DYNASTY: 2011 Top 15 Prospects (1 Viewer)

[BeTheMatch]

Derrick Washington suspended indefinitely by Mizzou for disciplinary reasons - there have been sexual assault allegations made against him.

Updating, Washington was actually charged with sexual assault Monday.

Washington now kicked off the team for good

Washington has been arrested AGAIN, this time for domestic assault.

 

[Instinctive]

Just left the stadium, and I fell I need to say right away that Ryan Broyles is going to be an NFL receiver. Best Case Scenario: Marvin Harrison or Torry HoltProbable: Derrick Mason or Donald DriverHe has amazing hands and incredible route running for a college athlete. Just watching the attention a defense gives him and then seeing him find holes and make plays anyway is amazing to watch. On the 36 yard TD in the 2nd quarter, he beats his guy off the line and gets a step on the double coverage. Safety has to come inside to help over the top, and the TE gets open on a corner route that ends up in a TD.Early in the game, we're standing on the sideline and OU is in the redzone. The FSU defense appears to audible, and the corner backs off a few yards, giving Broyles a 10 yard cushion. He explodes off the line, starts a perfect post pattern which moves the safety help, and then cuts into the corner for a beautiful TD catch.His footwork is incredible. Every week I like this guy more and more. Some of it is obviously the bias of seeing a guy in person, but man am I excite for his pro prospects. He may not come out this year with Green, Jones, Floyd, but if he does he's definitely a guy I want on my teams.

I saw your Murray comments from Utah State; any additional impressions after the FSU game? This was my first time watching him. I was impressed by his hands. He had a very nice catch after lining up wide and elevated to haul it in outside his frame; nice grab, and they split him out in the formation. This may have been Ponder's worst game ever. He looked confused and uncomfortable. He rushed and made very poor decisions. OU's packages clearly had him off balance. Great job by them against a top ten OL group.

Wasn't impressed by his running against FSU, I thought the entire offense was more explosive and in sync (running wise) with Madu in there. He has much better vision if you ask me.Murray had a nice catch or two if I recall, and some decent one on one moves to get a first down or two off of a screen or checkdown. I just don't feel as sure as last week about thinking he has the vision needed to run effectively behind a line and make good cutbacks.

 

[BeTheMatch]

Florida receiver Chris Rainey has been charged with aggravated stalking.

Rainey spent the night in the Alachua County Jail and is scheduled for an initial appearance Tuesday morning.

According to Gainesville Police, Rainey sent a woman he dated on and off the last three years a text message that read, ''Time to die,'' after leaving her home Monday night.

Officer Jesse Bostick said the incident started when the woman fell asleep and missed a call from Rainey. Rainey went to her home, they talked and she told him to leave. According to Bostick, the woman got the text a short time later and called police.

Rainey has six receptions and a touchdown this season. He missed part of Saturday's game with a concussion.

 

[EastBayFunk]

Weslye Saunders was kicked off the South Carolina team. He had been considered one of the top TE prospects in this class.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news...rolina-saunders

 

[joey]

 

[Don Quixote]

Keith Smith, WR, Purdue is out for the season with a torn ACL and MCL. I thought he had a chance to be a mid-round pick as a slot receiver. Might go undrafted now.

 

[kremenull]

I think I have seen enough of Kyle Rudolph to say that he should be an NFL 1st round pick and a future all-pro. He is a matchup nightmare at TE.

Kid looked awesome...that size and still the speed for a 100yd TD grab for what should have been the game winner, I want this kid on my squad

He looks pretty slow to me

 

[The Real Hipster Doofus]

Jake Locker cost himself a LOT of money by coming back for his senior year.

 

[EBF]

On the other hand, Steven Threet from Arizona State played well in a close loss to Wisconsin. I liked his clutch passing and demeanor. He could be a draftable prospect down the road.

 

[The Real Hipster Doofus]

On the other hand, Steven Threet from Arizona State played well in a close loss to Wisconsin. I liked his clutch passing and demeanor. He could be a draftable prospect down the road.

Yep, he was impressive. As a Michigan fan I will always root for him based on the way he played in 2008. He wasn't ready yet, and he wasn't a fit for the offense, but he hung in tough and showed a lot of intangibles.

 

[Eastwood]

Ingram today vs Duke was averaging almost 20 yards per carry in the first half. He's the 1.1 next year, just a complete BEAST

 

[Donnybrook]

I've been following SMU QB Kyle Padron career ever since seeing highlights of him in the Hawaii Bowl. I am sure there will be questions about the level of competittion he is facing but he looking to have a another monster year statistically. He is only a sophomore. Unfortunately, I never get to see him play in the area I live but he seems to be a real solid prospect.

 

[Yo Eleven]

Daniel Thomas has been putting up big numbers, but numbers don't always tell the story. Has anyone watched the kid play and if you have, what are your impressions. Kiper has him graded as a first rounder...

 

[DansRams]

Daniel Thomas has been putting up big numbers, but numbers don't always tell the story. Has anyone watched the kid play and if you have, what are your impressions. Kiper has him graded as a first rounder...

I have watched each game. The guy is a stud. He runs with power and patience and has also shown some very nice moves, agility, and quickness for a back his size. I would be shocked if he didn't end up a 1st round pick next year.....maybe even #1....especially if he clocks well in the 40.

 

[jeter23]

Daniel Thomas has been putting up big numbers, but numbers don't always tell the story. Has anyone watched the kid play and if you have, what are your impressions. Kiper has him graded as a first rounder...

I have watched each game. The guy is a stud. He runs with power and patience and has also shown some very nice moves, agility, and quickness for a back his size. I would be shocked if he didn't end up a 1st round pick next year.....maybe even #1....especially if he clocks well in the 40.

He'll be 23 at the time of the draft. That alone knocks him out of the #1 overall spot IMO. I do think he has a great chance to be a late 1st rounder.

 

[mcintyre1]

Roy Helu Jr is finally starting to look like his old, pre-injury hobbled self. Blowing past defenders when the hole is there. Still, probably a 3rd down guy at best in the NFL, and more likely a backup that hangs around on some practice squads before disappearing into the night.

