Clint Sintim, OLB/DE, Virginia

I barely have enough on him for a full scouting, and honestly given his position and stock he’s not a guy I really want to spend an hour writing a report on.

Name: Clint Sintim
Position: 34 OLB, 43 DE
School: Virginia
Height: 6030 E
Weight: 256 E
40 Time: 4.77 E

Athleticism: 6.0
Sintim is a good athlete with great quickness. He possesses plus balance, but his change of direction is an area of concern for me and a reason why I don’t believe he can play 4-3 LB. He’s not comfortable breaking down plays in space, as shown by his difficulty adjusting to Tyrod Taylor’s running (QB for VT).

Physical Talents: 6.5
Grading him as a linebacker, he has very good size and a good frame, and good speed. Grading him as a DE, he has mediocre size and frame but exceptional explosion. Either way, he is a talented player with the raw tools needed.

Polish: 6.0
He has a good understanding of the playbook and played reverses and outside runs very well, an indicator of his understanding of the playbook. He doesn’t have much in the way of pass-rush moves, unfortunately, and his hips make him a mediocre-at-best open-field tackler. His instincts appear above average.

Competitiveness: 6.5
Nothing really came out and wowed me, but he grades out above-average in every aspect. He gave great effort in pursuit, was consistent, made big plays on important downs, and shows good toughness coming back after being knicked up against Clemson.

Strengths: As a rush linebacker, Sintim has great size for the position and good strength. I also feel like his frame has more growing to do and he could add good weight without losing speed, but I’m far from an expert at predicting growth potential. As a defensive end, he is explosive off the ball and extremely quick. Either way, he is a smart and athletic player who comes from a respected former NFL coach in Al Groh.

Weaknesses: I have real concerns about Sintim’s ability to take on blockers, as he was manhandled fairly often by TEs who could keep him away from the ball. He is smart enough to know what he has to do, but rarely disengages from a block to make the play. Doesn’t break down well enough in space to make tough drops in coverage and is inexperienced dropping more than 5 yards deep. No real pass-rush moves, though he did have a spin move that was at least respectable.

Summary: I really liked the potential I saw from Sintim. He would be best in a 34 defense where the ends free up the linebackers to make plays, as he has no real moves to disengage. While I try to provide players for fans of any team, like any scout I project Sintim to a specific team – the Seattle Seahawks in this case. For Seattle’s defense, Sintim would have to be a weakside end and while I believe he has the raw athleticism to do so, he would be a project pick and I personally would not take a project any earlier than the 4^th round. For a 34 defense, he’d be considered a linebacker and would get a much higher grade.

Final Grade: 5.8

Games Scouted: Clemson, VT, USC

Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia

Name: Eugene Monroe
Position: OT
School: Virginia
Height: 6052 E
Weight: 309 V
40 Time: 5.23 E

Athleticism: 7.0
Monroe is an excellent athlete with exceptional balance. He is very quick, especially out of his stance or when running a screen route. He moves his feet well, plays with great knee bend, and is overall the package you want from an OT.
Quickness: 7.0
Balance: 7.0
Fluidity: 6.5

Physical Talents: 6.5
Monroe is a very talented player who is above average in every category. He has great height and adequate weight, though many sources have commented on his soft midsection which is a problem (the only thing that lowers his grade). He has long arms and good strength in those arms, certainly enough to function as an OT. He has very good explosion, setting up quickly and beating his man off the ball with regularity.
Body Type: 6.5
Strength: 6.5
Explosion: 6.5

Polish: 6.5
Monroe is a pretty polished tackle. His scheme protected him mentally, as he just wasn’t very involved in blitz pickup, primarily taking on the RDE on most all plays. He occasionally does something I can’t figure out in pass protection, but seems to have a solid understanding overall. He uses very good hand technique and delivers a good punch in pass protection.
Understands Playbook: 6.5
Proper Technique: 7.0
Instincts: 6.5

Competitiveness: 6.0
Monroe grades out as average at best when it comes to his competitive drive, and honestly that’s an improvement over what I expected to give him coming into this. He CAN show nastiness and block through the whistle, but his grades all around the board are lowered because of his inconsistent effort. Let me make one thing clear – he’s close to perfect against the pass, I’m speaking only of the run – but against the run he’s really inconsistent with his effort.
Toughness: 6.0
Consistency: 5.5
Clutch Play: 6.0
Effort: 5.5

Football Character: 5.5 – Sloppy build and lack of consistent effort makes me question how much he loves football.
Personal Character: 6.5 – Can’t find any flaws here, seems like a stand-up guy.
Durability: 6.5 – Has missed some games due to injury, but overall has been on the field more often than many.

