Scouting Reports of the Prospects that have visited

[TMC]

Offense:
Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College
Brandon McAnderson, FB, Kansas
Jehuu Cailcrick, RB, Michigan State
Ryan Torian, RB, Arizona State
Dennis Dixon, QB, Oregon
Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon
Chris Johnson, RB, East Carolina
Brandon Albert, G, Virginia
James Hardy, WR, Indiana
Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma
Mario Urrutia, WR, Louisville
Pierre Garcon, WR, Mount Union
Jerome Simpson, WR, Coastal Carolina

Defense:
Joe "Red" Bryant, DL, Texas A&M
Kendall Langford, DE, Hampton
Dre Moore, DL, Maryland
Shawn Crable, LB, Michigan
Jerod Mayo, LB, Tennessee
Cliff Avril, OLB, Purdue
Quintin Groves, OLB, Purdue
Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
Orlando Scandrick, CB, Boise State
Charles Godfrey, CB, Iowa
Antwaun Molden, CB, Eastern Kentucky
Phillip Wheeler, ILB, Georgia Tech
Jason Jones, DE, Eastern Michigan
Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
Tracy Porter, CB, Indiana
Bryan Smith, LB, McNeese State
Mathew Slater, FS/RS, UCLA

Official Visit Number: 30

Unofficial/Local Visits
*Mike McGlynn, OL, Pitt
*Jeff Otah, OT, Pitt
*Darrell Strong, TE, Pitt
*Keilen Dykes, DL, West Virginia
*Ryan Mundy, S, West Virginia

WVU is within 100 miles of Heinz Field and I believe the cutoff is 100 miles (it is @75.....I had to mapquest it to be sure).



Gosder Cherilus
Positives: Has a tall, lanky frame with excellent arm length, large, strong hands, a huge wingspan and room on his frame to carry at least another 25 pounds of bulk without having it impact his quickness … Has good muscle mass throughout, showing broad shoulders and a thick chest, along with good thickness in his thighs and calves … Mauler-type who works best with other blockers around him to compensate for poor change-of-direction agility … At his best when asked to collapse the interior defensive line and widen the rush lanes … Works hard to finish and has a strong anchor, showing patience to let defenders come to him … Has the straight-forward burst to get into the second level, doing an adequate job to bend at the knees and torque … Has good pulling speed in the short area and plays with true aggression … Communicates well with his guards and tight ends and shows good alertness on the field … Intelligent athlete who will not have problems taking plays from the chalkboard to the playing field … Regarded by the coaching staff as the team's most important player and takes pride in his leadership role, taking younger blockers under his wing … Tough player who works hard to finish and responds well to hard coaching, especially when challenged, and is motivated to work on the little techniques in his game … Has the ability to gain advantage on a defender lined up over his head, coming off the snap with his long arms extending to lock on and control his man … Pops up quickly after the snap to get into his run blocks with good urgency and shows enough thrust to surprise a lethargic defender … Despite his upper-body strength, he is adequate shooting his hands with force, but he knows how to use his reach and bulk to generate good initial pop … Once he gets into position and gets his hands on the defender, he does a good job of sustaining his block and eliminating his opponent from the play, but needs to shoot those hands with better consistency … Has the lower-body power and long arms to widen the rush lane and when he keeps his pads down, he is much more effective getting movement at the point of attack … Breaks down well as a run blocker, especially on down blocks, using his leg drive to push the defender out of the holes … Has a good anchor in pass protection but lacks the agility to get out and handle edge moves … Possesses rare arm length and will generally win one-on-one battles once he locks on to his opponent with his big mitts, as he uses his hands with authority in tight quarters but will lunge or get his hands outside his frame when having to isolate vs. edge rushers.

Negatives: Needs help in pass protection, as he gets his feet too wide at times and this causes him to struggle to recover vs. quick-twitch defensive linemen … Possesses only adequate initial quickness and questionable change-of-direction agility, as he appears too stiff in his hips to fluidly redirect … Has the raw power to jolt the defender with his hand punch, but is too inconsistent using it, preferring to keep his man at bay with his long reach rather than attack him … Needs to extend through his hips and explode more often coming off the snap … Susceptible to explosive edge rushers, despite his timed speed, as he fails to generate the hip snap needed to mirror … Possesses good pulling speed, but shows only adequate balance and body control when adjusting at the second level … Displays marginal footwork in pass protection, stepping behind himself and giving up ground to defenders too often, as he tends to lunge with his head … Has a strong hand punch, but lacks hand quickness and technique, showing inconsistent placement (defenders can slip off his blocks with good cross-face or counter moves) … Slow to kick-slide and shows only adequate ability in this area … Needs to concentrate better on the field, as he is prone to mental lapses that lead to a slew of costly penalties.

Compares To: CORNELL GREEN-Oakland … Cherilus is a classic mauler who excels on down and drive blocks as a run blocker, but he proved in 2007 that he lacks the lateral agility and kick-slide to handle speed moves on the outside and will be a better fit at right tackle or inside at guard. He is not fluid enough to maintain position and mirror from left tackle. He has incredibly long reach and large hands and hits with good pop, but he is inconsistent shooting those hands and needs to be more active or it will negate one of his better assets. Struggled quite a bit with the snap count as a senior, resulting in a slew of penalties. If judged on what he did at right tackle in 2006, he will be an early-round pick.

Mike McGlynn
Positives: Has good bone structure, with a thick midsection, wide hips, big back, thick thighs and calves … Demonstrates excellent athletic ability, displaying good initial explosion off the line … Very nimble for a lineman and while he has just adequate timed speed, he gets out on traps and pulls in a hurry, maintaining balance throughout his stride … Shows good balance and agility for the position to also perform capably as a pulling guard … Has good explosion off the snap, the ability to out-muscle and wall off his man in isolated coverage and the upper-body power to lean into the defender and use his size to sustain … Nimble working in space and does a good job of locating and neutralizing second-level defenders … Natural knee bender who does a nice job of keeping his pads down due to his lateral agility and loose hips … Alert on the field and excels at picking up stunts and games (see 2007 Grambling State, Navy, Syracuse and West Virginia contests and 2006 The Citadel, Connecticut and Syracuse games) … With his ability to retain plays and know all of the position assignments up front, he could be a natural calling blocking assignments at center … Adept at keeping his base when moving to the second level to cut off linebackers … Plays with good lateral quickness, especially when asked to get in front on traps and pulls, making some teams feel he could be an ideal offensive guard … Gets out of his stance with good pad level and hand punch to neutralize the wide defensive ends … Plays with good balance and a strong good base, doing a nice job of playing with a flat back and his pads down … Has impressive strength to lock up and is very good at sustaining his feet on the move … Good short-yardage blocker, staying low in his pads while driving with his legs to clear the rush lanes … Uses his upper-body strength well to get into the defender's jersey coming off the snap … Stays on feet with run blocks, play flat-footed with good balance and a low pad level to widen and sustain the rush lanes … When he brings his hips and strikes on contact, he is effective on screens, showing good finishing ability to wall off … Takes good sets in pass protection and plays under control, keeping a wide base and his head on a swivel to pick up stunts … Has the ability to get in front to neutralize the wide edge rusher and the knee bend needed by a tackle when moving out to dominate in isolated coverage..Does a nice job of keeping his shoulders square when delivering base blocks and attacks the defender with a good, flat back … Takes good angles working in-line and when operating in the second level and is able to adjust with ease to a moving target … Places his hands well, doing a nice job of leaning into his man to steer the opponent wide … Very conscious of working in unison with his guards and tight ends to prevent backside pressure on the pocket. He also does a nice job when he sits and recovers inside … As a long-snapper, he has an average short-snap time (0.39 seconds) while long-snap averages are between 0.7-0.72 seconds.

Negatives: Needs to add more muscle tone to his midsection, but has the natural playing strength to dominate, especially when blocking in-line … Has adequate initial quickness getting off the line of scrimmage, but compensates with tremendous hand quickness to lock on, steer out and control his man … Has shown good improvement with his hand punch, but could be more active shooting his hands (struggles mostly when working in tight quarters) … His torn labrum affected him later in 2006, as he could not stun his man at times with his punch, but he is completely recovered and should continue to improve in this area … Shows good pop on run blocks, but even with good lateral range, he needs to show better consistency opening his hips to stay on blocks longer … Does get a bit straight-legged, but he somehow manages to generate a good base and anchor to maintain position.

Compares To: MARK TAUSHER-Green Bay-Like Tauschner, McGlynn has lots of field savvy and the knowledge to excel at any position on the front wall. His trap-blocking skills are solid enough to move to guard and his nimble kick-slide leads you to believe he could excel as a left tackle. He works well in unison with his guards and tight ends to seal off the backside charge at right tackle, but with his hand quickness and deep-snapping skills, he could find a home at center in the NFL due to his intelligence and field awareness.

Jeff Otah
Positives: Has a rare-sized frame with very long arms and legs, big bubble, thick thighs and calves, wide hips and large hands … Raw talent with the frame to engulf the smaller defenders, especially when he keeps his hands inside the frame … Shows adequate competitiveness on the field to finish blocks, playing with good nastiness, as added experience has allowed him to come off the snap with better aggressiveness than he showed as a junior … Works hard to improve his blocking technique and takes to hard coaching … Has developed a strong hand punch to shock and jolt the defender, coming off the snap with arms properly extended to lock on and control with strength … Uses his lower-body power and size to move defenders off the snap … Well-liked, but quiet player who gets along with teammates … Shows adequate feet in his kick slide and uses his long arms well to hold off defensive ends on the edge … Lacks the foot speed to play on an island at left tackle, but with his ability to quickly recoil and reset his hands after initially locking on to the opponent, he could earn a starting job immediately at right tackle at the next level … Lacks explosion, but uses his size effectively to hold his ground and create movement, working hard to wall off … When he keeps his hands inside, he can generate the punch needed to stymie the defender's forward charge … Has the functional foot movement to slide and reach his set point, but needs to do it more consistently … Not an explosive hip roller, but shows good body control to generate movement … Best when driving forward to knock defenders off the ball in the ground game … When he uses his hands properly to engage, he has good success in attempts to maintain inside leverage … For a player of his size, he does not put enough force behind his hand punch at times, but he is quick to reset his hands after initially catching the defender … Because he struggles to handle the speed rush, he has learned to compensate by dropping his pads and using his size to wall off. However, he will struggle to readjust to quick counter moves.

