Archive for January, 2010
The week of the Senior Bowl has to be one of my favorite times of the football year. Approximately 100 of the finest senior prospects gather in Mobile, Alabama for a chance to showcase their abilities to NFL talent evaluators. Not only do we discover accurate heights and weights of players, but we get a glimpse of how they will react in a professional environment.
Day 1 was a time for players to weigh in, to talk a bit with the media, and to get a little time on the practice field. Here are the major happenings from Monday:
-Overall, Idaho OL Mike Iupati’s measurables were the most impressive of all the big men (6-5, 325 lbs, 35 inch arm length, and just under 10.5 inch hands). His arm length stood out as longest of any player in attendance.
-Alabama DT Terrence Cody hurt himself by confirming suspicions regarding his weight issues. Although he has the biggest mits of anyone there (11.25 inch), his weight of 370 lbs. will linger in the minds of scouts as cause for serious concern.
-Florida State S Myron Rolle, after returning from his adventure as a Rhodes Scholar looked in the best shape of virtually any player at the Senior Bowl.
-In the first practice, Wisconsin’s O’Brien Schofield tore his ACL. This is a terrible shame.
- QB Tim Tebow unsurprisingly had difficulty handling snaps under center, and he looked uncomfortable in his drop backs. To consider this week a success, he will have to demonstrate great coachability.
-For unknown reasons, Jerry Hughes, Trent Williams, Brandon LaFell, and Charles Brown did not arrive in Mobile.
For more up-to-date information, I recommend reading NFL.com (they have some videos up) DraftCountdown, Draft Daddy, and Walterfootball.
On Thursday, April 22nd, we will gather together to witness the NFL Draft, appearing for the first time on prime time television. But assuredly, this will be a special occasion for yet another reason, an event which has been seen only once before, back in 1970. Barring catastrophe, two defensive tackles should join the elite, counting themselves among the rare few to be chosen in the top 5 of the NFL Draft.
These two fine players have waged a proverbial war in the trenches all season to be considered not only the best at their position, but the finest prospect of 2010. We all are familiar with the aptly-named Ndamukong Suh, who left an indelible impression on all who watched him almost single handedly throttle Texas in the Big 12 Championship game. But his peer, Gerald Mccoy, has quietly garnered attention from NFL evaluators for his talent for disruption.
What most people may not realize is just how little separates these two, a race that may not be concluded until negotiation time, just days before the Draft begins.
So, let’s take a closer look, shall we?
Ndamukong Suh’s rise to the top has been meteoric, to say the least. In August, all but the most astute were aware of the lineman from Nebraska. Seven months later, he is a household name, and the people’s choice for number 1 overall to the St. Louis Rams. His well-deserved reputation in most circles is such that it is quite uncommon to hear someone try to find holes in his game. I mean think about it, the guy finished the season with 12.5 sacks, and led his team in tackles…as a defensive tackle, for crying out loud! All this led to him earning consensus 1st team All-American honors as well as being invited to the Heisman Trophy award ceremony, which hasn’t honored a defensive lineman this way since Warren Sapp. In addition to this high honor, Suh came away with virtually every other award imaginable: the Lombardi Trophy, Outland Trophy, Bednarik Award, and the distinguished Nagurski Trophy for defensive player of the year.
All the buzz and awards seem to point to the obvious fact that Ndamukong Suh will be the number #1 pick of the draft. The majority of draft sites, including high profile sites like ESPN, NFLdraftscout, and Scout.com consider Suh to be the best defensive lineman available in this draft. But in NFL circles, another name is thought to be more deserving of that spot.
Pro Football Weekly’s draft writer Nolan Nawrocki recently published his evaluation of the top underclassmen in the draft. And although I don’t endorse the order of some of his picks, his reasoning regarding one player in particular is quite intriguing:
1. Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy — A strong, disruptive, explosive inside rusher who has been dominating the college football scene since he stepped onto the field, McCoy has warranted higher grades from NFL evaluators than Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh and stands a legitimate chance to be the first overall pick in the NFL draft.
