Arizona Cardinals 2008 Draft Prospects

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Outside 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. Surefire Scouting = Purple. PFW = Blue

LaBoy, Stewart and Haggans help to replenish this depleted unit in the wake of departures by Blackstock, Pace and Brandon Johnson. We've pretty much exhausted our discussion of OLB needs in the DE section - namely that, between the two positions, we could use more pass rushing "oomph" to bolster what we have in Okeafor, Berry, A Smith and now LaBoy - i.e. a Keith Rivers if he fell to us at #16) but more likely someone like Quentin Groves, Cliff Avril or a Phillip Merling in round 2 or 3

Name/School

20S

60S

Keith Rivers, USC

6-2

232

4.54

10-7

4.38

Senior Bowl - Was clearly the elite linebacker for the North team today, and he showed why people are confident in his ability to be a highly productive NFL linebacker. While Dizon has slightly quicker feet, Rivers is a close second, and he then showed the best playing speed of any linebacker by getting out to the sideline with ease. Rivers was also smooth and fluid in coverage drills; he had no trouble flipping his hips and running with tight ends and running backs.

BRS (Gollin) - Top LB prospect by far and should definitely be gone by the 15th pick if not earlier. Additional attribute is that he can play any of the three (or four) LB positions. If he were somehow to fall to us at #16 (though extremely unlikely) the Cards would have to think hard before passing on him.

The Sporting News War Room - An elite athlete who flies around the field making impact plays. He can do it all.

Surefire Scouting - Lacked game to game consistency and disappeared from a few contests. Unquestionably, Rivers is a first round talent but the complete package leaves more to be desired.

PFW - Will become a solid starter in the league and should have a 10 year career. Ability to be an interchangeable three-position LB will add to his value.

Physical	Has a well-defined frame with thick legs and arms, along with room on his upper body to add more bulk (looks a bit like a strong safety).
Range	Does work well through traffic, showing desire and quick acceleration to reach the outside
Strength	Lacks power to split double teams (will get pushed), but he works hard to fill the rush lanes...Has enough functional strength to drag the ballcarrier down and will not hesitate to take on the lead blocker in attempts to clog the rush lanes...Lacks the lower body strength to gain much penetration on the bull rush and will struggle to shed vs. the bigger blockers, especially vs. double-team action
Quicks/COD	Has good foot quickness, agility, balance and body control on contact, staying low in his pads to prevent the opponent from slipping off his hits
Cover Skills	.Has the loose hips to drop back in pass coverage, but is a bit of a liability here as he is susceptible to pump fakes ...Has the quickness to run with backs and tight ends in the short-area passing game, using his hands well to reroute...Lacks great anticipation in man coverage, but will accelerate and close when he locates the ball...Can get a good jump on the route, when he does not eye the quarterback too long...Has the leaping ability to compete for jump balls...Will guess at the receiver's routes at times, but he has the hip snap and body flexibility to recover...Can drop in the zone with his head on a swivel
Ball Skills	No info
Diagnostics	Does not read keys all the time, but will move and close once he sees the play develop...Does a good job of keeping plays in front of him, running with a normal stride while showing the ability to quickly accelerate and close on the ball...Has the quickness to close in a hurry, but will lose sight of the ball in a crowd
Aggressiveness	Active and aggressive closing on the ball...shows urgency closing on the ball once he locates it...Shows aggressiveness and quickness to step up and take on the runner between the tackles...Needs to attack the line of scrimmage more often than he did as a senior,
Tackling	Needs to improve his wrap-tackle technique...Physical tackler who uses his hands with authority to get to the ball...heavy hitter once he gets into position to make the play...Needs to do a better job of staying in control when tackling, but has enough arm strength to drag the ballcarrier down (likes to arm tackle and take angles)...Tries to make the big play on the ball rather than wrap
Sifting thru Trash	Must do a better job sifting through trash...Has good balance sifting through trash, staying on his feet through trash and bounces up quickly when knocked down...Uses his hands well to reroute and combat tight ends, showing active hands to control and shed blockers....Best making plays on the move (can be washed out of the play when he tries to battle when stationary)
Blitz Skills	Needs to have a clear path to the quarterback, as he has been exposed for strength issues when trying to shoot the gaps...Has a good burst on the blitz, but is slow to locate the quarterback and will out-run the passer
Toughness	No info
Smarts	Will get fooled by play-action and pump fakes and does just an adequate job of looking up receivers.
Intangibles	Average student,...Hard worker in the training program and is the team leader in the locker room and in practices...Will chase until the whistle...Just an adequate student and might have problems digesting a complicated playbook
Resembles	Kendrell Bell

