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Football Notes
** NFL blog is below **
by Tommy Lawlor
- scoutsnotebook@gmail.com -
6-30-09
Texas has a very good team returning in 2009. They definitely have a chance to win the National Title. There are playmakers on both sides of the ball and they have a stud QB in Colt McCoy.
Let's start with McCoy. Texas doesn't run a traditional offense or a standard spread attack. They have sort of a hybrid offense. It allows them to take advantage of McCoy's skills and make up for the lack of a stud RB. Don't confuse McCoy with a typical spread offense QB. McCoy has the physical skills to play in any system. He has a good arm. Size isn't an issue and he's more athletic than a lot of people realize. Just look at this stat line:
3859 passing yards
76.6 completion percentage
34 TD passes
8 INTs
561 rushing yards
11 rushing TDs
Graham Harrell ran for (-15) yards. Chase Daniel ran for 281 yards. He also had 18 INTs. Sam Bradford only ran for 47 yards. Those guys had good RBs to complement them. McCoy did not.
You really have to appreciate the fact that he ran so much (and so well), but was still able to be a very efficient and productive passer. McCoy took a beating last year. He showed great toughness. That didn't affect his passing, though. Very impressive.
I like him as an NFL prospect. One of the things that really helps him is that unlike most spread QBs he will throw some intermediate passes (11-20 yard range). Not everything is WR screens. McCoy is generally an accurate passer. His arm looks fine. He can throw on the move. I thought he was better going to his left than right, which is unusual. I think McCoy has terrific intangibles. He's proven that he is a leader and a winner. He can win big games. He can lead his team down the field late for the go-ahead TD.
Colt had a great Freshman season. He threw for 29 TDs and only 7 INTs. His numbers fell in 2007. Texas had a very up and down season. Colt threw only 22 TDs and piled up 18 INTs. There was a lot of pressure on him because of that and he responded with his brilliant 2008 campaign. Texas only lost one game, and that was on the last second TD pass to Michael Crabtree. I love the fact that McCoy dealt with pressure so well. That's very Tom Brady-esque. If he starts dating supermodels, I'll be completely sold.
I'm glad he came back for his Senior season. Colt will now have a chance to play in the Senior Bowl, which he needs to do. If he plays in the game we'll get to see him run a fully conventional offense. I want to see if he has the arm to consistently deliver tight throws on slant passes and get the ball outside on quick outs. I think a good Senior season will secure Colt a spot in the 1st round.
Texas has a lot of players to talk about so I'm going to split this up into a couple of posts. For today I'm only going to mention one more guy, Sergio Kindle. Unfortunately we have to start with some bad news. Sergio recently got in trouble for hitting an apartment with his car. Yes, you read that correctly.
Kindle's attorney claims that he and some friends were driving home late when Kindle started texting. He then went off the road and hit an apartment. Luckily, no one was inside. Kindle left the scene and went home. He's going to avoid massive legal trouble because it isn't illegal to hit a structure and leave the scene. Was Kindle really texting? I find that hard to believe, especially in light of the fact he was previously arrested for DUI. I have to imagine that alcohol was involved. I'm sure that is the way NFL teams will look at the situation. He was suspended for several games in the past because of the DUI situation. No word if he'll miss time this year because of this accident. I do know that teams will have serious concerns with this pattern of behavior. He will slide in the draft.
On the field, Kindle is a lot of fun to watch. They list him at 6'4, 239. He's mainly played LB, but is moving to DE this year. Kindle is a natural pass rusher and should thrive at the new position. He racked up 10 sacks last year on blitzes and by serving as a situational rusher.
I'm sure Texas will have him try to add weight, but I'm not sure how big he can get. Sergio is a very athletic guy. You don't want to have him bulk up too much and lose his quickness and agility. There are times when he will make some really athletic moves and really impress you. I'm going to be very interested to see how he handles the full time move to DE. Can he play the run? Is he tough enough for DE? LB allows you to play a lot in space. DE means regular contact against some big fellas. I think Kindle will be good, but there is always some doubt until you see him play the new position regularly.