Negatives: Has a rare-sized frame, but lacks overall muscle development and could stand to lose at least 15 pounds, as his soft midsection causes him to stay too high in his stance and struggle in attempts to keep his pad level low … Moves adequately for his size, but lacks the quick feet to recover if he gets beat off the snap … Struggles quite a bit in space (see 2007 Michigan State, Louisville and Rutgers games), as he lacks the balance to reach and cut off in the second level … Doesn't bend well at the knees and shows stiffness in his legs when trying to execute his kick slide … Has just adequate instincts on the field because of a lack of experience, but has improved as a senior … Shows an ability to learn, but will need some reps, as he is not quick to take plays from the chalkboard to the playing field -- he lacks high football intelligence because he hasn't played the game for very long … Needs to be monitored in the training room because of poor work habits and lacks the maturity needed to handle the mental aspect of playing on an island at left tackle. He might be a better fit on the right side … Has questionable toughness and plays with inconsistent aggression … Shows adequate foot quickness to get off the ball, but can be late at times and will get lazy playing on his feet and struggles to bounce back up when cut … Has good natural strength, but displays marginal pop in his punch and poor explosion, as he fails to consistently sink his weight (waist bender) and is prone to getting too high in his stance coming off the line … Has adequate feet to sustain blocks, but struggles with too much room, as he has poor slide and mirror agility … Adequate as a run blocker because of his size, but struggles to get out in front when pulling. He can get in front in the short area, but fails to keep his feet running long distances, especially when playing in space because of his lower-body stiffness … Does an adequate job of getting his hands on outside linebackers, but struggles in space on screens and draws when he fails to generate good power behind his punch … Has functional feet for a left tackle, but struggles when defensive ends cross his face and needs to be more active with his hands … Lacks the hip snap to readjust to counter moves and struggles vs. the speed rush, as he lacks the balance to mirror defenders coming off the edge.

Compares To: MAX STARKS-Pittsburgh … Otah has the frame and bulk that the football gods love in a left tackle, but with his relative inexperience and just adequate field instincts, he might be a liability as a left tackle. He needs to be more consistent shooting his hands in attempts to battle counter moves and struggles to adjust when working on the edge. He could be a better fit at right tackle or as a guard, but will need to rededicate himself in the training room, as he has good natural strength, but poor weight-room numbers. He can play like an all-world prospect one game (see 2007 vs. Chris Long-Virginia and George Selvie-South Florida), but at other times, he can self destruct when facing speedy edge rushers with an array of counter moves (see 2007 Michigan State, Louisville and Rutgers games).

Brandon McAnderson
Positives: Good build for the fullback position … Good interior runner … Hits the hole hard and with good forward lean … Good ball security … Showed improved hands and route running as a senior … Flashes power as a lead blocker … Will face up the linebacker and keeps his feet moving … Has developed into a leader.

Negatives: Hasn't been used as a traditional fullback while at Kansas despite being listed as such earlier in his career … One dimensional north-south runner with little creativity … Lacks lateral agility to make defenders miss … Even with his improvements as a senior, is still a very limited receiving option who lacks the body control to make difficult grabs.

Jehuu Cailcrick
Positives: Rare size for the position. … Good straight-line athlete. … Flashes explosiveness as an interior runner, improving greatly in this area as a senior. … Limited production throughout his career as a receiver, but shows good hands.

Negatives: Marginal blocker. … Physically capable, but is much more interested in running the ball than blocking. … Lacks good football instincts. … Lacks lateral quickness and elusiveness. … Has a tendency to add weight in the off-season and needs to be monitored.

Ryan Torian
Positives: Builds his acceleration nicely coming out of his stance and into the holes, but can't be considered sudden with his initial step … Has functional initial quickness and lateral/veer moves to avoid and redirect on the move, but is best when running between the tackles than taking the ball outside … Runs with good balance and agility with the strength to break tackles on contact … Good worker in practices and in the training room and will play with pain … Has good vision and a feel for running the ball up the middle, squaring his shoulders and dropping his weight to push the pile … Hard to take down in isolated coverage, as he has the leg drive to power through and picks his feet up well to sidestep low tackles … Has the valid instincts and anticipation when in space, knowing when he needs to cut back or drive through … Shows strength on contact and when given a step or two to operate, he can break away from the crowd … Even when he runs high on contact, he shows strength and balance to stay on his feet and keep fighting for extra yardage … Has enough lateral agility and veer quickness to redirect and shows good body control when he hits the cutback lanes … Is quicker than fast, but can escape from second-level defenders (just won't win open field foot races) … More slippery than elusive on his short area pass routes … Catches the ball with ease when facing the quarterback (must adjust on the over-the-shoulder throws though) … Better as a cut blocker than working in-line, but shows good vision picking up the blitz … Has the lower body strength to anchor vs. the bull rush, but his poor hand effects him in this area.

Negatives: Has adequate upper and lower body muscle definition and could stand to lose a few pounds to give him better balance and stamina … Builds his acceleration on the move, but does not have a sudden burst through the holes … Needs more than several reps to retain plays and might struggle digesting a complicated playbook … Gets too tall in his stance, resulting in him having to absorb lots of punishment … More of a between-the-tackles runner, as he doesn't have the body control or foot speed to get to the outside and turn the corner … Because of his tall stance, he can be driven back through the rush lanes … Lacks the loose hips to redirect and avoid on the move … Takes a rolling start getting out into his pass patterns and struggles to track the ball in flight (better when catching the ball when facing the quarterback rather than having to look it in over his outside shoulder) … Takes wasted steps trying to redirect and is better when he drives through tackles rather than trying to avoid … One cut runner with little shake or wiggle when trying to separate in the second level … Willing blocker, but lacks hand placement and technique … Can be walked back into the pocket when blocking vs. the bull rush, as he fails to maintain contact on his opponent (hands swing wildly rather than keeping them inside the frame) … Must work on ball security issues, as he does not always distribute it away from the defender or cover it up when running through a crowd … Won't win any foot races in the open and might be a type who is used on short-yardage situations only.

Compares To: MIKE ANDERSON-ex-Baltimore … Like Anderson, Torain can get the tough yardage in between the tackles or in short-yardage situations. He is a physical runner with adequate speed, but lacks the burst or elusiveness to break free in the open field. He shows good vision attacking the holes and patience following his blockers, but is strictly a one-cut runner with marginal hip wiggle. He is never used on complicated pass routes, as he doesn't have the skills to look the ball in over his head, but shows decent pass catching ability for dump-offs. His blocking technique needs complete refinement, as he gets too wild with his hands to sustain. If your team has a lightning quick back and you are looking for one with a little thunder to complement, Torain might fit that role, but he is not one to build your overall running game around.

Darrell Strong
Positives: Rare combination of size and overall athleticism. … Good foot quickness and downfield speed for the position. … Flashes explosiveness out of his breaks to generate separation from the defender. … Soft hands for the reception. … Improved maturity on and off the field as a senior.

Negatives: Considered an under-achiever until his senior season. … Off-field issues, including being cited for harassment and criminal mischief. … Not the blocker his size and athleticism would lead you to believe. … Inconsistent effort, marginal explosion at the point of attack and too often doesn't sustain. … Has shown a tendency to add weight in the off-season.

[TMC]

Joe "Red" Bryant
Positives: Has a well-proportioned, thick and muscular frame that has room for further growth development without having the additional weight impact his impressive quickness … Has long arms, adequate hand size, thick thighs and calves, showing solid muscle tone throughout, especially in his broad shoulders … With his wide hips and thick lower body, it is very tough for blockers to gain movement off the snap vs. him … Shows keen awareness to the play developing … More of a run-containment type, but has the savvy and agility to slip blocks and wreak havoc in the backfield … Quick to find the football in pursuit and is not the type that will bite on play action or misdirection … Was called the team's "most important player" by the coaching staff, as they use his hard work as an example for the younger players to follow … Clocked at 4.95 in the 40-yard dash, he carries his equipment well and, by keeping his pads down and hands within his frame, he generates good movement off the snap … Can surprise a lethargic blocker and slip past double teams with his burst, showing the strength needed to get a good push off his man … Excels at neutralizing multiple blockers and has that hip shake you want when trying to execute counter moves (this allows a teammate to be free to make the play) … .Quick to fill the rush lane and shows good creativity and spin moves shooting the gaps … Very combative with his hands and has the strength to shock and control an opponent when he locks on … Shows good power in attempts to disengage and is quite nimble when attacking the backfield … Type that demands constant double-team attention from his opponent, as he is very hard to move off the line … When he plants his feet and settles in for a battle, he uses his low center of gravity to gain leverage and he keeps his feet free, demonstrating very effective two-gap potential … His quick arm-over action and upper-body strength let him consistently beat his blocker off the snap … Keeps his hands active, even in tight quarter, staying within his frame to do a nice job of protecting his body from cut blocks … Has very good strength behind his hits and is an efficient wrap-up tackler with the long arms to engulf the perimeter runners … .Demonstrates the lateral agility to push the outside running game back inside and the field vision to quickly locate the cutback lanes … Because of his wide frame and brute strength, when he makes a collision tackle, he instantly stops the ballcarrier's momentum -- will generally attack the runner's outside leg to impede forward progress … In 125 running plays directed at him, opponents managed to gain just 89 yards (0.71 yards per carry) … Immovable object at the point of attack and is quick to hunker down and fill the rush lanes … Has the short-area burst to close in a hurry and comes out of his stance with his hands ready to lock on, control and shed his blockers … Quick to stack at the point of attack and uses his low center of gravity and strength to gain leverage and hold his ground firmly … Best when playing over the center's head or giving a good arm-over action to gain advantage over the outside shoulder of the guards in attempts to apply pressure … Tough to defend in the short area when moving down the line and is very conscious of low blocks and how to avoid them … Knows how to time his leaps to get his fair share of pass deflections at the line of scrimmage … Alert for angle blocks and traps, using his hands effectively to counter.

Negatives: Diagnosed with dyslexia, but has overcome the issue and does well both academically and in retaining plays … Will short-arm at times, but stays after the blocker when doing so, using his body lean to get a push … Has good pursuit ability in the short area, but despite his timed speed, he will labor at times when running long distances … In long pursuit, he will get a bit high in his stance and narrow his base. When this happens, he fails to keep his feet free and while he can get over trash, he will get a little out of control … There is no leakage when working inside, but he will get a little out of control and miss tackles when operating in space … Has the speed to close, but must develop more pass-rush moves to become a threat … Uses mostly swim and rip moves, but with his hand strength, he should be more efficient when trying to club … Shows good agility squeezing the pocket, but when he gets narrow in his base coming off the edge, blockers can have some success forcing him out.

Compares To: CASEY HAMPTON-Pittsburgh … Bryant is bigger, faster and stronger than Hampton, but both play with great anticipation and short-area explosion to dominate vs. the run. Bryant is very good at neutralizing double teams and has few peers when it comers to shutting down the inside running game. He is a tireless worker in the trenches who has not been used much as a pass rusher, but with his speed, lateral agility and strength, he could develop nicely there if a patient coaching staff teaches him proper technique. Whether in a 3-4 as a nose guard or in a 4-3 alignment as a defensive tackle, few blockers at the professional level will have success containing him.


Dre Moore
Positives: Unique build for a defensive tackle … Relatively trim middle with good definition in his upper and lower … Rare straight-line speed for the position … Flashes good quickness off the snap … Good upper body strength to hold up at the line of scrimmage … Improved play recognition and motor as a senior after struggling in this area earlier in his career … Has improved his play throughout his career and has only two years of football playing experience prior to college … Dedicated weight lifter with school records on his resume for his strength … Obvious upside based on his athleticism and willingness to put in time in the weight room.

Negatives: Not the sum of his parts … Better athlete than football player to this point … Flashes good quickness off the snap, but fails too often to read his keys, opening holes in the defense … Good strength at the point of attack, but doesn't use his hands well to disengage and plays with an inconsistent motor … Lacks the bulk of many of today's massive tackles and can be moved off the line too easily, especially when he plays high.

