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Inside Linebackers
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. PFW = Blue
While Beisel is a solid backup who provides toughness, instinctiveness and grit, he's often a half-step later than Hayes or Dansby getting to the ball. Cards figure to add at least LB in the draft, with OLB/DE the first priority. But after that, we could opt to add someone like a Lofton, Bell, Butler or Dunbar in the mid to late rounds.
Rnk Player/School Ht Wt 40 BP 10 20 VJ BJ 20S 60S 3C WU
1 Curtis Lofton*, Oklahoma 6-0 243 4.68 24 1.62 2.74 32 8-8 4.66 -- 7.74 --

Pro Day - Ran the 40 in 4.69 and 4.68, had a 32-inch vertical jump, 4.66 short shuttle, 7.74 cone drill, ran position drills and kept his numbers from the combine for everything else.

BRS (Gollin) - More athletic and has more range than Beau Bell. Only main knock is that Sooner LB's have historically struggled in the pros.  But Lofton is a hard hitting tough guy who should do well at the next level.

The Sporting News War Room - A polished football player who projects as a productive starting MLB in a 4-3 scheme or ILB in a 3-4 defense

Surefire Scouting - A solid wrap up tackler. Shows the ability to drop into coverage, showing good ball skills. Somewhat  of a stigma connected with Sooner LB's who don't translate well  to the pro level, but Loften has the skill set and work ethic to break the trend.

PFW - A better football player than athlete. More than makes up for his deficiencies with outstanding instincts and toughness. Should be able to contribute immediately in the pros.

Physical His frame is stocky, but not overly thick, with solid overall muscle development, tapered hamstrings and a thick chest, broad shoulders and defined calves...Lacks the ideal size to play strong-side linebacker
Range Moves well laterally, but is best when making tackles inside vs. wide plays...mooth and flexible when giving chase...shows enough range to the sideline to push the run back inside
Strength Natural pop and strength to bring down ballcarriers on initial contact...Does not have the "sand in his pants" to stack and control double teams
Quicks/COD Changes direction well and has the acceleration to close..Has good change-of-direction agility, but is just a little stiff in his turn when working in space, with the burst to close
Cover Skills shows the feet to get good depth in his pass drops...Has the upper-body strength and hand punch to reroute tight ends and slot receivers...Can lock on and stay on the hip of short-area receivers, thanks to loose hips and quick feet to shadow...Picks up secondary receivers well in the zone and gets a quick break on the ball, showing good hands and vision to track the ball in flight and get to the pass at its high point
Ball Skills Able to anticipate and track the ball in flight
Diagnostics Instinctive player with above-average quickness and playing speed to close on the ball with good urgency...Physical tackler with a nose for the ball
Tackling Strong tackler who explodes behind his hits when striking people on contact....Effective reading the inside run and stepping up to take on the lead blocker in attempts to stack (will struggle vs. double teams)...Can stuff a fullback and clog the rush lane when he squares his shoulder and lowers his pads to stick his hat in the opponent's chest...Has decent wrap-up technique, but is better as a collision-type, drag-down tackler due to his upper-body strength (does not always keep his hands inside his frame to wrap and secure)
Sifting thru Trash Slippery getting around trash...Downhill closing speed and ability to sift for the ball through trash makes him a better prospect in the middle than the strong side...Keeps his pad level down to get inside the offensive lineman and slip blocks...Must use his hands better in attempts to avoid cut blocks
Pursuit Has a good motor chasing down the ball, but needs to generate better stop-and-go action to recover when he outruns the play...Good in his chase pursuit, but can get caught up inside due to his size
Blitz Skills Not much of a pass rusher, but on the bull rush, he can bring the heat and chase down ballcarriers from behind...Does not have the pass-rush moves to impact the pocket from an outside position...when blitzing off the edge, he lacks the array of moves to surprise blockers.
Toughness Will run a long way to deliver a hit and is a violent collision-type tackler who sells out to make plays.
Smarts Rarely caught out of position and reacts decisively to the run or pass
Intangibles Has a solid work ethic and strong leadership ability...Plays with good emotion and will give chase until the whistle.....Well-respected by the staff and has a solid work ethic, as he will do the little extras to improve
Resembles DeMeco Ryans
Rnk Player/School Ht Wt 40 BP 10 20 VJ BJ 20S 60S 3C WU
2 J Leman, Illinois 6-1 245 4.90 26 -- --     -- -- -- --

Pro Day - Had his ankle scoped, so he did not work out at combine or here at the pro day. Has yet to set a date for a private workout.