It is hard to project any kind of round for Kindle at this point. There are just too many mysteries. How bothered with teams be with his legal problems? How will he play at DE? How big will he be? His best bet may be 3-4 OLB. That would allow him to rush the passer and still play in space a lot.
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6-27-09
Today I'm going to talk about one player, Cal DL Cameron Jordan. He will be a Junior in 2009. Normally I don't like to focus on underclassmen, but this guy intrigues the heck out of me.
Jordan lists at 6'4, 287. He has played both DT and DE for the Golden Bears. Jordan played as a Freshman, but didn't become a starter until last year. He had 4 sacks and 11 TFLs. Those are excellent numbers for a young guy that is being moved around.
The question this season will be whether Jordan can go from being a good player to a great one. He has that kind of potential. The coaches are planning to play mostly 3-4. That will put Jordan at DE. He's a great fit for that scheme and should be right at home.
Jordan has an unusual skill set. He's quick off the ball. That helps him to be a disruptive force. He is strong and plays with good leverage. He's able to get under blockers and shed them. Jordan has an excellent motor. He had 26 solo tackles last year. That shows you he will chase plays and has the speed to get to the ball.
Jordan's versatility will have NFL teams looking at him in a number of different ways. Some teams will see him as a 1-gap DT. Some 4-3 teams will look at him as a LDE. 3-4 teams will probably prefer him at RDE.
I'm most interested in him as a 4-3 LDE. Jordan has an athletic build. He would be an excellent run defender in that setting. The big question is whether he would be good enough to get consistent pressure on the QB when going up against RTs. Jordan is athletic, but attacking upfield from the DT position is completely different that coming off the edge and facing a good pass protector.
Jordan will certainly be a player I follow closely this year. There's no guarantee he'll come out. His father Steve was a TE for the Vikings for a long time so it isn't as if Jordan will need to support his family or anything like that. I'm just excited to see if he can make the leap from good player to great player.
* The draft review for the Vikings is now posted below.
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older notes are archived in the forums section
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Around the NFL
** Notes **
2009 DRAFT REVIEWS
Minnesota Vikings
1 - WR Percy Harvin - Florida
2 - OT Phil Loadholt - Oklahoma
3 - CB Asher Allen - Georgia
5 - ILB Jasper Brinkley - South Carolina
7 - S Jamarca Sanford - Ole Miss
The
Vikings have a team with Super Bowl potential. They finally got to the
postseason last year, but lost at home in the Wildcard round. Their
offense simply couldn't move the ball when they had to. Part of that
was pedestrian QB play, but there was also a need for better blocking
and more playmakers. The team focused on these areas in the draft.
The
Vikings spent their 1st round pick on playmaker Percy Harvin. Coach
Brad Childress met with Harvin just before the draft to make sure he
was comfortable with making the pick. There have been a ton of rumors
about Harvin and character issues. Obviously Childress was comfortable
enough to make the pick, although there is a touch of desperation to
it. Harvin is one of those players who could be a ton of trouble.
Childress saw Terrell Owens at his worst ("Don't talk to me unless I
talk to you."). For Brad to approve this pick tells you that he is on
the hot seat and feels a sense of urgency. Being good isn't enough.
I
referred to Harvin as a playmaker. He is a WR, but isn't limited to
catching the ball. Harvin finished his Florida career with 133 catches
and 194 carries. He is one of those guys you have to find a way to get
the ball to. Harvin scored 32 career TDs. And he was the key offensive
weapon on a team that had to face SEC defenses. He wasn't playing in
the wide open Big 12 or Pac-10. Those 32 TDs really mean something.
The
Vikings will get Harvin touches. They'll throw screens to him. They'll
go deep to him. They'll use him on End Arounds. They'll use him in the
Wildcat. Teams right now can focus on Adrian Peterson as the running
threat and Bernard Berrian as the receiving threat. Harvin is the guy
that has to be worried about on run and pass plays. He will also line
up all over the place. Defenses have a good idea where Peterson and
Berrian are going to be. Harvin is the wildcard.