Kendall Langford
Positives: Has a big build, with wide waist and hips, broad shoulders, thick calves and thighs … Has the valid speed to play off the edge, but also shows the lower-body power to anchor and split double teams when lined up at defensive tackle … Smooth open-field runner with good body control and balance on the move … Quick to redirect in-line and has the running stride to chase down running backs in the second level … As a rush end, he keeps his pad level down to make plays working down the line … Plays until the whistle and gives solid effort throughout every play … When he gets that "fire in his belly," he can completely dominate a game (see 2007 Morgan State, Delaware State, Norfolk State and Florida A&M contests and 2006 Howard, Morgan State, Norfolk State, Bethune-Cookman and New Hampshire games) … Has the initial step and reach to get into the blocker's chest to stack and control … Has enough functional strength to control his side of the football in one-on-one situations, as he can hold ground at the point of attack and clog rush lanes … Plays with good leverage and, when he recovers off the initial block, he has the loose hips to redirect and work his way down the line … When he sets with a heavy anchor, he can control his man due to his ability to bend his knees and play with leverage … When he keeps his hands inside his frame, he is much more effective in attempts to recoil and reset quickly … His best hand move is his swim move to slip past blocks on the pass rush … When he shoots his hands with force, he will generally shock his opponent … For a player of his size, he does a very nice job of clearing his feet on the move … Gets through trash well due to his low pad level and is relentless chasing down ballcarriers inside the box … Has the loose hips to move from sideline to sideline and can make plays in long pursuit (see 2007 Morgan State, Delaware State and Norfolk State and 2006 Delaware State and Bethune-Cookman games) … Possesses good body control when changing direction, and is effective chasing from the backside … Has improved using his long reach to secure and drag down the opponent … Generates good lower-body power behind his hits and has made steady improvement keeping his feet to drive the lead blocker back through the rush lane … Because of his run-stuffing skills, Langford could shift to defensive tackle in a 4-3 alignment to take advantage of one of his better skills … Has short-area pursuit speed to give chase down the line and with his change-of-direction agility and field vision, he is quick to redirect and neutralize the cutback lanes … Developed a fluid spin move to clear the line of scrimmage and can generate pressure from the backside (see 2007 Howard, Delaware State and Norfolk State and 2006 Delaware State, Norfolk State and Bethune-Cookman games) … More of a bull rusher who might be better served as a tackle, as he does a good job of working on the offensive guard's edge … Has change-of-direction agility, combined with his knowledge of taking proper angles to generate good production pressuring the pocket … Uses his reach in attempts to dislodge the ball from the ballcarrier … His forward body lean and hip swerve let him deliver the spin move to slip off blockers and he shows good agility and balance in pursuit … Can penetrate the gaps and mash the pocket on a consistent basis.

Negatives: Lacks explosiveness off the snap, but uses his strength well to get through traffic, showing proper hand extension to keep blockers off his feet … Has the lower-body strength in his anchor vs. double teams, but he must show better faith in his hand placement to keep blockers off his body … Earlier in his career, he needed hard coaching, as he was not fond of the training room, but has matured over the years and takes pride in his captaincy … Has smaller-than-ideal hand size (eight inches), leading to problems in attempts to grab on to his opponent's jersey (has a tendency of not locking on when placing his hands on the blockers chest, giving up body surface coming off the snap) … Showed marked improvement in taking proper angles when shooting the inside gaps, but used to take a wide loop to compensate for a lack of explosion … Good at using his size to close down the backside, but is still developing a better feel for play action, as he will bite on them at times … Slow to shed when he fails to keep his hands active, but shows good urgency to close when he locates the ball, especially when he gets free from his initial blocker.

Compares To: TY WARREN-New England … Some scouts say Langford is more like Richard Seymour, but he is more than likely to play outside in a 3-4 alignment than to line up at under tackle. Langford is a dominant run stuffer who still needs to develop more pass-rush moves, but he has the size to clog rush lanes. He must develop better hand punch to help him combat isolated blocks and lacks ideal explosion to be much of an edge rusher, but like Warren, his ability to play a variety of roles and positions up front will help him earn a spot in a team's defensive rotation.

Shawn Crable
Positives: Has a tall, rangy frame with very long arms, large hands, a bit high cut, but has room on his frame to bulk up to 260 pounds (for a possible use as a hybrid DE/OLB) … Has good quickness out of his stance, though not explosive, but enough to get an edge on the outside shoulder of an offensive tackle … Well-built athlete,who relies on his quickness, speed, range and flashes of burst and acceleration … Shows good production coming off the edge to disrupt the pocket and does a nice job vs. outside run containment (only in the short area, as he lacks range to make plays at the opposite side of the field) … Team-first athlete who enjoys his role on special teams, demonstrating good competitiveness and toughness … Uses his long arm reach effectively to stack, shed and ward off blockers … Still learning and growing into his position, both physically and mentally, but works hard in outstanding his job of reading and reacting to blocking schemes and ball flow, as well as locating the football … Good leverage player who needs to improve his hip flexibility and burst to close, but has the quickness and knowledge for taking good angles to disrupt the pocket on a consistent basis … Has good playing strength to extend, anchor and hold off blockers, as well as the ability to shed and get to the ball (when he keeps his pad level down) … Still a work in progress, but showed better ability to use his hands to get good extension in attempts to stack and hold off tight-end blocks, string out plays and get to the ball (just lacks consistency) … Makes more plays in clear air (free lanes) than at the point of attack, but has good eyes for locating the ball … When he uses his hands with force, he is effective at playing off blocks, but must demonstrate better consistency using his arm length for block extension (will get lazy with hands to shed at the X's) … Does a good job of attacking off the edge and pursuing to the outside to make plays … Shows adequate lateral movement and flow, but will sometimes over-run the play … Shows better coverage skills across the middle and outside the box vs. the tight end than he does in the zone … Plays on his feet and is effective at wrapping the ballcarrier in closed quarters, generating good pop on contact … Has the speed to make plays around the perimeter, and when he gets through traffic he has the good angle concept to pressure the pocket … Has outstanding blitzing ability off the edge or on an inside dog, as he chases hard and shows good intent to deliver the blow … Very good on stunts, as he has the knack for finding the open lane … Shows more quickness than speed as a speed rusher, but has a long stride and range to get to the ball … With his pass rush skills, he can create havoc in the backfield, but must be more conscious of sinking his hips to generate the extra burst needed to seal the deal.

Negatives: Has good upper body development, but is slender in his thighs and legs, appearing to lack the bulk to anchor vs. double teams … Still learning how to break down plays in space (better at the line of scrimmage), as he seems to be late recognizing action going on away from his territory and needs to make a better effort to get involved vs. action away from him … Because of his lanky frame, he fails to generate good pad level, getting too tall in his stance and the result is offensive tackles having success in washing him out of the play once they get their mitts on him (struggles to shed) … Loses his anchor, especially vs. double teams, due to his high stance at the X's … Has very good ball location skills vs. the run, but can get lost in zone coverage as he struggles handling switch-offs and will bite on pump fakes … Not really fluid in his backpedal and is prone to taking extra steps in transition, causing him to be a bit behind when trying to mirror the tight ends and backs in space … Relies too much on his burst off the edge, and while he has a strong club move he needs to generate a more fluid spin move and show more array in his tricks to break free (lacks swim and rip moves) … Has good timed speed, but is not really sudden or explosive closing on the play … Too stiff in his hips to work fluidly down the line, needing to gather before changing direction … Not a natural hands catcher, as most passes that he gets to are deflected rather than intercepted … Must improve his pad level and hip sink to take on blockers with better force and prevent from getting washed out … Will generally get run over by blockers on plays directed right at him … Must learn to control his emotions (gets into a funk when penalized) and show better snap count anticipation (can be pulled off side by a good cadence) … Must be more active with his hands in attempts to disengage (short arms quite a bit, letting blockers into his exposed chest).

Compares To: SHAUN PHILLIPS-San Diego … Crable is not as bulky as Phillips, but his frame has the potential to carry 260 pounds. He is a very good edge rusher and blitzer who relies a lot on his quickness to surprise a lethargic blocker. He lacks the sand in his pants to generate a good anchor and must do a better job of using his hands to protect his body from combo blocks and cut blocks. He is quick to see the play develop, but it is rare for him to come out of his area to make a play. He is too stiff in his hips to get good depth in his pass drops and struggles with ball recognition when playing in the zone, as he does bite on play-action. He will need to improve his lower body strength for the next level, as his only value right now is as a pass rusher.

Jerod Mayo
Positives: Athletic build with good upper definition and the frame to add an additional 10 pounds without a significant loss of speed. … Instinctive defender. … Attacks the line against the run. … Good change of direction and rare speed for the position in coverage. … Good open-field tackler with the body control to break down in space and make the sure tackle. … Flashes some explosiveness as a hitter. … Good timing on the blitz and shows an ability to close when the ball is near.

Negatives: Physical, but might be better on the perimeter than the inside. … Flashes strong hands to disengage from blocks, but often resorts to running around them rather than facing them up. … Generally a wrap-up tackler, but will lower his shoulder to lay a big hit and sometimes slip off.

Aqib Talib
Positives: Prototypical size and athleticism. … Excellent plant-and-drive, often reading the quarterback for the chance to pounce. … Very good ball skills, able to deflect passes at the last moment. … Uses his size and above average leaping ability to get to balls at the highest point. … Very willing to support the run. … Attempts to wrap up in the open field, even if not always successful. … Appears to be a maturing young man with a bright future.

Negatives: Does not have great catch-up speed, which was evident on multiple touchdowns allowed over his career. … May struggle a bit against quicker slot receivers until his technique is refined. … Will gamble too much at times to make the pick. … Susceptible to the double-move. … Could be more physical at his size, and is probably better suited to a zone scheme. … Suspended two games in 2007 for violating team rules.

I will have to hunt Dykes.....

[Blind Official]

I will have to hunt Dykes.....

??????????

They aren't hurting anyone

[Sluzilla]

from the huddle:

Gosder Cherilus OT Boston College

STRENGTHS

Gosder has excellent size and good athleticism to play his position. He shows solid lateral agility and does a great job using his hands when pass blocking. Gosder has the ability to go out and block a linebacker and could be used as a pulling O-lineman because he shows strong straight-line speed. Gosder looks like he is a very good teammate. He looks like he is very coachable and should be a solid RT for the team that drafts him.



NEEDS TO IMPROVE

Gosder has a big weakness: when he gets beat, it bothers him so much that things begin to snowball. He worries so much that it paralyzes his athleticism. What I mean is that once things start going bad for him physically, he has a hard time handling it mentally. This causes a breakdown in his techniques and the cycle of penalties and bad play begins.



TALENT BOARD ROUND 2

Gosder will make a good RT in the NFL. He is not a LT because Gosder cares too much when he misses a block or assignment. He cares too much when he gets beat and his player sacks his QB. He is a good person and mentally, this affects his playing ability. In the NFL when you make a mistake, you have to be able to forget that mistake and move on. You have to be able to correct that mistake during the course of a game so that you don’t make it again. The great players do this. The good players do this, but it might take attention to those mistakes in practice to correct it for the next game. Gosder, until he matures mentally, will need help during a game so that he doesn’t panic from his mistakes and allow them to snowball. He will need this help from a coach who understands this and from a good TE who will help him during the game to get his confidence back on track. Gosder is not quick enough and does not fire out off the line in the running game to use him as a guard. That means the only position he can play is RT. Later in his career, coaches will be tempted to move him to LT because of his athleticism, but Gosder is not the type of person that will all of a sudden stop thinking the way he thinks just because he has been in the league for a few years. If Gosder is drafted too high in this draft with the understanding that he is going to play LT at the next level, he will fail. If a team drafts him high with the knowledge that he will be a solid RT, then Gosder will be fine. Gosder’ success at the next level will be directly tied to a Head Coach and GM understanding this.