BRS - Just call me a sucker for high-effort guys. Actually, Leman doesn't run any slower than Beau Bell, and we like Leman's intangibles a bit more. And besides, this isn't a very talented crop to start off with.

The Sporting News War Room - A tackling machine who plays all over the field despite his limited speed - an old school player.

Surefire Scouting - Lacks great speed and range but possesses great character. He has good instincts, plays smart and gives a consistent effort; however, his lack of speed and limited coverage ability will likely make him a role player and special teamer in the pros.

PFW - Has the mental make-up, toughness and work ethic to make his living covering kicks but is the type of athletes teams will be always looking to upgrade.  Will make the most of every opportunity and will be difficult for coaches to cut. A winner who will have a presence in the lockerroom.

Physical Has a thick chest and broad shoulders...Has a slender lower body that needs more bulk and strength...Has had two ankle surgeries in the last year and durability issues are sure to arise...There are concerns about him adding bulk, as the additional weight will impact his adequate quickness..
Range No Info
Strength Does not always play up to his weight-room strength and struggles to hold ground at the point of attack vs. strong double-team activity...Does not have the brute strength needed to stack and control...
Quicks/COD Has marginal change-of-direction agility, making him a liability playing on the outside...
Cover Skills Showed marked improvement covering tight ends and trying to reroute the opponent...Can cover the pass in the short area because of he takes proper angles (has decent depth in his pass drops)...Needs to break down and come under control better when working in space...Must cover the pass in the short area only, as he has problems locating the ball or reading patterns properly playing in the deep third of the field (marginal zone-coverage skills).
Ball Skills No Info
Diagnostics Has a keen knack for seeing the play develop and can make situational changes with no problem....Makes very good reads coming off the snap and reacts quickly when he locates the ball...Compensates for a lack of speed by taking good angles and generally being in position to make plays.
Tackling More of a downhill tackler, but when he keeps his pads down, he is decent at locking on and dragging down the opponent....Good tackler, but struggles to adjust to ballcarriers redirecting to the cutback lanes and, while he gets a high amount of tackles, he needs to explode behind those hits.
Sifting thru Trash Has to use his hands better in attempts to protect his feet and absorbs too many blocks when he fails to use his hands...
Pursuit No Info
Blitz Skills Has a lack of speed, but works around blocks, showing a good swim move to escape the bigger one-on-one blockers...When he gets a clean lane, he can generate a short-area pursuit to pressure the pocket...an get overwhelmed by blockers when he tries to shoot the gaps
Toughness Has enough straight-line quickness to take on the lead blocker in rush lanes...adequate collision-type player with good timing closing on the action in front of him...Must do a better job of sticking his foot in the ground and anchoring, as he can get run over due to a poor base
Smarts His intelligence and field vision are his best assets...Made all the defensive calls...
Intangibles A highly emotional and vocal leader...Works hard in the training room and in practice...Solid work ethic
Resembles Nick Griesen
Rnk Player/School Ht Wt 40 BP 10 20 VJ BJ 20S 60S 3C WU
3 Beau Bell, UNLV (OLB/IL) 6-1 244 4.90 25 -- -- 28 9-1 4.56 -- 7.37 --

 Pro Day - Ran the 40 in 4.91 and 4.90, had a 28½-inch vertical jump, 9-foot, 1-inch long jump, 4.56 short shuttle, 7.37 cone drill, ran position drills. Bell had a left knee bruise -- but all he did at the combine was the bench press (25 reps), so he doesn't have numbers to fall back on.

BRS (Gollin) - Makes up for lack of speed with toughness and competitiveness. Both Sporting News and Surefire Scouting refer to prototypical speed. We don't think a 4.90 forty jibes with that.