Was he a good
pick? I'm not a huge fan of the move. Harvin has a lot of pressure on
him. Childress has a lot invested in Harvin's success. He can't look at
Percy as just any rookie. That creates a weird dynamic. We'll see if
Harvin straightens up and flies right or if he brings his baggage up
from Gainesville to Minnesota.
I loved the Vikings 2nd round
selection. They picked Oklahoma OT Phil Loadholt. He will instantly be
in the mix for the RT spot. Loadholt has an ideal build for that
position. Also, the Vikings offense is perfect for him. They like to
pound the ball and that is when Phil is at his best. He should be an
adequate pass blocker and has the potential to be a good run blocker.
Neither Marcus Johnson nor Ryan Cook has played well enough to secure
the RT job long term. Loadholt may not win it as a rookie, but I fully
expect he'll get it eventually. Good value and good fit. Good pick.
In
the 3rd round Minnesota took CB Asher Allen. The Vikings have a solid
set of CBs now, but adding a young, talented cover guy to the mix was
smart. Allen should fit the Cover 2 well, which is what the Vikings
play a good amount of. He's talented enough to also be solid in man
coverage. Allen has PR and KOR experience and offers depth in that
area. Allen isn't as much of a playmaker as the other CBs on the
roster, but he does have potential to get better in that area.
The
5th round pick was ILB Jasper Brinkley of South Carolina. He is one of
the few huge MLBs that runs okay. I'm not sure if he runs well enough
to ever be an NFL starter or if he'll strictly be a backup and STs
player. Brinkley is the kind of run stuffer that should fit in well in
the Vikings D. Jasper tore his ACL and missed most of the 2007 season.
He played in '08, but clearly wasn't all the way back. It will be
interesting to see how he plays this year. He was okay value in the 5th
and fits the Minnesota scheme. Brinkley could be a terrific STs player
because of his size and ability as a hitter/tackler.
The
Vikings final pick was Safety Jamarca Sanford, who they took in the
7th. I am not a fan of his. Sanford had okay workouts and posted good
numbers in his career, but never impressed me when I watched tape. I
happened to re-watch the Cotton Bowl recently and he badly missed a
couple of critical tackles in that game. That drives me crazy. The
Vikings did need help at Safety, so the pick made sense. Now we'll see
if he is capable of being a solid NFL player.
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Green Bay
1 - BJ Raji
1 - Clay Matthews
4 - TJ Lang
5 - Quinn Johnson
5 - Jamon Meredith
6 - Jarius Wynn
6 - Brandon Underwood
7 - Brad Jones
The Packers are in the middle of transitioning from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense. That showed in the players that Green Bay took. Ted Thompson normally is a believer in moving down and acquiring extra picks and then taking solid players. Because of the defensive shift, Thompson felt the need to be aggressive this year and move up for an additional 1st round pick. This wasn't a great draft class overall so moving up made sense.
The first pick was NT B.J. Raji of Boston College. Anyone who watched the Packers last year saw the lack of interior push they had on defense. QBs were always able to step up in the pocket. RBs had room to move. Raji would have made sense if they had stayed in a 4-3, but he was a great pick considering the move to the 3-4. BJ is big enough and powerful enough to hold the point on run plays. He can also push the pocket and he's athletic enough to be a decent pass rusher. NT is a crucial position in the 3-4. Think about Casey Hampton in Pittsburgh, Jamaal Williams in San Diego, and even Vince Wilfork in New England. You need that big guy up front. The presence of Raji will have impact on the DEs and all the LBs. ILBs will be free to run to the ball and OLBs will have an easier time rushing the passer with Raji bringing pressure up the middle.
The Packers moved up into the late 1st to draft LB Clay Matthews. They needed someone to help rush the passer from the weak side. Aaron Kampman is going to be the LOLB. Brady Poppinga isn't the kind of pass rushing LB that will thrive in the 3-4. Jeremy Thompson is in the mix, but the 3-4 requires LB production. The Packers couldn't hope for Thompson to step up. That led to the pick of Matthews. Clay is a terrific athlete and gifted pass rusher. He can make plays with his athleticism as well as hustle plays. He's still raw as a player, having played very little in his first 3 years at USC. The coaches will have some work to do with him. That could limit his effectiveness early in the season. Clay could be a very good STer and situational pass rusher from the get-go. I think GB was smart to move up and draft him. He was good value at that point and a player they needed.