Play Strength: 6.5 – Never really saw him get pushed around, could push DE around more though.
vs Speed Rush: 7.0 – Something like 1 pressure in 3 games from speed rush.
vs Bull Rush: 7.0 – I didn’t see any of the DEs (and he faced some pretty good ones) get anywhere on a bull-rush.
Footwork: 7.0 – Monroe can slid anywhere he wants to on the field. Very high marks.
Hand technique: 6.5 – Monroe has good technique vs the run and has a nice punch – needs to be more aggressive using the punch.
2nd level blocking: 5.5 – Almost gave this a 5.0. He doesn’t show desire to block more than one guy at a time on the games scouted.
Quickness off snap: 7.0 – Sets up off the snap very quickly. Can get under DEs in run blocking.
Proper Balance: 6.5 – Natural knee-bender who almost never over-extends.
Lateral Slide: 7.0 – Nobody sniffed QB going outside, very impressed here.
Errors: 6.0 – Compounding errors (got 2 false starts in a row one play), but generally error-free and mostly mentally sound ball.

Summary: The first day I scouted Monroe, I wanted to wring his neck (vs VT). Then I was pleasantly surprised by the effort he showed against Clemson, he has a bit of fire in him. Then against USC I sort of hit an epiphany. He will ride his man out of the play if he is able to, but he has no interest in blocking anyone other than his man on most plays. If a DE didn’t line up on him, he’d go and take out the linebacker with glee, but if he was asked to block a DE and for whatever reason stopped blocking the DE (end disengaged, knocked down, whatever), he rarely went after a 2^nd man to block.

That puts a zone team like Seattle in a real conundrum. I haven’t scouted Jason Smith, but Monroe is miles better than Oher, who is significantly better than Andre Smith, as a pass protector. Basically all the natural gifts of Oher without the inconsistency. It’s run blocking where I have my qualms with Eugene. He’ll be asked to peel and block a linebacker on a large percentage of runs, and while he has the athleticism and strength to excel, at Virginia he didn’t seem to want to. He reminds me a little of Alex Barron, to be 100% honest, in that I question if he will work hard to improve his game. He’s a guy I’d have to work out and talk to before I’d take a risk on him, because he has a sizable bust quotient, but he could also be a perennial pro-bowler due to his natural gifts and technique. His play on the field in college warrants a 6.7. If he actually plays to the whistle, he’d be deserving of a 7.0 grade. If a team isn’t confident that he has the work ethic to succeed in the NFL, I wouldn’t touch him with a ten foot pole.

Note: I only have 3 UVA games, and honestly I need more because he was so inconsistent with his effort I can’t tell who the real Monroe is. Virginia’s inability to maintain TOP did not help, that offense could not string more than 5 plays at a time. I feel his best fit is in a man-on-man blocking scheme, but if a zone team feels they can keep Monroe motivated he could be an elite left tackle. I do not think he could play guard, very well, however.

Final Grade: 6.7

Note: It is possible that I will watch more UVA and revise my Monroe grade, so I hold the right to change this grade up til draft day.

Games Scouted: Clemson, VT, USC

Thoughts on the first real combine day…

I’ll probably be doing one of these every couple of days, as for some reason it seems like a lot of my customary places for news are not pumping out the kind of information we’ve seen in the past. This format is almost entirely random and by no means comprehensive. Just my random thoughts on the matter. Also, tomorrow or Monday you guys will get Chase Coffman, the last Missouri guy I have (and a real nice player).

1.) Did someone slow down the electric timer? We will have to see how the scores get editted, but I’m surprised nobody broke into the 4.9 range. I thought, for example, Oher would excel. Instead he ran very pedestrian numbers. Now, a 40 yard run by an OL probably means an interception, but I get a certain amount of pleasure from watching these big guys run (like a train crash, except with an earthquake as well) 40 yards and wagering on the times. Kind of surprised. Maybe when I get ahold of 10-yard splits we’ll have some eye-popping numbers.

2.) I thought Jared Cook (TE, USouthCarolina) would tear up the combine, but he had a day only Vernon Davis can top. a 4.50 forty? a 41 INCH VERTICAL? That’s the top jump by a 5′9 cornerback.

3.) The combine is ill-suited to OL, it seems like. Their day to shine is the bench, but guys with long arms are at a disadvantage (one reason the short, stocky, tiny armed AQ Shipley hit up 33 reps), which is odd because in the NFL guys with long arms have a big advantage.

4.) How stupid are some of these OTs? I’m feeling more secure with my Andre Smith grade every day. First you tell the media you’re too out of shape to work out (kind of a big deal when your job is to be in shape and everyone is concerned about your weight), then you go awol the next day? This a couple of weeks after Alex Boone goes on a drunken rampage.

5.) Michael Crabtree… *sigh*. The lack of height is not a big deal – truth be told, he measured in really well. Sure, he’s only 6′1. But WR is a tricky position for height. Why do you want a tall WR? Because they can reach up and catch the ball. Why do you not want a tall WR? Because they usually lack the Change-of-direction ability of the shorter guys. When you’re 6′1, that hurts your ability to get the ball in the air… but when you have the longest arms of anyone under 6′5, you’re doing alright. Truth be told, his functional range is about what you’d expect of a 6′3 WR (loses 1 1/2 inch in height, gains about that much in extra reach), but his change-of-direction is very good and, more importantly, at 6′1 215 he has a much stronger BMI that I expected, which makes him tougher to tackle and stronger than a 6′3 215 guy would be.

