstrating the knee bend to keep his feet on the move...Easily defeats blocks with his speed, showing the ability to dip and turn the corner in a flash...Disengages quickly from his man to move toward the ball and plays until the whistle, showing an explosive closing burst...Has that extra surge to consistently finish off his blocks, taking good angles to pressure the pocket....While he has the leverage to hold up, with his speed, he is much more effective on the move, where he can combine his lateral quickness and motor to keep containment on the outside...
Pass Rush	Quick off the edge and shows good hustle to the ball, utilizing his upfield burst to give him an advantage over the large, slower blockers...Natural pass rusher who comes off the ball with a quick twitch, body lean and leverage...Has the foot speed to close on the quarterbacks and collapse the pocket...Comes off the line at the proper pad level and can burst around the corner with speed, looping through the gaps with good urgency...Has the functional leg drive to bull rush at times, but his best trait is his ability to get upfield in a hurry...
Run Defense	Has the arm strength to drag down the ballcarriers...
Pursuit	Best when operating in plays away from him, so he can redirect and give backside chase....Extends his arms well to keep blockers off him and has the swim move lateral agility to excel coming from the backside...Has a sudden short burst to penetrate and shows the sustained speed to be effective in long pursuit...
Diagnostics	Reads hats well and reacts to the play effectively, showing the ball awareness instincts on the move to neutralize and redirect the outside running lanes...Seems to recognize the ball quicker when he's on the move rather than working through a crowd inside..
Tackling	Shows good breakdown and body control in his tackling form, using his long arms to capture ballcarriers in space...Not an explosive tackle, but will hit, wrap and secure...
Hands	Has improved his hand usage during his junior year
Shedding Blocks	Needs to improve his hand play -- he sometimes struggles to disengage once blockers lock on -- and keep blockers off his feet...
Moves	He still needs to develop rush moves (club and rip are lacking, but his swim move is very effective), as he relies too much on quickness to separate...
Smarts	No info
Intangibles	High-energy player who is best on the move, showing better ability to make plays along the edge than working inside...Plays with a good motor, but will get frustrated and shut down when the bigger blockers consistently neutralize him.
Resembles	Justin Tuck

Name/School

20S

60S

Calais Campbell*, Miami (FL)

6-8

283

5.01

1.71

2.90

9-2

4.60

7.19

Pro Day - Ran the 40-yard dash twice and finished in 5.01 seconds both times. He ran the short shuttle in 4.6 seconds and the cone drill in 7.19. He ran position drills but let his bench press at the combine stand.

BRS (Gollin) - Maybe better than many ratings because of poor coaching on the part of the most recent "U" coaching staff. Huge wingspan and height - a Fred Wakefield with more explosion and athleticism. Kind of guy who figures to bat down a lot of short outlet passes to the RB.

The Sporting News War Room - Will likely be inconsistent early in his pro career but the light should go on by his second or third season

Surefire Scouting - Solid student with a rare combination of size, quickness and athleticism. Fits into both three and four-man fronts and can provide a creative DC with the flexibility of rotating between the two schemes.

PFW - Raw talent whose combination of size and speed could make coaches salivate. However, he really regressed as a junior under a new coaching staff.