The Sporting News War Room - He shows an internal rage that's infectious. Not a perfect prospect but his size, strength, speed, toughness and competitiveness will make him a first round pick.

Surefire Scouting - Prototypical size and speed combination for an OLB. During Senior Bowl practices, Bell looked stiff and struggled changing directions. Many scouts project Bell tiILB while he appears to be a perfect fit at OLB in a 3-4 defense.

PFW - Shows flashes of big time ability but is still raw and inconsistent and too often does not use his natural ability to dominate like he  shows he could.

Physical Has a thick frame with good bone structure, thick chest, broad shoulders, large hands and good muscle definition in his thighs and calves..
Range Naturally fast and strong, running with a normal stride and quickly accelerates...Has the functional lateral movement to fly to the action along the sideline...Quick to close on outside runs, playing with leverage and range to reach the perimeter...can quickly accelerate in space and has the speed to reach the outside ballcarrier and force the run back inside
Strength Shows strength at the point of attack, taking on the lineman or fullback with aggression, using his hands well to shed
Quicks/COD Accelerates quickly in space and shows good desire to get to the ball..He doesn't redirect quickly, but has a burst and shows desire to get to the ball...stiff in the hips and struggles to quickly redirect...plays too tall and his change-of-direction agility is marginal when he gets too high in his pads...Struggles with lateral agility in space when adjusting to cutbacks
Cover Skills Shows good acceleration to the ball in zone coverage, as he can drop into the secondary with his head on a swivel and has the acceleration to get to the receivers in the deep zone...Also shows good awareness in man coverage, mirroring the receiver in the short area before switching off on his assignment... Allows little cushion on running backs coming out of the backfield in passing situations, staying low in his pads to wrap and secure...Does not have natural hands, but they are big and thick...hows quickness to drop into coverage... lacks the stride and long foot speed to cover receivers on the outside...Lacks natural hands for the interception or pass deflection
Ball Skills Good timing and leaping ability to get to the ball at its high point.
Diagnostics Plays with awareness, reading and reacting quickly to plays in front of him...Quick to close when he locates the ball....Sees counter plays quickly...isn't real instinctive and he doesn't anticipate or get a jump on the ball
Tackling Tackles with a short punch, letting the ballcarrier know he is there, as he uses his upper-body strength to fill, stack and tackle inside the box and at the point of attack
Sifting thru Trash Finds a way to get to the ball, staying on his feet and knowing how to avoid blocks while maintaining balance on the move...Slips blocks and scrapes through seams to deliver a solid hit...Has the ability to work through traffic and finish off a tackle...doesn't show lateral agility to avoid blockers on the move.
Pursuit Shows the top-end speed to make plays in pursuit...plays with a good motor, as he is relentless in his pursuit.
Blitz Skills Comes off the edge with explosion as a pass rusher and can blast his way up the middle to track down the ball...Displays proper hand usage, anticipation, timing and vision to make good adjustments on the move when blitzing.
Toughness Will step up and take on blocks, flashing a quick shed, as he uses his strong hands to shock and jolt a lethargic defender
Smarts Instinctive athlete who has the knowledge needed to call defensive signals
Intangibles Just adequate in the classroom and does not relish practicing but is a solid playmaker ...Can play any linebacker position...Tests indicate that he has marginal ability to learn and retain information...Has a learning disability, but has shown football intelligence and the ability to adjust on the field...Needs to develop better work habits, as he is known for his dislike for practices and needs direction and monitoring when it comes to his training regimen...Will not play through injuries...Some view this as an excuse to not practice, as there have been those who have questioned his mental toughness and his ability to play hard if he thinks he is not completely healthy...Plays well in the team concept, but can be a loner when he's not involved on the field
Resembles Napolean Harris
Rnk Player/School Ht Wt 40 BP 10 20 VJ BJ 20S 60S 3C WU
4 Philip Wheeler, Georgia Tech 6-2 240 4.66 24 1.59 2.72 36 10-2 4.36 -- 7.11 --

Pro Day - Ran the 40 in 4.73 and 4.66, had a 36 ½-inch vertical jump, 10-foot, 2-inch long jump, 4.36 short shuttle, 7.11 cone drill, ran position drills.