On the other hand, that injury scares the bejeebus out of me. Not because it’s really bad or anything, though his decision to wait until his pro-day to get surgery worries me (more on that later), but this is different than his ankle injury. I’m spending more and more time thinking I’d rather go the Bill Parcells way and take a safe pick, even if the ceiling isn’t as high. Crabtree is still a top player, but I’m beginning to wonder if he’ll make it through an NFL season in one peice, despite his toughness playing through pain.

Also, if I were a GM I wouldn’t be impressed by his decision to postpone surgery til he works out. Just work out in Indy, because by March 28th (his pro-day, though he mentioned it could be moved up), you’re going to guaranteeing that you’re too hurt to work out for minicamps… which he could probably make if he got the surgey by March 1st. Makes sense for Crabtree, as he may not be ready to run the drills right now and doing poorly could hurt his stock. But it has to worry GMs that their top-10 pick is likely going to be on the sidelines for minicamps.

For the Seahawk fans here, my next mock will have him making it to Seattle. With Jason Smith’s day and Crabtree’s bad day, can’t imagine the Rams passing up on Smith anymore.

6.) Phil Loadholt, at 6′8, has shorter arms than Michael Crabtree, at 6′1. Significantly shorter (32 inch for Loadholt, 34.5 for Crabtreee). And he ran a Jeff-Otah-esque 40, though that’s overrated. Ouch. That’s interior-level arm length.

7.) I am having a hard time finding good, comprehensive coverage for this. The NFL Network, which I had access to this weekend (won’t after tomorrow, however) has been a letdown and more interested in talking about the top-10 pro-factories than the top-10 prospects in the draft (seriously, off the top of my head the list goes something like Tennessee, Syracuse, Penn State, The MAC, Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama, Notre Dame, Miami, USC… I shouldn’t know that by heart!). NFLDraftScout, my favorite site for specifics like combine results, official height/weight, etc., has been turned into CBSDraftScout, meaning that the format is terrible and now I have to sift through the junk written by Pete Prisco, who I’ve never respected. Scout.com’s coverage appears less-than-usual as well.
Okay, that’s it for this. Feel free to add comments!

Mike Mayock?

Random tangent, but I just wanted to point out something I noticed about Mayock.

He’s terrible at mocks. Now, I don’t consider mock drafts that important. Truth be told, I dislike them.

Here is a mock Mayock made in on April 22nd, 2008 (4 days before the mock).

http://www.nfl.com/draft/story?id=09000d5d8079e2e4&template=with-video&confirm=true

4 picks went to the right team in the 1st round (so if a team moved up or down, but took the guy Mayock slotted, I’d give him credit for that), and Manningham did go to the Giants 2 rounds later. At best, 5-for-31. I will be making a mock right before the draft, if I can’t beat 5-for-31 on that mock, I will proclaim my incompetence at making mocks after every mock draft I make for the next year.

Not really a big deal, but I’m watching combine coverage right now and I thought I’d check what his record was.

Ziggy Hood, DT, Missouri

Name: Evander “Ziggy” Hood
Position: Defensive Tackle
School: Missouri
Height: 6030 E
Weight: 298 E
40 Time: 4.96 E

Athleticism: 6.0
It should be noted that I am grading Hood against other three-technique DTs, not the 330lb BJ Raji types. I firmly believe that the positions are more different than similar, and to give Hood a 6.5 just because there are a lot of 330lb slugs doesn’t make sense. All that said, for a three technique defensive tackle, Hood is a good but unspectacular athlete. He has the ability to bend his knees, but ends up playing high too often. He has very good balance, as demonstrated by his effective spin move.
Quickness: 6.0
Balance: 6.5
Fluidity: 6.0

Physical Talents: 6.0
This kid isn’t lacking in the talents section, but he isn’t dominant either. He has an excellent build for the three position at basically 6’3 300, and is put together pretty well for a defensive tackle, a position where guys tend to the sloppy. He has good strength, especially in his lower body (anchors well vs run), and can show good explosion, but doesn’t always get good burst off the LOS.
Body Type: 6.5
Strength: 6.0
Explosion: 6.0

Polish: 6.5
Ziggy is a pretty polished defensive tackle. His understanding of the playbook appears just fine, haven’t seen anything to suggest it is great or poor. He plays with a lot better technique than many college DL, possessing quick hands, a capable rip move, and a killer spin move. Ziggy is an instinctive player who keeps his speed under control so he always knows where the ball is.
Understands Playbook: 6.0
Proper Technique: 6.5
Instincts: 6.5

Competitiveness: 6.0
Has shown good toughness playing through injuries (missed little time after breaking his foot and having a screw inserted), and does not back down from the physicality. I also appreciate that he played <80% of the snaps for Missouri in the games I scouted. Nothing out of the ordinary, but a good overall score for competitiveness (since I grade mostly great players, it is important to note that a 6.0 is actually a positive grade).
Toughness: 6.5
Consistency: 6.0
Clutch Play: 6.0
Effort: 6.0

Football Character: 7.0 Coaches rave about his work ethic, and has good stamina indicative of hard work.
Personal Character: 6.5 Should be a good character guy.
Durability: 6.0 Had a broken foot that needs examining. Otherwise injury free, with a solid frame.

