Mock Draft – Top 10 from TheCollegeFootballScene.com
by Raymon Thomson
TheCollegeFootballScene.com
1. Indianapolis Colts – Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford Ran 40-yard dash in 4.59, franchise quarterback good for 10+ years
2. Washington Redskins (through trade)- Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor Uber smart, great leader, athletic abilities off the chart, but does he have long term endurance?
3. Minnesota Vikings – Matt Kalil, OT, USC – Great agility and footwork on a 306 lb. frame, can plug the Vikings hole at left tackle.
4. Cleveland Browns – Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama – Has the speed take advantage of defensive holes, and has the build to take a hit. A possible pick with RB Peyton Hillis’ time with the Vikings up in the air.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU – Part of LSU’s awesome secondary with great athletic ability. With Ronde Barber getting older and Aqib Talib in trouble, Tampa Bay needs help in the secondary.
6. St. Louis Rams – Michael Brockers, DT, LSU – Plenty of natural ability and can be great with training. They need a leader on the defensive line and Brockers might fit the bill.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars – Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State, – One half of the dynamic duo at OK. State. Clearly the best wide receiver this draft, but the 12 lb. loss from his playing weight is a concern considering he is more of a power receiver. QB Blaine Gabbert needs wide receivers to accentuate his passing style of anticipating routes and passing underneath.
8. Miami Dolphins – if the Dolphins get Peyton Manning, then they will go with DE Quinton Coples from North Carolina. If they don’t – then it’s QB Ryan Tannehill from Texas A&M.
9. Carolina Panthers – Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis – This guy has the size (346 LBs.), the speed (a 4.87 40-yard dash), but he needs to get more aggressive on the field.
10. Buffalo Bills – Nick Perry, DE, USC – Perry’s natural ability will help the Bills with their transition to a 4-3 defense and the holes they have on their front seven.
Top Running-Backs
by Raymon Thomson
Collegefootballruleshq.com
Today we take a look at the top running backs up for this years NFL Draft, as determined by NFL.com. Love it or hate it – this is how the NFL breaks down the top running backs coming out of college this year:
1. Trent Richardson 5’11” 224 lbs – Alabama
#16 pick overall 1679 yards, 5.9 ypc, 21 TDS
This kid is a wrecking ball. He slices and dices, he punches in bunches (through defensive lines). He can run over secondary like it was nothing or he can make defenders miss (there are several that were embarrassed trying to tackle him last year – and the YouTube has videos to show it). Richardson was “the” running back for Alabama, like Mark Ingram before him or Eddie Lacy next year. Hard to stop with lower body strength to keep his body moving even after contact, he is the best running back coming to the draft this year.
2. Lamar Miller 5’11” 212 lbs– Miami
#35 pick overall 1272 yards, 5.6 ypc, 9 TDs
I don’t get this pick. Only 1272 yards rushing – in the ACC. It isn’t like he was playing in the SEC West – I could at least understand that. But the ACC? His yards per carry are middle of the road, but he elusiveness and ability to hit holes in the defense hard. His tendency to run with his head down and his lower body strength makes it impossible to arm tackle him.
3. David Wilson 5’10” 205 lbs – Virginia Tech
#40 overall pick 1709 yards, 5.9 ypc, 9 TDs
This is more like it. While being a little on the light side, Wilson had a solid 1709 yard rushing with 5.9 yards per carry. He had 10 – 100+ yards rushing games this year. He’s a little on the light side, but should be able to add some pounds and be a contributing factor on the NFL level. Was a triple jumper for the Virginia Tech track and field team.
4. Chris Polk 5’11” 222lbs – Washington
#47 pick overall 1488 yards, 5.1 ypc, 12 TDs
This guy had 100+ yards against Stanford and Nebraska this year. He has quick take off speed that can allow him to get around the corner, and is very hard to stop in open field and has an evil cutback to go with it. Not afraid to going up the middle and has a decent set of hands to catch. His poor performance at the Senior Bowl and two previous shoulder surgeries makes scouts nervous.
5. LaMichael James 5’9” 185 lbs – Oregon
#59 pick overall 1805 yards, 7.3 ypc, 18 TDs
James has been the backbone of the Oregon backfield for a couple of years now. He has great speed and been mostly durable except for the dislocated elbow in 2011. His biggest problem will be size, at 5’8 and 185 lbs he is the smallest of the top running backs going to the draft this year. How he will be able to run through defensive lines and gain yards after contact on the NFL level will remain to be seen.
