27. Deone Bucannon SS Washington State, 6010 211
I had him rated #24 overall and tops at the SS position, but also projected him to be drafted early in the second round. I also had him on my 7-Round "wish list" but as a second round pick, not a 1st-rounder.
While Deone didn't share the notoriety of Ha Ha and Pryor, he was known in football circles as a deluxe-hitter with better range than Clinton-Dix.
He ran a 4.49 at the combine...USA Today listed him as a "small college sleeper"...Physical run-thru defender who also racked up 6 picks, 3 forced fumbles and 4.5 tackles for losses...considered an "old school safety"..."built like a corner./hits like a safety"...a bit stiff in the hips and needs to work on man-coverage skills...Had a good positional workout on his pro day but dropped a couple of throws...Elite workout numbers in bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, 3-cone and short shuttle. Looked good in early Senior Bowl practices - "can get off the numbers in cover-2 or drop into the box vs. the run...deluxe hitter who may need to work on his angles.
52. Troy Niklas TE Notre Dame, 6060 270
I had him rated #94 overall and 5th best tight end.
Yet (because of the tight supply of TE's who can block, the affinity BA has for TE's and the way the guys I had rated higher were flying off my draft board as we neared #52), he was one of the guys I thought we might draft here.
They showed a brief highlight reel of Niklas last night. The two things that impressed me most were (1) the way he put a defender on "roller skates" and rode him far into the secondary and (2) how he scooped up low throws without breaking stride.
A big fella whose forty time is estimated to be 4.75...likened to Heath Miller...surprise late addition to draft class...impressive combo of size, strength and atleticism..durable... fairly new to TE position (previously played both OL, DL and LB)...recouperating from double-hernia surgery and didn't work out post season...did participate in agility drills - bench pressed 27 reps and had a 12.19 long-shuttle (considered near the top for TE's)..
84. Kareem Martin DE/OLB UNC, 6060 270
In the wonderful world of dwindling edge-rushing prospects, Martin was one of the last of the breed - he's cut out of the Shaughnessy mold (long and mobile). He had 11 sacks last season and rush the passer from the inside or outside. He'll probably be tried out at SAM outside backer, but at 270, he probably has room on his 6-6 frame to add some pounds and back up Calais Campbell if called upon.
Based on some scouting estimates, he represents good value as a 2nd rounder who was drafted late in the 3rd round.
Late mover up the charts...Tall and lean (long arms/big hands) but adding bulk (based on pre-combine ests)...Durable...consistent/hard worker...better vs. run than he is a pass rusher but gives more effort getting after the QB than he does defending the run...uses hands well in pass rush...seems to understand the techniques but only has average athletic skills as a pass rusher...must keep his pad-level down vs. run...lacks pursuit speed...good diagnostic skills...One scout says he lacks bulk to be a DE in the 3-4 and not agile enough in space to be a 3-4 OLB but could fit in as a 4-4 DE...Aggressive/won't back down...needs to hone techniques instead of relying on natural skills...will wear down in games...said to have boosted stock on pro day...projections moved him up to be a mid-high 2nd-rounder.
91. John Brown WR/PR Pittsburgh St. 5100 179
In the midst of a very deep and talented pool of draftable receivers, Brown came out of nowhere to quietly blow up the combine and emerge as a small-school wonder. So recently and suddenly, in fact, that I didn't have him covered in my pre-draft position write-ups. But he was increasingly talked about by the media scouts in reverential terms as one of those small school guys that (Steve Keim is fond of uncovering) and legends are written about. Despite my lack of knowledge about Brown, he (along with Bucannon) was one of two prospects I had listed on my 7-round mock wish-list (only I had us drafting him a round or two later)...
The slot blazer BA has been looking for. He's said to have blinding speed, terrific ball-skills and elite agility and athleticism. Put him in the same receiving corps as Fitz, Floyd, Ginn, Niklas and Ellington and we stand to give opposing defenses nightmares.