==============

Mike McGlynn OG Pittsburgh

STRENGTHS
Mike is one of the best offensive linemen in this draft. He can play any one of the offensive line positions and play them all well. He shows excellent techniques when blocking for both the running and passing game. Mike is a leader and makes the players around him better. He is a smart player and could be an excellent center for the team that needs one. He does a good job when he is used to pull or trap. Mike understands situational football and the day after you draft Mike, you could put him on the field and he will play like a five year veteran. Mike reminds me a lot of Logan (Instant) Mankins (OL New England Patriots).

NEEDS TO IMPROVE
Mike lacks some foot speed, but when you have a player who is ready to jump into your offensive line without missing a beat as a rookie, you just need to COACH BETTER!

TALENT BOARD ROUND 1
If you want a left tackle and you draft Mike, he will do the job; however, I think his impact position would be as a center. His ability to quick slide and help out a guard along with his strength, quickness out of his stance and the ability to defeat a bull rush makes him potentially the best pure center in this draft. One that could play against any defensive system. For Dave Weinstadt to suggest that Jeff Otah is the best offensive lineman he has ever coached and not include Mike in that statement is an insult to Mike and shows you Dave Weinstadt’s true character and abilities to coach. Mike could play RT or any one of the guard positions, but when I see leadership qualities like Mike’s, I want that at my center position. Mike will be a Pro Bowl lineman and might be the type of player that makes the Pro Bowl at more than one position. He has that type of ability. He just knows how to play football. It is in his blood and I suspect that before this draft even gets started, he will move quickly up the boards. All some team has to do is go back to the tape and review all the years this kid played on the offensive line. Mike is my definition of a sleeper: a player hiding right in plain sight who plays in a big program, but no one seems to notice because they are always trying to look at someone else. I’m calling him Mike (Sleeper) McGlynn because he is the definition of a sleeper draft pick.

================

Jeff Otah OT Pittsburgh

STRENGTHS
Jeff is a big human being. He has decent athletic talent to go along with those long arms that the scouts love to see for playing the left tackle position at the next level. Jeff does a good job against the stronger and slower pass rushing DE’s at the college level. He does a solid job blocking for the run game and when he gets his hands on you, he can nullify a pass rush very easily. Jeff has the talent to play at the next level, but not as a left tackle in the NFL.

NEEDS TO IMPROVE
Other than the fact that Jeff is out of shape, does not move his feet well, cannot redirect, does not play with consistency from one game to the next, is not quick enough off the snap and hasn’t played football very long, he’s ready for the NFL and I’m sure some team will draft him because of his size and the fact that he has long arms. That should be good enough, right?!

TALENT BOARD ROUND 3 C
Just because a former NFL coach tells everybody that he is coaching the best offensive linemen ever in his coaching career does not mean it is true. Coaches lie or are certainly capable of making mistakes! After looking at Jeff on film I know this for a fact. If Jeff is the best O-lineman that Dave Weinstadt has ever coached, then I now understand why Dave is no longer a head coach in the NFL. Maybe he just convinces himself, I don’t know! Maybe he was misquoted and what he really said was that Jeff could be one of the best O-linemen that he has coached. If he said that statement, then I have no problem. It’s possible that Jeff could be that type of player, but right now, for the purposes of this draft, he is nowhere near being a potential starter in the NFL and if he is, then the coach that is starting him is lying to himself also. Dave and him need to get a room together in the same mental ward. Jeff Otah in the future -- some time down the road -- could turn into a solid RT or RG, but he is not a LT. His LTI is a long ways away, but if Jeff gets in better shape, he could cut his LTI in half and I think in about two or three years he could become a starting O-lineman in the NFL. However, he has to lose weight and get in better shape and then learn all over again how to play with less weight.

===============

Red Bryant DT Texas A&M

STRENGTHS
Red is a big, powerful DT with the athletic ability to take on and shed blockers and make a tackle. He is an excellent run-stuffing DT. He shows good quickness off the snap and is strong enough to handle a double team and tie up offensive lineman so that the other D-lineman can make a play. Red does the grunt work and does it willingly. He understands situational football and makes the players around him better. He shows leadership qualities on the field and is the type of player you can use to build your defense around. Red reminds me a lot of Jammal Williams (DT San Diego Chargers). I call him Red (The Clog) Bryant because he will clog up the middle of your offense so badly that you will have to call a plumber to get it opened up!

NEEDS TO IMPROVE
Red can push the pocket, but is not going to get many sacks unless someone runs them into his arms. Red also must learn to keep his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage. This spin move garbage someone is teaching him is not going to cut it at the next level.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 3
If you want to build a Super Bowl defense, then you have to draft a player like Red Bryant. For example, Jammal Williams has been the key cog in the defense of the Chargers for the last few years. This year, Jammal has been injured and the Chargers’ defense has suffered tremendously. Since Jammal has come off the injury, the Charger defense has come back to life. It is no coincidence. Jammal is a two down and out D-lineman that has the ability to affect third downs by getting the other team into third and long situations all game long. This allows the Chargers to pass rush on third down without the worry of a running play. Red has the potential to have this same effect and it will not matter if you run a 3-4 defense or a 4-3 defense. Red will take up two Offensive Lineman in any type of defense. This allows a defensive coordinator to run all types of different run blitz and pass blitz schemes. You can get an NFL QB to make more bad decisions that lead to interceptions (and that means turnovers), if you can push the pocket. A sack is not a turnover! Frustrating an offense all game long by taking the run away and pushing the pocket on passing downs is a sure way to win a game. I have seen many D-Linemen with multiple sacks in a game be on the losing side at the end of the game; however, it is rare to see a defense that has stopped the run be on the losing side. If you stop the other team from running and push the pocket, it is a sure bet that you will get multiple interceptions and be on the winning side. Red understands his own talents and knows exactly what is going to be required of him from the team that drafts him. He understands that he will not get credit from the fans for doing his job and will not be interviewed by the press after a win. But he also knows that he will be one of the big reasons for the win. Red (The Clog) Bryant -- that’s one clog I don’t mind having.

===============

Dre Moore DT Maryland

STRENGTHS
Dre is a very athletic DT. He shows a great burst off the line of scrimmage and has good strength and lateral agility to hold the point of attack. Dre has the talent to be a 1-gap, 2-gap DT. That means he can stop the run and rush the passer. He shows the quickness, balance and strength to split the double team. Dre's talents translate very well to the next level. The big question, then, is why Dre is not considered one of the best DT’s in this draft?

NEEDS TO IMPROVE
Dre has some problems, but I’m not sure what they are! I could just brush him with a broad stroke and say he is immature and lazy but, I don’t think that is the case. I think he is not sure of his assignments and lacks the instincts to play up to his talent. I believe when this happens, he gets frustrated and gets down on himself because he expects more from himself. It looks at times that he is confused out there, which gives the impression that he's taking a down off when he is just frustrated. He needs some good solid coaching and someone who understands what he is going through. He doesn’t need hard coaching; he needs a coach who will teach him and have patience. If that’s not his problem, then I think you have to chalk it up to laziness. What can I say?!

TALENT BOARD ROUND 2 C
Dre has as much talent as Glen Dorsey (DT LSU), but he is not as far along in his education of the game as Dorsey. He is the type of player that after he works out, could sneak into the first round. However, most likely, he will drop into the third round because the majority of teams will believe that Dre is lazy. As I said, I don’t think that is correct. Dre has the pass rush moves, but I think when he guesses wrong on a play, it frustrates him because he thinks he was supposed to make the play and didn’t. When he makes a mistake, he can’t let it go. That’s a problem for a player who played on a team that is struggling. Emotionally, he takes too much on his shoulders. Dre needs a good teaching coach -- not a yeller or a screamer and not a coach that blames him for all the defensive line problems. He needs a team that will let him get his repetitions the first few years by rotating him and allowing him time to understand what his role is on a team. As soon as this kid gets used to the NFL speed, he will start to shine and become a hell of a DT. Dre has an LTI that is longer for a player with his talents but if you are patient and wait, good things will come. I just have a feeling that we have a kid who is misunderstood. If I’m wrong, then at the worst, you should have a very good rotating DT.

================

Shawn Crable LB Michigan

STRENGTHS
Shawn is a tall, lanky LB who has the ability to play standing up and with his hand down. He has strong enough athletic talent to cover TE’s in pass situations and does a good job handling his responsibilities of his position. He looks like he is a good teammate and shows some leadership skills. Shawn has played in a big time program and this does mean a lot when looking for players whose LTI could be shorter than those with more talent, but from smaller programs.

NEEDS TO IMPROVE
As far as I’m concerned, Shawn is a tweener and does not have starting athletic talent for the next level. He is not fast enough or strong enough to be a DE and doesn't have the athleticism to be a LB. He also does not seem to play with strong intelligence and is fooled by the same play many times in the same game. Shawn does not do a good job handling running plays right at him. For a player who has played as much as Shawn has, he should be much further along in his football maturity.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 4

Shawn should be a solid situational player and maybe help you on special teams, but unless he starts to play with more intelligence, I’m afraid that what you see right now is what you get with Shawn. He could be a situational pass rusher if he lets his natural burst take over his thought process and, with good coaching, that could happen. However, remember you're drafting a kid who really hasn’t improved from year to year in any aspect of his game. He seems to have good cover skills and I believe he might help in some nickel-dime situations, but if Shawn does not produce on special teams, it will be hard for him to make a team beyond his first contract. Shawn looks to be a good kid and if someone can get him to play more intelligently, he could become a solid player.

==============

Jarod Mayo LB Tennessee



STRENGTHS

Jarod has the potential to be an excellent LB for the team that drafts him. He is a head up, wrap up, squeeze and drive tackler with an excellent burst. He has the athleticism to play all three LB positions. He has good size and speed and makes a lot of tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Jarod is my style of LB because he can play in any defensive system that you want to use and he will shine. He shows excellent leadership skills and makes the players around him better. Jarod might be a better OLB than a MLB, but I only say that because as a sophomore, he seemed more at home as a OLB than at the MLB position. I would guess that if you leave him at the MLB position, he will be just as good, but it will take some time.



NEEDS TO IMPROVE

Jarod just needs more repetitions and experience if you want to make him your MLB. In 2006 at the OLB position, I saw him make three sacks and over eight tackles in one game. He got hurt the last portion of that season, which will need to be investigated further.



TALENT BOARD ROUND 1

Jarod is running under the radar for two reasons. First, he is a junior coming out early and a lot of teams don't have much information on him. The second reason is, just as he was getting good at OLB, his college team shifted him to MLB. He was thinking and learning angles and doing all the little things that makes a MLB so important to the team. Every game I saw him in this year, the improvement was dramatic. He learns very quickly and is the type of player that when you see him he makes the back of your head tingle. I know that most people don't know enough about this kid right now, but he is the type of kid that if you profile him from just his junior year, you are going to get the profile wrong. By the time we get to the draft, you will probably be hearing more and more about Jarod. Then again, maybe you won't! The teams that want to draft him I'm sure hope that he is sitting in the second round just so they will have a chance to draft him. I don't have a nickname for Jarod because his last name (Mayo) is good enough.

