• Height: 6-2
  
• Weight: 211
  
• CB
• Colorado

Attribute	Rating
Football Intelligence
Coverage Skills
Ball Skills
Run Support/Tackling

Scouting Report

The 5th-year senior cornerback from Colorado University is one the best players you may not have heard much about. Yet, opposing quarterbacks surely know his name. Smith’s outstanding  superior triangle numbers (height, weight, speed) immediately intrigue any evaluator.

Not only does he seek to blanket his opponents, but he wants to get his hands on them and blow up their route. When the play develops away from him (and it often does, since teams seldom test him), he takes great angles to the football and hustles to cover up his teammates’ mistakes.  And when he is called to play in the box or near it, he is unafraid to get his hands dirty.

In coverage, Smith clearly shows a preference and aptitude for press man as opposed to off man or zone defense. He seems to be most comfortable when he can dictate the terms of the confrontation with his adversary by directing them with his hands, then turning to run with them.

There are three  main obstacles holding him out of the elite category of prospects for this year’s draft. Although he has the desire and physical ability to eventually succeed in this area, he needs to be more consistent  at getting off blocks.  Second, Smith has some off the field issues, which could scare some teams away. The other issue holding Smith back from elite status is ball skills.  He can make the routine interception, and can sometimes pull in the tough catch, but learning to high point the ball and track it in the air will be necessary at the next level.

Expected value: Mid First Round Pick

(Video thanks to AloAloysius)

• Height: 6-4
  
• Weight: 235
  
• QB
• Stanford

Attribute	Rating
Accuracy
Arm Strength
Football IQ
Mobility

Scouting Report

Mature beyond his experience level, a real competitor on the gridiron. Luck displays remarkable poise in the pocket, while maintaining the ability to elude tacklers and make throws on the run.  He has excellent arm strength and can make off balance throws look effortless. At the same time, he can anticipate well and consistently helps his receivers by throwing a very catchable ball, allowing his target to take the pass in stride. A quick thinker who doesn’t make mental errors that result in interceptions. As a leader, he is a seemingly humble star who doesn’t revel in the limelight. A truly phenomenal prospect. Most definitely, Andrew Luck is a tough as nails,  throw-back kind of QB who takes after his mentor and coach Jim Harbaugh.  He blocks, scrambles, takes hits all to help his team.

Expected value: Top 3 pick

(Video thanks to DraftSteal)

• Height: 5-11
  
• Weight: 190
  
• CB
• Florida

NFL.com

Attribute	Rating
Speed/Acceleration
Ball Skills
Pass Coverage
Run Defense
Agility
Football I.Q
Tackling
Durability

Scouting Report

Joe Haden is the top cornerback prospect of the 2010 NFL Draft. What you get with Haden is an outstanding athlete, and a spunky tackling machine who is unafraid to tangle with much larger opponents. He may not tally 8 INT’s in a season, but his pure coverage skills will help shut down one side of the field.

Expected value: 1st round, Top 15

Speed/Acceleration: Speedy enough to blanket receivers deep.  Drives very hard on the ball and can close in a heartbeat. Shows the excellent recovery speed expected of a #1 corner.

Ball Skills: Haden shows exceptional leaping ability and has keen kinesthetic/body awareness.  Has been very productive using his hands to deflect passes, but hasn’t shown the ability to make the interception away from his body.

Pass Coverage: Because of his athleticism and physical style of play, Haden should be in a scheme that utilizes man coverage, as opposed to the zone.  He lacks the instincts and route recognition skills to jump routes and make plays within the zone.  He can be a bit slow to read and react. Consequently, he loses the step often necessary to intercept the ball. Also, he needs to improve against inside moves, especially in press coverage. Additionally, he must work on rerouting receivers. Can’t afford to come out of his backpedal so quickly.

Run Defense: Contrary to the norm for his position, Haden relishes the chance to throw his weight around in the run game.  He plays with a nasty attitude, although he sometimes gets in over his head and can be bullied by larger receivers.

Agility: Fluid hips, and can change directions with great precision, even among a defensive back’s standards.

Football I.Q:  Lacks elite ball-hawking instincts. Relatively inexperienced as a cornerback since he was a quarterback and receiver in high school. Still learning the finer points of the position. Has upside in this respect.

Tackling: A willing and able tackler, throws his body around in run support, and will try to lay a big hit on the ball carrier. Sometimes gets in over his head and tries to blow up tight ends and will get end up on the ground.

Durability:  Missed only one game due to injury during his career.  Very durable prospect.