Taylor Martinez, holy cow. That kid could be an amazing WR someday. But again, probably one of those great college QBs that don't have the passing skills to translate to the NFL (who knows though, kid is only a freshman).

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

On the other hand, Steven Threet from Arizona State played well in a close loss to Wisconsin. I liked his clutch passing and demeanor. He could be a draftable prospect down the road.

Yep, he was impressive. As a Michigan fan I will always root for him based on the way he played in 2008. He wasn't ready yet, and he wasn't a fit for the offense, but he hung in tough and showed a lot of intangibles.

I was at the game...he played very well. Poor pass protection....but he had good pocket awareness to keep things alive and he kept his eyes downfield, which is huge. He also had some great "shots" downfield that his WR's didn't go all out or they could've got the ball to be honest.

 

[DansRams]

Daniel Thomas has been putting up big numbers, but numbers don't always tell the story. Has anyone watched the kid play and if you have, what are your impressions. Kiper has him graded as a first rounder...

I have watched each game. The guy is a stud. He runs with power and patience and has also shown some very nice moves, agility, and quickness for a back his size. I would be shocked if he didn't end up a 1st round pick next year.....maybe even #1....especially if he clocks well in the 40.

He'll be 23 at the time of the draft. That alone knocks him out of the #1 overall spot IMO. I do think he has a great chance to be a late 1st rounder.

I didn't finish my thought...I meant #1 among Rb's, not #1 in the draft.

 

[EBF]

Daniel Thomas has been putting up big numbers, but numbers don't always tell the story. Has anyone watched the kid play and if you have, what are your impressions. Kiper has him graded as a first rounder...

I have watched each game. The guy is a stud. He runs with power and patience and has also shown some very nice moves, agility, and quickness for a back his size. I would be shocked if he didn't end up a 1st round pick next year.....maybe even #1....especially if he clocks well in the 40.

He'll be 23 at the time of the draft. That alone knocks him out of the #1 overall spot IMO. I do think he has a great chance to be a late 1st rounder.

I didn't finish my thought...I meant #1 among Rb's, not #1 in the draft.

Ingram looks unassailable, IMO. He was in top form yesterday. Very impressive stuff. I think he's the slam dunk RB1 this year.Thomas has played well though. I wasn't a believer prior to the season, but he's forcing me to take him seriously as a prospect. I will have to try to catch one of his games in the coming weeks.

 

[EBF]

Quick hits from this weekend:

- I watched all of Andrew Luck's snaps in the Wake/Stanford game. Great performance. He missed a wide open WR downfield on what would've been a 50+ yard TD, but otherwise played a near flawless game. 17/23 for 203 yards and 4 TDs. He also added a 50+ yard TD run in which he made some decent cuts and displayed surprising long speed. He looks like a prodigy who could eventually become an elite NFL starter. He has all of the requisite physical tools, but what I really like him about him is his mental makeup. He seems to read coverages well, has a gift for improvising when plays break down, almost always takes what the defense gives him, rarely looks flustered, and never seems to make a bone-headed decision. He's currently averaging a gaudy 9.6 yards per attempt with a 64.3% completion percentage and 10 TDs against 0 INTs. However, it's important to note that Stanford has a dominant OL and that Luck has done all of his damage against weak teams. The next three games (@ Notre Dame, vs. USC, and @ Oregon) will give him a great opportunity to prove that he can perform in a hostile environment against elite competition.

- It's too early to write off Jake Locker as a potential 1st round pick because some team might fall in love with his alleged upside despite his obvious warts, but it's beginning to look like the QB1 battle will come down to Andrew Luck vs. Ryan Mallett. SEC homers will almost certainly favor the statuesque Arkansas gunslinger. He has played extremely well this year and will draw comparisons to Drew Bledsoe and Ben Roethlisberger because of his size and arm strength. If he continues to produce staggering statistics against top competition then he will most likely become a top 5 pick, but don't be surprised if Luck is ranked higher by most scouting departments at season's end. Assuming that Luck plays well for the duration of the season, he'll be a slam dunk top 5 selection and a potential #1 overall if he decides to declare. Will he make that decision? I have no clue. I wouldn't be surprised if he returns for one more season, so the whole Luck/Mallett debate might be for naught.

- At RB, the 2011 class is still Mark Ingram and then everybody else. He returned from his knee scope in fantastic form, making absurd cuts and demonstrating excellent burst and speed. I have previously said that he might not be a high first round talent, but the plays he made this week really caught my eye. I like him more than Ryan Mathews and CJ Spiller. He's just a beast (although Richardson might be even beastlier). There are still a lot of question marks behind Ingram in the 2011 RB picture. Mikel Leshoure from Illinois, LaMichael James from Oregon, and Daniel Thomas from Kansas State appear to be the primary contenders for the RB2 spot. Jacquizz Rodgers from Oregon State, Shane Vereen from Cal, and Noel Devine from West Virginia continue to perform well.

- The WR picture is still cloudy. This is always the toughest of the three major positions to gauge because WR production is far more dependent on scheme and supporting cast, meaning the statistical leaderboards don't necessarily provide a great indication of who's a legitimate pro prospect. AJ Green is still sidelined by his suspension. The remaining members of the "big 4" (Michael Floyd, Julio Jones, and Jonathan Baldwin) have played reasonably well. I still don't feel like any one of these guys has stepped up and definitively proven that he's an elite prospect worthy of a top 10 pick though.

 

[Hoss_Cartwright]

- At RB, the 2011 class is still Mark Ingram and then everybody else. He returned from his knee scope in fantastic form, making absurd cuts and demonstrating excellent burst and speed. I have previously said that he might not be a high first round talent, but the plays he made this week really caught my eye. I like him more than Ryan Mathews and CJ Spiller. He's just a beast (although Richardson might be even beastlier). There are still a lot of question marks behind Ingram in the 2011 RB picture. Mikel Leshoure from Illinois, LaMichael James from Oregon, and Daniel Thomas from Kansas State appear to be the primary contenders for the RB2 spot. Jacquizz Rodgers from Oregon State, Shane Vereen from Cal, and Noel Devine from West Virginia continue to perform well.