Senior Bowl - Wheeler was aggressive filling holes vs. the run; he reads and reacts quickly and has burst to fill fast. He was constantly around the ball, making or disrupting tons of plays.

BRS (Gollin) - He's versatile and multi-faceted but is a bit less physical than I like in my inside LB's. But he's got good speed and range and had a good Senior Bowl week.

The Sporting News War Room - Is impressive because he is productive in all facets of defense. Has played inside or outside but fits best as a MLB in a Tampa 2 defense.

Surefire Scouting - Lacks the size and strength to be an every down ILB, but his talents could be utilized on passing downs. Ultimately he is best suited for a Tampa-2 defense.

PFW - Needs to be able to take angles to the ball and slip blockers (rather than face up blockers, play physical and shed blocks)

Physical Not muscle-bound but has the potential to carry more bulk with the thick lower body and wide shoulders, along with large hands you look for in a middle linebacker...Has wide shoulders, but is not really muscular and could use further upper-body development to add strength
Range Has just adequate speed to chase the ball outside...Does not have the range to get wide for an outside running play, but keeps his feet on the move and can strike with good pop on contact in the open
Strength Because of his lack of strength, he struggles to defeat blocks when working in-line, especially vs. double teams...When he stays in position and plays square, he can fill the inside holes...Has only adequate strength to take on blocks and doesn't use his hands well, causing him to struggle to separate from blockers when playing in a phone booth
Quicks/COD A bit stiff in his hips, failing to open them properly when dropping back in pass coverage and struggling to break down and tackle in space...Has just adequate speed and change-of-direction agility, appearing a step behind, at times, when chasing the ball and navigating through traffic...His tight hips contribute to his issues tackling in space and he shows just adequate straight-line speed to flow to the ball, looking stiff when trying to redirect or move laterally when trying to navigate through traffic.
Cover Skills Can mirror short-area receivers, but needs to get more aggressive with his hands in attempts to reroute them, as he allows too many easy short throws to be caught...Must improve his hand placement and punch, or he will continue to struggle to shed tight ends...Must show better cutting ability from his breaks, as he will take false steps in transition, especially when he is forced out of his pedal too early by a receiver eating up his cushion and getting behind him...Shows adequate ability to turn, open, and get depth in his pass drops, but is too rigid in his movement and has only adequate quickness and hip snap to cover ground in a hurry......Poor playmaker in zone coverage
Ball Skills Although he can make plays on passes he has a shot at, he lacks natural ball skills or hands
Diagnostics Gets fooled on play action, but has better instincts vs. the run...Can track the ball quickly vs. plays in front of him (struggles to see the ball with his back to the quarterback in passing situations)...When he is able to locate the ball, he reads and reacts quickly, making good adjustments on the move...Shows decent awareness and instincts to locate the ball on inside runs and has good quickness to shoot gaps and disrupt play
Tackling When he keeps his pads down, he can push back and drive through the ballcarrier...A hard hitter who knocks ballcarriers back on contact, but struggles to break down, as he leaves his feet often
Sifting thru Trash Has just enough change-of-direction agility to get through some traffic jams...Does get covered up working inside...does not reach into blocks well, causing him to get engulfed the offensive linemen...
Pursuit Showed marginal desire in his long pursuit during his senior year.
Blitz Skills Times his blitzes well and shows good awareness to shoot gaps and apply pressure...as just adequate speed, but flashes some burst to close on the quarterback and finish his rushes...Shows the anticipation off the snap to find a clean rush lane and bring heat to flush the quarterback out of the pocket...lacks the strength to clear his own lane when trying to blitz
Toughness He can strike and bounce off a lineman when he keeps them off his body...Not really a stacker, especially vs. bigger linemen, but when he plays at a good pad level, he will stall a fullback and not hesitate to attack the rush lanes
Smarts Smart player, but is better diagnosing vs. the run than pass.
Intangibles Not a vocal leader. That role seemed to affect his performance as a senior, and some believe he's better when he doesn't have to think so much...dequate worker in the offseason and needs to be monitored in the weight room
Resembles Will Witherspoon
Rnk Player/School Ht Wt 40 BP 10 20 VJ BJ 20S 60S 3C WU
5 Jerod Mayo*, Tennessee 6-1 237 4.56 22 1.52 2.57 40 9-5 4.29 11.88 7.32 --

Pro Day - Had a 40 ½-inch vertical jump, did 22 reps in the bench press, ran position drills and kept his numbers from the combine for everything else.