===============

Aqib Talib CB Kansas

STRENGTHS
Aqib has good size, strength and speed to play his position. He has strong hands to intercept passes. He shows solid overall cover skills and does a good job defending in zone coverage. Aqib seems to be very opportunistic; he looks for the interception and takes advantage of any mistakes made by a receiver or QB in the passing game. Aqib is a solid tackler and does not shy away from contact. He looks for the big hit and the critical turnover.

NEEDS TO IMPROVE
Right now, Aqib is working off the fact that he is smart and knows how to bait QB’s and coordinators into making mistakes. He is a good athlete, but makes most of his big plays while playing zone coverage with his face to the play. Aqib is not a quick player and his one-on-one coverage skills are questionable. He has also had some character and maturity issues that need to be addressed. He is fast, but he lacks the quickness to be a true man-on-man cover CB. He has the skills and straight line speed to be a hell of a Single Free Safety who can cover a TE or roam from sideline to sideline!

TALENT BOARD ROUND 3 C
Personally, I feel that Aqib’s natural position is Free Safety for the next level. He reminds me a lot of Ed Reed (FS Baltimore Ravens), but without the leadership skills. Aqib is very good as long as the play is in front of him. As a CB, he can be taken advantage of very easily because he is stubborn and is always looking for the big play, while taking too many chances without the needed true quickness to win a big percentage of those battles. From his play on the field, I don’t see any of these issues improving anytime soon. A smart coach will not try to change him, but will take advantage of Aqib’s natural ball-hawking skills and play him at the Free Safety position. He will impact a lot faster as a FS then he ever will impact as a CB. There is no doubt in my mind about this. If you try to make him a CB, you are opening your defense up to a player who will make as many big plays as he lets up and that is not a good situation. As a Free Safety, Aqib becomes an impact player as soon as you draft him and will help the first year as a nickel/dime cover safety and on special teams as a return man. Aqib will have to mature on and off the field, but he has talent to play at the next level and to impact. The only person that will stop this from happening is Aqib himself. Remember it takes more than talent to play at the NFL level.

[rossi]

What makes Mcglynn an intriguing prospect to me is that he may be able to play every position on the line and save a roster spot. I would believe he is likely a mid rounder.
Can't help but believe if we have a eye on Langford we also have to be looking at Campbell.

[dobre shunka]

I like McGlynn too. Seems like the best center prospects in this draft aren't centers. I'd put him and Zuttah in that group, with McGlynn in front. I like both Connor and Mayo, but if it came down to those two I'd rather have Mayo. Both are solid candidates to take over for Farrior, but Mayo is the better athlete and I'm not convince Connor can be a 3 down player. I like Talib too, but I'm getting leery of him the more I hear. Keep hearing he's a little a-hole. I like Cherilus better than most. If their R1 board dries up and they can't trade back, I'd be fine with Cherilus. They'd still need to address LT next year tho.

[rossi]

I like McGlynn too. Seems like the best center prospects in this draft aren't centers. I'd put him and Zuttah in that group, with McGlynn in front. I like both Connor and Mayo, but if it came down to those two I'd rather have Mayo. Both are solid candidates to take over for Farrior, but Mayo is the better athlete and I'm not convince Connor can be a 3 down player. I like Talib too, but I'm getting leery of him the more I hear. Keep hearing he's a little a-hole. I like Cherilus better than most. If their R1 board dries up and they can't trade back, I'd be fine with Cherilus. They'd still need to address LT next year tho.

I've seen Cherilus play and though IMHO he would be fine at RT he seems like he could be a better guard. Not sure he has the feet for T. I guess in some ways like Starks in that smaller and quicker ends could give him trouble.
I'm not sure we couldn't trade down 6-10 spots and still get him.

[dobre shunka]

Not sure. He looked more fluid the year before at RT. He's no dancing bear, but I think he does move better than Starks. He had a lot thrown at him last year, and never looked comfortable, like he was thinking too hard and not just playing naturally. Moved him to LT, switched their blocking scheme, new coaches, new vernacular. Wasn't the smoothest transition for him, but he didn't suck either. Back at RT, I think he'd be fine. Ideally, yeah, he'd be a guy on the tradeback board. But if no takers, I wouldn't be upset if they picked Cherilus at 1.23. Tho that would depend on who was still available.

[domthebomb228]

Excellent read... but is Red Bryant really stronger than Casey Hampton? Faster, I can see. Bigger, maybe. But someone stronger than Casey Hampton would have dominated in college even more than he did.

[Steel Conviction]

The *s are the people that don't count as a visit because they are local, right?

[TMC]

The *s are the people that don't count as a visit because they are local, right?

Exactly.


And, I do not actually believe that Bryant was stronger than Hampton....in fact, Hampton benched 225-34 times while Bryant did it 20....but Bryant has long arms (over 35") and it is much more difficult for longer armed guys to have higher bench numbers.

So, while I actually do not believe he is faster or stronger, I do think that he is drawing solid comparisons to a guy that has anchored our team.....and that says something.

[DrunkinIrishman]

As I have mentioned in another thread. I would not mind seeing them picking up McGlynn in the fourth or fifth. He was the best lineman for Pitt while there except last year because of injury (Otah was). He does not have the natural gifts as some of the others, but is one of those players that get it done. I think he could be a starting guard in this league. He also could play some tackle if needed. When healthy I actually like him more than Otah. Otah does have more potential upside but sometimes we know how that works. I am curious if he could play center also as mentioned. They wanted to move him to center his senior year but it never happened because of injury. He had done long snapping for Pitt also. (maybe which lead to the belief he could center). I do not know if he would be athletic enough to be a LT as mentioned. He pretty much was a rt.

[stevew]

If Bryant was drafted in the first, is he ready to step in and be a situational player from day one? I have a hard time projecting 3/4 type players. Is it the type of thing where he can be a solid backup at DE and NT this year, and hopefully transition into a starter somewhere on the line. Or is he merely going to be a NT only type of guy. With the longer arms, won't that make him a possibility at one of the DE spots? Or hell, we can always have him and Casey clog up the middle together in a 4/3. Draft Bryant in the first and a more traditional MLB prospect in round 2 or 3, and we can make an easy transition to the 4/3 in another year.

[K from Cal]

I instantly hope we don't draft these two guys. Their reports are way too short.
---------------
Brandon McAnderson
Positives: Good build for the fullback position … Good interior runner … Hits the hole hard and with good forward lean … Good ball security … Showed improved hands and route running as a senior … Flashes power as a lead blocker … Will face up the linebacker and keeps his feet moving … Has developed into a leader.

Negatives: Hasn't been used as a traditional fullback while at Kansas despite being listed as such earlier in his career … One dimensional north-south runner with little creativity … Lacks lateral agility to make defenders miss … Even with his improvements as a senior, is still a very limited receiving option who lacks the body control to make difficult grabs.

Jehuu Cailcrick
Positives: Rare size for the position. … Good straight-line athlete. … Flashes explosiveness as an interior runner, improving greatly in this area as a senior. … Limited production throughout his career as a receiver, but shows good hands.

Negatives: Marginal blocker. … Physically capable, but is much more interested in running the ball than blocking. … Lacks good football instincts. … Lacks lateral quickness and elusiveness. … Has a tendency to add weight in the off-season and needs to be monitored.

[smithessmokin]

I instantly hope we don't draft these two guys. Their reports are way too short.
---------------
Brandon McAnderson
Positives: Good build for the fullback position … Good interior runner … Hits the hole hard and with good forward lean … Good ball security … Showed improved hands and route running as a senior … Flashes power as a lead blocker … Will face up the linebacker and keeps his feet moving … Has developed into a leader.

Negatives: Hasn't been used as a traditional fullback while at Kansas despite being listed as such earlier in his career … One dimensional north-south runner with little creativity … Lacks lateral agility to make defenders miss … Even with his improvements as a senior, is still a very limited receiving option who lacks the body control to make difficult grabs.

Jehuu Cailcrick
Positives: Rare size for the position. … Good straight-line athlete. … Flashes explosiveness as an interior runner, improving greatly in this area as a senior. … Limited production throughout his career as a receiver, but shows good hands.

Negatives: Marginal blocker. … Physically capable, but is much more interested in running the ball than blocking. … Lacks good football instincts. … Lacks lateral quickness and elusiveness. … Has a tendency to add weight in the off-season and needs to be monitored.

i find it ludicrous that we would waste a pick on a RB/FB when we have parker, davenport, moore, russell, haynes, and davis.

[Hollywood Bags]

Haynes is not a Steeler, Davenport and Davis are mediocre RBs at best, we are thin at RB, real thin.

[TMC]

If Bryant was drafted in the first, is he ready to step in and be a situational player from day one? I have a hard time projecting 3/4 type players. Is it the type of thing where he can be a solid backup at DE and NT this year, and hopefully transition into a starter somewhere on the line. Or is he merely going to be a NT only type of guy. With the longer arms, won't that make him a possibility at one of the DE spots? Or hell, we can always have him and Casey clog up the middle together in a 4/3. Draft Bryant in the first and a more traditional MLB prospect in round 2 or 3, and we can make an easy transition to the 4/3 in another year.

Bryant is a run stopper. In fact, he is the best run stopping defensive lineman in this draft. If he did not win a starting spot for us as a rookie, he should see significant time. The thing is, you could play him at either DE spot on 1st/2nd down and teams would be forced to pass.

Also, if you play him at DE, if someone double teamed it, which they would have to do, he would free up the linebackers to blitz.

[Hollywood Bags]

Think we could trade down from #23 and still get him at the top of the 2nd ?

[Mud Dog]

Did they SERIOUSLY bring in a Tight End ... are you kidding me!

[SteelerFan448]

Haynes is not a Steeler, Davenport and Davis are mediocre RBs at best, we are thin at RB, real thin.

Don't forget that we signed Moore and Russell is also on the roster.

[Hollywood Bags]

I love Russell and Moore was very good whenever I saw him play with the Vikes.

[stevew]

Depending on how the draft falls, I would be happy with Bryant then. The o-line is brutal, but I dunno if we'll necessarily be in a position to grab a bonafide stud for there. Doubtful. I'm still pretty sore about us getting run over last year. Take the fatass who can play, and tell Timmons and Woodley that their main goal is to kill the QB on every down. I think I can live with that.

Hopefully ben will survive.

[TMC]

Keilen Dykes (DE)
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 295
College: West Virginia
Conference: Big East
Hometown: Youngstown, OH
High School: Chaney
Featured Prospects
Overview
Overview

Dykes finished his excellent career in Morgantown with a second consecutive nod on the first-team All-Big East defensive team. He started three-plus years at tackle, nose tackle and end. In the Mountaineers' 3-3-5, Dykes did not get a lot of chances to make big plays (32 tackles, four for loss, three sacks and one forced fumble in 2007), but he made his presence felt on many occasions.

