Monthly Archives: February 2012

6′ 5″ 345 • Offensive Tackle • Georgia 

Comparison: Carl Nicks

Grade 7.8 ¦ About the Grade

Pros:

• Amazing raw strength
• Will drive defenders off the screen
• Quick and nimble feet
• Plays aggressively and with a mean streak 
• Plays well in smaller areas
• Shows good agility getting to the second level and laterally
• Adjust well
• Can swallow up bull rushers
• Long arms
• Can play multiple positions along the line 

Cons:

• Overall technique needs to be corrected
• Doesn’t bend properly
• Gets to tall in the run game
• Fires off the ball recklessly missing blocks
• Struggles in space

MockDraft 101′s Opinion:

• I’m beginning to warm up towards Cordy Glenn, he struggled early in the season and looked more like a second round guard. As the season wore on he got stronger and looked like he could play OT at the next level. His combine performance answered any doubts I had about him athletically and I moved him from my Guard to OT list. Glenn has a high upside and all of his weaknesses can be corrected with good coaching. Not sure he can be a franchise LT, but no doubt has the skill set to be a solid RT for a team towards the bottom of Round 1. 

6′ 4″ 255 • Tight End • Clemson

Pros:

• Strong with good size
• Great pass catcher
• Very reliable hands
• Catches ball with his hands rather than his body; Goes up and fights for the ball
• Solid quickness in short areas over the middle of the field; Quick feet to get in and out of breaks
• Versatility to line up all over the field
• Good route runner; Ability to separate from Safeties and LB’s
• Willing blocker; Not elite, but won’t hurt you in this area
• High Motor
• Overall he is a terrific athlete

Cons:

• Problem with leverage. Defenders who stick at the line cause him to get off balanced easy
• Not an elite blocker. Needs to refine his technique in this area 
• Doesn’t have top end speed. Won’t out run anyone deep
• Doesn’t get the YAC that you would like

6′ 4″ 265 • Defensive End • Illinois

Comparison: Jason Pierre-Paul

Grade: 8.4 ¦ About the Grade

Pros:

• Solid Size
• Plus Strength
• Active hands to go with long wing-span
• Quick first step; Times snap count really well
• Has multiple pass rushing moves
• Very good tackler
• Strong lower body; Keeps a solid base
• Hold his ground at POA
• Versatile along the D-line. Can line up as a pass rushing DT
• 14.5 sacks in 2011

Cons:

• 1 year wonder
• Very stiff. Don’t see proper bend to be an elite pass rusher
• Not suited for the 3-4 despite his athletic ability 
• Has trouble in play recognition
• Will over-pursue and put himself out of position on plays.  

MockDraft 101′s Opinion:

• Mercilus compares favorably to JPP at this point in the process. Im not saying that Mercilus will have the impact that JPP has, but they were both one year wonders, who possessed the physical tools to succeed at the next level. I think Mercilus is a strictly 4-3 DE and would be a wast to try and stand him up in a 3-4. He has natural pass rushing ability and should continue to develop. 

6′ 4″ 295 • Defensive Tackle • Mississippi St.

Comparison: Marcell Dareus

Grade: 8.5 ¦ About the Grade

Pros:

• Size and athleticism you look for in a 1st Rd prospect
• Very disruptive with active hands
• Extremely athletic
• Quick first step for a DT
• Keeps a solid base and doesn’t lose ground
• Can dominate one-on-one with his combination of speed/strength
• Gets into backfield frequently
• Extremely high motor
• Scheme versatility
• Superb in run defense
• Sheds blocks
• Elite on Special Teams blocking kicks

Cons:

• Can be too aggressive at times running himself out of plays
• Does not posses an array of pass rushing moves; Relies on bull rush
• Technique needs to be coached up; Pad Level gets too high at times
• Still developing his overall game

MockDraft101′s Opinion:

• Cox isn’t on Marcell Dareus level yet by any means, but they are both similar. Think of Cox as a poor man’s Dareus. They both are great against the run,display high motors, and can excel in both 4-3 and 3-4 looks. Cox still needs to be coached up, but has potential to be a very good starter in this league for a long time. Don’t be surprised if becomes a Top 20 pick in April. 

6′ 5″ 333 • Offensive Guard • Iowa St.

Pros:

• Great size with solid bulk
• Long arms; Does a great job of staying engaged
• Does a great job with hand placement 
• Resets after taking the initial contact off the snap
• Plays with a mean streak; Finishes blocks with tenacity
• Excellent run blocker
• Light on his feet; Gets to second level with ease
• Solid pass protector
• Excellent blocker in tight spaces
• Versatile; Iowa St’s starting LT
• Improved every year at Iowa St.

Cons:

• Pad level gets too high at times
• Has trouble with speed rushers off the edge
• Technique will need some work; Sloppy footwork at times and pad level
• Durability concerns

MockDraft101′s Opinion:

• Osemele compares very well to Vernon Carey. He could become a solid starting RT in the NFL, but has Pro-Bowl potential at Guard. He has some problems with his footwork and speed rushers could get the better of him, but put him on the inside of the line with his hand in the ground and could become a really special player. He is great run blocker with long arms and is light on his feet. I like Osemele more than others and wouldn’t fault a team if they grabbed him late 1st or Early 2nd, but come draft day, Osemele will probably go mid to late 2nd. 