I'm pretty sure Ryan Williams will declare and he's as good or better than Ingram. Why didn't you list him?

 

[EBF]

- At RB, the 2011 class is still Mark Ingram and then everybody else. He returned from his knee scope in fantastic form, making absurd cuts and demonstrating excellent burst and speed. I have previously said that he might not be a high first round talent, but the plays he made this week really caught my eye. I like him more than Ryan Mathews and CJ Spiller. He's just a beast (although Richardson might be even beastlier). There are still a lot of question marks behind Ingram in the 2011 RB picture. Mikel Leshoure from Illinois, LaMichael James from Oregon, and Daniel Thomas from Kansas State appear to be the primary contenders for the RB2 spot. Jacquizz Rodgers from Oregon State, Shane Vereen from Cal, and Noel Devine from West Virginia continue to perform well.

I'm pretty sure Ryan Williams will declare and he's as good or better than Ingram. Why didn't you list him?

Yea, I forgot about him. He'll be in the mix. I don't think he's as good as Ingram though.

 

[Glaven]

Quick hits from this weekend:- I watched all of Andrew Luck's snaps in the Wake/Stanford game. Great performance. He missed a wide open WR downfield on what would've been a 50+ yard TD, but otherwise played a near flawless game. 17/23 for 203 yards and 4 TDs. He also added a 50+ yard TD run in which he made some decent cuts and displayed surprising long speed. He looks like a prodigy who could eventually become an elite NFL starter. He has all of the requisite physical tools, but what I really like him about him is his mental makeup. He seems to read coverages well, has a gift for improvising when plays break down, almost always takes what the defense gives him, rarely looks flustered, and never seems to make a bone-headed decision. He's currently averaging a gaudy 9.6 yards per attempt with a 64.3% completion percentage and 10 TDs against 0 INTs. However, it's important to note that Stanford has a dominant OL and that Luck has done all of his damage against weak teams. The next three games (@ Notre Dame, vs. USC, and @ Oregon) will give him a great opportunity to prove that he can perform in a hostile environment against elite competition. - It's too early to write off Jake Locker as a potential 1st round pick because some team might fall in love with his alleged upside despite his obvious warts, but it's beginning to look like the QB1 battle will come down to Andrew Luck vs. Ryan Mallett. SEC homers will almost certainly favor the statuesque Arkansas gunslinger. He has played extremely well this year and will draw comparisons to Drew Bledsoe and Ben Roethlisberger because of his size and arm strength. If he continues to produce staggering statistics against top competition then he will most likely become a top 5 pick, but don't be surprised if Luck is ranked higher by most scouting departments at season's end. Assuming that Luck plays well for the duration of the season, he'll be a slam dunk top 5 selection and a potential #1 overall if he decides to declare. Will he make that decision? I have no clue. I wouldn't be surprised if he returns for one more season, so the whole Luck/Mallett debate might be for naught. - At RB, the 2011 class is still Mark Ingram and then everybody else. He returned from his knee scope in fantastic form, making absurd cuts and demonstrating excellent burst and speed. I have previously said that he might not be a high first round talent, but the plays he made this week really caught my eye. I like him more than Ryan Mathews and CJ Spiller. He's just a beast (although Richardson might be even beastlier). There are still a lot of question marks behind Ingram in the 2011 RB picture. Mikel Leshoure from Illinois, LaMichael James from Oregon, and Daniel Thomas from Kansas State appear to be the primary contenders for the RB2 spot. Jacquizz Rodgers from Oregon State, Shane Vereen from Cal, and Noel Devine from West Virginia continue to perform well. - The WR picture is still cloudy. This is always the toughest of the three major positions to gauge because WR production is far more dependent on scheme and supporting cast, meaning the statistical leaderboards don't necessarily provide a great indication of who's a legitimate pro prospect. AJ Green is still sidelined by his suspension. The remaining members of the "big 4" (Michael Floyd, Julio Jones, and Jonathan Baldwin) have played reasonably well. I still don't feel like any one of these guys has stepped up and definitively proven that he's an elite prospect worthy of a top 10 pick though.

If there's gonna be a WR worthy of a top 10 pick, it's gonna be Michael Floyd imo. He's just simply dominant, he reminds me a bit of Larry Fitzgerald when he was at Pitt in that Floyd can just outjump anyone and has a knack for coming down with the ball. Although his numbers are far from eye popping at this point, QBs have missed him on some deep throws. As Dayne Crist begins to gain more experience and become more comfortable in the offense I expect Floyd to put up some really big numbers. He's also been getting major props from commentators (particularly Mike Mayock) on how good he has been blocking. He shows a lot of effort in his blocking, and with his size he has just eaten up CB's so far this year while blocking.

 

[BigTex]

Ingram today vs Duke was averaging almost 20 yards per carry in the first half. He's the 1.1 next year, just a complete BEAST

I get a warm, fuzzy feeling when I watch him play, like when ADP was in college.

 

[Hoss_Cartwright]

- At RB, the 2011 class is still Mark Ingram and then everybody else. He returned from his knee scope in fantastic form, making absurd cuts and demonstrating excellent burst and speed. I have previously said that he might not be a high first round talent, but the plays he made this week really caught my eye. I like him more than Ryan Mathews and CJ Spiller. He's just a beast (although Richardson might be even beastlier). There are still a lot of question marks behind Ingram in the 2011 RB picture. Mikel Leshoure from Illinois, LaMichael James from Oregon, and Daniel Thomas from Kansas State appear to be the primary contenders for the RB2 spot. Jacquizz Rodgers from Oregon State, Shane Vereen from Cal, and Noel Devine from West Virginia continue to perform well.

I'm pretty sure Ryan Williams will declare and he's as good or better than Ingram. Why didn't you list him?

Yea, I forgot about him. He'll be in the mix. I don't think he's as good as Ingram though.