BRS (Gollin) - Fasted of the top echelon of ILB's. Only 'If" is the condition of his knees.

The Sporting News War Room - Should be productive in either a 4-3 or 3-4.

Surefire Scouting - Adequate in pass coverage. Plays with adequate knee bend - which enables him to make explosive tackles. Biggest concern is his past history of knee injuries. If he is cleared medically, Mayo has the instincts, competitiveness and explosiveness to start in the NFL.

PFW - Looked much more natural when he was protected and free to roam to the ball.

Physical Has a well-built frame with thick bone structure, long arms, large hands, tight waist and hips and good-sized legs and calves...Has good speed and weight-room strength,
Range Shows the speed needed to reach the outside...Fluid moving down the line, showing the loose hips and lateral range to give long chase to the opposite end of the field...Naturally fast when playing downhill and has the foot quickness and flexibility to close on the play in a hurry
Strength Shows functional strength at the point of attack, taking on the lineman or fullback with aggression, but does struggle some vs. double teams...Not stout enough to stack and control in tight areas
Quicks/COD Can adjust on the move...His change-of-direction agility lets him turn and run smoothly coming out of his breaks and shows good desire to close on the ball.
Cover Skills Allows very little cushion on running backs coming out of the backfield in passing situations...Shows good awareness in man coverage, mirroring the receiver in the short area before switching off on his assignment...Anticipates the pass well and has the loose hips and quickness to gain position and run with the receivers anywhere on the field...Gets good zone drops due to his hip flexibility, showing the quick feet to fluidly turn and stay tight on his man in pass coverage.....Plays alert in the deep third of the field and can drop into zone coverage with his head on a swivel, with the burst and acceleration to get to the receivers in the secondary...Lacks natural hands needed to field the ball cleanly (double catches or lets the ball get into his body, greatly reducing his interception opportunities and turning them into deflections instead)
Ball Skills His ability tracking the ball in flight stands out on film.
Diagnostics Quick to read and react to keys (sees the big picture and works hard to get to the ball)...Sees counter plays quickly and plays with a good motor, showing urgency when closing
Tackling Needs to finish better as a tackler, as he is more finesse than he is a physical hitter and will get a bit sloppy and take a side or throw a shoulder, resulting in ballcarriers breaking free...Productive open-field tackler and playmaker...Better tackling outside than inside against bigger blockers, but he hits with good force upon initial contact and does a nice job staying in control....
Sifting thru Trash Knows how to avoid blocks while maintaining balance on the move...nice job of staying on his feet...Difficult for blockers to locate, as he's always moving...Can avoid trash on his way to cut off the ballcarrier...needs to be more active with his hands in attempts to shed, as he can be absorbed by bigger blockers
Pursuit Hand usage, pursuit skills and depth in his zone drops are better suited for the weak side
Blitz Skills Comes off the edge with explosion as a pass rusher and can blast his way around wide bodies, take a big loop and still track down the ball...Has very good timing vision when closing on the quarterback, as he plays with proper speed and a good understanding for taking angles (better to blitz from the outside, as he can get stacked and stopped inside)....Better coming off the edge, where he has good swim and spin moves in attempts to pressure the pocket (can get ping-ponged when trying to bull rush)...
Toughness Good aggression taking on lead blockers...Has stack-and-control ability taking on the fullback...Better suited for a defensive system that will allow him to cover up, read and move, rather than one that requires Mayo step up and plug holes at the line...Needs to step up and plug the holes at the line of scrimmage and seems a little slow to scrape downhill.
Smarts Smart athlete who calls defensive signals
Intangibles Better fit on the outside, as he appears more comfortable making plays on the move rather than having to impact the inside rush lanes....Strong presence in the huddle...Plays with injuries that would sideline most (might need further medical review of his knee injuries)...Does the extra film work needed to prepare for games and has no problem taking plays from the chalkboard to the playing field...Plays with a good attitude and is mentally tough, working to get back on the field as soon as he can if injured...Can play any linebacker position
Resembles Randall Godfrey
Rnk Player/School Ht Wt 40 BP 10 20 VJ BJ 20S 60S 3C WU
6 Ezra Butler, Nevada 6-1 240 4.51 18 -- -- 39   4.17 -- 7.15 --