Position Specific Skills
Read & React: 6.5 Good at realizing where the ball is. Doesn’t bite on screens as much as you’d expect.
Initial Quicks: 6.0 Inconsistent off LOS. Sometimes busts the play, sometimes is late off the ball.
Play Strength: 6.5 Strong lower body well-suited to holding ground against run (not all 3-techs in college do this)
Hand Use: 6.5 Very active with his hands, has a couple good moves, slaps OL hands away.
Run At Him: 6.0 Is surprisingly sturdy at LOS, but does not make play.
Disengage from Blocks: 6.0 Good hand use, and may eventually deserve to be rated higher, but doesn’t always disengage in time to make play on ball carrier.
Pursuit: 6.5 High motor guy who chases plays down from behind.
Tackling: 6.0 Rarely misses tackles, but doesn’t always off blocks to make tackles.
Speed Rush: 6.5 Has the speed to stunt, beat OL with quicks if caught napping.
Bull Rush: 5.5 Does not exhibit much of a bull rush.
Big Errors: 6.0 Does not make dumb penalties, but gets too high in his stance at times.

Summary: Hood was a player I noticed early in the year (when people either didn’t know who he was or considered him a late 2^nd day pick) as a possible sleeper, and when I watched him he didn’t disappoint. He is a good athlete, but not a great one, whose single best attribute is his ability to use an effective spin move that is difficult to block. I was also very impressed with how stout Hood was against the run – quite a few college three techniques get blown off the LOS on running plays, but Hood was usually either in the backfield or holding up (except one play against Duke Robinson where he got taken 5 yards backwards). His hand use is also excellent. In the end, unless Hood becomes a master at using his hands, I don’t expect him to ever be a dominant DT due to his only decent athleticism , but I do think he has the ability to be a solid defensive tackle who works hard, keeps out of trouble, and does not get run over.

NOTE: One thing I wish I had studied better, but did not occur to me til I started writing this report, is that Ziggy seemed to be more explosive early in games than late. This could be for a variety of reasons, but one theory I have is that he got worn down in games. Expected, given that he saw a lot of snaps for Missouri. In a rotation, he may be fresh and that may allow him to blow up more plays, improving his grade.

Final Grade: 6.2 I

Note: It is possible I will scout more Mizzou games, for that reason I reserve the right to change this grade.

Games Scouted: Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, Northwestern, Nebraska

Chase Daniel, QB, Missouri

Name: Chase Daniel
Position: Quarterback
School: Missouri
Height: 6000 E
Weight: 225 E
40 Time: 4.75 E

Athleticism: 6.5
Chase was a much better athlete than I expected, capable of tucking the ball and running on any play. While not in the Vince Young/Michael Vick class, he is in the group right beneath that can pick up big chunks of yardage when the defense ignores him.
Quickness: 6.5
Balance: 6.5
Fluidity: 6.0

Physical Talents: 5.5
Daniel is a short kid. While not a death sentence in and of itself, that really hurts him. I’ve wavered on my grade for his strength, it could be a 6.0 but I didn’t really see him using his strength to escape pressure, not especially important for a quarterback either way.
Body Type: 5.5
Strength: 5.5
Explosion: 6.0

Polish: 6.0
I was a little disappointed in what I saw from Daniel. He definitely was pressing at the end of the year (was a better QB in earlier games), and threw some dumb picks because of that. There are going to be concerns about Chase dropping back, and while I believe he is a smart kid, those concerns are valid. He does have a nice throwing motion, but doesn’t play passing lanes particularly well, which is a big concern given his height.
Understands Playbook: 7.0
Proper Technique: 5.0
Instincts: 6.5

Competitiveness: 6.5
Chase is definitely a tough quarterback, who earns good marks for his competitiveness and clutch play, but he definitely struggles with his consistency. His arm is sometimes erratic, causing passes to go behind receivers, or overthrown receivers. He shows good effort while running, fighting for the first down and extra yardage.
Toughness: 6.5
Consistency: 6.0
Clutch Play: 6.0
Effort: 6.5

Football Character: 6.5 Sounds like a smart, good kid who works hard.
Personal Character: 6.5 I’d be surprised if he ever has a problem.
Durability: 6.5 Size a concern, but his history is very good.

