Dynasty Draftnik

Who will disappoint

Jimmy Clausen
QB
Notre Dame: Average size. Very accurate passer with adequate arm strength. Seldom makes bad decisions. Works from pro-style offense. Won’t work out until April due to broken toe, which he played on most of the season.

Jonathan Dwyer
RB
Ga. Tech.: Great size and very good lower-body strength. Good forward lean — always pointed downfield for extra inches. Above-average speed for the size, but below-average acceleration and burst. Doesn’t hit hole hard and sometimes seems off balance. Adequate blocker. Played in triple-option offense at Georgia Tech, and will have some adjustments in the NFL.

Arrelious Benn
WR
Ill.: Great size and good speed. Fairly quick for a man his size. Strong upper body. Adjusts well to errant passes. Excellent body control. Has the concentration to make the circus catch, but tends to lose concentration on easy passes. Has some durability issues.

Montario Hardesty
RB
Tenn.: Average size. Classic north-south runner with surprising open-field agility. Good balance, and isn’t easy to bring down. Good receiver. Reputation for good ball security. Only average speed and doesn’t show a lot of change-of-direction ability behind the line. Stopped behind the line more often than not in bowl game. Was chosen for Senior Bowl, but withdrew.

Mike Williams
WR
Syracuse: Questionable dedication to game — quit team midseason. Excellent combination of size and speed. Looked like a competitor at the Combine, getting upset at every dropped pass, whether it was on the money or not.

Joe McKnight
RB/WR
USC: Build and skill-set more like an average WR than a RB. Very good vision and quickness lets him find holes inside as well as get outside, which is where he’s best. Runs upright and doesn’t seem very strong. Also doesn’t run with balance, a trait that may prevent him from being a true RB in pros. Durability also an issue. DNP in bowl — legal trouble.

1. Jermaine Gresham, Okla.: TE size. Good speed. Excellent receiver, but not asked to block much in college. Didn’t look very smooth at Combine, and dropped several passes in drills. DNP in 2009 — injured.
2. Aaron Hernandez, Fla.: Nice hands and speed. Runs like a WR, and is shifty after the catch. John Mackey Award winner for best TE. Good size for an H-back, but could stand to add some bulk to be used as TE. Willing blocker, but lack of bulk limits him.
3. Rob Gronkowski, Ariz. Prototypical TE size. Injured back kept him out all of 2009. Tough to bring down. Catches well with hands. Not great quickness, but has adequate speed and finds soft spots in zones.
4. Dorin Dickerson, Pitt.: Was AA3T selection at TE. Very athletic, and is used all over the field. Good speed for the TE and FB positions, but not as a WR. Hands may be an issue, and his foot control isn’t great. May end up as H-back in NFL. His prospects depend on whether he goes to offense that’s willing to use him creatively. In Senior Bowl practices, slow coming out of breaks on comebacks.
5. Jimmy Graham, Miami: Great size. 4.56 speed. Has heavy basketball background and has a lot of upside since he only played one year at TE in college. Moves well for his size. In Senior Bowl practices, showed very good quickness out of breaks. Good concentration. Looked very smooth and showed very natural hands in Combine drills. Dropped pass in Senior Bowl game and also short-armed another.
6. Colin Peek, Ala.: Great hands and concentration. Good speed and finds open zones well. Willing blocker, but has trouble finding the point of attack. When he locks on, though, he’s solid. Knocked back a couple of times in bowl game. In Senior Bowl practices, seemed tentative.
7. Dennis Pitta, BYU: AA2T. Great hands and adequate speed. Not very physical, but uses crisp routes to get open. Willing blocker, but H-back size. Reminds me of Chase Coffman. Most natural receiving TE in Shrine Game.
8. Clay Harbor, Mo. St.: FB/H-Back size. Late addition to Shrine Game, but still showed good hands and ability to find soft zones in coverage. In Texas vs. the Nation practice, showed amazing concentration in tight coverage and amazing hands and body control. Fair blocker.
9. Garrett Graham, Wis.: H-back height and RB weight, and needs to bulk up to even play H-back in pros. Is a good run blocker. Athletic. Fakes blocks well to get into soft parts of zones. Fumbled during bowl game. In Senior Bowl practices, was not a crisp route runner. Had balance issues staying on feet. Adjusts well to errant passes and has fairly good hands.
10. Anthony Moeaki, Iowa: H-back size and speed. Can drive defender when he gets a chance to lock on, but lunges too often. Good body control and athleticism.
11. Andrew Quarless, Penn St.: H-back size and WR speed. Good balance and adjusts well to ball. Go-to guy in bowl game. In Shrine Game practices, didn’t show great effort, though was willing blocker. Very sticky hands in Shrine Game, and caught the game-winning pass. Had trouble catching ball and keeping balance at Combine drills.
12. Jason Harmon, Fla. Atlantic: FB size, but plays TE. Very athletic. Good burst off the line and good speed. Great concentration and body control. Fights for ball. Not much of a blocker. Dropped pass in game.
13. Ed Dickson: Ore.: H-back size and speed. Catches well with hands. Fluid runner after the catch. Not used much in bowl game, though was during regular season. In Senior Bowl practices, was a willing blocker, though not a great one.
14. Jim Dray, Stanford: Good pass-blocker and run blocker. Athletic. Fair speed. Crisp routes.
15. Jake Ballard, Ohio St.: Good size. Average speed. Sustains blocks well. Has leaping ability and good hands — was a basketball player and moves like one to get open.
16. Michael Hoomanawanui: Ill.: Good bulk, but slightly short. Good speed for the size. In Senior Bowl practices, showed great hands and hand strength on bullet passes. Hard to bring down. Does most things well, but few things great. No stats in Senior Bowl.
17. Andrew George, BYU: Has some athleticism. Keeps feet moving. Runs good routes and has good hands. Productive bowl game.
18. Daniel Beaudin, Mont.: H-back size. Good quickness and route-running. Good run blocker.
19. Richard Dickson, La. St.: H-back size and speed. Played FB in Shrine Game, but would probably be too tall as a FB. In Shrine Game practices, caught well with hands but did little after the catch — broke long reception in game, though. Willing blocker, but showed only marginal blocking skills.
20. Peter Bjorvik: Idaho: H-back size. Nice hands and field awareness