The next pick wasn't until the 4th round. Green Bay took OL T.J. Lang of Eastern Michigan. He played LT at EMU, but I'm not sure he's meant to play there in the NFL. Right now he's in the mix for Mark Tauscher's vacant RT spot. Lang could play there or G. He's not the most athletic guy, but he is simply a good blocker. Lang is the kind of smart, experienced player that should be able to come in and help pretty early. He also fits the Packer profile. Their O-linemen have never been the biggest or most athletic, but they get the job done. That's Lang. He was also good value in the 4th.
The Packers took my favorite FB in the whole draft when they chose Quinn Johnson of LSU in the 5th round. He could be a help to their running game. Korey Hall and John Kuhn are in place, but Johnson is a very good lead blocker. Last year the Packers only had 6 rushing TDs by tailbacks. Ryan Grant only averaged 3.9 ypc. Those numbers reflect some blocking problems. The OL has to get better and a better lead blocker can help the situation as well. Quinn is also a good STs player.
The other 5th round pick was OL Jamon Meredith from South Carolina. He could prove to be a major steal. Meredith looked like a 2nd round player after his Junior season. He had a troubled Senior season. Meredith didn't play LT and slid all over the line. Reportedly there were some problems between him and the coaching staff. Meredith had a solid showing at the Shrine Game and looked very good at the Combine. I thought he looked like a natural pass blocker. Those guys are hard to find. Meredith is working at LT for the Packers. They need some youth at that spot and he's got time to develop.
The first of a pair of 6th round picks netted Georgia DE Jarius Wynn. I didn't like him for the 4-3, but think he has potential in the 3-4. Wynn has some size and some ability, but he doesn't stand out in any area. He is about 6'3, 275, with the frame to add 10-15 pounds. Wynn played both DE and DT for Georgia. He could possibly play DT in some Nickel / Dime sets for the Packers.
CB Brandon Underwood of Cincinnati was the other 6th rounder. He's a bit of a project. Underwood began his career at Ohio State before transferring to Cincy. He split time between S and CB. Brandon has good size and he's an athletic guy. He has the physical makeup that the Packers like in their CBs. He was good value at this point in the draft.
The final pick was LB Brad Jones from Colorado. Excellent pick. As I said earlier, the 3-4 needs pass rushing LBs. Jones had 6 sacks as a Senior. He knows how to get to the QB. He also has good LB skills. He can cover and play the run. Jones was an underrated prospect in my mind. He can play on STs while he devleops as an OLB.
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Detroit Lions
1 - QB Matthew Stafford - Georgia
1 - TE Brandon Pettigrew - Oklahoma State
2 - S Louis Delmas - Western Michigan
3 - LB DeAndre Levy - Wisconsin
3 - WR/RS Derrick Williams - Penn State
4 - DT Sammie Lee Hill - Stillman
6 - RB/KOR Aaron Brown - TCU
7 - OT Lydon Murtha - Nebraska
7 - LB Zack Follett - Cal
7 - TE Dan Gronkowski - Maryland
I liked what the Lions did. They have new management (sort of) and a new coach. There is a sense of change, which is obviously needed after the first 0-16 season in NFL history. The first pick was a franchise QB. The next few picks were spent on physical, productive players. They also added leaders. The bottom of the draft was more about adding athletically gifted players who need to develop.
Let's begin with Matt Stafford, the top overall pick. I know there wasn't a consensus that the Lions should go for him. I feel differently. I said for months that he was the smart target for them and I'm glad they made him the pick. You either have a QB or you don't. The Lions have had the occasional good season, but no franchise QB...not for a long time. People argued that they should take a LT. The Lions have had guys like Jeff Backus and Lomas Brown, good LTs. Neither player had a top flight QB to protect. Stafford isn't without risk, but I think his upside is too good to pass on.