High School

Earned all-Ohio, all-city and all-NEO honors at Chaney High, recording 75 tackles and 9.5 sacks as a senior ... Youngstown Vindicator city defensive player of the year for Coach Ron Berdis ... 18 sacks as a junior ... four-year starter selected for the North-South and Big 33 all-star games.

Copyright NFLDraftScout.com, distributed by The Sports Xchange.
Analysis
Analysis

Positives: Should take a roster spot as a rookie due to his versatility, dependability and durability. ... Can play anywhere from the five-technique to the nose in any defensive scheme, but probably fits best inside in the 3-4. ... Relatively tall for an interior lineman, but plays with good leverage when man-up. ... Strong in the upper and lower bodies, he can keep his pads square and disengage to make a play. ... Will push his man back to push the pocket and use his hands to pressure the quarterback.

Negatives: Not especially explosive out of his stance, which limits his pass rush potential. ... May struggle at nose tackle in the pros because he does not anchor well or cause piles against double teams. ... Will dance a bit at times after initial contact, instead of keeping forward movement. ... Not always interested in chasing down the line or downfield, and seems to tire easily.

[Secret Santa]

McGlynn sounds pretty darn good.

[TMC]

I cannot confirm these, but it appears that the Steelers will bring in Brandon Albert, Mike Pollack, Cliff Avril, Quintin Groves, Curtis Johnson OLB/DE Clark-Atlanta, and Malcolm Kelly for visits.

[DrunkinIrishman]

I cannot confirm these, but it appears that the Steelers will bring in Brandon Albert, Mike Pollack, Cliff Avril, Quintin Groves, Curtis Johnson OLB/DE Clark-Atlanta, and Malcolm Kelly for visits.


The Steelers seem real interested in an OLB/DE. I figured with drafting 2 in the first two round last year that they would stay away this year. Now the question I ask some of you draft guys are these guys seem more as 3-4 OLB or are they starting to look for some 4-3 ends. I know if they play 3-4 it looks like Timmons will be inside so it sure would not hurt to get another guy.

[SteelerFan448]

The Steelers seem real interested in an OLB/DE. I figured with drafting 2 in the first two round last year that they would stay away this year. Now the question I ask some of you draft guys are these guys seem more as 3-4 OLB or are they starting to look for some 4-3 ends. I know if they play 3-4 it looks like Timmons will be inside so it sure would not hurt to get another guy.

They appear to be 3-4 OLBs. I'm glad we are still looking to fill a hole there. Right now w have no depth at the position. Remember, Harrison will be 30 years old. It would be great to get another pass rusher to play opposite of Woodley for the next 7+ years.

[TMC]

The Trib has an article about Cliff Avril visiting with the Steelers. I did not know that every team gets a list of the other teams visits. I find that pretty interesting.....anyway, Avril's bio:

Positives: Undersized to be any every down defensive end, but he has good upper-body muscle tone, ideal arm length, big hands, tapered thighs and calves, along with the feet, balance and change-of-direction agility to bring better value as a strong-side linebacker … Has exceptional closing speed vs. plays in front of him and the lateral agility to string plays wide … Can impact the pocket coming off the edge, using his sudden burst to slip past a lethargic blocker, but needs to add some more pass rush moves and keep his hands more active when attempting counter moves … Has the agility to bend down the line and cover ground well, showing good urgency closing on the pocket … Gives total effort in his chase and plays with his head up, showing good instincts to find the ball, especially vs. naked bootlegs … Better performer on the move than working through trash and has the balance to quickly redirect and close … Will generate better production standing up, but even with his hand down, if he gets a dip inside, a slower blocker can't recover … Smart player who will have no problem digesting a playbook at multiple positions (down lineman/strong-side linebacker/rush end) … Plays with good aggression and determination, despite being outweighed vs. every opponent … Plays until the whistle and builds acceleration nicely when attacking downfield … Puts in extra hours studying tape of the upcoming opponent and, while a leader by example, he will not hesitate to get vocal in the huddle … His best asset is his initial step off the snap, as he is quick to elude, dip his pads and redirect to plays underneath … Has a good feel for reading blocking keys and is usually in proper position, rarely biting on play-action … Attacks the point with good intent, even when he knows he will be washed out by the bigger blockers … Has good balance, staying on his feet and bounces up quickly when cut … Is quick to react to the play when he locates the ball and has the short-area quickness to spill inside, getting his hands up to deflect passes at the line of scrimmage … Takes good angles coming off the edge and shows good vision to locate the quarterback and flush him out of the pocket … Needs to use his hands more to ward off blocks, but is a slippery type with good avoidance skills on the move … Will sometimes run around blocks, but can stay square in one-on-one encounters … Uses his hands well to keep separation when he keeps them inside his frame … Scrapes to the ball well and has good press ability when playing over the tight end … Prefers using his swim move at the "five" technique to combat turn out blocks, but just needs to do it with better consistency … Carries his pads well, evident in Senior Bowl practices when he constantly chased down ballcarriers on the outside or challenged the QBs on naked bootlegs … Capable of getting very good production making plays from the backside, as he seems to work his hands better there in attempts to shed blockers and fall underneath … Good go-with-the-flow outside run container who can run, slide and move in space to make plays … Will flow too fast and overrun a few plays, but is quick to redirect … Keeps his feet and will sell out to get wide on a play (runs long distances to deliver the hit) … Not a hammer-type of hitter, but can run the field, hit and sell out, showing the body control to break down and wrap up (gets lazy at times and tries to take a side, but showed improvement in rectifying this as a senior) … You won't see too many misses or leaks when tackling, if he keeps his hands inside and pad level true … Shows good anticipation coming off the snap and, when he finds a clean rush lane, he will sell out, go airborne and do whatever is needed to pressure the pocket … Has a natural chop-and-swipe technique off the line, but uses his hands better vs. the run than as a pass rusher … Knows how to change and vary his speed when he breaks free from blockers … Covers ground and closes well from the backside better than he does in-line … Has a decent feel for the blitz and with his speed, he can bring the heat, thanks to good change-of-direction skills that make it difficult for slower linemen to block him.

Negatives: Undersized defensive end who converted from outside linebacker early in his junior year and lacks the bulk to face up to the bigger offensive tackles … Can beat a slower offensive lineman off the snap with his hand on the ground, showing a sudden burst, but if the lineman gets his hands locked on, he struggles to shed … Lacks the anchor to maintain ground vs. double teams and can be pushed back when trying to work inside (does have a nifty spin move in-line to beat a lethargic blocker) … Much more effective playing in space and on the move, as he gets absorbed too much by double teams working on the line of scrimmage … Can get the ballcarrier down along the outside, but needs to wrap and get in front of the opponent better, as he tends to grab or take a side (stronger runners like Ohio State's Chris Wells and Wisconsin's P.J. Hill had good success breaking his arm tackles) … Has the speed to impact the pocket coming off the edge, but his pass-rush moves are still raw and he needs to add to those array of moves (has a great spin move, but must be more forceful with his hands on club moves and show better shoulder positioning on rip moves) … Telegraphs his moves coming off the snap and when his hands get outside his frame, blockers can easily neutralize his counter moves … Not strong enough to plug the inside rush lanes as a defensive lineman … Will need time to re-adjust to playing linebacker (must refine his pass drop depth and open his hips quicker to come out of his breaks.

Compares To: SHAUN PHILLIPS-San Diego … Earlier in his career, Phillips struggled trying to play with his hand down at the NFL level. When the Chargers moved him to linebacker, they found a dominant force that could also attack the backfield and pressure the pocket. If some NFL team takes that lesson learned by the Chargers and shows patience letting Avril develop at strong-side linebacker, they could be rewarded with a Phillips clone. There is no question that he has the speed to cover receivers in the short-to-intermediate area and if he's not getting pounded by offensive linemen that outweigh him by 50-80 pounds on every play, his level of play could rival that of Phillips and another former Boilermaker, Dallas' Anthony Spencer.

[smithessmokin]

mcglynn looks like a good OL in the mid rounds that we could pick up.

[RevBillyC]

I cannot confirm these, but it appears that the Steelers will bring in Brandon Albert, Mike Pollack, Cliff Avril, Quintin Groves, Curtis Johnson OLB/DE Clark-Atlanta, and Malcolm Kelly for visits.

I love this kid - I have us taking him on day 2...:D

[TMC]

Quintin Groves, OLB, Auburn

COMBINE NUMBERS:
HT: 6030
WT: 259
ARM Length: 34.3
Hand: 9.2
40: 4.57
20 Split: 2.68
10 split: 1.57
Bench: 30
VJ: 29 1/2
BJ: 10'00"
Cone: 4.42
Shuttle: 7.31


ANALYSIS

Positives: 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 … Relentless pass rusher who compensates for a lack of size and bulk with tremendous suddenness coming off the snap … 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 very good balance and body control on the pass rush and shows proper knee bend to consistently turn the corner … Has outstanding foot quickness and stays low in his pads to easily avoid the slower blockers … Shows good alertness on the field, diagnosing the play quickly, showing urgency closing on the ball … Shows very good flexibility moving down the line and likes to get involved in downfield action … Plays with leverage, doing a very good job of extending his long arms … Plays with nice effort and toughness (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) … Self-starter who is a hard worker in the training room and has become a respected and vocal leader in the locker room … Shows outstanding suddenness and acceleration off the snap and to shoot gaps and disrupt the backfield … Displays good field awareness to diagnose plays and quickly track the ball … 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 … When he stays low in his pads and explodes off the snap, he surprises the blocker time after time … Has good ball location instincts and is quick to diagnose the plays, playing with high energy to close on the ball … Has the flexibility to play with leverage and even though he struggles at the point to split double teams, he is best when tracking the ball on the move … When a blocker tries to reach him, he can generate a strong hand punch and is quick to reset and separate from blockers (needs to keep his man's mitts off his jersey, though) … 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 … 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 … Fun to watch making tackles in the open field, as he willingly hurls his body at the opponent … Has the athletic agility to adjust and finish on his own in space … 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 … 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.

Negatives: Has very good muscle tone, but is a bit thin-looking across the chest … Does not have the strength needed to battle constantly with an offensive lineman at the X's, but compensates with good hand usage and a sudden burst to escape block pressure … Has had three minor off-field issues that need further clarification … Plays with a high motor, but will sometimes throttle down when not involved in the play (intensity can wane) … Very slippery getting into the backfield, but can be neutralized by the linemen once they get their hands on him (lacks size and bulk to over-power bigger people) … Very inefficient when trying to split double teams, as he will generally get washed out vs. combo blocks … Best making plays on the move, as his anchor is not strong to maintain at the point of attack … Has a punishing hand jolt to shock a blocker, but needs to use it with more consistency … Gets a bit reckless in his pursuit, and while he has great timed speed he will gather some when trying to redirect (needs to be more selective in choosing his spots moving up field) … 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 … Has the loose hips and smooth backpedal, along with the speed to mirror the receiver through the route, but can be fooled by pump fakes and play action (still developing a linebacker's mentality and must be more alert to the ball in flight) … Played linebacker vs. Tennessee Tech, Georgia and Alabama at the end of 2007 season, but struggled with the new rush and pass concepts (needs to convince scouts he can adapt to his new role as a hybrid OLB/DE).