Gerald McCoy earned the respect of scouts early on in his career, to a point where he could have declared for the draft as a redshirt sophomore and still would have been considered a top 15 pick. However, he came back to school to earn his degree, and to improve his abilities for one more year. His production was more modest than Suh’s, recording 6 sacks and 32 tackles this season. He was a finalist for the Lombardi Award and earned 1st or 2nd team All-American depending on which source you look at.
This begs the question, how can Gerald McCoy still be considered a better pro prospect by NFL scouts than Ndamukong Suh? The answer is concealed within the game tape.
First of all, McCoy is viewed as a very polished, true 3-technique penetrator. He is very violent and extremely disruptive, slipping off blocks like water on rock. He has solid character, works extremely hard, and is surprisingly durable. And at 6′4, 295 (with a frame to hold more weight) he possesses the wide girth necessary to hold up in the interior. Most importantly, even though he doesn’t always make the big play himself, McCoy affects plays with frightening regularity, which is perhaps the number one reason why scouts love him.
In comparison, Suh is an extremely powerful player with great quickness and superior balance. He has been unblockable at times, even against double teams. Nevertheless, he is viewed as a somewhat raw prospect compared to McCoy because his form of dominance in the college game may not work nearly as well in the pros. His natural abilities are so great that he has been dominant at the college level without having to develop much of a pass rush repertoire. He relies too heavily on his strength, which could cause some problems when trying to acclimate to the pro game. In the NFL, strength alone is almost never enough to make a player great unless you’re a revolutionary player (which Suh could be). The offensive linemen are simply too powerful for a one-trick pony to beat consistently, especially one who weighs less than 300 pounds (and could very well weigh in around 285-290 at the Scouting Combine). At best, he is going to need some coaching at the next level to learn how to beat linemen in other ways. In the worst case, he might be asked to make a position change to end, where he probably could be a dominant force just like Richard Seymour. If teams believe he can successfully make that position switch, thus playing at a level not unlike Richard Seymour, then his awesome value remains in tact.
I just can’t get that Big 12 Championship game out of my head. Gerald McCoy never was able to single handedly control a game like that.
Suh absolutely took over that game in a way that I have never seen before from an interior lineman. That is the tantalizing upside to which I previously referred. My only question about that game is whether he can do such a thing consistently at the next level, because those Texas interior linemen had been a weakness for the Longhorns all season.
Ultimately, we have to factor circumstances into why McCoy may be selected over Suh. The first four teams in this draft (St. Louis, Detroit, Tampa Bay, and Washington) all run 4-3 defenses, which seems to favor McCoy. And now that we know the powers that be believe that Gerald McCoy has better realized ability than Ndamukong Suh as a defensive tackle prospect, it seems all is working in his favor right now. Suh’s potential may be greater, but his NFL readiness isn’t near that of McCoy. And like it or not, that matters in this league. But can a team justifiably pass on potentially the can’t miss player of the decade? Because that carries some weight, too.
Based on your experience, who is the better pro prospect and why?
Derrick Morgan
- Height: 6-4
- Weight: 272
- DE
- Georgia Tech
- NFL.com
| Attribute | Rating |
| Explosiveness |  |
| Pass Rush | |
| Run Defense | |
| Strength | |
| Agility | |
| Football I.Q | |
| Tackling | |
| Durability | |
Scouting Report
Not an overly impressive athlete, yet he still managed to register 12.5 sacks on his way to earning AP 1st-team All-American honors this season, a testament to his work ethic and team-first mentality. His overall skill set and physique are comparable to Lawrence Jackson, defensive end for the Seattle Seahawks.
Explosiveness: First to fire off the line, but lacks the speed to consistently beat opposing tackles to the outside. Struggles in pursuit because of questionable top end speed. Doesn’t fire off the line well when standing up. Good motor, and hustles from beginning to end.
Pass Rush: Considered to be one of this year’s most polished pass rush technicians, Morgan brings a nice balance of pass rush moves, flashing the rip, club, spin, and bull rush. Prefers to line up in a 4 -point stance like Philadelphia Eagles’ DE Trent Cole. Displays ideal pad level, and uses good leverage. Gets his hands in the air to bat down passes at the line. Teams roll protection to his side, and often draws double teams and chip blocks.