1. Dez Bryant, Okla. St.: Great size. Adequate speed. Great red-zone target, with fantastic hands and excellent verticals. Adjusts to catch anything near him. Good vision and moves after the catch. Has quickness to run crisp routes, though he sometimes seems to be dogging it a little. DNP most of 2009 or in bowl game — ineligible.
2. Golden Tate, Notre Dame: Good speed and very shifty after the catch. Strong hands. Nice concentration. Excellent balance and is pretty hard to bring down because of that. Tracks ball well over head and shoulder. Gives a ton of effort. Slightly below-average size.
3. Dezmon Briscoe, Kan.: Great size, but could put on a little more muscle. Excellent concentration and adjusts well to underthrown passes. Catches well with hands. Adequate field speed, though he ran a little slow at the Combine. Nice sideline awareness and foot control. Good moves after the catch. Moves smoothly for his size. I compare him to a bigger Hakeem Nicks. On tape, looks like he has a strong upper body, but he did very poorly at Combine in bench press.
4. Dexter McCluster, Miss.: Small size (5’8″, 170 lbs.), but deceptively strong. Very quick and fast. Explosive runner who is great running to the outside, but also a good performer between the tackles. Finishes runs strong. Patiently sets up blockers. Can take a hit and keep his feet moving. Very good leaper. May also be an excellent receiver, similar to Steve Smith of Carolina. In Senior Bowl practices, showed very good routes and double moves. Willing and fairly able blocker, though his lack of size means he can get bulled over.
5. Damian Williams, USC: Average size. Good speed. Great concentration in traffic and is a smooth open-field runner who sets up blockers well after the catch. Not easy to bring down. Very productive in bowl game. Also used as returner.
6. Jordan Shipley, Tex.: Great vision after the catch. Excellent hands. Average speed, but accelerates to it quickly. Willing and able downfield blocker. Smart returner who knows when to call a fair catch. Wes Welker-type quickness, toughness, and willingness to go over the middle. Has been pillar of the community. Has football bloodline. Slightly below-average size. Will already be 25 in December. Level of success depends on where he goes.
7. Brandon LaFell, LSU: Very good speed. Has big hands and reacts quickly to ball. Sets up blockers well after the catch. Concentrates well on off-target passes, but tends to lose concentration on easy ones.
8. Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati: Average size, but plays big. Strong lower body makes him tough to bring down. Smart and tough receiver with great work ethic. Good vision and smooth runner after the catch. Good quickness to gain separation against press coverage. Adjusts well to underthrown balls. Solid returner skills. Seems to have better game hands than practice hands. In Senior Bowl practices, dropped several passes but got better as week went along. Not an experienced route runner, and needs to learn to use his quickness to run crisp routes.
9. Demaryius Thomas, Ga. Tech: H-back size, but great speed. Athletic receiver who almost always wins in jump ball situations. Strong upper body and is tough to bring down. Uses size to shield defenders and make reception. Willing and able blocker. Looks a little stiff. May have some trouble running crisp routes. Was shut out in bowl game. Broke foot in pre-Combine workouts.
10. Arrelious Benn, Ill.: Great size and good speed. Fairly quick for a man his size. Strong upper body. Adjusts well to errant passes. Excellent body control. Has the concentration to make the circus catch, but tends to lose concentration on easy passes. Has some durability issues.