6′ 4″ 260 • Inside Linebacker • Alabama

Comparison: Brandon Spikes

Grade: 7.8 ¦ About the Grade

Pros:

• Great athlete with great upperbody strength and solid lower base
• Downhill LB who is a thumper between the tackles
• Excels in the run game
• Excellent instincts
• Shows solid burst in the box
• Does well getting out of the trash in the middle of the field
• Does a great job at shedding blocks
• Solid pass rusher
• Has a solid bull rush
• Takes on blockers and does a good job at plugging holes
• Very good hitter
• Scheme versatility; But may be better suited as an ILB in a 3-4

Cons:

• Has trouble in man coverage
• Not a sideline-to-sideline guy
• Stiff in the hips
• Tends to be over aggressive at times
• Needs to slim down and some more agility

MockDraft 101′s Opinion:

• Hightower’s instincts and ability to stuff the run will intrigue many teams late in Round 1 and Early in Round 2. He’s not the most dynamic ILB in this class, and will probably not be named to multiple All-Pro teas in his career, but he has enough to be a very good starter in this league for a very long time.

6′ 5″ 315 • Center • Wisconsin

Comparison: Nick Mangold

Grade: 8.1 ¦ About the Grade

Pros:

• Posses great strength and bulk
• High football IQ; Makes all the line calls
• Excellent run blocker
• Holds ground against bull rushers
• Does a great job in getting to second level; Head is always on a swivel looking for defenders
• Keeps a nice solid base
• Shows good knee bend
• Gets into position quickly off the snap
• Does a great job getting downfield on screens
• Ability to play Guard and potentially RT

Cons:

• Height might be a concern for shorter QB’s
• Tends to get too high in pass protection
• At times struggled in one-on-one protection against bigger DT’s
• Durability concerns regarding his ankle
• Is he a product of his supporting talent on the offensive line?

MockDraft101′s Opinion:

• Konz is the best C prospect to come along since 2006 when Nick Mangold came out. And like Mangold, Konz is a beast in the run game and has high football IQ.  His overall height could possibly be a concern at C, but has the skillset to move to other potions along the line. It would be a shock if Konz is not called on the first day of the draft.

6′ 8 ” 320 • Offensive Tackle • Ohio St.

Comparison: Anthony Davis

Grade: 8.3 ¦ About the Grade

Pros:

• Tall with long wingspan
• Good quickness in pass protection and gets in position quickly
• Athletic
• Has no problem getting to edge, or getting downfiled on a screen pass
• Good Punch; Bull rushers have a tough time getting in on him and pushing backwards
• Flexible and Agile; Can bend as just as good as any OT in this draft
• Plays with a mean streak
• Great Run Blocker
• Can defenders off the LOS fairly easy
• Very Durable
• 3 Year Starter

Cons:

• Need to cleanup his footwork and overall technique
• Speed Rushers can catch him lunging at the line
• Can lose balance when setting up his protection on passes
• Can get too high in his stance at times

MockDraft 101′s Opinion:

• Adams has raide his stock throughout the season and once was considered a Borderline 1st/2nd, now is Top 20 lock and could go even higher with a solid Combine and Pro-Day. If he can clean up his footwork and technique, Adams has the length and overall skill set to become one of the top OT from this draft.

6′ 2″ 215 • Wide Receiver • Rutgers

Comparison: Miles Austin/Brad Smith

Grade: 7.7 ¦ About the Grade

Pros:

• Looks the Part; Good size and long wing-span
• Extremely versatile; Lines up anywhere – Can run the ball,play in the Wildcat,return kicks
• Strong receiver
• Tough to bring down after the catch and isn’t afraid to go over the middle
• Nice burst off the line and in-and-out of his breaks
• Fluid; Changes directions well in open space
• Elite catch radius
• Does a good job on jump balls
• High football IQ
• Good blocker downfield
• Hard worker

Cons:

• Slower than the other WR’s ranked ahead of him
• Raw route runner; Effective in the short game, but needs coaching in longer, more developed routes
• Footwork off the line needs coaching. Tends to be choppy
• Inconsistent hands. Lets too many balls get to his body

MockDraft 101′s Opinion:

• Sanu is still developing as a WR, but can bring alot to the table early on. Teams will be interested in expanding their playbook by lining up all over the field. Similar to Brad Smith in that sense. Looks similar to Mile Austin, and like Austin, both are tough WR’s and hard to bring down in openfield. Sanu might be a year ot two away from reaching his true potential, but has a legitimate chance to be a #1 WR in this league.

5′ 10″ 182 • Cornerback • North Alabama

Comparison: Asante Samuel

Grade: 7.9 ¦ About the Grade

Pros:

• Long arms
• Great recognition skills
• Elite ball skills
• Best when play in off coverage
• Does a great job reading the QB and reacting
• Turns and runs out of his backpedal with ease
• Loves to be physical with WR’s
• Very patient; Doesn’t run himself out of plays
• Uses the sideline better than anyone in this class
• Tough to separate from
• Dangerous with the ball in his hand
• Plays great against top competition; Held Julio Jones,AJ Green, and Alshon Jeffrey in check

Cons:

• Major red flags involving his character; Kicked out of Florida, and has been thrown out of a game for fighting
• Shorter than you would want for a Top CB prospect
• Not a great open field tackler
• Good speed; But lacks any true recovery speed

MockDraft 101′s Opinion:

• There is no doubt that Jenkins is one of the most talented CB’s in this league, but due to his off-field issues, he is most certainly a risk and is off some teams draft boards entirely. On the field there isn’t much not to like, very tough and makes opposing WR’s work for every yard. Not the tallest CB, but no doubt has lockdown capability