Physical	Has a strong, well-defined and muscular frame and is an amazing physical specimen with a long wingspan, thick calves, a muscular build and cat-like quickness...
Strength	Has above-average playing strength for his position, showing excellent leg drive...More suited to play the edge, as he had problems defeating the combo blocks when forced to play in-line, as he struggles to sink his weight and keep his pads down, causing problems for him protecting his feet vs. low blocks...Could use more lower-body strength, as he can be ridden wide at the point of attack...
Quicks/COD	His explosive natural initial burst that will surprise the offensive lineman......Has decent change-of-direction agility and shows good second effort getting back to the action when he outruns the ball...
Pass Rush	Has a sudden burst off the edge to slip past a slow offensive tackle, but needs to be more active with his hands fending off low blocks...Plays with leverage, doing a nice job of dropping his shoulder and turn the corner, as he is very light on his feet....Can sink and run the horn to flush the quarterback out of the pocket, as he will usually stay active until the whistle...Gets upfield quickly and has a sudden burst as a pass rusher off the edge...Has a quick swim move and shows enough of a hand punch to defeat blocks and pressure the pocket...Can close on the quarterback with an extra surge and when he uses his hands with authority to jolt, he can control the point of attack...Has learned how to use his long arms to create separation, stuff and shed, as he has the feet to adjust to movement.
Run Defense	Strong run defender who plays with leverage and good knee bend but, when he gets tall in his stance, he can be ridden off the snap...Has the explosive initial step to defeat combo blocks, when he uses his hands to fend them off and is a disruptive penetrating...Can ride blocks and move laterally...must improve his anchor to neutralize double teams, but is able to stack and hold his ground when he drops his weight and plants his foot into the ground...Effective at stringing out the running plays and redirecting vs. outside action...
Pursuit	An explosive and fluid athlete in pursuit, showing the range to generate speed long distance...Hustles in pursuit and quickly recognizes blocking schemes, showing good urgency to attack the crease...Gets up in a hurry when knocked down and has that high motor needed to be relentless in pursuit, especially on the back side...hysical player, but he sometimes spends too much time trying to overpower the blocker when he should be slipping off the block to make plays in pursuit....Frustration late in games will see him over-pursue.
Diagnostics	Needs to show better recognition ability, as he will bite on pumps and fakes...
Tackling	Shows good explosion and wrap-up technique to stop the ballcarrier's progress and is a physical striker who makes his presence felt upon arrival...
Hands	When he plays at a low pad level, he is quick to get his hands into the blocker's chest...When he keeps his hands inside the frame of his body, he can deliver a solid hand slap, coupled with a fluid swim move to shed and close on the passer...
Shedding Blocks	Can shed and pursue instantly, crashing into ball carriers to wrap and secure...Needs to be quicker using his hands to escape from the low blocks, but works fluidly back towards the ball...Must learn to protect his legs, as he leaves his lower body exposed too often...
Moves	Strong rip-and-swim moves in one-on-one combat (
Smarts	No info
Intangibles	Willing to do the little extras to get better and has no problem taking plays from the chalkboard to the playing field...Shows impressive football instincts and plays with a high motor
Resembles	Julius Peppers

Name/School

20S

60S

Lawrence Jackson, USC

6-4

267

4.81

1.66

2.82

8-11

4.40

7.08

Pro Day - Had a 34 ½-inch vertical jump, ran position drills, kept everything else from the combine.

BRS (Gollin) - I may downgrade him - more of a low ceiling/high floor type of consistent plodder at a playmaking position.

The Sporting News War Room - An underrated player who consistently produces. Will probably be underdrafted because of his lack of explosion.

Surefire Scouting - Has great size and strength but his tenacity is questionable. He could develop into a starter or be out of the league after a few years.

PFW - Jackson underachieved throughout his college career and never became the dominant player he has shown flashes of becoming.

Physical	Has a tall, thick frame with good arm length and adequate straight-line speed, but lacks ideal change of direction skills...Might have to fill out his frame more for a potential shift to defensive tackle, as he lacks the top speed you look for in a defender coming off the edge... lacks the "sand in his pants" to perform there at his current playing weight at the next level...
Strength	Struggles to defeat double teams, as he is too inconsistent with his leverage...
Quicks/COD	Shows good foot quickness, agility and balance working in short areas...Even though he can't change direction well, he is a quick reactor with enough pursuit speed to push the running game back inside...More of a semi-long strider who might show adequate acceleration and initial quickness, but lacks the explosiveness coming off the line to surprise a lethargic defender...Does not change directions quickly while on the move, taking false steps as he needs to gather...plays tall at times and does not use proper technique to defeat blockers, as he tends to leave his feet too often...Flashes good lateral quickness and will accelerate in space, but (gets frustrated when his initial move fails)..
Pass Rush	Has the functional hand strength to counter vs. the offensive tackle...and enough of a burst to get wide...Does a good job of coming off the edge and flattening in his quest to get to the quarterback, as he does a decent job of freeing up on twists and games, despite poor change of direction agility...Demonstrated an improved extra surge to finish the deal getting to the quarterback as a senior than he did in the past...Can close with good quickness when he escapes from blockers, but doesn't possess the explosiveness or quickness to close on the quarterback without getting a free lane...has the ability to get up field when coming off the edge, but too often he leaves himself exposed and gives poor effort, resulting in him easily succumbing when he gets pushed passed the quarterback...Does not have the suddenness you look for in an edge rusher, as he fails to utilize quick redirection skills
Run Defense	Sometimes soft to play at the X's, but when he utilizes good hand placement he can play with leverage...Will generally play with good toughness, but lacks consistency in his play and is not always aggressive and physical attacking the ballcarrier (motor runs hot and cold)...
Pursuit	Shows the functional speed to give chase from the backside...
Diagnostics	Shows valid instincts and vision to quickly locate the ball..Has the field vision to make quick reads to recognize and react, but does not show that field awareness on a consistent basis...
Tackling	Efficient wrap-up tackler with the strength to drag ballcarriers down, throwing his body around well to impede the opponent's forward progress...When he stays low in his pads, he can generate explosion behind his hits... Has the strength to wrap up and take down the ballcarrier, but struggles to redirect and make the play while on the move
Hands	He has enough of a hand punch to jolt and shed...when he shoots his hands he can keep separation, control and get off blocks
Shedding Blocks	Quick to shed and gain quick advantage...
Moves	Shows good rip and counter moves on the bull rush...needs to develop more pass rush moves...
Smarts	Student of the game who will put in the extra hours watching tapes...
Intangibles	Has a good grasp of the playbook...Vocal leader type that takes well to hard coaching...as never missed any games due to injuries, but his surgically repaired right ankle has given him problems
Resembles	Mark Anderson