Name/School

20S

60S

Xavier Adibi, Va. Tech

6-1

231

4.62

1.58

2.71

9-3

4.18

6.91

Ran the 40 in 4.68 and 4.62, had a 33-inch vertical jump, 9-foot 2-inch long jump, 4.18 short shuttle, 6.91 cone drills, 18 reps in the bench press and ran position drills.

Senior Bowl - Adibi looked good in both man-to-man and zone coverage and had the speed to run with tight ends down the field. He chased plays well and took good angles to the ball.

BRS (Gollin) - He's fast enough. May not be real tough, but he has a nose for the ball and can get to the QB and pursue vs. the run. Would look good as a WILL backer in our defense.

The Sporting News War Room - It's easy to fall in love with Adibi because he's always around the ball and makes a lot of highlight hits. Best as a 4-3 WILL

Surefire Scouting - An undersized, instinctive, quicker-than-fast, quick flowing LB. Lacks the speed to play safety and may not possess the toughness to excel at LB. His best opportunity for success will be with a team that employs a Tampa-2 scheme.

PFW - Very rangy playmaker who can blanket the field to stop the run, match up with top-flight athletes and cover a lot of ground in coverage.

Physical	Has a tight midsection, very long arms, with a good reach...Has improved his overall bulk, but still has room on his frame for more weight without having it impact his quickness...Has added needed bulk to his frame, but has just adequate upper-body muscle development and smooth arms..
Range	Has a motor for pursuit and downfield involvement, demonstrating the lateral movement and change-of-direction agility to flow from sideline to sideline...Has the speed to chase and close on the move...Better fit as an outside linebacker, where his speed would be put to better use...More suited for weak-side than on the strong-side...
Strength	Lacks the strength to play in the middle or on the strong side, but will combat at the point of attack...Despite his weight-room strength, power does not always translate to the playing field...Does not have the hand strength needed to reroute tight ends and backs in the passing game...Gets tied up often when trying to engage the larger blockers
Quicks/COD	Has very good hip flexibility and change-of-direction skills... quickness to cover tight ends and receivers in the slot...,
Cover Skills	Natural hands to extend and catch the ball outside his frame...good depth on his pass drops for a potential shift to weak-side linebacker or strong safety...Demonstrates the burst to close and times leaps well to break up passes...Has the flexible hips and quick feet to mirror a receiver's breaks...Has loose hips to flip with speed to get deep and cover the middle of the field....Has the speed to mirror receivers on deep routes and shows the feet to stay tight with the opponent working underneath...Focuses on the quarterback's eyes during his pass drop, using his quickness to get proper depth...Has a feel for his area in pass coverage, with the range to cover the field, as he shows alertness in zone coverage, reacting quickly to throws...
Ball Skills	Possess the natural hands to make plays in front of him and shows good ball skills to make the interception..
Diagnostics	Needs to read the snap count better to prevent penalties...Instinctive player who finds a way to the ball...Might be a bit slow at times to see the play develop, but once he locates the ball, he closes with good urgency...Has good field vision, but is a bit slow reading and reacting to the play and must be quicker in his diagnostic skills...takes false steps and needs to throttle down a bit to redirect when he outruns the play
Aggressiveness	Can get to the line with suddenness, taking on the inside run with his shoulder downhill...quick to close when he gets a clean lane to the ball...
Tackling	Not a strong face-up tackler, but has had success taking a side in his chase...Despite his weight-room strength, power does not always translate to the playing field...Has to work on his tackle technique, as he does not always attack the outside leg of the ballcarrier and spends more time grabbing at the runner rather than driving through with his hits...More of a drag-down, ankle-biter as a tackler than one with classic wrap-up technique...Even when he gets into position and stays low in his pads, he fails to generate enough force behind his hits to drive the ballcarrier back...,
Sifting thru Trash	Works through traffic aggressively, flashing lateral quickness...Is much better reading hats and tracking the ball when aligned outside than when working through trash inside...Struggles to shed when blitzing inside...Slips blockers on plays that flow away from him and recognizes and reacts quickly to runs to the outside...struggles to sift through traffic when playing in the middle...Must develop better counter moves and keep his hands inside his frame better when trying to disengage from blocks...Has good lateral agility, but needs to be more alert to his surroundings, as he will trip over bodies on the ground rather than side-stepping the trash...
Blitz Skills	Has a sudden first step and balance to slip past and avoid blockers in traffic...Uses his quickness and speed to squeeze the edge on blitzes...Needs a free lane in order to pressure the pocket, as he gets ping-ponged often trying to shoot the inside gaps and he lacks the anchor to sit and clog the rush lanes...
Toughness	Plays until the whistle and shows toughness taking on bigger blockers...
Smarts	Plays with good football intelligence and awareness.
Intangibles	Leads by example and can handle hard coaching...Must be more alert to pre-snap movement and the cadence of the snap to reduce his off-side penalties...
Resembles	Michael Boley