Stafford comes out of a pro style offense. He knows how to play under Center. He's used to handing the ball off most of the time. He won't need 45 pass attempts to get going. Stafford's mobility is underrated and he has a great arm. He can make all the throws. Is he a finished product? No. He does need work. I also think Matt has the mental and emotional toughness to handle the NFL. He played HS football in Texas. It doesn't get more competitive than that. Then he went to the SEC and started for 3 years. That is the toughest, most competitive league in college football. Stafford is going to lose games early and often in Detroit. While he didn't lose a lot in HS or at UGA, he did learn about facing tough opponents. Georgia lost 3 games in 2008 and had 3 wins by less than 10 points. Take away the non-conference blowouts and you can see the Bulldogs were a team that mostly played in close games. That should serve Stafford well at the NFL level. Most pro games are decided by a TD or less.
The Lions had another 1st round pick thanks to the Roy Williams trade. They took Oklahoma State TE Brandon Pettigrew. I like this pick. Pettigrew is a big, physical TE. He can catch the ball, but is a really gifted blocker. He should offer immediate help to the passing game as well as the run game. Stafford, or whoever plays QB, will need a strong running game for the Lions to be competitive. Pettigrew can block LBs and DBs. He should be able to hold his own against DEs. He also gives the QB a big target over the middle. With Calvin Johnson working outside and down the field, there should be plenty of room for Pettigrew in the middle of the field. I know some people think adding a TE here was not a great use of resources. In theory I agree, but Pettigrew is a rarity because he's truly a complete TE. You have to take those guys when they are available. Also, I think Detroit must be a more physical team. Pettigrew can really help in that regard.
The 2nd round pick was Safety Louis Delmas of Western Michigan. He was one of my favorite players in CFB last year. Delmas is a complete player. He can cover, hit, tackle, and make plays. The Lions have tried to find Safeties for a couple of years. They spent high picks on Daniel Bullocks and Gerald Alexander. Neither guy has really panned out as hoped. I saw some really bad missed tackles last year that led to huge plays. Delmas should challenge for a starting job right off the bat. He's talented, confident, and a leader. Those are the qualities you want in a Safety. Delmas was good value in the 2nd and is the kind of player Detroit needed from an intangibles standpoint.
Detroit stayed with defense in the early 3rd round and took Wisconsin LB DeAndre Levy. He's projected to play MLB in the pros. Levy will have to sit since the Lions were able to sign Larry Foote after he was cut. Foote gives them a leader in the middle of the defense. Levy will have time to concentrate on STs and learning the defense. He does provide good depth. New coach Jim Schwartz came from the Titans. For years the Titans have been a LB-oriented defense. You can see that Schwartz is bringing that mindset over to the Lions. They already traded for Julian Peterson. Add Foote and Levy in the middle. They have Ernie Sims in place from last year. They also have Jordon Dizon from last year. Levy isn't huge, but he can run and is a physical player and big hitter. That's the kind of MLB that should fit their system well.
The other 3rd round pick brought in Derrick Williams, the star WR/RS from Penn State. I have mixed feelings on this selection. Derrick never developed into the kind of playmaker that I expected him to. I thought he would be more like Percy Harvin. Derrick was a productive, solid player who made some big plays for PSU. One thing to love about Derrick is that he's a high character guy. He went to PSU at a time when that program was down. His commitment got other top players to go there. The Nittany Lions have rebounded and become a strong program once again. Williams had a huge hand in that. Overcoming losing ways takes improved performance on the field, but also the right kind of guys working hard off the field and having the right attitude. Derrick is the kind of guy you want in your organization if you are trying to turn things around. I project him to be a slot receiver and RS for Detroit. I think he was picked early because of his lack of top speed. The other thing that bugs me is that he doesn't have great hands, both as a WR and PR. He'll drop more than he should. Hopefully that will go away with pro coaching and more reps.