Oh, he's as good alright. How could you forget about Ryan Williams?

 

[EBF]

Quick hits from this weekend:- I watched all of Andrew Luck's snaps in the Wake/Stanford game. Great performance. He missed a wide open WR downfield on what would've been a 50+ yard TD, but otherwise played a near flawless game. 17/23 for 203 yards and 4 TDs. He also added a 50+ yard TD run in which he made some decent cuts and displayed surprising long speed. He looks like a prodigy who could eventually become an elite NFL starter. He has all of the requisite physical tools, but what I really like him about him is his mental makeup. He seems to read coverages well, has a gift for improvising when plays break down, almost always takes what the defense gives him, rarely looks flustered, and never seems to make a bone-headed decision. He's currently averaging a gaudy 9.6 yards per attempt with a 64.3% completion percentage and 10 TDs against 0 INTs. However, it's important to note that Stanford has a dominant OL and that Luck has done all of his damage against weak teams. The next three games (@ Notre Dame, vs. USC, and @ Oregon) will give him a great opportunity to prove that he can perform in a hostile environment against elite competition. - It's too early to write off Jake Locker as a potential 1st round pick because some team might fall in love with his alleged upside despite his obvious warts, but it's beginning to look like the QB1 battle will come down to Andrew Luck vs. Ryan Mallett. SEC homers will almost certainly favor the statuesque Arkansas gunslinger. He has played extremely well this year and will draw comparisons to Drew Bledsoe and Ben Roethlisberger because of his size and arm strength. If he continues to produce staggering statistics against top competition then he will most likely become a top 5 pick, but don't be surprised if Luck is ranked higher by most scouting departments at season's end. Assuming that Luck plays well for the duration of the season, he'll be a slam dunk top 5 selection and a potential #1 overall if he decides to declare. Will he make that decision? I have no clue. I wouldn't be surprised if he returns for one more season, so the whole Luck/Mallett debate might be for naught. - At RB, the 2011 class is still Mark Ingram and then everybody else. He returned from his knee scope in fantastic form, making absurd cuts and demonstrating excellent burst and speed. I have previously said that he might not be a high first round talent, but the plays he made this week really caught my eye. I like him more than Ryan Mathews and CJ Spiller. He's just a beast (although Richardson might be even beastlier). There are still a lot of question marks behind Ingram in the 2011 RB picture. Mikel Leshoure from Illinois, LaMichael James from Oregon, and Daniel Thomas from Kansas State appear to be the primary contenders for the RB2 spot. Jacquizz Rodgers from Oregon State, Shane Vereen from Cal, and Noel Devine from West Virginia continue to perform well. - The WR picture is still cloudy. This is always the toughest of the three major positions to gauge because WR production is far more dependent on scheme and supporting cast, meaning the statistical leaderboards don't necessarily provide a great indication of who's a legitimate pro prospect. AJ Green is still sidelined by his suspension. The remaining members of the "big 4" (Michael Floyd, Julio Jones, and Jonathan Baldwin) have played reasonably well. I still don't feel like any one of these guys has stepped up and definitively proven that he's an elite prospect worthy of a top 10 pick though.

If there's gonna be a WR worthy of a top 10 pick, it's gonna be Michael Floyd imo. He's just simply dominant, he reminds me a bit of Larry Fitzgerald when he was at Pitt in that Floyd can just outjump anyone and has a knack for coming down with the ball. Although his numbers are far from eye popping at this point, QBs have missed him on some deep throws. As Dayne Crist begins to gain more experience and become more comfortable in the offense I expect Floyd to put up some really big numbers. He's also been getting major props from commentators (particularly Mike Mayock) on how good he has been blocking. He shows a lot of effort in his blocking, and with his size he has just eaten up CB's so far this year while blocking.

He would probably by my first choice as well. Nice combination of size, mobility, and skill. Cut from the same cloth as Fitzgerald/VJax/Marshall. Tall guys with good strength, hands, and route running. I'll be watching the ND game this weekend to see how he performs.On that note, the ND/Stanford game might be a good one for draftniks to catch because it will feature arguably the top draft-eligible QB, WR, and TE in the 2011 class.

 

[jurb26]

Quick hits from this weekend:- I watched all of Andrew Luck's snaps in the Wake/Stanford game. Great performance. He missed a wide open WR downfield on what would've been a 50+ yard TD, but otherwise played a near flawless game. 17/23 for 203 yards and 4 TDs. He also added a 50+ yard TD run in which he made some decent cuts and displayed surprising long speed. He looks like a prodigy who could eventually become an elite NFL starter. He has all of the requisite physical tools, but what I really like him about him is his mental makeup. He seems to read coverages well, has a gift for improvising when plays break down, almost always takes what the defense gives him, rarely looks flustered, and never seems to make a bone-headed decision. He's currently averaging a gaudy 9.6 yards per attempt with a 64.3% completion percentage and 10 TDs against 0 INTs. However, it's important to note that Stanford has a dominant OL and that Luck has done all of his damage against weak teams. The next three games (@ Notre Dame, vs. USC, and @ Oregon) will give him a great opportunity to prove that he can perform in a hostile environment against elite competition. - It's too early to write off Jake Locker as a potential 1st round pick because some team might fall in love with his alleged upside despite his obvious warts, but it's beginning to look like the QB1 battle will come down to Andrew Luck vs. Ryan Mallett. SEC homers will almost certainly favor the statuesque Arkansas gunslinger. He has played extremely well this year and will draw comparisons to Drew Bledsoe and Ben Roethlisberger because of his size and arm strength. If he continues to produce staggering statistics against top competition then he will most likely become a top 5 pick, but don't be surprised if Luck is ranked higher by most scouting departments at season's end. Assuming that Luck plays well for the duration of the season, he'll be a slam dunk top 5 selection and a potential #1 overall if he decides to declare. Will he make that decision? I have no clue. I wouldn't be surprised if he returns for one more season, so the whole Luck/Mallett debate might be for naught. - At RB, the 2011 class is still Mark Ingram and then everybody else. He returned from his knee scope in fantastic form, making absurd cuts and demonstrating excellent burst and speed. I have previously said that he might not be a high first round talent, but the plays he made this week really caught my eye. I like him more than Ryan Mathews and CJ Spiller. He's just a beast (although Richardson might be even beastlier). There are still a lot of question marks behind Ingram in the 2011 RB picture. Mikel Leshoure from Illinois, LaMichael James from Oregon, and Daniel Thomas from Kansas State appear to be the primary contenders for the RB2 spot. Jacquizz Rodgers from Oregon State, Shane Vereen from Cal, and Noel Devine from West Virginia continue to perform well. - The WR picture is still cloudy. This is always the toughest of the three major positions to gauge because WR production is far more dependent on scheme and supporting cast, meaning the statistical leaderboards don't necessarily provide a great indication of who's a legitimate pro prospect. AJ Green is still sidelined by his suspension. The remaining members of the "big 4" (Michael Floyd, Julio Jones, and Jonathan Baldwin) have played reasonably well. I still don't feel like any one of these guys has stepped up and definitively proven that he's an elite prospect worthy of a top 10 pick though.