Compares To: DeMARCUS WARE-Dallas … Much like the Chargers' Shawne Merriman and Ware, Groves has that explosive quickness and outstanding suddenness to wreak havoc in the backfield. He is a perfect fit for a hybrid outside linebacker/rush end position in a

3-4 defensive scheme and like Merriman and Ware, he could thrive if allowed to play in a stand-up position. He was having a banner senior campaign before dislocating several toes, but with his balance and body control, along with lateral movement, he should have no problems adjusting to playing off the line. With so much emphasis on pressuring the pocket and getting to the quarterback in the NFL, there is no other player in this draft that can match Groves' pass rushing ability.
INJURY REPORT

2005: Entered fall camp still feeling the effects from a July right high ankle sprain, but did not miss any playing time.

2007: Suffered three dislocated toes on his right foot vs. Florida (9/29), missing the Vanderbilt (10/06) and Arkansas (10/13) games. The injury would limit him to reserve duty for most of the second half of the season, upon his return.
AGILITY TESTS

Campus: 4.43 in the 40-yard dash … 365-pound bench press … Bench pressed 225 pounds 23 times … 530-pound squat … 295-pound power clean … 4.21 20-yard shuttle … 7.03 three-cone drill … 36.5-inch vertical jump … 10'6" broad jump … 34-inch arm length … 9 1/8-inch hands … Right-handed … 25/38 Wonderlic score.

[markymarc]

They appear to be 3-4 OLBs. I'm glad we are still looking to fill a hole there. Right now w have no depth at the position. Remember, Harrison will be 30 years old. It would be great to get another pass rusher to play opposite of Woodley for the next 7+ years.

I would love for the Steelers to find some more 3-4 OLBs. Getting younger at the LB spot could only help us. That would be great to find another top notch pass rusher to play opposite of Woodley for like you said 7+ years.

[BermudaSteel]

More draft prospects visit Steelers
Monday, April 07, 2008
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Two more college prospects paid visits to the Steelers today: quarterback Dennis Dixon of Oregon and linebacker Quentin Groves of Auburn.


First published on April 7, 2008 at 2:08 pm

[markymarc]

Dennis Dixon. Very interesting. Maybe if he goes undrafted we take a chance on him.

[bearcatsno69]

Dennis Dixon. Very interesting. Maybe if he goes undrafted we take a chance on him.

Kordell Dixon or Hines Dixon?

[markymarc]

Kordell Dixon or Hines Dixon?

One can only hope it would be Hines Dixon.

[bearcatsno69]

One can only hope it would be Hines Dixon.


Dixon would be a hell of an athlete to pick up.

[BermudaSteel]

Kordell Dixon or Hines Dixon?

Either one brings the "trickery" back.

Sign him.

[leftcoaststeelerfan]

Kordell Dixon or Hines Dixon?

WR Dixon

.

[Tres Rios]

Dixon will be taken by us in Round 6. Mark it. And he will be backup QB not a slash player. He's too damn talented throwing to waste him on special teams or as a #5 WR.

[TMC]

Dennis Dixon, QB, Oregon

HT: 6032
WT: 195
Arm Length: 36.2
Hand: 9.6

Analysis

Positives: Has a tall, lean frame with athletic muscle tone, minimal body fat (4.5%) and a frame that can carry at least another 15 pounds of bulk with no loss in quickness...Has a tight waist and hips, with good thickness in the legs and thighs...Demonstrates very good balance and body control driving back from center and his quickness needs to be accounted for by the defense when he runs with the ball, as he has the valid second gear to separate...More patient in the pocket, but will not hesitate to run with the ball, adding a dangerous weapon to the ground game (ranks second in school history in yards rushing by a quarterback)...The team used the shotgun formation mostly, but Dixon has the quickness and athletic agility to move in the pocket and drive back from center to his throwing point...Best staying in the short area when throwing off the sprint, but can push the ball downfield on roll-out action when he steps into the throw...Quick and decisive, making good progression reads...Has worked on becoming more compact with his over-the-top delivery, showing a quicker release than he did in the past...Efficient using a sidearm release on the move (can adjust his release to the situation) and has effective throwing mechanics...Steps into his throws better and his compact, natural release has greatly reduced turnover totals...Has the functional arm strength to make all the throws, but needs to be conscious of his footwork, as he must step into his long tosses in order to prevent the ball from spraying...Can fire the ball into tight areas and showed in 2007 that he can unleash the deep ball without having to wind up like he did in the past...Looks to have much better velocity and zip on the ball after refining his release point as a senior and it is now rare to see his targets having to adjust...In the short area, Dixon's touch is evident, as he is doing a better job of setting his feet in order to have better accuracy...As evident by the 2007 Michigan and Stanford games, he now knows how to lay the ball out for the receiver to run under without having to make adjustments in the route...Knows when to take something off his short tosses and does a nice job of feathering the ball over the receiver's outside shoulder and away from the defender when attacking the deep zone...Steps into his throws better and has a more fluid finish (no longer pats the ball before throwing)...Even though he is still a very dangerous runner, he is more confident in his protection and will step up into the pocket or slide to avoid...Teammates have confidence that he will make the right decisions as he is more likely to go through his progressions rather than try to force the ball to his primary target...With his quick, rhythm throws on the move, his backs and slot receivers have greatly benefited, as he shows much better vision in locating alternate targets...Shows strength on the run and the loose hips to elude...With his peripheral vision, he does a nice job of sensing backside pressure and is more alert to when he has to step up and out to avoid pressure and buy time to allow the play to develop...Has the valid foot speed to be dangerous on the move...Even though he could use more bulk and strength, he has the functional leg drive to break tackles and shows good body lean to fall forward for extra yardage...Especially effective throwing to his left on the roll out and has the straight-line speed, along with the elusiveness to take the ball to the house when running past the line of scrimmage.

Negatives: Needs to add more bulk to his frame in order to absorb punishment in the pocket at the professional level...Did not communicate well with the previous offensive coordinator, but the arrival of Chip Kelly as the team's new coordinator and quarterbacks coach saw the staff cater their game plan to Dixon's assets...Threw under duress frequently in the past and was too jittery in the pocket, but he learned to take time to make his reads and checks and will throw the ball away rather than try to create something out of nothing...Not known as a "gym rat" in the offseason training room and needs monitoring in order to do the little extras, but the new offensive coordinator had him more involved in the game planning than the past regime...Can throw on the move, but must be alert to setting his feet and stepping into those throws, or it will affect his accuracy...When he throws across his body or off the wrong foot, his passes tend to spray, causing his targets to adjust off their routes...As a junior, he was always waiting for the "hook" from the coaching staff and lost confidence in his ability to read coverage and would force the ball too often, especially on deep routes (had five games with multiple interceptions)...In the past, he did not always follow through when throwing deep, as he had a bit of a long throwing arc...Under the old coordinator, he looked very skittish standing in the pocket and would bolt at the first sign of pressure...Doctors anticipate he will need a minimum of six months to recover from December left knee anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery, making it hard for teams to get a good evaluation on his recovery leading up to the April draft...The injury could possibly make him reconsider his career path, as he is already property of the Atlanta Braves baseball organization. (In a late November interview after his injury, the QB was asked about whether he would play baseball or football and responded, "I'll talk with my family at the end of the season," Dixon said. "I'll see what my (NFL draft) forecast is and how I do at the various evaluations and talk to my family. It will be a thorough decision process. ... I have a lot of options. The sky is the limit.").

Compares To: WARREN MOON-Ex-Houston/Minnesota/Seattle/Kansas City...Like Moon, Dixon is emerging late in his career, having found the ideal tutor in offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. He is a dangerous scrambler who is showing much better patience in the pocket and better confidence in his ability. He is using his fine peripheral vision to make better checks and progression reads and no longer plays with an attitude that he has to make something spectacular happen on every play. He still needs to be conscious of stepping into his long throws better, but unlike another Oregon one-season wonder, Akili Smith, Dixon appears to have more value as an athlete and a better concept of how to execute a game plan.

Injury Report

2006: Sat out the Oregon State game (11/24) and came off the bench vs. Brigham Young (12/21) after suffering a concussion in the Arizona game (11/18).

2007: Suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in the fourth quarter on a running play vs. Arizona State (11/03)...Played the next week vs. Arizona, but re-injured the knee on a sack in the first quarter and sat out the rest of the year, undergoing reconstructive surgery in December. Typical recovery from such a procedure is six months, UO director of athletic medicine Dr. Bob Crist said.

[Tres Rios]

Compares To: WARREN MOON

And you people wouldn't want that at backup and fill in if Ben got hurt? Also, the next 2 drafts after this at QB are going to be weak. Someone may pay large for him in the next 2 or 3 years.

[LetMePlay]

Dennis Dixon is an interesting player. I saw him once in 06 and I thought he would make a decent NFL WR. NO WAY you could project him as an NFL QB in 06. I did not see him last year but I did read the press. I would not be opposed to taking him with a late round pick just based on physical skills pre-injury.

[Tres Rios]

He was close to holding that Heisman before he got hurt. That's how well he was playing.

68% completion rate. 20 TDs. 4 INTs. And that includes some tough games against USC, Michigan, AZ State and Cal.

[DrunkinIrishman]

Dixon would not be a bad lower pick. Charlie is not getting younger and we need to eventually find Ben another backup. If he turns out to be pretty good, you can always trade him.

[markymarc]

I wouldn't mind taking a chance on Dixon in the 6th. We might be able to sign him as an undrafted player considering his knee injury last year. Either way he could be worth the risk in the 6th round.

[LetMePlay]

I wouldn't mind taking a chance on Dixon in the 6th. We might be able to sign him as an undrafted player considering his knee injury last year. Either way he could be worth the risk in the 6th round.

I would go as high as 5. Even thats a little on the high side. Definitely no higher than 5th though. The only way I would go 5th is if we were able to nab 2 OL, OLB, and a DB/S before that.

[1st & 10]

Dixon, use him as a RB and QB.

[leftcoaststeelerfan]

Dixon will be taken by us in Round 6. Mark it. And he will be backup QB not a slash player. He's too damn talented throwing to waste him on special teams or as a #5 WR.


Eerily reminiscent of what people were saying when Kordell got here.......

[LetMePlay]

Eerily reminiscent of what people were saying when Kordell got here.......

Except those of us who though we drafted him as a WR. I really believed that we drafted him as a WR. I thought he was too talented to waste his talent playing QB.

[Vader]

Eerily reminiscent of what people were saying when Kordell got here.......

It was the exact same argument. Many posters today talk about how if he would have stayed "slash" he would have been great. But those same ones were the ones who said he was too talented not to play QB. They defended him like he was their brother in arms.

[Tres Rios]

LOL I sure as hell didn't want Kordy at QB. He had a cannon for an arm and nothing else. Sharp as a wet marble and had the aim of a cross eyed kid with a slingshot. Please don't compare Dixon to Kordell without watching his play.

[TMC]

Kordell Stewart did have the talent to play QB.....he just could not grasp the mental aspect of the game. He struggled to read defenses and his mechanics were not the best....but those things can be learned.

I do not care who we draft, there will be things they have to learn when they get in the NFL. No matter how gifted athletically they are, if they do not have the mind to play, they won't make it. There were games where Kordell would get in that zone and make any and every play you wanted.....but he could not do that with a consistent basis. The talent was there, but mentally he could not put it all together.