Pro Day - Ran the 40 in 4.51 and 4.57. Had a 39-inch vertical jump, 7.15 cone drill, 4.17 short shuttle and 18 reps in the bench press. Ran position drills.

BRS (Gollin) - Outstanding timed speed, but plays slower than he's timed. Raw. Needs a lot of technique work. But a team deep in talent could afford to let him sit and learn for a year or so until his production catches up with his potential.

The Sporting News War Room -Has elite athleticism and warrants a a high draft grade despite tailing off in his senior year.

Surefire Scouting - Has a great combination of size, speed and athletic ability but is still in the development stage of his career. A big hitter who sometimes misses tackles going for the knockout blow. Takes too long to make the transition into pass coverage.

PFW - A big, fast strong-side LB who moves well for his size and will test well in workouts., but he does not play fast mentally or physically and has underachieved throughout his career.

Physical Has a well-developed frame with long arms, large hands, good overall muscle tone, wide hips and thick lower body that can carry another 10 pounds of bulk...Has a well-built frame, but played at 285 pounds in 2004, and while he can add another 10 pounds of bulk to his frame it could affect one of his better assets - his foot speed...
Range Has rare speed for a player his size, but fails to keep his feet on the move at times and lacks that sudden burst needed to get to the perimeter to take on outside run plays
Strength No Info
Quicks/COD Runs well to plays in front of him, showing good quickness, agility and balance...Has better instincts vs. plays in front of him or inside the box than when on the move or in zone coverage...or a player with his decent change of direction agility, he looks too awkward moving in space and gets out of control at times, taking arm swipes rather than getting into position to wrap and secure (lots of missed tackles)...
Cover Skills Although he doesn't play well in deep coverage, he has the speed to run with any back or tight end as well as many wide receivers (needs to learn how to stay on the hip of the route runner and not eye the quarterback as much as he does)...Shows athleticism while dropping into zone coverage and can get depth in his drops, but needs to do this quicker and show better awareness to handle switch-off activity in zone coverage...Adequate covering the pass in the short area, but has a choppy backpedal and fails to generate the hip snap needed to come out of his breaks cleanly to mirror the receiver throughout the route...Liability playing in the deep zone, as he does no
Ball Skills Doesn't have a good feel for the ball in flight (struggles to look the ball in over his shoulder)...
Diagnostics Needs to get a quicker read on the quarterback in pass coverage, as he will eye the backfield too long and lacks ideal recognition skills (will bite on pump fakes/play-action)....Sees the plays develop better when closer to the line of scrimmage...
Tackling Willing tackler with strong, explosive hits and when he keeps the action in front of him, he generates good pop on contact.
Sifting thru Trash Slow to shed blocks...Tries to over-power blockers rather than slip past or avoid, causing him to be tied up in the battle longer than he should ...A tough inside force who might not shed well but can occupy multiple blockers......Shows better discipline working through trash and plugging rush lanes rather than giving chase on the perimeter...Will usually play on that perimeter, but shows the ability to engage, shed and make tackles in the hole better
Pursuit Gives a nice effort in pursuit, when he avoids blocks on the move...Gets reckless in his pursuit, out-running the play and then struggles to get back into the action
Blitz Skills Flashes the ability to redirect and has a strong closing burst on the blitz...Comes off the edge well and fights through traffic to get to the quarterback...More active on the move while blitzing, with a strong, explosive arm swipes that lets him get to the passer when unimpeded...Is just an average pass rusher from the classic linebacker stance, but is a more effective rusher with his hand on the ground (good 5-tech rush end)...When he uses his hands to prevent from getting hung up in traffic, he can generate the short-area burst to close and pressure the pocket...Good blitzer, but needs to show more explosion coming off the edge and execute better angles when he has a clear lane (takes a wide loop)...
Toughness Not a smash-mouth type of hitter, but does show good force behind his hits...Could be more explosive shooting his hands at the point of attack, but his size and strength let him win most of his battles vs. smaller blockers (full-backs, slot receivers, tight ends)...
Smarts No Info
Intangibles Highly emotional type who can fire up his teammates, but sometimes gets reckless and out of control (must play at a more even keel, as he can be taken out of his game)...Hard worker in practices and in the training room...Needs to mature off the field, as his violation of team policies resulted in a one-game suspension in 2007...Gets frustrated when his initial move fails and when he doesn't keep his emotions in check, it usually leads to costly mistakes...Will disappear for long stretches
Resembles David Bowens
Rnk Player/School Ht Wt 40 BP 10 20 VJ BJ 20S 60S 3C WU
7 Tavares Gooden, Miami (FL) 6-1 232 4.57 23 1.55 2.63 35 9-10 -- -- -- --
Pro Day - Ran his first 40 in 4.57 and pulled up on his second with a 4.65 finish. He had a 32½-inch vertical jump, and kept everything else from the combine.