Name/School

20S

60S

Quentin Groves, Auburn

6-3

249

4.57

1.58

2.69

10-0

4.42

7.32

Pro Day - Weighed in 10 pounds less than he did last month at the combine, and he had a 35-inch vertical jump -- 5½-inches better than he did at the combine. Ran position drills and kept his other numbers from the combine.

BRS (Gollin) - Considered by some to be the best pass rusher in this draft, and the guys on SIRIUS Radio had a long discussion about whether he might sneak into the first round. If it weren't for the durability concern and his underachieving production in college, we'd have rated him ahead of Adibi and possibly RIvers.

The Sporting News War Room - Could be a dominant force but never has played to the level he was capable of at Auburn.

Surefire Scouting Tweener type size but great athletic ability. Has the speed and athleticism to convert to OLB but might be best suited as a rush end in a 4-man defensive front. Only he knows the extent to which his injury affected his senior performance. A subpar season combined with durability concerns and the uncertain position identity will likely push him further down the board than previously expected.

PFW - A marginal competitor (at DE) and is not physical enough to be seriously considered on the first day. Could warrant consideration as a 3-4 rush LB.

Physical	Has a lean, yet athletic frame with a V-shaped torso, tight abdomen, good muscle tone, thick thighs and calves and a very long arm reach to keep blockers off his body or extend for the thrown ball outside his frame...Has very good muscle tone, but is a bit thin-looking across the chest...
Range	No info
Strength	Does not have the strength needed to battle constantly with an offensive lineman at the X's,...Will wear down later in games due to constantly battling with blockers much bigger than him at the X's and is better served playing off the line...lacks size and bulk to over-power bigger people
Quicks/COD	Shows the lateral range and change of direction agility needed to quickly adapt to playing linebacker at the next level...Closes with a sharp burst and has good angle concept slashing into the backfield through inside gaps...Shows outstanding suddenness and acceleration off the snap and to shoot gaps and disrupt the backfield..With his explosive take-off quickness, he has had good success beating offensive tackles upfield, as he is quick to turn over and reach his top speed...Has the short area balance to turn the corner and chase down the play on the move...With his great forward burst, he closes in a flash, wrapping and exploding into the quarterback...Moves well to contain the toss sweep and is very quick to counter and change direction...Explosive wrap-up tackler who delivers pop on contact, doing a nice job of attacking the runner's outside leg to impede the ballcarrier's forward progress...
Cover Skills	Has the loose hips and smooth backpedal, along with the speed to mirror the receiver through the route...
Ball Skills	No info
Diagnostics	Displays good field awareness to diagnose plays and quickly track the ball...Shows good alertness on the field, diagnosing the play quickly, showing urgency closing on the ball...Has good ball location instincts and is quick to diagnose the plays, playing with high energy to close on the ball..an be fooled by pump fakes and play action (still developing a linebacker's mentality and must be more alert to the ball in flight)...
Aggressiveness	No info
Tackling	Fun to watch making tackles in the open field, as he willingly hurls his body at the opponent...
Sifting thru Trash	Has outstanding foot quickness and stays low in his pads to easily avoid the slower blockers...When a blocker tries to reach him, he can generate a strong hand punch and is quick to reset and separate from blockers...Has the lateral range to slide and avoid in-line trouble (struggles to take on and shed, however)...Needs to be more consistent using his lateral moves, but he is able to get down the line of scrimmage and close suddenly from the back side...
Blitz Skills	Relentless pass rusher who compensates for a lack of size and bulk with tremendous suddenness coming off the snap...Shows very good balance and body control on the pass rush...Consistently turns the corner, flashing the burst and explosiveness needed to close on the quarterback...His knee bend flexibility lets him make the turn, redirect and dip back under when he slips past the offensive tackle...Has the ability to consistently pressure the pocket and uses his hands well to gain position...Even though he can be controlled by offensive linemen when he's reached, he is active with his hands, showing an explosive pop to separate and shed...Has a very impressive wing span and uses it well to yank smaller blockers and ball carriers to the ground...Active with his hands, especially when trying to rip and pull...Relies a lot on his suddenness to pressure the pocket and while he takes good angles to the ball and has a nifty spin move, he could use some more moves in his charge into the backfield...
Toughness	Plays with nice effort and toughness...Best making plays on the move, as his anchor is not strong to maintain at the point of attack...
Smarts	No info
Intangibles	Needs to convince scouts he can adapt to his new role as a hybrid OLB/DE)....Self-starter who is a hard worker in the training room and has become a respected and vocal leader in the locker room...Plays with a high motor, but will sometimes throttle down when not involved in the play...as had three minor off-field issues that need further clarification...
Resembles	DeMarcus Ware

Name/School

20S

60S

Bryan Kehl, BYU

6-2

237

4.56

1.56

2.66

10-2

4.18

11.75

6.54

Pro Day - Ran the 40 in 4.56 and 4.57, had a 35-inch vertical jump, 10-foot, 2-inch long jump, 4.18 short shuttle, 6.54 cone drill. Had a very good workout.

BRS (Gollin) - We're rating him higher than most. If you settled for his write-ups, you'd get the impression that he's one of those bright overachieving types who lacks athleticism. Then you look at his measurables - a 4.56 forty is nothing to sneeze about. Plus he's a high character leadership type that every team could use more of.

The Sporting News War Room - Not a flashy LB who grabs your attention with speed or explosiveness, but is strong and shows plenty of heart, hustle and intelligence.

Surefire Scouting - Great blend of size, speed and intelligence. He played OLB in a 3-4 at BYU and is best suited to play in a similar scheme in the NFL.

PFW - Was the most athletic of the LB group at the East West Shrine game and has the ability to cover ground. Could develop into a solid WILL LB.