Quarterback Placement in the Draft, Pre-Combine
by Raymon Thomson
Collegefootballruleshq.com
It’s time to start looking at the 2012 NFL Draft. Here are the projected order of college football quarterbacks to be picked this year. QBs with no rushing stats were under 100 rushing yards for the season:
1. Andrew Luck – Stanford: 6’4 235 lbs. (#1 overall ESPN/CBS/ SI)
3517 passing yards, 37 TDs/10 INTs, 71.3% passing efficiency, 167 yards rushing, 2 TDs rushing
Known for his accuracy and ability to read a defense, Luck will be any NFL team’s dream quarterback. While being a primarily a pocket passer, Luck does have the mobility to scramble in a pinch.
2. Robert Griffin III – Baylor: 6’2 220 lbs.(#6 overall-ESPN/#2 SI/#3 CBS)
4209 passing yards, 37 TDs/6 INTs, 72.4 passing efficiency, 699 yards rushing, 10 TDs rushing
Griffin won the Heisman this year, and there is no doubt that Baylor’s 10 win season is primarily due to him. In college he is pure magic, but there are some nasty defensive players in the pros, and I wonder how long his tendency to tuck and run is going to last. It will be interesting to see how his gameplay will evolve over the next year.
3. Ryan Tannehill – Texas A&M: 6’4 222 lbs.(#12 overall SI/#23 CBS/#28 ESPN)
3744 passing yards, 29 TDs/15 INTs, 61.6% passing efficiency, 306 rushing yards, 4 TDs
Tannehill was finally given the starting QB job at A&M in 2010 after the Aggies went into a 4 game skid with Jerrod Johnson and finished the season on a high note, beating Baylor, Nebraska, and Texas. His TD/INT ratio is a bit higher than some of the others in the top 10, and those interceptions cost the Aggies some tight games. He will have to step up and be more of a team leader in the NFL.
4. Nick Foles – Arizona: 6’5 240 lbs.(#48 overall CBS)
4334 yards passing yards, 28 TDs/14 INTs, 69.1% passing efficiency
Foles has the ability to quick read defenses, and can adjust quickly such as standing tall in the pocket. He also has the ability to check off his receivers quickly and can spread the ball to several players, partly due to playing behind a mostly new offensive line. He doesn’t have the elite arm but can throw on the move and has great accuracy when in the rhythm of the game.
5. Kirk Cousins – Michigan State: 6’3 205 lbs.(#2 overall CBS)
3316 passing yards, 25 TDs/10 INTs, 63.7% passing efficiency
Cousins led the Spartans to an 11 win season, capped off by a triple overtime win against Georgia 33-30. While accurate at short and intermediate passes, his long pass accuracy and the ability to properly “lead” recievers needs improvement, as well his passing stance. He is a team leader (being team captain for 3 years) and has a tough work ethic.
Here’s 5 other QB’s and what round they will likely go in the draft:
Ryan Lindley – San Diego State. 6’4 230 lbs.(#81 overall CBS)
Brandon Weeden – Oklahoma State. 6’4 218 lbs.(#106 overall CBS)
Russell Wilson – Wisconsin 5’11. 210 lbs.(#159 overall CBS)
Chandler Harnish – Northern Illinois. 6’2 220 lbs.(#173 overall CBS)
Case Keenum – Houston. 6’1 210 lbs. (#215 overall CBS)
Further Analysis
by Brandon Halsey
brandonhalsey@gettinAfterIt.com
I think Case Keenum will go before the 7th round. His size is comparable to Russell Wilson who is projected in the #159 area and Keenum’s numbers are substantially better although “experts” equate it to a product of Houston’s “system” offense against inferior competition.
Brandon Weeden seems like a guy that will go before the 4th round at the #106 pick. And here’s my reasoning: If he was able to connect so well with an NFL caliber WR in Justin Blackmon in Oklahoma State, why can’t he get the ball to actual NFL guys in the NFL? I know his age might hurt him, but he could learn a playbook and be a formidable backup somewhere like Buffalo, Tennessee or Jacksonville where stability at the QB position isn’t the greatest.