If there's gonna be a WR worthy of a top 10 pick, it's gonna be Michael Floyd imo. He's just simply dominant, he reminds me a bit of Larry Fitzgerald when he was at Pitt in that Floyd can just outjump anyone and has a knack for coming down with the ball. Although his numbers are far from eye popping at this point, QBs have missed him on some deep throws. As Dayne Crist begins to gain more experience and become more comfortable in the offense I expect Floyd to put up some really big numbers. He's also been getting major props from commentators (particularly Mike Mayock) on how good he has been blocking. He shows a lot of effort in his blocking, and with his size he has just eaten up CB's so far this year while blocking.

He would probably by my first choice as well. Nice combination of size, mobility, and skill. Cut from the same cloth as Fitzgerald/VJax/Marshall. Tall guys with good strength, hands, and route running. I'll be watching the ND game this weekend to see how he performs.On that note, the ND/Stanford game might be a good one for draftniks to catch because it will feature arguably the top draft-eligible QB, WR, and TE in the 2011 class.

AJ Green is clearly a cut above the other guys in the WR class. It's a shame he isn't playing right now.

 

[EBF]

Quick hits from this weekend:- I watched all of Andrew Luck's snaps in the Wake/Stanford game. Great performance. He missed a wide open WR downfield on what would've been a 50+ yard TD, but otherwise played a near flawless game. 17/23 for 203 yards and 4 TDs. He also added a 50+ yard TD run in which he made some decent cuts and displayed surprising long speed. He looks like a prodigy who could eventually become an elite NFL starter. He has all of the requisite physical tools, but what I really like him about him is his mental makeup. He seems to read coverages well, has a gift for improvising when plays break down, almost always takes what the defense gives him, rarely looks flustered, and never seems to make a bone-headed decision. He's currently averaging a gaudy 9.6 yards per attempt with a 64.3% completion percentage and 10 TDs against 0 INTs. However, it's important to note that Stanford has a dominant OL and that Luck has done all of his damage against weak teams. The next three games (@ Notre Dame, vs. USC, and @ Oregon) will give him a great opportunity to prove that he can perform in a hostile environment against elite competition. - It's too early to write off Jake Locker as a potential 1st round pick because some team might fall in love with his alleged upside despite his obvious warts, but it's beginning to look like the QB1 battle will come down to Andrew Luck vs. Ryan Mallett. SEC homers will almost certainly favor the statuesque Arkansas gunslinger. He has played extremely well this year and will draw comparisons to Drew Bledsoe and Ben Roethlisberger because of his size and arm strength. If he continues to produce staggering statistics against top competition then he will most likely become a top 5 pick, but don't be surprised if Luck is ranked higher by most scouting departments at season's end. Assuming that Luck plays well for the duration of the season, he'll be a slam dunk top 5 selection and a potential #1 overall if he decides to declare. Will he make that decision? I have no clue. I wouldn't be surprised if he returns for one more season, so the whole Luck/Mallett debate might be for naught. - At RB, the 2011 class is still Mark Ingram and then everybody else. He returned from his knee scope in fantastic form, making absurd cuts and demonstrating excellent burst and speed. I have previously said that he might not be a high first round talent, but the plays he made this week really caught my eye. I like him more than Ryan Mathews and CJ Spiller. He's just a beast (although Richardson might be even beastlier). There are still a lot of question marks behind Ingram in the 2011 RB picture. Mikel Leshoure from Illinois, LaMichael James from Oregon, and Daniel Thomas from Kansas State appear to be the primary contenders for the RB2 spot. Jacquizz Rodgers from Oregon State, Shane Vereen from Cal, and Noel Devine from West Virginia continue to perform well. - The WR picture is still cloudy. This is always the toughest of the three major positions to gauge because WR production is far more dependent on scheme and supporting cast, meaning the statistical leaderboards don't necessarily provide a great indication of who's a legitimate pro prospect. AJ Green is still sidelined by his suspension. The remaining members of the "big 4" (Michael Floyd, Julio Jones, and Jonathan Baldwin) have played reasonably well. I still don't feel like any one of these guys has stepped up and definitively proven that he's an elite prospect worthy of a top 10 pick though.

If there's gonna be a WR worthy of a top 10 pick, it's gonna be Michael Floyd imo. He's just simply dominant, he reminds me a bit of Larry Fitzgerald when he was at Pitt in that Floyd can just outjump anyone and has a knack for coming down with the ball. Although his numbers are far from eye popping at this point, QBs have missed him on some deep throws. As Dayne Crist begins to gain more experience and become more comfortable in the offense I expect Floyd to put up some really big numbers. He's also been getting major props from commentators (particularly Mike Mayock) on how good he has been blocking. He shows a lot of effort in his blocking, and with his size he has just eaten up CB's so far this year while blocking.