Physical	Good frame for position. Well developed upper and lower. Broad shoulders, narrow-waist...At 6-3, 232 pounds, has prototypical size for the outside linebacker position and his athleticism and instincts make him a natural playmaker.
Range	At his best against the outside run and while in coverage -- where he can use his athleticism to make plays. He has good speed to beat the back to the outside and is relentless in pursuit...Good speed to the flanks. Pursues hard
Strength	Good overall strength.Needs to continue to work on adding strength as an inside run defending presence
Quicks/COD	Good overall athletic ability. Good quickness, acceleration and top end speed. Good leaping ability. Good explosiveness...Good change of direction
Cover Skills	Good instincts for coverage...much more comfortable in zone than man coverage.
Ball Skills	No info
Diagnostics	Kehl reads the action quickly and is athletic enough to put himself in position to make the play...Instinctive. Reads the action quickly and puts himself in position to make a play on the ball.
Aggressiveness	Aggressively takes on blockers and utilizes both strength and slippery athleticism to defeat them.
Tackling	Reliable open field tackler who flashes explosive hitting ability to separate the ball from the ball carrier...
Sifting thru Trash	Uses his hands well to disengage from blocks
Blitz Skills	Needs to incorporate different pass rush techniques when used on the blitz....Rarely used on the blitz and lacks much variety in his pass rush technique.
Toughness	No info
Smarts	No info
Intangibles	Although Kelly Poppinga gets most of the national media attention, outside linebacker Bryan Kehl is the top NFL prospect of the unit...A tireless worker on and off the field, Kehl is recognized as a team leader who does whatever it takes to win...High character player who is willing to work hard to improve...Will enter the league older (24) than most rookies due to two year church mission...Hard worker who may be maxed out.
Resembles	No info

Name/School

20S

60S

Erin Henderson*, Maryland

6-2

244

4.74

1.60

2.73

9-4

4.51

7.15

BRS (Gollin) - So OK, part of our high rating is due to our high regard of his brother, EJ. Has the skills and the "wanna" - only nagging concern might be his lack of impactful straight line speed. (Note - I'm also partial to Terp players - when you check back into previous drafts, you'll find that some Maryland players are picked later than their pro performance demonstrated).

The Sporting News War Room - No game changer but projects as a solid NFL starter (best suited to play on the weak side)

Surefire Scouting - Covers a large portion of the field, plays hard and hustles to the ball. His pass coverage is adequate. Not a finished product. Must improve his strength and coverage skills. A natural fit at OLB in a 4-3 defense. Henderson will be a productive player for years to come.

PFW - Has a lot of natural ability that cannot be taught. Would fit best as a weakside LB in a cover 2 scheme where he's not asked to take on blockers and action is funneled his way.

Physical	Has a solid upper body build with decent muscle definition in his lower frame... Has a firm midsection, loose and fluid hips and less than 11 percent body fat...Has good arm definition and thick calves...could use at least another 10 pounds of bulk, but his frame might be at maximum growth potential without having the added weight impact his playing speed...