Release: 5.5 Release is quick, but due to his height it doesn’t leave his hand very high..
Dropback: 5.0 Has no real dropback experience except in handoffs.
Arm Strength: 6.0 Arm Strength is not a problem at all.
3rd Down Conversions: 6.5 Converted an ungodly % of third downs, most were short-yardage. Didn’t have a three-and-out til late October.
Short Accuracy in Pocket 5.5 Has to throw above his OL sometimes, causing his passes to float. (does not include behind LOS passes. I could throw those)
Long Accuracy in Pocket: 5.0 Only was accurate on some 20% of passes I charted, which is absolutely terrible. Mostly overthrows his targets. Might improve with time and faster WRs?
Accuracy while moving: 6.0 Rarely throws on the run, but not bad when he does.
Big Plays: 6.0 Not much throwing deep, but can pick up big downs with his feet.
Poise in Pocket: 6.5 Good presence in the pocket, knows when his protection is expiring and he has to throw the ball away.
Escapes from Pocket: 6.0 Has good escapability, but sometimes decides he is running too soon.
Leadership: 6.5 Will earn respect from his teammates for his toughness, good leader.
Reading Defenses: 5.5 Shows progression through reads, but I’d like to see more from a senior QB, and forces some throws.
Big Errors: 5.5 Fumbles are a huge issue, as are occasional off-target passes.

Summary: I was really surprised with what I saw when I scouted Chase. He definitely has the speed and arm strength to play in the NFL – two areas where I expected him to be deficient. However, despite impressive numbers, I didn’t see the kind of accuracy past the LOS that I want to see from a 6’0 QB. His lack of experience dropping back and inability to read passing lanes are HUGE problems that will have to be corrected at the next level if he is ever going to be developed. There are worse prospects to draft as project quarterbacks, but there are also several guys I’d rather have who are projected to go in the late rounds.

Final Grade: 5.6

Note: It is possible I will scout more Mizzou games, for that reason I reserve the right to change this grade.

Games Scouted: Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, Northwestern, Nebraska

Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

Name: Jeremy Maclin
Position: Wide Receiver
School: Missouri
Height: 6010 E
Weight: 200 E
40 Time: 4.32 E

Athleticism: 6.0
Not many people would expect this grade for Maclin, but I have to clarify – Maclin has elite speed, but his balance in/out of his routes and his change of direction skills are mediocre at best. He could easily be the fastest player in the draft, but it doesn’t always translate to the football field because he decelerates in his routes and doesn’t plant his feet or sink his hips. I view pure speed as a “physical talent” rather than athleticism, which is most everything else.
Quickness: 7.0
Balance: 5.5
Fluidity: 5.5

Physical Talents: 7.0
Maclin is easily the most explosive player I have scouted so far, and I imagine he will hold that distinction as I scout more players. His listed size: 6’1 200lbs is above average for the position, but from seeing him on film I’m not sure exactly where Maclin is putting 200lbs (thin legs and bubble), so don’t be surprised if he shows up lighter at the combine. His ability to reach full speed in 2 steps is a huge asset for a WR, which is why he gets a 7.0 here even though the math doesn’t add up.
Body Type: 6.0
Strength: 5.5
Explosion: 7.0

Polish: 5.5
It’s hard to fault Maclin for leaving school early, as he has two of the top six seasons in all-purpose yardage and will be a first round pick, but he really could’ve used another year or two in school to develop his game. He has no idea what route-running is and prefers to body catch (drops occurred when trying to use his hands over the middle, primarily) the football. I’m really concerned that he will never be a good route-runner, as he is a high cut athlete who doesn’t change directions well.
Understands Playbook: 6.0
Proper Technique: 5.0
Instincts: 6.0

Competitiveness: 6.5
Maclin is all talent and heart, which is why he has succeeded despite having no idea how to play his position. I was very impressed with how he fought through injuries (got hurt vs KU, missed a play or two, came in, caught a first down, hurt himself again) even if it might not have been the most medically sound decision. He shows a willingness to go over the middle, though he struggles to catch the ball while getting hit. He also has a flair for clutch plays, including clutch returns.
Toughness: 6.5
Consistency: 6.5
Clutch Play: 6.5
Effort: 6.0

Football Character: 6.5 For a WR, he has plus toughness and supposedly is a hard worker. Can’t find a bad thing about him online.
Personal Character: 6.0 Nothing bad that I can see, seems like a good kid.
Durability: 6.0 Knee injury needs to be checked out, as does his tendency to pick up minor injuries (that he plays though, barely missed any snaps in 07 and 08, redshirted in 06 due to injury, however).

Wideout Specific Skills:
Consistency Catching: 5.5 Has some trouble holding on after big hits, but doesn’t drop easy passes.
Initial Quicks: 7.0 Goes from 0-60 in no time.
Clean Release: 6.5 Due to blazing speed and tendency to line up in the slot, rarely challenged, first steps off LOS are good.
Release vs Jam: 6.0 Rarely challenged, as if the jam fails he can leave the cornerback in the dust. Might be too small to be great, but has a solid upper-body build.
Routes: 5.0 Possibly the worst route-runner I’ve scouted. He has elite speed and explosion, which usually means a lot of potential, but a WR coach has to build him from the ground up, as he takes false steps, decelerates too much in his breaks, and trips over his feet on some routes.
Tough Catches: 6.0 Has a weakness while getting hit, but has good body control to make some good leaping grabs, so it evens out.
Run After Catch: 7.0 Doesn’t have great strength to break tackles, but gets to top speed extremely quickly and has some wiggle and vision. Turns 8-yard slants into long TDs.
Deep Speed: 7.0 Has such great speed, cornerbacks will be hard pressed to cover him without safety help, and he could outrun the help as well. Should have been used deep more by Missouri.
Blocking: 6.0 Not especially strong, but shows willingness to block his man.
Errors: 6.0 No fumbles in games scouted, but will drop a ball or two. No real showboating.