BRS (Gollin) - Another one of those Miami guys who has to unlearn bad habits. Very nice speed and quicks. Good motor. A bit porcelain, and must stay on the playing field and out of the trainers' room to succeed at the next level.

The Sporting News War Room - His speed and coverage ability make him a real asset in today's game where NFL teams require MLB's to get down the field in deep coverage.

Surefire Scouting = No write up

PFW - Big, fast and athletic. Has the physical ability to develop into a very good starter but will need to be retrained out of the bad habits he was taught at Miami.

Physical Has a linear frame with room to carry at least another 10 pounds of bulk without having it impact his timed speed...Has a very well-defined body with a tight abdomen, broad shoulders, thick chest, good arm length, large hands and tapered thighs and calves
Range Has outstanding closing speed and burst...above-average range...Has the speed to make plays while in downhill pursuit and shows the ability to easily run with tight ends and halfbacks in the short area
Strength Fails to use weight-room strength when trying to plug the holes
Quicks/COD Has a quick first step to attack at the point...
Cover Skills Shows the timed speed and quickness to run to landmarks in pass coverage and to get good depth in his drops...Bit of a liability in pass coverage, as he doesn't open his hips well to come out of his breaks cleanly and mirror the receiver through the route...Bites on play-action often and lacks a good feel for pocket movement.
Ball Skills Must work on tracking the ball in flight, as he fails to locate with his back to the QB
Diagnostics Not the most instinctive player, as it takes him some time to diagnose plays
Tackling Plays low and fast, making him a force vs. the outside run, where he recovers quicker off blocks than when working inside....Shows explosion on contact to drag down ballcarriers...Face-up tackler who delivers a blow on contact and hits with leverage and good wrap-up technique
Sifting thru Trash Needs to get more separation with his arm extension, but has enough pop on contact to shed and stack, when he stays low in his pads and uses his hands to protect himself from cut blocks...When he plays physically with his hands, he uses them well to maintain separation and shed.
Pursuit Has the pursuit speed to generate a long chase
Blitz Skills Has the burst to close on the quarterback as a pass rusher, but must show better recognition skills, as he does hesitate and look slow trying to locate the ball on rare occasions that he penetrates the backfield...Can flatten down the line as a pass rusher, using his hands well to get separation, but must generate better hip snap to deliver a sudden burst to close on the quarterback
Toughness Must show better toughness ...attacks with good strength,  and good urgency
Smarts Does need several reps to retain plays..
Intangibles Aggressive player who will compete until the whistle, but must spend less time in the trainer's room (injuries impact his performance and he won't play hurt)
Resembles Jordan Beck
Rnk Player/School Ht Wt 40 BP 10 20 VJ BJ 20S 60S 3C WU
8 Jo-Lonn Dunbar, Boston Coll. 6-0 231 4.80 18 1.53 2.70 33 9-4 4.45 --