11. Mike Williams, Syracuse: Questionable dedication to game — quit team midseason. Excellent combination of size and speed. Looked like a competitor at the Combine, getting upset at every dropped pass, whether it was on the money or not.
12. Riley Cooper, Fla.: Ed McCaffrey-esque scrapper with great size, good quickness and adequate speed. Fights for ball. Strong against jam. Good vision. Has strong hands and doesn’t body-catch often. Very strong blocker downfield who uses size to his advantage. Inconsistent concentration and may sometimes take plays off. Doesn’t show great effort when play isn’t to him.
13. Jacoby Ford, Clemson: Great speed and good body control. Accelerates to full speed very quickly. Comes out of route breaks quickly and has excellent hands on passes away from his body. Very good concentration on errant passes and tracks ball very well. Good balance after hits. Good returner skills. Short arms.
14. Eric Decker, Minn.: Great size. Good hands. Above-average speed and quickness. Above-average strength. Has very good concentration and sideline awareness. Willing to go over middle and take a hit. Doesn’t offer much after the catch and seems to fall down a lot. DNP in bowl game — injured. Won’t participate at Combine.
15. Freddie Barnes, Bowling Green: Average size and speed. Great hands and good body control and acceleration. Savvy receiver who runs excellent routes and sets up defenders well to get open. Also sets up blockers well after catch. Has NCAA record for most catches in a season, with 155 — 17 in bowl game. Just looks smooth on field. Not a natural returner, but has sure hands and intelligence so he won’t hurt his team if used in that position.
16. Blair White, Mich. St.: Good size and above-average speed. Physical receiver who isn’t afraid to go over the middle and also has strength and willingness to fight for extra yards. Runs good routes, showing very good quickness and body control for a man his size. Also sets up defenders well to get open. Great work ethic and goes after every pass. Good foot control on sideline. Good hands catcher most of the time, though lets ball get to body occasionally. Still, he catches everything. Looks like a valuable scrappy second or third receiver.
17. Carlton Mitchell, S. Fla.: Great size and good speed. Nice concentration in traffic and shows the ability to make the circus catch. Also willing to take a hit and hold onto the ball.
18. Taylor Price, Ohio: Average size. Good routes and great speed and quickness. Didn’t show good sideline awareness or foot control in bowl game or Senior Bowl practices, but improved. Gets good separation and is very good tracking ball over shoulder on deep passes. Sometimes jumps for ball for no reason. Fights ball on occasion.
19. Danario Alexander, Mo.: Great size. Good speed. Has good vision after the catch, running smoothly. Shows good effort and hands on outside routes, though his concentration lapses over the middle and he seems to shy away from contact. Needs to learn to use his size to be more physical. Is a long strider who has trouble making crisp cuts, running routes and gaining separation. Has had three knee surgeries and is coming off a postseason injury.
20. Antonio Brown, Cent. Mich.: Below-average size. Junior who will enter draft. WR/RB/KR type who reminds me of a slower Percy Harvin. Runs like a RB. Shifty after the catch. As receiver, lets ball get to body sometimes. Good speed and acceleration. Tough returner with good balance.