Summary: Maclin excels in two areas: He is the most explosive WR in the draft, and he has a ton of heart for a speedy wideout. I love his effort blocking, but I am very concerned that he is too stiff to ever become a great route-runner, despite having the speed and burst needed. He’s very tough to cover on the routes he runs well (slants, fly, go, drag), and is a threat to score any time he touches the ball. Unfortunately, he is inconsistent in his curl/hitch routes, and downright bad running in and out routes. I cannot think of an elite wideout with that limited a repertoire, so while I would still take Maclin in the 1^st round, I would not take him anywhere near the top 10. He’s a very exciting player who has a place as a starter, but he’s not the complete player you’d like from a top-10 pick, and due to his hips I’m concerned that he never will be one.

Final Grade: 6.3 I
Great kick/punt return man, with the elite speed to burst through a crease for a long gain, but does not have the annoying tendency of running backwards.

Note: I may end up grading more Missouri games, and for that reason I reserve the right to change this grade until Maclin is drafted.

Games Graded: Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Northwestern

William Moore, OLB, Missouri

Name: William Moore
Position: Outside Linebacker
School: Missouri
Height: 6001 E
Weight: 223 E
40 Time: 4.55 E

Athleticism: 6.5
For an Outside linebacker, Moore has impressive athleticism. While he is too slow for a safety, he has enough quickness to play linebacker. He’s a very fluid athlete, capable of changing directions against both the run and the pass. He also has good balance for the linebacker position.
Quickness: 6.5
Balance: 6.0
Fluidity: 6.5

Physical Talents: 6.0
Moore is a little small and a little weak for an outside linebacker, even in a system like Seattle’s. He says he is capable of weighing 230lbs without losing speed, and if he can put on that much weight while maintaining his impressive quickness, he could fit as a weakside linebacker in a cover-2 defense.
Body Type: 5.5
Strength: 5.5
Explosion: 6.5

Polish: 6.5
Moore was a captain as a senior, which presumably demonstrated that he has a good understanding of the playbook. He understood his teammate’s assignments as well. It is hard to get a definitive read on his understanding of the playbook, but the evidence suggests it is above average. Moore impressed me quite a bit with his instincts, especially on screens, where he seemed to have a knack for sniffing them out. Moore would have excellent technique in coverage for a LB, but is a poor form tackler and has only adequate shedding skills.
Understands Playbook: 6.5
Proper Technique: 6.0
Instincts: 6.5

Competitiveness: 6.5
Moore was somewhat frustrating to grade here, because he clearly was tough playing through pain like he did in 2008, but he was very inconsistent, both in his effort and in his play. He doesn’t always play with 100% effort or intensity, especially when the play is away from him, and he sometimes settles for dropping his shoulder when he should get low and wrap up.
Toughness: 6.5
Consistency: 5.5
Clutch Play: 6.0
Effort: 6.0

Football Character: 6.0 Good reputation as a leader, but I’m concerned with inconsistent effort.
Personal Character: 6.0 No past problems, has some musical aspirations, and those never seem to turn out well when the aspirations are in the rap genre.
Durability: 6.0 Played hurt, but did miss a bit of time and has limited experience to prove durability.

Linebacker Specific Skills
Read & React: 6.0 As a safety, he’s prone to being beat deep, but his aggression will be good at linebacker and he reads runs and short passes well.
Initial Quicks: 6.5 Good quicks, with decent burst on the blitz.
Hit Power: 5.5 Makes some big hits, but doesn’t have the size to do so as a linebacker too often and an emphasis on wrapping up might take away from his big hits. (recorded only 1 big hit in 5 games scouted)
Block Shedding: 5.5 Needs to protect his legs better, and will struggle with size.
Tackling: 5.5 Has potential to improve significantly as he is athletic enough to make tackles all over the field, but doesn’t do a good job wrapping up.
Range: 6.5 Moore should be capable of making plays all over the field as a linebacker.
Man Coverage: 6.5 I wouldn’t put him on tight ends regularly due to size disadvantage, but he should have no problem covering backs in the flat.
Zone Coverage: 6.5 Good instincts in the short field, primarily played coverage close to LOS and did well there. Playmaking instincts when the ball is in the air.
Pass-Rush: 6.0 Too fast for tackles, and shows good ability to disengage from backs.
Errors: 6.0 Misses some tackles, but doesn’t commit stupid mental mistakes.

Summary: If you turned off the sound and brought in a football fan with no knowledge of who William Moore is, that fan would view Moore as a nickel linebacker or perhaps a rover. I did not scout Moore in 2007, but I did watch him while scouting Martin Rucker, and the Moore we saw in 2008 did not much resemble the Moore we saw in 2007. Moore almost completely gave up deep coverage in 2008, my guess is the coaching staff decided the big plays were not worth the big burns, and played off the slot receiver most snaps. For that reason, I cannot imagine Seattle (remember, while I scout players for all teams, I consider fit in Seattle’s system, just as any scout consider’s fit into their team’s system) having interest in Moore as a S, but at the Linebacker position Moore becomes a plus in coverage.