The Lions went small school in the 4th round and took Sammie Lee Hill from Stillman. He played LDE in college, but will slide into DT in the NFL. He's huge at 6'4, 329. Schwartz just coached the massive Albert Haynesworth for the last 5 years so he can appreciate the importance of big DTs. Hill was good value in the 4th. He's far from a sure thing, but is big and athletic. Those are the guys you want to take a chance on.
The next selection wasn't until the 6th round when Detroit grabbed RB/KOR Aaron Brown from TCU. He's got the potential to be a good role player. I don't think Brown has the strength or physical style of running to be a starter in the NFL. I think he could be a good 3rd down back. Brown averaged more than 27 yards per KOR for his college career. He could help out there right away. Something tells me the Lions will receive quite a few KOs this season. Brown has good speed and a nice frame. If he can get stronger he might become a good backup RB.
The first of 3 picks in the 7th round was OT Lydon Murtha from Nebraska. Murtha is a terrific athlete. He had a great showing in the tests at the Combine. That ability doesn't always show up on the field. He doesn't react as well as he moves. Unfortunately a good deal of OL play is reacting to the defense. He is a good project. Murtha has size and raw ability.
Zack Follett fell all the way down to the 7th round. That shocked me. I thought he'd go in the 3rd or 4th. He had a very good career at Cal and offers versatility. He played OLB in college and MLB at the Senior Bowl. I do think he could be a good fit for the Lions new system. Follett is at his best attacking off the edge. If they use him accordingly, he's got a chance to be a solid player. At the least, he offers them someone who should be a good STer.
TE Dan Gronkowski of Maryland was the final pick. He's another guy who slid further than expected. Detroit had a poor group of TEs in place prior to the draft. Adding 2 of them was smart. Gronkowski isn't anywhere close to being as good as Pettigrew, but Dan has some size and is a good blocker. Again, he's a good fit for the system and what they want to do. He also should be good on STs.
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Chicago Bears
3 - DT Jarron Gilbert - San Jose State
3 - WR Juaquin Iglesias - Oklahoma
4 - DE Henry Melton - Texas
4 - CB DJ Moore - Vanderbilt
5 - WR Johnny Knox - Abilene Christian
5 - LB Marcus Freeman - Ohio State
6 - S Al Afalava - Oregon State
7 - TE Lance Louis - San Diego St.
7 - WR Derek Kinder - Pitt
The
Bears didn't have an early pick because of the Jay Cutler deal. We'll
see if that proves to be a wise trade, but it does give them their best
QB in almost 25 years. As for the draft class...let's use the word
interesting. They took a combination of quality players and guys that
are somewhat projects.
The initial pick was a 3rd rounder that
landed Jarron Gilbert from San Jose State. I was surprised to see
Gilbert fall this far, but apparently teams had some questions about
his motor. I thought he was solid in that area, but NFL teams did not.
Gilbert will play DT for the Bears. They have a good DT in Tommie
Harris. The problem has been finding a solid partner for him. Guys like
Anthony Adams, Darwin Walker, Dusty Dvoracek, Tank Johnson, and Ian
Scott have all spent time at DT for the Bears, but none has proven to
be a long term answer.
There is no guarantee that Gilbert will
be the answer, but he was good value in the 3rd round and he's a
perfect fit for the Bears 1-gap attacking defense. Lovie Smith is a
good motivator and should be able to get Gilbert to play hard every
snap. It will be interesting to see how Gilbert responds to NFL
competition. I didn't think he stood out at the Shrine Game as much as
I expected. He can't feast on WAC blockers anymore. He's got to step
his game up to the new challenge. Very good pick based on value and
fit.
The Bears had another 3rd round pick and took WR/KOR
Juaquin Iglesias from Oklahoma. Iglesias is one of those guys who is
solid everywhere, but doesn't stand out in size, speed, skill, or
production. Like Gilbert, he's good value in the 3rd round. Iglesias is
a proven player. He was a regular part of the offense at OU for all 4
seasons, beginning as a role player and finishing as the top receiver.
He less of a project than guys like Rashied Davis and Devin Hester.