Videos for you to watch:

Joe Haden career highlights (made by jadekaipitt1)

• Height: 6-4
  
• Weight: 258
  
• LB
• Alabama

NFL.com

Attribute	Rating
Speed/Acceleration
Pass Coverage
Run Defense
Strength
Agility
Football I.Q
Tackling
Durability

Scouting Report

As the reigning Butkus Award winner, Rolando McClain is this year’s primo linebacker prospect. He has prototypical size and length for a middle linebacker (and for 3-4 OLB), and his outstanding football intelligence will endear him to any NFL team looking for a leader for their defense. He is a battle-tested prospect, having played for a championship team in the SEC, and offers a low bust factor.

Expected value: mid 1st-round, somewhere between 10 and 20.

Speed/Acceleration: Decent top end speed, but doesn’t have the extra gear to be a true sideline-to-sideline player. Good initial burst off the edge.

Pass Coverage: As a read and react type, he naturally relies on his ability to read the QB’s eyes. Displays clean footwork, and doesn’t have many wasted steps. Athletic enough to cover most tight ends, but should be best in zone coverage, where his instincts are most valued. In terms of pass rushing, McClain has several things going for him.  He times his blitzes well, offers pretty good versatility (can line up inside and out), and he institutes a solid bull rush. His great length allows him to bat down passes at the line of scrimmage.  However, he has limited potential as a 3-4 OLB because he lacks pass rush moves, and doesn’t seem to have that hunter’s mentality desired in pass rushers.

Run Defense: Strong against the run, doesn’t get moved off the ball very easily.  Can stand up against big linemen when he attacks the line.  Elite diagnosis skills in run game, and reacts quickly to all but misdirection plays. Doesn’t take on and shed blockers consistently enough.  Lacks the nasty football demeanor of a true middle linebacker in the NFL, and seldom violently charges with the intention of blowing up a play. Since he shows a tendency to watch the backfield, he can get surprised by oncoming blockers. Needs  to do a better job protecting feet, and can be easily taken out with cut blocks.   Lackluster in pursuit and won’t give full effort when chasing from behind.

Strength: Plays with good leverage, and seems to be strong in both lower and upper body.

Agility:  Usually pretty smooth changing directions, but not an elite athlete in space.

Football I.Q:  Well-versed in a complex college defense run by Nick Saban. Diagnoses plays before the snap, and is more than capable of making pre-snap adjustments.  A cerebral player/ film-room junkie.  Sniffs out screens and reverses. McClain’s ability to read and react gives him a jump on most plays, which makes up for his average speed.  Naturally, should be a defensive captain at the next level.

Tackling:  Adept tackler in space and in closed-quarters. Flashes the ability to deliver a pop and will drive through his hits when he gets a full head of steam. Because of his long arms, once he wraps up, it is difficult to get away from him. Can be caught lunging with a lazy arm tackle.  Not a consistently explosive hitter.

Durability:  Excellent stamina, plays every down on defense.  Managed to stay healthy throughout his college career.

Videos for you to watch:

(Video thanks to CkParrotHead at Universaldraft.com)

Universal Draft Presents LB Rolando McClain of Alabama – Part 2 of 2

• 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 )

• 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)

• Height: 6-2
  
• Weight: 263
  
• DE
• Michigan

Courtesy of Mgoblue.com

Attribute	Rating
Explosiveness
Pass Rush
Run Defense
Strength
Agility
Football I.Q
Tackling
Durability

Scouting Report

An undeniably gifted athlete, Brandon Graham is the #2 career sack leader at Michigan. Despite being surrounded by inexperienced teammates, Graham has been able to carry the Wolverines with his intensity and passion for the game.

His productivity is second to none: finished his junior year with 20 TFL (2nd in nation) and 10 sacks.  His senior campaign has been equally impressive: 26 TFL, 10.5 sacks, 2 blocked punts, and 1 defensive TD. Aside from his relatively small stature, the Detroit native would be a serious contender for a top 5 pick in the draft were he 2-3 inches taller. And make no mistake about it, he will test off the charts at the scouting combine. All in all, he figures to be a late first round, early second round pick at this point.

Explosiveness: Possesses potentially the quickest first step in football. Two years of training under esteemed strength and conditioning coach Mike Barwis has turned Graham’s already quick burst into his strongest trait. In obvious passing situations, he is consistently able to shoot off the line like a cannon. Excellent endurance allows him to play with the same explosiveness throughout the entire game.