Range	Has the burst to head off ballcarriers on the corners and runs down his opponent with good urgency...Can redirect and pursue inside on plays away from him...With his acceleration, he consistently makes plays in space, going well with the flow of the ball, as he sifts through trash and executes a sudden burst to close...
Strength	Lacks ideal bulk and is not stout at the point of attack...
Quicks/COD	Has the balance and agility to redirect with no wasted motion...Has quick acceleration to close on plays in front of him and good ability to move laterally and give chase at the opposite end of the field...
Cover Skills	Struggles a bit when dropping back in zone coverage...Has the speed to run with backs coming out of the backfield and the hip rotation to mirror...Shows decent anticipation and timing on the blitz, but is better when containing than pressing at the X's...still learning proper zone concepts (sometimes late with his anticipation and tracking the ball in flight)...has just an adequate feel in the passing game as he gets just adequate depth on his pass drops and needs to play with his head more on a swivel...
Ball Skills	Even though he has four interceptions during his career, he is not a natural pass catcher as he will body and double-catch the ball (also must show better concentration to look the ball in)...
Diagnostics	Usually in position to make the play, as he generally makes quick reads...Plays patiently and in control (never penalized) and has no problems identifying what the offense throws in front of him
Aggressiveness	Not as active with his hands as you would want from a linebacker trying to reroute or press a receiver, but when he does latch on or shoot his hands, he does so with good force to jolt
Tackling	Solid overall tackler with the strength to take down the ballcarrier or drive the opponent back...Brings a good little thump when attacking inside the rush lanes and is a solid face-up tackler who will wrap securely as well as chase down...Good run stuffer, but tends to run around or use his wrong shoulder trying to play off blocks, resulting in him losing some leverage...
Sifting thru Trash	Shows good quickness and does a nice job of protecting his feet from low blocks when working down the line...has the slippery moves to avoid ...Stays low in his pads and keeps blockers off his feet in attempts to neutralize the weak-side running attack...Sifts through trash and has a good burst to close, but spends so much time trying to avoid blocks that he is sometimes late getting involved in the action...
Blitz Skills	Can be sudden coming off the edge and closes fast on the pocket when given a free lane...
Toughness	Just needs to be more aggressive taking on blocks, as he tries too much to avoid and this sometimes makes him late getting back to the ball)...Will wrong-shoulder at times, but shows good courage stepping up to fill the gaps...
Smarts	No info
Intangibles	Has excellent work habits and pushes himself hard in the training room (coaches had to constantly order and sometimes even threaten him last year to stay off the practice field, as he was frustrated he could not take part in the weekly activities with the staff trying to save him for game action instead)...Has grown into his leadership role and shows the ability to easily grasp a complicated game plan...Even when he gets absorbed working inside, he gives good effort and refuses to quit...Has battled left knee problems since 2005
Resembles	Angelo Crowell