He would probably by my first choice as well. Nice combination of size, mobility, and skill. Cut from the same cloth as Fitzgerald/VJax/Marshall. Tall guys with good strength, hands, and route running. I'll be watching the ND game this weekend to see how he performs.On that note, the ND/Stanford game might be a good one for draftniks to catch because it will feature arguably the top draft-eligible QB, WR, and TE in the 2011 class.

AJ Green is clearly a cut above the other guys in the WR class. It's a shame he isn't playing right now.

Well you also said he was clearly better than Dez Bryant and Michael Crabtree, which I certainly don't agree with. You might ultimately be right about Green, but you seem to have a bit of a regional bias towards players from the southeast. I recall that you were also extremely bullish on McFadden and Stafford.

 

[DansRams]

What is the curent take on the potential lockout and it's impact on the draft. Will underclassmen be incented to stay in school?

 

[jurb26]

Quick hits from this weekend:- I watched all of Andrew Luck's snaps in the Wake/Stanford game. Great performance. He missed a wide open WR downfield on what would've been a 50+ yard TD, but otherwise played a near flawless game. 17/23 for 203 yards and 4 TDs. He also added a 50+ yard TD run in which he made some decent cuts and displayed surprising long speed. He looks like a prodigy who could eventually become an elite NFL starter. He has all of the requisite physical tools, but what I really like him about him is his mental makeup. He seems to read coverages well, has a gift for improvising when plays break down, almost always takes what the defense gives him, rarely looks flustered, and never seems to make a bone-headed decision. He's currently averaging a gaudy 9.6 yards per attempt with a 64.3% completion percentage and 10 TDs against 0 INTs. However, it's important to note that Stanford has a dominant OL and that Luck has done all of his damage against weak teams. The next three games (@ Notre Dame, vs. USC, and @ Oregon) will give him a great opportunity to prove that he can perform in a hostile environment against elite competition. - It's too early to write off Jake Locker as a potential 1st round pick because some team might fall in love with his alleged upside despite his obvious warts, but it's beginning to look like the QB1 battle will come down to Andrew Luck vs. Ryan Mallett. SEC homers will almost certainly favor the statuesque Arkansas gunslinger. He has played extremely well this year and will draw comparisons to Drew Bledsoe and Ben Roethlisberger because of his size and arm strength. If he continues to produce staggering statistics against top competition then he will most likely become a top 5 pick, but don't be surprised if Luck is ranked higher by most scouting departments at season's end. Assuming that Luck plays well for the duration of the season, he'll be a slam dunk top 5 selection and a potential #1 overall if he decides to declare. Will he make that decision? I have no clue. I wouldn't be surprised if he returns for one more season, so the whole Luck/Mallett debate might be for naught. - At RB, the 2011 class is still Mark Ingram and then everybody else. He returned from his knee scope in fantastic form, making absurd cuts and demonstrating excellent burst and speed. I have previously said that he might not be a high first round talent, but the plays he made this week really caught my eye. I like him more than Ryan Mathews and CJ Spiller. He's just a beast (although Richardson might be even beastlier). There are still a lot of question marks behind Ingram in the 2011 RB picture. Mikel Leshoure from Illinois, LaMichael James from Oregon, and Daniel Thomas from Kansas State appear to be the primary contenders for the RB2 spot. Jacquizz Rodgers from Oregon State, Shane Vereen from Cal, and Noel Devine from West Virginia continue to perform well. - The WR picture is still cloudy. This is always the toughest of the three major positions to gauge because WR production is far more dependent on scheme and supporting cast, meaning the statistical leaderboards don't necessarily provide a great indication of who's a legitimate pro prospect. AJ Green is still sidelined by his suspension. The remaining members of the "big 4" (Michael Floyd, Julio Jones, and Jonathan Baldwin) have played reasonably well. I still don't feel like any one of these guys has stepped up and definitively proven that he's an elite prospect worthy of a top 10 pick though.

If there's gonna be a WR worthy of a top 10 pick, it's gonna be Michael Floyd imo. He's just simply dominant, he reminds me a bit of Larry Fitzgerald when he was at Pitt in that Floyd can just outjump anyone and has a knack for coming down with the ball. Although his numbers are far from eye popping at this point, QBs have missed him on some deep throws. As Dayne Crist begins to gain more experience and become more comfortable in the offense I expect Floyd to put up some really big numbers. He's also been getting major props from commentators (particularly Mike Mayock) on how good he has been blocking. He shows a lot of effort in his blocking, and with his size he has just eaten up CB's so far this year while blocking.

He would probably by my first choice as well. Nice combination of size, mobility, and skill. Cut from the same cloth as Fitzgerald/VJax/Marshall. Tall guys with good strength, hands, and route running. I'll be watching the ND game this weekend to see how he performs.On that note, the ND/Stanford game might be a good one for draftniks to catch because it will feature arguably the top draft-eligible QB, WR, and TE in the 2011 class.

AJ Green is clearly a cut above the other guys in the WR class. It's a shame he isn't playing right now.

Well you also said he was clearly better than Dez Bryant and Michael Crabtree, which I certainly don't agree with. You might ultimately be right about Green, but you seem to have a bit of a regional bias towards players from the southeast. I recall that you were also extremely bullish on McFadden and Stafford.

I'm not from nor have I ever lived in the south east. I've also said that Gresham is the best TE to come out in years. I've been high on Murray in years past and still think he is highly underrated right now. I was also very high on Roy Williams (Texas). Green is better than Bryant and Crabtree. To be honest I've always felt you have a negative bias against the SEC players. I make it a point to watch a lot of SEC football when I can because it is clearly the most talent rich conference in the land. It just makes good sense.

 

[Willie Mays Hayes]

What is the curent take on the potential lockout and it's impact on the draft. Will underclassmen be incented to stay in school?

I think the answer is a "resounding yes" if we head into March with no agreement between the NFL and NFLPA. If juniors stay in school, the talent pool for the 2011 draft will appear to be thinner than at once perceived since it is assumed that so many elite talents will opt to leave school early. While I don't wish for a lock-out in 2011, I would laugh if the scare of a lock-out caused a lot of top juniors to not declare. Some of my leaguemates have been scrapping their teams to acquire 1st round draft picks for 2011 and it may play out that 2012 is the draft you want to be over-levered in.