He ran a 4.34 at the combine, with a 36.5 vertical jump, 9-11 broad jump. 4.12 short-shuttle and a 6.91 3-cone drill. (Perhaps reflecting the lack of weight-training emphasis at Pittsburgh St., he only bench-pressed 8 reps...
According to Dane Brugler of CBSports - He's a bit of a Sproles, Austin or Hester waterbug type who can stop and go on a dime and displays sharp footwork in his routes...changes gears well...fluid body type...can set up patterns and catch defenders off balance...understands how to win in in single coverage...strong work ethic...special teams demon...football smart...diminuative size carries with it all the typical negatives - durability...can be pushed off routes at LOS but uses decisive route-running to create separation.
120. Logan Thomas, QB Virginia Tech, 6060 248
I'd been eye-balling ever since the middle of Round 3....I guess he all boils down to "elite athlete with un-elite footwork and accuracy" (if he can't cut it at QB, he could become a hellacious TE)...Bill Polian was very outspoken about the kid's limitations as a QB and even went back to review footage early this morning. The best he could say was: "I don't see it, but plan to call Tom Moore and Bruce Arians to find out what they're seeing that I'm not."...
Thomas may turn out to be an ideal pickup for Arians and Moore because - as a developmental, raw PS player, he won't interfere with Lindley's development as our #3 and will have the luxury of spending a few years to learn from the masters without the pressure of having to play before he's ready.
He ran a 4.61 forty, had a 35.5" vertical jump, a 118 inch broad jump, 7.05 3-cone drill and 4.18 short shuttle. He has 34 1/4" arms and 10 7/8" hands...Outstanding size, size, stature and strength...natural throwing lanes from the pocket...can break tackles...has quick compact release...can make all the throws...tough and durable...huge upside. But hit a plateau as a soph...uneven production...inconsistent mechanics and footwork (& therefore accuracy)...too careless with the football. Career 50% passer on 3rd down...eyes aren't as fast as his arm...
Pollian doesn't believe that the kind of negatives displayed by Thomas can be corrected (That's why he plans to call BA and TM). There's so much "clay to mold with" that I'm excited to see what our coaching staff can do with him. (But it's a bit early to get our hopes up too far).
160. Ed Stinson, DE, Alabama, 6030 287
More a traditional 3-4 DE who (if he was a bit bigger) could fill in at NT....has 33 3/8" arms...Reputation is as a solid blue-collar run-stopper with limited athletic skills....more explosive as a junior...strong upper-bod, heavy hands and technique-sound vs. the run....has raw potential as a pass rusher with better utilzation of power...rarely gets velcro's to blocks...played Big Boy football in a strong collegiate program...but not very impactful...has mediocre athletic skills....little or no repertoire of pass rush moves...plagued by nagging injuries (didn't work out at the combine due to a groin issue).
Ran a (non-combine) 4.98 forty....powerfu;...tough to move at POA...effective bull-rusher..reads run quickly....breaksdown well vs. quick athletes...a bit of a tweener ("Looks like a DE/plays like a DT")...consistently very late off the snap...More lanky than "round."
Profiles as a kind of reliable "place-holder" bolstering what was a pretty thin defensive front-three depth-wise.
196. Walter Powell, WR Murray St. 5110 189
A smallish, agile slot receiver who ran a 4.59 forty against the wind and 4.46 forty with the wind at his pro day. He had a 32" vertical jump and 9-6" broad jump and did the short shuttle in 4.37 and a 6.70 three-cone...Gil Brandt says he had an excellent pro day workout, catching everything thrown to him and making nice adjustments on the ball. Gil says he looks like a 6th or 7th round pick.
One web writer describes Powell as a "sleeper" who led his team in receiving yards (837) with 66 catches and 13 TD's...He also averaged 31.5 yards returning kickoffs...he says he most resembles Jeremy Maclin as a receiver...strengths are his versatility and abilithy to make people miss....
|