Pass Rush: Elite burst to beat the tackle around the edge. Demonstrates violent hands and long arms to prevent bigger tackles from locking on and pushing him wide. Displays a superb ability to get low and dip around the edge, which he effectively couples with a strong rip move similar to that of Indiannapolis Colt  Dwight Freeney. Always plays low and displays good leverage when deploying his bull rush. Occasionally will allow tackles to out-muscle him if they get into his pads.  Will need to display better use of inside pass rush moves, such as the spin, in order to keep pass protectors guessing.

Run Defense: Most improved area of Graham’s game.  Very patient,  and seldom lets the play get outside of him. Due to his explosiveness, he flashes big play potential by slicing through the line to tackle the running back behind the line of scrimmage.  Sniffs out cut blocks before they happen. Extremely high motor and will pursue the ball carrier laterally down the line. Uses his free hand to keep linemen at bay while the running play develops.  Due to his smaller stature, he can be dominated by massive tackles for short stretches. But his high football I.Q.  helps him to find ways to compensate.

Strength: Very underrated in this category. Has developed a chiseled physique, but probably won’t get much bigger. Although he won’t wow teams with this brute strength, he is extremely powerful for his size.

Agility: Comfortable moving laterally, but his ability to drop into space and play coverage has yet to be seen. This is something that will be scrutinized at the Senior Bowl.  He obviously is very agile for a defensive lineman, but for him to raise his stock as a potential pass rushing OLB, he needs to demonstrate  fluidity in space, like his former teammate Lamarr Woodley (now with the Pittsburgh Steelers).

Football I.Q: Smart, very intense, and relentless at all times. Plays with great awareness, and is consistently around the ball.  Seldom out of position and is disciplined. Team leader, steps up in big games.  Sometimes he is so dominant that he could have a picnic in the opposing backfield.

Tackling: Packs a powerful punch at times, but often will settle for wrapping up opponents. Almost never misses a tackle.

Durability: No major issues thus far.

Listed below are a few Youtube video links of Brandon Graham for you to study:

Michigan Vs. Western Michigan 2009 (created by ZeckBlue)

Graham 2009 Season Highlights (created by Prodraftparty)

• Height: 5-11
  
• Weight: 203
  
• S
• Tennessee

NFL.com

Attribute	Rating
Speed/Acceleration
Ball Skills
Pass Coverage
Run Defense
Agility
Football I.Q
Tackling
Durability

Scouting Report

Now that he has declared for the draft, Eric Berry will battle Ndamukong Suh for title of top prospect of the 2010 NFL Draft.  A gifted athlete and leader, Berry is exactly the kind of impact player that all NFL franchises covet. The Thorpe award winner is # 2 in the NCAA for career interception yards after only playing 3 years of college ball. Although safeties don’t traditionally get picked in the top 5, there is now a premium placed on game-changing safeties, which could drive Berry’s stock up enough to become only the 5th safety to be chosen in the top 5 since 1967.

Speed/Acceleration: Elite speed  for a safety, and can run with virtually any receiver. Excellent closing burst to make a play on the football. Should run in the 4.4 range at the combine.

Ball Skills: Easily one of Berry’s strongest skills. Excellent hands for the interception, and can catch the ball like a receiver. Had 12 interceptions through 2008. Gets hands under the ball when thrown low, but will want to demonstrate a consistent ability to high point the ball. Very good jumping ability, and isn’t afraid to leap horizontally to make play on the ball. Knack for being around the football.  Superior run-after-catch ability. Very dangerous with the ball in his hands. Runs like a tailback after the catch, switching hands with the football to keep it secure.

Pass Coverage: Initially started out playing cornerback. Often asked to play man coverage at the line of scrimmage, where he is able to use his aggressiveness to dominate receivers. Very fluid in his backpedal and mirrors his man well.   Has very good recovery speed to make a play on the ball.  Shows an aptitude for sticking his foot in the ground and driving hard on the ball.  Always keeps one eye on the quarterback, looking for the interception.

Run Defense: Disciplined and is reliable in filling his gap.  Often uses his violent hitting ability to intimidate ball carriers, but this causes him to sometimes take somewhat poor angles to the football in attempting to deliver the knock out. Generally quick to diagnose run plays. Good at sealing the edge in close yardage situations. Very rangy defender who utilizes his great closing speed to reach the edge on outside runs. When ball carrier is running in the box, Berry often waits for the action to come to him. Seldom is asked to engage and shed blockers when playing close to the line. But this is not highly unusual for safety, especially one who frequently is asked to play center field.