On the flipside, there are guys that do not have the physical attributes but are excellent students of the game, and they can play for years. A fine example of that is Deshea Townsend. He is five foot nothing, about a buck something, slow as hell, but shuts more gifted players down every week.

Dixon has the physical tools to play QB. If he cannot grasp it mentally, he is another Kordell Vick. If he can grasp it mentally, he could be Donovan McNabb.

IMO, you take that chance late in the draft.

[LetMePlay]

No matter how gifted athletically they are, if they do not have the mind to play, they won't make it. There were games where Kordell would get in that zone and make any and every play you wanted.....but he could not do that with a consistent basis. The talent was there, but mentally he could not put it all together.


Vince Young does not approve of this post. At least he will not when he finishes reading it.

[bradentonfan]

Kordell hit one wr in stride his entire career, Bobby Shaw vs Balt.
any plays he made were due to his athleticism, and would have been a really good WR and still beloved to fans(other than little kids and plain old kordell lovers/appologists), and maybe still playing

[TMC]

Vince Young does not approve of this post. At least he will not when he finishes reading it.

I think I have some time to hide unless someone reads it to him. But, then there is the explanation time.

[markymarc]

Good points TMC. Hopefully Dixon can get the mental part down and pick up any mechanics that might need fixed. He could run a few trick QB plays or play WR until those things come to him. Be interesting to see where he falls considering the knee injury.

[Sluzilla]

Cliff Avril LB Purdue



STRENGTHS

Cliff is a hell of an athlete who has been playing out of position for his team because he is an excellent pass rusher. This kid, for the next level, is a natural OLB in a 3-4 defense with the ability to play on the strong side. He can cover a TE and does an excellent job defending against the run. I also believe that Cliff could play any one of the LB positions in a 3-4 defense or a 4-3 defense, but his impact would be as a pass rushing LB with the ability to be used in coverage. That means bringing him to an inside LB position would limit his impact. Cliff shows excellent leadership qualities and because he is so smart and instinctive, there is no doubt in my mind about his work ethic. Cliff Avril has the potential to be a Pro Bowl strong side LB in a 3-4 defense for the team that drafts him.



NEEDS TO IMPROVE

Cliff just needs to be drafted by the right team in the right defense and he will impact immediately. I suspect that he might need some time to impact in a defense or position that he has not played up until now, but give him some time and he will produce.



TALENT BOARD ROUND 1

Teams that run a 3-4 defense must be drooling just thinking about this kid. He is smart and will learn the OLB position real fast. Just put him on the field and let him go. This is the type of kid you can build your defense around because of his athleticism and leadership skills. Most people are not going to rate Cliff as high as I do because all they see is a undersized kid that will have to learn a new position. That's because they do not watch game film like I do. They watch the coach's film and evaluate how well Cliff is doing as a DE and then they try to suggest that he could be a good OLB in a couple of years. However, that is the problem when all you watch is the coach's film. In the coach's film you don't see the interaction of this kid with other players. You don't see how smart he is. You don't see his leadership skills. The only way you find out if the kid has leadership skills is when you ask a coach or a teammate. When a coach says "he is one of our leaders", that means nothing to me. I want to see it on the field and then I want to see how the players react to him. Cliff is a leader and his teammates react to what he says to them on the field. They may hate him off the field for all I know, but on the field, they respect this kid. That's why I'm giving him such a high talent grade. I'm not worried about his LTI being longer than normal because he may have to change positions. His natural athleticism, intelligence and leadership skills are what make this kid 1st round talent. I'm not sure when he will be drafted, but I know the team that drafts him is drafting a hell of a player. I would think that Cliff would be a perfect fit for the New England Patriots and any other team that runs a 3-4 defense.

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Quentin Groves LB Auburn

STRENGTHS
Quentin can be a dominating OLB/DE for the team that drafts him. He is quick, fast and shows excellent instincts and leverage when playing against the run as well as rushing the passer. He has excellent strength and is a good tackler. Quentin is a relentless football player and reminds me a lot of Julian Peterson (LB Seattle Seahawks) and Dwight Freeney (DE Indianapolis Colts). Before Julian got injured (with the 49ers), you could not block him. Quentin has that same type of athletic talent, instincts, speed, quickness, intelligence and strength. Quentin is quicker than an annoyed housewife flipping through the newspaper looking for a coupon, trying to convince her husband to buy some new jewelry. I’m calling him Quentin (Coupon) Groves because when you draft him your going to get excellent value for your draft choice just like when you use a coupon to buy expensive jewelry.

NEEDS TO IMPROVE
If Quentin had not gotten a foot injury this year, I believe he would have been a top ten talent in this draft. A foot injury can sometimes be very hard to come back from, which could be a chronic problem. If the doctors say this kid is all right then someone is going to get a top ten talent later in the draft. He is a sleeper right now. Of course he will need time to develop his LB skills because his college program used him mostly as a pass rushing/backfield disrupter.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 1
I had to go back to my tapes of Quentin in his junior year to get a better read on this kid and to remind me just how talented he is. I believe Quentin might be an excellent blind side DE in a 4-3 just like Dwight Freeney of the Colts but believe me, he could also be an OLB in a 3-4 defense or a WLB in a 4-3 defense. He has multiple talents and if he is over his foot injury, he will be one of the steals of this draft even if he is taken later in the 1st round. Quentin will need time to develop his LB skills if the team that drafts him uses him as an WLB in a 4-3 defense, but it should only take about half of the first season before the fans see the benefit of this kid’s talent in a defense like that. If Quentin can work out at the combine without any problems, you might see him challenge to be listed in the top fifteen and as soon as the top ten players are picked, Quentin has a chance of being drafted at any time in this draft. The key for Quentin will be how well he is coming off that foot injury. For Quentin, his workouts will be everything because his talents are without question. Like I said, I’m calling him Quentin (Coupon) Graves because as long as his foot is ok, you’re going to get a steal when your team drafts him. It doesn’t get any better than that!

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Dennis Dixon QB Oregon

STRENGTHS
Dennis has a strong arm and can make all the throws with good velocity and touch to be very successful at the next level. He is athletic and moves his feet well in the pocket to keep a play alive. Of course, we all know how well he can run in the open field, but this year Dennis has improved dramatically his ability to make plays from the pocket, read defenses and improve his throwing accuracy in and out of the pocket. I have never seen a QB improve his accuracy in one year as much as Dennis has this year from last year. It leads me to believe that he is very coachable, understands his weaknesses and strengths and is a hard worker who will continue to improve. The ability to make plays from the pocket and intelligence is the difference between Dennis and players like Vince Young and other “run out of the pocket” college QB’s. Dennis Dixon reminds me of Randall Cunningham -- without the ego.

NEEDS TO IMPROVE
Dennis will have to find a way to bulk up to take the pounding at the next level. I’m not sure he has the body type to be able to do that. He has to continue to make plays from the pocket and read defenses faster and quicker and, of course, get rid of the ball quicker. You can say this about every QB coming out. The big issue will be injuries for Dennis. (Update: Since the time I wrote this profile originally, Dennis received a knee injury. In some people’s minds, it could affect his draft status. Not for me, personally. As long as there are no complications I do not feel that this is a problem.)

TALENT BOARD ROUND 1
I consider Dennis as talented and as athletic as JP Losman (QB Buffalo Bills) when he came out. JP was taken in the first round of the draft, but the big difference between JP and Dennis is that Dennis has a much better head on his shoulders than Losman had on draft day. The big problem for Dennis will be his ability to take the pounding at the next level and stay on the field. This will be the make or break issue for Dennis. The knee injury he has right now will heal and should not be a problem, but you do have to worry about his slight frame and the ability to stay on the field at the next level and not have a chronic injury problem. He realizes how much he needs to continue to improve so that is not an issue. He has the arm, the intelligence, the leadership, the overall athletic abilities and the ability to be coached into improvement. All that is really left is his size. He has that type of body that will never really have a lot of bulk, but he also has the athleticism to keep himself from taking full hits when he is tackled. Like I said, he reminds me a lot of Randall Cunningham and Randall never had any really big problems staying healthy at the next level. I like Dennis and the way he plays and if I were a playoff team with an aging QB, I would draft Dennis in the first round and not look back. I think the kid is going to improve very quickly at the next level and don’t all QB’s have to stay healthy to reach their potential? I call him Dennis (The Menace) Dixon because he will be a menace to all the defensive personnel and schemes he will compete against (plus, it rhymes!).

[Sluzilla]

4 prospects visit Steelers
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Four more college prospects paid visits to the Steelers today: linebacker Bryan Smith of McNeese State, cornerback Tracy Porter of Indiana, kick returner Matthew Slater of UCLA who is the son of former NFL tackle and Hall of Famer Jackie Slater, and defensive back Ryan Mundy of West Virgina.

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Tracy Porter CB Indiana

STRENGTHS
Tracy has decent size and strength for the CB position. He has good speed and looks to have the quickness that is needed to play man-to-man at the next level. Tracy has excellent special teams skills and likes to make the big play. He does a solid job in zone coverage and looks like he is a smart player and learns quickly. Tracy has a lot of talent to deal with and could be a steal in this draft.

NEEDS TO IMPROVE
The biggest problem I see with Tracy being able to play at the next level is his consistency in tackling. He must get stronger without losing his quickness and he has to learn to tackle better. Tracy has the tools to be an excellent CB at the next level if he corrects these problems. I’m not convinced that he can correct the tackling problem.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 3
Tackling is an attitude. It is hard to become a good tackler if you are not a good tackler at the college level. Stewart Schweigart (FS Oakland Raiders) had this problem in college -- I told everyone about it and no one believed me. Now the rumbling in Raider town is that they are looking to upgrade the Free Safety position. A CB can get away for awhile if he is not a good tackler. But for NFL coaches, it’s like an alligator sitting quietly in camouflage on the banks of a river, smelling and stalking its prey just waiting for the right time to strike. It is just a matter of time before they run sweeps, match up RB’s or TE’s or big WR’s against that corner. Sometimes they will even use a H-Back out wide or flood that CB’s zone just because they know he will react slowly when he goes to make a tackle and the offense can gain RAC yardage. When you have a corner that is not a good tackler, you have to shade your safety to his side on all passing downs and guess what that does for your opponent’s offense? That’s right -- it opens up the middle of the field. I would rather take a slower CB who is a sure tackler than a faster CB who is not a good tackler. I can always play zone with the slower CB. If this kid can straighten out this problem, he will be a hell of a CB at the next level. It’s up to him, but I have seen him do the Stewart Schweigart flying duck routine (see archives) and I just have a hard time thinking that it will not be a problem at the next level. The real reason why Deion Sanders was allowed to go from team to team in free agency was not because he was a pain in the ass for the coaches. It was because he was a lousy tackler and every defensive coordinator thought they could get him to tackle once he was on their team. They found out that wasn’t the case. Believe me, if Sanders had been a good tackler, they would have put up with the other crap. For some strange reason, I like all my defensive players to be good tacklers. I don’t know why, but I just do…go figure!

[deljzc]

I really don't like Tracy Porter. He got a 4 on the wonderlic test (trying to answer 23 questions). And as stated in his bio, he's a little soft as a player and isn't that physical.

The other guys all look like UFA potential.