Name/School

20S

60S

Dan Connor, Penn State

6-2

231

4.67

9-7

4.25

6.78

Pro Day - Ran the 40 in 4.67 and 4.71, had a 35-inch vertical jump, 9-foot, 7-inch long jump, 4.25 short shuttle, 6.78 cone drill, 21 reps in the bench press, ran position drills.

Senior Bowl - Connor showed good instincts and awareness. He was quick to read and react to the play and was consistently around the ball. He was aggressive and tough at the point of attack. He did, though, look a little stiff dropping in coverage and did not show the top-end speed to chase plays from sideline to sideline.

BRS (Gollin) - Some think he's the second coming of Paul Posluszny. Others feel he lacks Paul's athleticism. He might have a long, productive NFL career, but we're not ready to anoint him. Perhaps, if he weighed 10 - 15 pounds more (with no loss of speed) he might be ideal played inside.

The Sporting News War Room - Has received a ton of publicity but lacks the athleticism to be an elite NFL player.

Surefire Scouting - A big strong, active and aggressive LB who can play both inside and outside but is best suited for the inside. Comparable to Posluszny except he displays more athleticism and better speed. Connor has the appearance of a long-time consistent starter who will bring some position flexibility with him to the NFL.

PFW - He isn't as fast or athletic as Paul Posluszny but he plays more physical and is better taking on blocks. His versatility could increase his value. Lack of girth keeps him outside.