Agility: Moves well laterally, and can change direction comfortably. Good but not elite ability to flip hips in coverage.

Football I.Q: Team leader capable of being the quarterback of the defense for any NFL team. Able to diagnose plays quickly. Excellent character and smart kid who works very hard.

Tackling: Big hitter who drives through ball carrier and can deliver jarring hits.  Sideline to sideline kind of tackler who flies all over the field to make plays. Displays proper tackling technique and keeps eyes on his target. Usually displays proper pad level when tackling.  Unintimidated by much larger foes.  Needs to work on open field tackling, sometimes getting overeager for the big hit.

Durability: Both  mentally and physically tough.  Plays through injury.  Only reported injury to date is to his shoulder last season, which didn’t force him tomiss any playing time.

(Video thanks to psheezybaby)

• Height: 6-4
• Weight: 300
• DT
• Nebraska
  

Courtesy of Huskers.com

Attribute	Rating
Explosiveness
Pass Rush
Run Defense
Strength
Agility
Football I.Q
Tackling
Durability

Scouting Report

Coming out of high school, Ndamukong Suh (pronounced En-dom-ah-ken Soo) was regarded as the top recruit in the state of Oregon. Over the last four years, his knack for making plays has turned him into perhaps the best pro prospect in the entire country.

Explosiveness: Shoots into the gap quickly to make a play in the backfield. Generally, very effective at anticipating the snap count, but he occasionally jumps offsides as a result.

Pass Rush: Together with his long arms, Suh consistently demonstrates excellent use of hands to keep opponent at bay or to get the strong punch into the chest of blocker. Shows the ability to toss linemen aside with a club move. Very productive pass rusher (7.5 sacks last year/12 sacks this year). Possesses excellent balance due to his superior footwork and agility, thus making him extremely tough to take to the ground. Suh is aware enough to bat down passes at the line of scrimmage if he knows he won’t make it to the quarterback, and has shown a knack for plucking the ball out of the air with his good hands. Can get a good push and will slip between the double team. Because of his immense strength, Suh mainly gets by with only power moves. But he flashes an effective swim move to keep blockers guessing.

Run Defense: Moves down the line and sifts through blockers effectively. In goalline situations, plays low and can plug the center of the line. With his excellent quickness, he regularly penetrates into the backfield to make the tackle or force the ball carrier to bounce outside. Occasionally won’t get pads low enough, presumably when he is anticipating the cut block. When this happens, Suh will lose his anchor against the run. Lacks the natural girth of a true nose tackle and I struggle to see him putting on much more weight. Although he should be a good 3-technique undertackle, Suh could be a great penetrating end in a 3-4 front, similar to a Richard Seymour.

Strength: Superior functional strength, especially in his lower body and core. As noted before, Suh can throw blockers to the side once he locks onto them. Can push the double team back enough to affect opposing quarterbacks.

Agility: In his youth, Suh was an accomplished soccer player, which undoubtedly helped him maintain strong balance and footwork. Of all of his traits, the Nebraska defensive tackle is said to have incredible agility for a man his side.  His athleticism is reminiscent of Minnesota Viking DT Kevin Williams.

Football I.Q: Very good play regonition skills. Quick to sniff out screens. Awareness in passing situations is one of his strongest suits, where he shows the instincts to drop back slightly into zone coverage to make a play on the ball.

Tackling: Due to his agility, Suh is an accomplished tackler in space.  Led the team in tackles last season with a total of 76. Will drive through ball carrier and has the explosiveness to put some pop into his tackles. Often is able to make one-armed tackles while fighting off blocker with other hand.

Durability: Has struggled with knee issues especially in his first two seasons. But has had no major issues in 2009.

Possibly interested NFL teams:

• Tampa Bay
• Detroit
• Cleveland
• Carolina
• Kansas City

Position: Running back

School: Ohio State

Size: 6’1/ 235 lbs.

Combine Results:

40 yard dash- 4.59 sec

Bench Press- 25 reps

(Video thanks to Lexco44)

Chris Wells Scouting Report

A big runner with better decent straight line speed. Shiftier than most athletes his size, but ever since he injured his foot, he tended to resort to  jukes instead of using his immense power to bulldoze opponents. Strength is running between the tackles, but he has long arms, giving him a brilliant stiff arm to stun oncoming tacklers when trying to reach the edge. Excellent north/south runner. Statistically a very productive HB in a tough power running conference in college.

Only an average receiver and blocker. Injuries hampered his production, bringing into question his desire and overall toughness. Not a vocal leader.

Late first round selection.