Name/School

20S

60S

Jason Jones, E. Michigan

6-5

275

4.79

1.60

2.74

10-3

4.23

7.28

Pro Day - Had a 30½-inch vertical jump. Kept his combine numbers for everything else. Note: has very long arms.

Senior Bowl - While Jones flashed quickness off the ball to threaten the corner, he tended to pop upright and too often played high. He struggled to get off blocks and make plays. He looked raw and more like a developmental prospect

BRS (Gollin) - Played inside, but better suited as a strong-side DE in a 4-3 or maybe (with more bulk) in a 3-4. Needs a lot of technique work.

The Sporting News War Room - Should eventually become a productive starter in either a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme.

Surefire Scouting - Played out of position at DT. Has the strength to bull-rush and the quickness to go outside in pursuit of the QB. His most natural position is as a traditional DE where he should develop into a solid starter.

PFW - Is too big, quick and athletic not to warrant early notice.

Physical	Excellent height and length for the power end position. ...
Strength	Used inside a lot because of a lack of bulk in EMU's defense. ...Is not strong in the upper body and may not be able to get off NFL tackle blocks. ... Plays a bit high, allowing linemen to move him around too much
Quicks/COD	Gets off the ball very quickly. ... Good straight-line speed. ...Needs to work in space for full effectiveness. ...
Pass Rush	Needs to get those long arms up to block passes if he can't get to the quarterback. ...
Run Defense	Moves down the line while being blocked to stay in the play. ...When playing inside, he did not penetrate as often as you'd think
Pursuit	Hustles downfield to make tackles. ...Good effort in pursuit.
Diagnostics	No info
Tackling	No info
Hands	No info
Shedding Blocks	Can disengage from blocks to make tackles. ...
Moves	Does not possess many pass rush moves...
Smarts	No info
Intangibles	Jones often dominates against lesser competition in the Mid-American Conference. He has been versatile enough to play inside and outside for the Eagles, but projects outside at power end in the NFL....Scouts have certainly taken notice as he has put up 50 tackles for loss the past three seasons....Getting over a knee sprain and moving outside may put him into the top 100.
Resembles	No info

Name/School

20S

60S

Chris Ellis, Va. Tech (LB)

6-4

262

4.71

1.57

2.71

9-0

4.64

7.65

Pro Day - Had a 30½-inch vertical jump, 22 reps in the bench press, ran position drills and kept his numbers from the combine for everything else

BRS (Gollin) - Character issues along with disappointing edge quickness post season may push him down the charts a bit.

The Sporting News War Room - Will be a productive 4-3 end but also has the athleticism to be a rush linebacker. Could move up the boards if he adds bulk and improives his forty time

Surefire Scouting - Good size with long arms. Could turn out to be a steal as a valuable pass rush specialist if not an every down player at the next level. Struggled in Senior Bowl practices failing to show edge pass rush speed and did not look comfortable in LB drills. This combined with an off-field incident and durability concerns have caused his draft stock to slide.

PFW - Will first have to satisfy concerns regarding his character, immaturity and a general disregard for others that already has eliminated him from consideration for some teams.

Physical	Has a developing frame with room to carry at least another 10 pounds of bulk without resulting in a loss of quickness...Has adequate muscle tone, but shows natural strength in his hand punch......Has adequate muscle tone in his upper body and possesses, smooth straight calves and needs to add muscle...Lacks the "sand in his pants" to split double teams and bull rush inside...
Strength	Does an efficient job of holding ground at the point of attack on the edge...Can handle fullbacks and tight ends, but will get redirected vs. the linemen and neutralized by double teams...Needs to develop a stronger anchor, as he can be pushed off the ball, especially vs. double teams...as active hands and good weight-room strength, but that power fails to translate to the field in the form of a jolting hand punch...Lacks the bulk to take on combo blocks, lacking the lower-body strength to anchor...
Quicks/COD	His timed speed is impressive enough for a potential move to a 3-4 strong-side linebacker, but he will need to open his hips better in his pass drops to get proper depth...In one-on-one situations, he .With his sudden burst and ability to generate a pass rush off the edge, he could shift to strong-side linebacker in the pros and has experience at the position prior to college...Quic