Moore most reminds me of Thomas Davis, currently a Carolina Panther. In college, Davis played safety as only a bit bigger than Moore, but changed to linebacker in the pros as he lacked the speed to excel in coverage. Moore is a good fit as a weakside linebacker for a team that is looking for a leader who can cover well, and is willing to show some patience while that linebacker develops. Moore will probably be drafted higher than I rate him, but I don’t believe in taking position-changing-projects early in the draft, as whenever you change a guy’s position it is a risky endeavor.

Final Grade: 5.8 I

Note: It is possible I will watch more Missou games, for that reason I reserve the right to change this grade until Moore is chosen in the NFL draft.

Games Scouted: Kansas, Nebraska, Illinois, Oklahoma, Northwestern
Edit: Dropped Moore to a 5.8… can you tell I don’t want Seattle to take him. Been considering him against the run and frankly am not thrilled with that prospect. The only real spot I want to see Moore is as a nickel linebacker.

Mock Draft, Take 3, 2/15/09

Hello all!

I am really overdue on this mock, my apologies. Worth noting that, especially this early in the process, my mocks are not meant to show necessarily the most likely process, but rather what I think makes the most sense. So, for example Andre Smith. I don’t think he can play LT (a view that I was in the minority in when the season started, but seems to becoming more accepted as time goes on) in the NFL. Now, some team may have the misfortune of thinking he can, but I don’t. He will be lower on my mock than on many others, because at this point I don’t think these mocks are a lot more reliable at deciding what will happen than randomly thrown darts at a board, so I will put guys where I think they should go, not where I expect them to go.
In other words, there is a reason Maclin isn’t in the top 10…

Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford, QB, UGA
This is an interesting pick, far moreso than you’d expect. If the top-4 OTs didn’t have such a large risk-factor, I’d strongly consider them here. I am more than a little concerned by the lack of success for juniors who declare early. It’s a dumb reason to draft or not draft a guy (especially when you’re talking about a player who was starting partway through his freshman year), but it makes me a little nervous.

St. Louis Rams: Michael Crabtree, WR, TT
I’m probably going to flip-flop on this pick a hundred times before draft day, but for the past few weeks I’ve felt Crabtree will go before Seattle’s pick. Crabtree is my third-highest rated player (behind Stafford and Mack, a center), and fits BPAWWS (Best Player Available Who Will Start). WR isn’t a gaping need for the Rams, but it is big enough for them to justify taking a WR, and I just don’t like this OT class much.

Kansas City Chiefs: Everette Brown, OLB/DE, FSU
This one makes the most sense to me, though Aaron Curry’s agent may not like it. Brown gives the Chiefs the versatility needed to transition to a 3-4 defense, even if they play some 4-3 as the right pieces are assembled. Brown is a promising pass rusher who is surprisingly polished from what I have heard. I haven’t scouted him personally, but I expect to be impressed given the rave reviews others have given me.

Seattle Seahawks:  Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
This has to be considered a worst-case scenario for Seattle. I’d like to trade down if Crabtree is taken, but I wouldn’t count on that happening. Mark Sanchez is appealing, but those character issues make the pick unlikely. I’m actually debating with myself on lowering Oher’s grade a bit, probably to the 6.4 range. Eugene Monroe is lazy and I can’t see that flying with character-oriented Ruskell. Malcolm Jenkins and Brian Orakpo simply aren’t good enough to justify the selection. Knowshon Moreno is one of my favorite players in this draft, but I wouldn’t recommend him (or any RB) this early. Jason Smith has the athleticism needed for Seattle’s blocking scheme, and is kind of the pick by default.

Cleveland Browns: Brian Cushing, LB, USC
It’s close between Maualuga and Cushing, but I give the edge to Cushing because the Cleveland pass-rush is anemic and D’Qwell Jackson quietly led the NFL in tackles last year, making me wonder if there are enough tackles in the middle to justify another ILB selection. Cushing is an explosive pass-rusher with the frame to be successful right away as a rush linebacker. Another team in a tough position.

Cincinnati Bengals: Michael Oher, LT, Ole Miss
It’s a toss-up between Oher and Monroe here, in my opinion. The need for OTs is bad, both players have flaws (intelligence and motivation related) that Cincinnati doesn’t seem unduly concerned with, and both have the talent to justify this pick. I give the edge to Oher because he has more pure talent than Monroe. Don’t be surprised if BJ Raji comes off the board here.