Physical	Has good upper-body thickness, broad shoulders and a big back with good definition in his arms and chest (lower-body frame needs further development)...Has adequate muscle mass but good definition, and shows just marginal thickness in his calves and ankles, making it questionable whether he can plant his foot and anchor vs. a strong double team...
Range	Possesses good speed and initial quickness...Possesses the speed and burst to make plays while moving toward the sideline...Needs to be more fluid is his sideline pursuit...Has the lateral quickness to work down the line, but lacks the second gear needed to chase and is much better in the box...Better playing between the tackles, as he doesn't have the timed speed to get to the corner to force the outside running game back inside...
Strength	Bit top-heavy and can be driven off the ball because of a lack of a good anchor at the point of attack...His narrow base causes him to struggle shedding blocks vs. the bigger blockers...
Quicks/COD	Shows good mobility to slip blocks and good change-of-direction agility moving down the line...but compensates for a lack of explosion out of his breaks by taking good angles to the ball...
Cover Skills	Lacks fluidness in his backpedal and takes false steps in transition, making him a bit of a liability handling receivers outside the short area....Has enough hip snap to turn on the ball in flight and can locate underneath targets. ..
Ball Skills	Times leaps to break up passes, reading the quarterback's eyes well to react to the ball in flight...Lacks natural hands for the interception...Can extend for the ball away from the frame, but prefers to use his body to catch...
Diagnostics	Reads plays quickly, getting in good position to make the play before blocks develop...Has a good knack for recognizing blocking schemes, getting his hat right into the action to wipe out draws and screens...
Aggressiveness	No info
Tackling	Can slip blocks and deliver a blow to the ballcarrier....Nice job of breaking down and tackling when in space...Not really a big hitter, but is a reliable tackler who can break down and will face up and wrap tackler working in space...hits with good pop, keeping his head up and wrapping with his arms...
Sifting thru Trash	Uses his hands well to bounce off blockers and jam tight ends at the line...Usually in position to make inside plays and, while he has some problems getting over trash, he plays with good leverage and knee-bend when he keeps his pad level down...has the ability to play well in the flow in attempts to get to the ball...Uses his hands well to control short-area receivers and can generate good leverage on the outside when he uses his hands to defeat blocks...Not physical in his attempts to shed blocks and needs to improve his overall strength and use his hands better, as he struggles to take on and shed blocks when working in-line... Needs to stay lower in his pads and use his hands better to avoid cut blocks...When he gets high in his stance and keeps his hands outside the framework, linemen can wash him out...
Blitz Skills	Shows good timing and anticipation on the blitz, but needs to develop a variety of moves...Is frustrated when his initial move fails, as he does not always find the rush lane, making him more of a contain than a press type...When he takes a straight shot into the backfield, he shows good timing on the blitz, but he lacks an array of moves to execute if his initial one fails...Adequate blitzer, but he will need to develop better pass-rush moves rather than just a straight-forward charge, to be successful doing this at the next level...
Toughness	Is not stout at the point of attack and but will not hesitate to take on lead blockers and shows better toughness playing inside the tackles than on the edge...Has enough speed and toughness to be effective containing the inside running game
Smarts	Intelligent and instinctive player with the vision and instincts to locate the ball through trash
Intangibles	Hard worker in the weight room and has really matured in his training and has taken on more of a leadership role since his 2005 off-field incident...Plays with good aggression and, while he is not a vocal type, he does have command of the defensive squad on the field...Has had off-field issues in the past and while he has matured, teams will want him to show that he is accountable off the field.
Resembles	Paul Posluszny

Name/School

20S

60S

Alvin Bowen, Iowa St.

6-1

225

4.70

1.61

2.75

9-10

4.31

12.31

7.10

Pro Day - Ran the 40 in 4.70 and 4.78, had a 35-inch vertical jump, 9-foot, 9-inch long jump, 4.40 short shuttle, 7.10 cone drill, ran position workout, kept everything else from the combine.

BRS (Gollin) - That tackles per snap ratio impressed me. Good intangibles. Will hitchya. Needs technique work.

The Sporting News War Room - Was involved in a tackle every 6.2 snaps which is outstanding for a LB.

Surefire Scouting - Tall and naturally lean. Struggled trying to add weight. Opened some eyes with a solid East-West practice week. May be undersized but never missed time because of injury. His coverage skills, instincts and range make him a great fit for a Tampa-2 defensive scheme.

PFW - Must get stronger, become a more secure tackler and learn to play with more discipline to earn a job.

Physical	His length and speed make him a true sideline-to-sideline player. ... Could be viewed as a 'tweener by some teams. ...
Range	NFL teams are looking for players like Bowen who can cover the entire field...could play weak-side linebacker or even as an in-the-box safety in the right situation.
Strength	No info
Quicks/COD	Nice backpedal, can take deep drops with seemingly no effort. ... Very good change of direction laterally and coming forward out of pedal. ...
Cover Skills	No info
Ball Skills	Needs to improve ball skills to cover as a safety. ...
Diagnostics	No info
Aggressiveness	No info
Tackling	Uses long arms to wrap up in the open field and punch the ball out. ... Needs to get pads down to stop bigger backs, not just drag them down a few yards downfield.
Sifting thru Trash	No info
Blitz Skills	No info
Toughness	Will lay the wood and play violently if given the chance. ...Doesn't have great bulk to force the play on the line of scrimmage or shed blocks...
Smarts	No info
Intangibles	Great athleticism, effort and on-field enthusiasm and leadership. ...
Resembles	No info

Name/School