 

[kremenull]

I'm out in PAC-10 country, and I believe A.J. Green is ceratainly at the top of the list for the 2011 WR class and is at least as good as Dez, and quite a bit better than Crabtree. I could care less if he plays this year or not, I've seen enough games and highlights of his to make my call. Green will be an immediate star in the NFL. He's one of the smoothest WRs I've ever seen at the collegiate level, a guy who really understands routes, i.e., how to set up defenders, find open creases, and get in and out of breaks. Kid is on another level in his development.......not to mention that he also has wondrous physical gifts to go with the polish.

I hope he goes to the Rams or Redskins, anywhere but Buffalo.

 

[jurb26]

I'm out in PAC-10 country, and I believe A.J. Green is ceratainly at the top of the list for the 2011 WR class and is at least as good as Dez, and quite a bit better than Crabtree. I could care less if he plays this year or not, I've seen enough games and highlights of his to make my call. Green will be an immediate star in the NFL. He's one of the smoothest WRs I've ever seen at the collegiate level, a guy who really understands routes, i.e., how to set up defenders, find open creases, and get in and out of breaks. Kid is on another level in his development.......not to mention that he also has wondrous physical gifts to go with the polish. I hope he goes to the Rams or Redskins, anywhere but Buffalo.

You and I seem to be on the same page with a lot of the college guys. I recall agreeing with you on Gresham as well, not too mention several others over the years. I think you and I were the only ones to think he was an elite TE. We may be the only ones who think Green is an elite WR. Best college WR since Fitz IMO.

 

[T with T]

no Ryan Mallet, Arkansas QB ?

No Noel Devine or Demarco Murray.. You can't have a top 15 without them two

 

[The Real Hipster Doofus]

no Ryan Mallet, Arkansas QB ?

No Noel Devine or Demarco Murray.. You can't have a top 15 without them two

I don't buy it with Murray at all. Just don't think he will be a good pro. Devine is a guy I am tracking, but I think a lot will depend on what team he ends up and how he gets used. In the right offense, he could be deadly.I have made my thoughts on Mallet clear in this thread. I think he is more Ryan Leaf than Peyton Manning. I don't think he has the intangibles between the ears that are needed to be a great pro quarterback. That being said, he has impressed to start the season, and I am open to reconsidering my view on him. But there are some big skeletons in that closet already that are hard for me to look past.

 

[jurb26]

no Ryan Mallet, Arkansas QB ?

No Noel Devine or Demarco Murray.. You can't have a top 15 without them two

I don't buy it with Murray at all. Just don't think he will be a good pro. Devine is a guy I am tracking, but I think a lot will depend on what team he ends up and how he gets used. In the right offense, he could be deadly.I have made my thoughts on Mallet clear in this thread. I think he is more Ryan Leaf than Peyton Manning. I don't think he has the intangibles between the ears that are needed to be a great pro quarterback. That being said, he has impressed to start the season, and I am open to reconsidering my view on him. But there are some big skeletons in that closet already that are hard for me to look past.

What are these skeletons you speak of?

 

[The Real Hipster Doofus]

no Ryan Mallet, Arkansas QB ?

No Noel Devine or Demarco Murray.. You can't have a top 15 without them two

I don't buy it with Murray at all. Just don't think he will be a good pro. Devine is a guy I am tracking, but I think a lot will depend on what team he ends up and how he gets used. In the right offense, he could be deadly.I have made my thoughts on Mallet clear in this thread. I think he is more Ryan Leaf than Peyton Manning. I don't think he has the intangibles between the ears that are needed to be a great pro quarterback. That being said, he has impressed to start the season, and I am open to reconsidering my view on him. But there are some big skeletons in that closet already that are hard for me to look past.

What are these skeletons you speak of?

I have been a Michigan fan my entire life and I am a current student. I had a connection to an insider in the old administration (Carr years) as well as interactions with multiple football players over the past few years. To a man, everyone who interacted with Ryan Mallet that I spoke with came away with a bad, bad taste in their mouth. Basically the most arrogant, hard headed player that most had ever encountered. The common story in public is that it was just Rich Rodriguez running off a guy who didn't fit the offense. The back story is he was almost booted off the team by Lloyd Carr, and not too many people would have really shed a tear. In short, the qualities I heard used to describe Mallett were the complete opposite of what I would look for in selecting a QB. As I said, I am not ready to completely write him off, as people can change a lot from when they are 18/19 years old. I need to see more evidence of that before I jump on board with him. His talent is unquestioned.

 

[EBF]

What I don't like about Locker and Mallett is that almost all of their hype is based on physical attributes. We've already seen that a huge percentage of physical specimens fail at QB in the NFL if they don't have the requisite mental gifts/instincts. Mallett's profile sure reads a lot like JaMarcus Russell, Akili Smith, or Ryan Leaf. Statuesque pocket passer with suspect intelligence. I caught an interview with him after this past game. To put it mildly, he doesn't sound too bright.

Reading some of the other draft-related message boards, people from the South/East tend to view Mallett as the top QB prospect available whereas people in Pac-10 country all rave about Luck. No surprise there, as I don't think many of the Big 12/SEC fans have seen Luck play an actual game and vice versa with the Pac-10 crowd and Mallett.

I feel like Luck will be the guy if he maintains a high level of play this year and if he declares. I'm not sure he'll want to leave college. If he's the slam dunk 1.01, it might be hard for him to say no.

 

[EBF]

To be honest I've always felt you have a negative bias against the SEC players.

Nope. I love Richardson and Ingram. I think they're the two best NFL RB prospects in college football. I've had guys like Cadillac, Willis, and Harvin ranked very high. I don't have anything against the SEC, but I find the conference's fans insufferable because they grossly exaggerate the quality of their teams in comparison to the other BCS conferences.

 

[jurb26]

To be honest I've always felt you have a negative bias against the SEC players.