Due to his questionable speed, he might never be considered an elite edge rusher in the NFL. He relies on inside moves too frequently, thus limiting his overall effectiveness.
Run Defense: Understands his role against the run by funneling ball carriers back inside. Too often lets mauling tackles lock onto him, and push him off the ball. Has the potential to do so, but he needs to get better at disengaging in the run game. Iowa’s TE Tony Moeaki was able to reliably handle Morgan when running the ball to his side. Can be slow to diagnose run plays.
Strength: Very good initial punch, but lacks the strength to continue to press the pocket once blocker decides to anchor. Questionable core strength combined with average speed limits his ability to dip, and he is too often on the ground because of balance issues. I counted at least 7 times during the Bowl game against Iowa where Morgan was taken off his feet because of poor balance. Frame looks close to maxed out.
Agility: Looks out of his element when playing in space. Doesn’t break down particularly well, and is limited by relatively stiff hips.
Football I.Q: Can be slow to diagnose run plays. However, he shows enough awareness to correct in-game errors. Won’t often make repeat his mistakes.
Tackling: Takes good angles to the football. Wrap-up type of tackler. Only needs one arm to take down ball carrier.
Durability: Very durable player, with good toughness and stamina. Started every game for the last 2 seasons. Doesn’t take many plays off during the game. No major issues thus far.
Listed below are a few Youtube video links of Derrick Morgan for you to study:
Derrick Morgan Highlights/Lowlights 2009 (created by Prodraftparty )
Gerald McCoy
- Height: 6-4
- Weight: 297
- DT
- Oklahoma
- Soonersports.com
| Attribute | Rating |
| Explosiveness | |
| Pass Rush | |
| Run Defense | |
| Strength | |
| Agility | |
| Football I.Q | |
| Tackling | |
| Durability | |
Scouting Report
After his redshirt sophomore season, Gerald McCoy was considered to be a top 15 pick for the 2009 NFL Draft. Instead of declaring, he returned to Oklahoma to improve his skills and to earn his college degree. His senior campaign only reinforced his reputation as a disruptive force on the defensive interior. In my opinion, he is a better pass rush technician than Ndamukong Suh. McCoy just isn’t blessed with the same kind of raw athleticism that Suh possesses.
Explosiveness: Very quick off the snap. His violent and relentless movements make him difficult for all but the most athletic linemen to contain.Splits through the line with frightening regularity.
Pass Rush: Extremely active hands, and a great motor are his strongest assets. Relies on finesse moves (mainly the rip and swim) to beat his blocker and get to the quarterback. This is also his main weakness. Lacks power moves and will require more strength to succeed against NFL guards and tackles. However, he has shown flashes of potential with the bull rush, and can pancake linemen when he gets them off balance. Gets skinny to slip between double teams.
Run Defense: Not always stout at the point of attack. Moved outside in goal line situations. Instead, McCoy is able to affect the run game by slicing into the backfield and redirecting the running back. He is able to shed blockers with ease, but is also capable of filling his gap to funnel plays to the linebackers. Not regularly asked to anchor against the run, but does a decent job of it. Attacks the line sometimes blindly, causing him to lose track of the ball carrier, in addition to making himself vulnerable to cut blocks.
Strength: Good, even great lower body muscle mass, but could definitely use some additional strength in his upper body.
Agility: Shows enough lateral movement to play outside at end in a 3-4 defensive front.
Football I.Q: Team captain with excellent character and work ethic.
Tackling: Tallied 32 tackles during his 2009 campaign. Not a forceful hitter, but wraps up well. Shows good effort and hustles down the line in pursuit. Needs to take better tackling angles when bursting through the line of scrimmage.
Durability: Healthy as a horse- McCoy has not missed a game in his 3 years as a starter.
Listed below are a few Youtube video links of Gerald McCoy for you to study:
2008 Gerald McCoy Highlights (created by prodraftparty)
Gerald McCoy vs. Florida, National Championship game (created by Alodraft)