Oakland Raiders: Eugene Monroe, LT, UVA
Oakland needs to protect JaMarcus Russell before he can start flinging those 70 yard passes Al Davis loves so much. While I am really worried about Monroe’s laziness on the field, he’s a good value here as it’s hard to get top-5 talent outside of the top-5 selections.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
I don’t hate Aaron Curry at all. I’m not in love with him, possibly because I haven’t scouted him, but I suspect he is the top 43 LB in the draft. Unfortunately for him, 43 OLBs aren’t considered especiallyvaluable comodities. The Jaguars are not as secure at LB and they’d like, but at this point I expect Curry will offer too much value to pass up.

Green Bay Packers: BJ Raji, DT, Boston College
Were I in charge, I’d probably take Rey Maualuga here and hope I could grab an NT later. NT may be more important to a 34 defense, but I think Rey Maualuga is a special player. Unfortunately, I really believe that the Packers are going to let Barnett struggle in a 3-4 defense before they realize his size limitations hurt him inside, so they will pass up on Maualuga and go for Raji, which isn’t necessarily a bad choice.

San Francisco 49ers: Mark Sanchez, QB, USC
Yes, Sanchez has very limited starting experience. But he can be the face of the franchise for the 49ers, who desperately need a quarterback and a charismatic leader. Sanchez has the arm strength and accuracy to be successful, but needs some tinkering with his mechanics before he is ready to take over as a starting quarterback. Hopefully, Singletary is smart enough not to ruin this draft pick like Alex Smith was ruined.

Alex Mack, C, Cal

Name: Alex Mack
Position: OC
School: Cal – Berkeley
Height: 6041 V
Weight: 312 V
40 Time: 5.1 E

Athleticism: 6.5
For his size, Mack is an extremely athletic player, and even compared to the smaller centers Mack is pretty athletic. In the NFL, Mack’s quickness and fluid hips would be significantly above average, and he has decent balance for the position.
Quickness: 6.5
Balance: 6.0
Fluidity: 6.5

Physical Talents: 6.5
Mack is a very talented player. He has prototype size, strength, and explosion from the center position. If you were to design a center, physically you’d probably end up with Mack. He’s plenty athletic to play guard as well, and would be one of the top guards in this class if considered one (behind Andre Smith, and probably nobody else).
Body Type: 6.5
Strength: 6.5
Explosion: 6.0

Polish: 6.5
Mack is an Draddy (think academic Heisman) award winner who’s smarts translate to the football field. He makes line calls at the LOS for his team, and usually when Cal got beat it was due to the tackles not fulfilling their assignments, even if they knew them. He plays will good technique for the position and is smart enough to improve (needs to improve punch in pass protection) in the areas where he needs to. Mack displays very good instincts locating linebackers and should be an asset mentally for whatever team takes him.
Understands Playbook: 6.5
Proper Technique: 6.5
Instincts: 6.5

Competitiveness: 6.5
Mack has a bit of nastiness in him, which I like. He’s a very consistent player who plays best at the goal line, showing the willingness to cut block well (get himself dirty) if that is what is needed to make the play work.
Toughness: 6.5
Consistency: 6.5
Clutch Play: 6.5
Effort: 6.5

Football Character: 6.5 Leader of the Cal Line. Good build shows weight-room dedication.
Personal Character: 6.5 Very smart kid who should present 0 problems in the NFL.
Durability: 6.5 No medical red flags, is durable and tough.

Play Strength: 6.5 Has plus strength for the position.
vs Speed Rush: 6.0 Should win most battles vs speed rush.
vs Bull Rush: 6.5 Should not be a problem at the NFL level.
Footwork: 6.5 Does a good job with his feet, sealing to create big holes and making downfield blocks.
Hand technique: 6.5 Very good technique, sometimes catches DL with his body instead of arms, but workable. Refined for a college kid.
2nd level blocking: 6.0 Does a great job getting to the second level, but sometimes whiffs on blocks.
Quickness off snap: 6.0 Can be beaten by elite LBs blitzing inside, but usually does a good job.
Proper Balance: 5.5 Sometimes can get too high, which leads to him overextending, which leads to him not sustaining blocks. Not a big problem, but something he could work on.
Lateral Slide: 6.0 Good lateral slide, will struggle moving to a spot before a blitzing LB.
Errors: 6.0 Mack plays a little nasty and drew a flag for that, and while I don’t think this will be a big problem, it is a minor annoyance. Also sent a snap above the QB’s head in the shotgun, though he was mostly accurate.

Summary: Mack was a guy I loved when I first saw him, and while he has a couple areas to improve upon (blitzing LBs inside, blocking LBs on the move, balance), I believe he will eventually be one of the best centers in the NFL. Mack is a rare player who is a great fit for any scheme – he has the traditional power to play in a man blocking scheme, and the quickness to get to the 2^nd level in a zone blocking scheme. Like all college players, he needs to improve his hand use, but if any college player can, I’d place my hopes on the high character, intelligent center from Cal.

Note: While Mack’s grade is a top-10 talent, I wouldn’t recommend taking a center that early. That said, a 6.8 is a player who I expect to go to 5+ pro bowls, which is what I expect from Mack.

Final Grade: 6.8

Note: There is the chance that I will grade Mack in more games, for that reason I reserve the right to change this grade up til Mack is drafted.

Games Scouted: USC, Maryland, Miami