Nope. I love Richardson and Ingram. I think they're the two best NFL RB prospects in college football. I've had guys like Cadillac, Willis, and Harvin ranked very high. I don't have anything against the SEC, but I find the conference's fans insufferable because they grossly exaggerate the quality of their teams in comparison to the other BCS conferences.

Well, I'm an ACC fan but can acknowledge the fact that the SEC is clearly the dominant conference in the sport. All fans grossly exaggerate the quality of their teams. You tend to hear about it more with the SEC teams because they are actually the best around and wear a bigger target because of it.

 

[Don Quixote]

I'm an east coast guy, but I like Luck more than Mallett at this point. My impression of Mallett could change a lot based on this week though. He played solid when the pressure was on against Georgia, but Georgia's defense is suspect. Saban's going to throw everything at him this week, so I'm interested to see how he handles it.

 

[jurb26]

I'm an east coast guy, but I like Luck more than Mallett at this point. My impression of Mallett could change a lot based on this week though. He played solid when the pressure was on against Georgia, but Georgia's defense is suspect. Saban's going to throw everything at him this week, so I'm interested to see how he handles it.

Luck is easily the best QB of this class right now. I like Mallet as well but I don't think he is of the same caliber as Luck. Mallet is a guy that I've always hear has a hard time "getting it." What The Real Hipster Doofus said earlier doesn't surprise me. I had heard rumblings that he wasn't very mature and just didn't adapt while at Michigan as well. I had no idea it was as bad as he implied though. There is no doubting Mallent's physical skills. I question his mental make up for the NFL though. We'll see a lot in the Alabama game I guess. I'm not sure there is enough he can do to vault over Luck IMO though.

 

[snakeinthegrass]

Nice little youtube of Daniel Thomas against UCLA and Iowa St....music doesn't really fit but oh well.

 

[T with T]

demarco murray is explosive I wouldn't write him off... as for being a student thats awesome I was at the game vs umass last saturday what a blast.. I love michigan and have been a fan for 25 years..... this is the most excited I have been since 2000 with woodson, brady

 

[offdee]

Not til 2012, but Trent Richardson is OK.

For anybody that didn't see this on College Gameday this past weekend, good watch about Trent Richardson in the weight room. Starts up around the 3:35 mark...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OolNUp3gg1c

 

[EBF]

Nice little youtube of Daniel Thomas against UCLA and Iowa St....music doesn't really fit but oh well.

Reminds me a bit of Matt Forte. Taller, leaner back with good feet and hips.

 

[shader]

Big SEC fan here.

I can't put my finger on it, but I really don't like Mallett.

He was completely unimpressive last season in big games, in my opinion.

He's in a Petrino offense, which embellishes his stats a bit, imo.

When he played Alabama, LSU and Florida in 2009, his completion percentage was horrible. He looked particularly horrible against Alabama in that season. It will be interesting to see him this weekend against a Nick Saban defense, with a young and vulnerable secondary.

I feel like I'm seeing Jamarcus Russell II here with Mallett. Classic case of the NFL falling in love with a tall guy with great arm strength.

 

[shader]

Not til 2012, but Trent Richardson is OK.

For anybody that didn't see this on College Gameday this past weekend, good watch about Trent Richardson in the weight room. Starts up around the 3:35 mark...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OolNUp3gg1c

Homer alert:: Big Bama fan hereNow I love Mark Ingram, and like everyone else, I feel like I'm watching Emmitt Smith when i see him run. Just an incredible runner who was born to play running back.

But Trent Richardson...WOW. It has been a long, long time since I can remember a running back with Trent's combination of speed and power.

He is eerily similar to....Bo Jackson, though he's shorter.

But honestly, I can't remember the last guy that can both smoke a defense with blistering speed AND drag 4-5 defensive players with his incredible power.

Barring injury, he is the next NFL superstar. Plan your dynasty drafts accordingly.

 

[HawkeyeChief]

As much as it pains me as a Hawkeye fan, what do you think of Nick Foles. I was fairly impressed by him, he seems to have strong arm, good pocket presence, and prototypical size. He also didn't make the mistakes Iowa tends to lure good QBs into.

 

[oukurt]

Just left the stadium, and I fell I need to say right away that Ryan Broyles is going to be an NFL receiver. Best Case Scenario: Marvin Harrison or Torry HoltProbable: Derrick Mason or Donald DriverHe has amazing hands and incredible route running for a college athlete. Just watching the attention a defense gives him and then seeing him find holes and make plays anyway is amazing to watch. On the 36 yard TD in the 2nd quarter, he beats his guy off the line and gets a step on the double coverage. Safety has to come inside to help over the top, and the TE gets open on a corner route that ends up in a TD.Early in the game, we're standing on the sideline and OU is in the redzone. The FSU defense appears to audible, and the corner backs off a few yards, giving Broyles a 10 yard cushion. He explodes off the line, starts a perfect post pattern which moves the safety help, and then cuts into the corner for a beautiful TD catch.His footwork is incredible. Every week I like this guy more and more. Some of it is obviously the bias of seeing a guy in person, but man am I excite for his pro prospects. He may not come out this year with Green, Jones, Floyd, but if he does he's definitely a guy I want on my teams.

I saw your Murray comments from Utah State; any additional impressions after the FSU game? This was my first time watching him. I was impressed by his hands. He had a very nice catch after lining up wide and elevated to haul it in outside his frame; nice grab, and they split him out in the formation. This may have been Ponder's worst game ever. He looked confused and uncomfortable. He rushed and made very poor decisions. OU's packages clearly had him off balance. Great job by them against a top ten OL group.

Wasn't impressed by his running against FSU, I thought the entire offense was more explosive and in sync (running wise) with Madu in there. He has much better vision if you ask me.Murray had a nice catch or two if I recall, and some decent one on one moves to get a first down or two off of a screen or checkdown. I just don't feel as sure as last week about thinking he has the vision needed to run effectively behind a line and make good cutbacks.

I think he is a good college RB but I see him being nothing more than a serviceable flex fantasy player in the NFL as his ceiling.