Heck, Iglesias is more polished than Earl Bennett, who was taken in
2008. While Iglesias knows what he's doing there is the question of how
he'll adjust to the NFL. He didn't face elite athletes in the Big 12
last year. Those defenses almost all got torched regularly. Iglesias
did play in the spread offense, but has shown a good feel for route
running. He also looked good at the Senior Bowl. I don't know that
he'll challenge for a starting role this year, but could in the future.
Iglesias is a good KOR and could provide some depth there.
The
next pick seemed like a real reach to me. Chicago took DE Henry Melton
of Texas. He began his career as a short yardage runner and ended up
playing LDE for the Longhorns. Melton has some size and athletic
ability, but seems like a bit of a project to go as high as he did. I
do think Melton can play in the NFL. I actually wonder if he could end
up as a LDE/DT combo player. I never saw top pass rush ability out of
him, but he was a physical player. He could handle LDE on early downs
and move to DT in passing situations. Melton will be an interesting
player to follow.
The other 4th round pick netted Vanderbilt
CB D.J. Moore. Great value pick. Back in December we talked about him
as a potential late 1st round pick. Moore's value plummeted with a poor
40-time. CBs who run in the 4.6 range have limited value in the NFL.
The good news for Moore is that the Bears are one of the few teams that
can use his skills. Chicago really focuses on forcing turnovers. The
Bears defense is playing well when they take the ball away. Moore had 6
INTs last year (13 for his career). He has excellent ball skills and is
made for the Cover 2. Nathan Vasher was a similar player coming out of
Texas and has proven to be a good fit for the Bears. Moore could
develop into Vasher, Jr. The Bears are getting older at CB with Vasher
and Peanut Tillman. They want to move Corey Graham to Safety. That
opens a spot for Moore.
The first 5th round pick was Johnny
Knox, a WR from Abilene Christian. Knox has great speed. He ran one of
the fastest times at the Combine and immediately gives the Bears a
downfield threat. Knox was very productive in his 2 years at Abilene
Christian. The obvious question with Knox is how he'll adjust to the
NFL. He went from a junior college to a Division II school. He hasn't
faced NFL caliber players. He only played in the Texas vs The Nation AS
game. That was helpful, but still featured mostly fringe prospects.
Knox has the physical ability, but Chicago hasn't exactly been a beacon
of light in terms of developing receivers. The presence of Cutler could
change all that. Or not.
LB Marcus Freeman of Ohio State also
went in the 5th round. Odd player. He looked really good as a Junior,
but leveled off as a Senior. Freeman is a good fit for the Bears. He is
a pretty good athlete. I think WLB is his natural spot, but he could
also play MLB. The Bears have done a good job of developing LBs so
Freeman definitely landed with a good team. The only downside is a
crowded group with guys like Jamar Williams and Nick Roach being
similar to him, but already in place.
The Bears 6th round pick
was Safety Al Afalava. I have very mixed feelings on Al. I'm a sucker
for Safeties that love to pound on RBs and WRs. Al is a hitter. At the
same time I was highly disappointed with his overall play in 2008.
Oregon State got burned for a ton of big plays, partially because Al
blew way too many tackles in the open field. Some he failed to make
cleanly and others he missed entirely because he took poor angles. If
the Bears use him mostly in the box, Afalava has a chance to succeed,
but I'm not sure he can ever be a full-time starter.
Chicago
had a pair of 7th round picks. First up was Lance Louis. He played OL
at San Diego St., but will play TE in the NFL, at least initially.
Lance has OL size, but has athletic skills. He ran a 4.80 at his Pro
Day. That speed shows up on the field. Lance was a good STer at SDSU
and could be outstanding there for the Bears. They normally have very
good STs units. Coach Dave Toub will certainly want to mix in Lance.
Guys with his size and speed can be good blockers, but even better
wedge busters.
The final pick was Pitt WR Derek Kinder. He
looked like a really good player in 2006, averaging almost 15 ypc and
scoring 6 TDs. He missed 2007 with a torn ACL and was very up and down
in 2008 (still led the team in receiving). If his knee gets back to
100%, Kinder has a chance to find a role in the NFL. He was a good
student at Pitt and has okay size.
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