1. Ryan Mathews, Fresno St.: Good size. Very lean, with little body fat. AA2T. Agile, with good balance. Very strong, though not a great leaper. Productive in bowl game, though stopped three times inside the 1-yard-line.
2. CJ Spiller, Clemson: Average height, but slightly below-average bulk. AA1T. Fast and quick, with good forward lean and work ethic. Played through foot injury all year. Tough to bring down. Not a great blocker. May have ball security issues. Only thing that keeps him above Jahvid Best is that he seems more durable.
3. Jahvid Best, Cal.: Average height, but slightly below-average bulk. Ultra-fast and ultra-quick back with good receiving skills. Plays all-out. Patient and sets up blockers very well, but has the vision and burst to get through the smallest holes. Improving blocker and inside runner. Missed time each of his three seasons due to injury, and has had two concussions..
4. Toby Gerhart, Stanford: Great size and power. Good speed. Brandon Jacobs-type pile-pusher and workhorse. Can’t be arm-tackled. Protects ball well through hole. Above-average quickness.
5. Ben Tate, Auburn: Good size. Tenacious runner who always seems to give great effort. Good body control. Quick feet help him find hole. Keeps legs moving after contact. Stout blocker. Strong lower body, but not a lot of explosiveness. In Senior Bowl practices, was slow out of route breaks and wasn’t a natural receiver, though he improved through the week.
6. Jonathan Dwyer, Ga. Tech.: Great size and very good lower-body strength. Good forward lean — always pointed downfield for extra inches. Above-average speed for the size, but below-average acceleration and burst. Doesn’t hit hole hard and sometimes seems off balance. Adequate blocker. Played in triple-option offense at Georgia Tech, and will have some adjustments in the NFL.
7. Charles Scott, LSU: Great size and good strength. Shows good balance and open-field running ability to make defenders miss. Strong lower body. Lowers pads to deliver hits and not take them. Doesn’t go down with first contact. Nimble feet to pick through line of scrimmage. Shows good ball security technique. Average speed, but accelerates to it quickly. Runs slightly upright. DNP in bowl game — had injured clavicle that also kept him out of Senior Bowl.
8. LeGarrette Blount, Ore.: Powerful back with large, muscular frame — described as Brandon Jacobs with more quickness. Has shown adequate speed and a little bit of a breakaway gear. Finishes runs with power. An improving receiver. Runs a little upright and dances too much behind the line. Hands may be a problem — fumbled in bowl game without being hit and also in Senior Bowl practice. Certainly a red flag for maturity and control. Not an experienced receiver.
9. Montario Hardesty, Tenn.: Average size. Classic north-south runner with surprising open-field agility. Good balance, and isn’t easy to bring down. Good receiver. Reputation for good ball security. Only average speed and doesn’t show a lot of change-of-direction ability behind the line. Stopped behind the line more often than not in bowl game. Was chosen for Senior Bowl, but withdrew.
10. Anthony Dixon, Miss. St.: Brandon Jacobs size — large but lean. Agile and balanced runner who bowls over smaller defenders. Smart RB who knows his craft. Runs fairly crisp routes and has soft hands. Willing blocker. Good enough speed to get outside, but isn’t very elusive in space. Has had some recent legal trouble.
11. Stafon Johnson, USC: Average size, but runs close to the ground, with very good balance and stop-and-start ability. Runs well both inside and outside. Nice stutter step to find holes in line. Very good vision both behind the line and downfield. Gets up to speed immediately. Sets up blockers well. Lowers pads to take on defenders in short-yardage. Crushed larynx in weightlifting accident early in season and didn’t play again. Better-than-average receiving skills and tracks ball well over his head and shoulders. Also has been used as a returner. Adequate blocker.
12. Joique Bell, Wayne St. (Mich.): Good size. Good forward lean and balance. Runs smoothly — looks like he’s on rails. Keeps balance after hits. Pretty good short-yardage runner who knows where first-down marker is. Above-average blocker. Harlan Hill Award winner. Adequate burst, but not much of a breakaway gear. Inconsistent hands — looks passes in, but doesn’t look like a natural at it. Below-average ball security — fumbled in Senior Bowl without much of a hit.
13. Patrick Paschall, N. Dak. St.: Good height, but thin frame. Moves well N-S as well as outside and showed great burst and acceleration and good athleticism. Great in open space. Also showed good pass-protection abilities. Keeps feet moving after contact. Always seems to be finding more room downfield. Good start-and-stop. Decent receiver and projects to be third-down receiver in NFL. Could be a starter if he puts on a little more muscle. Too indecisive behind the line. Sometimes runs out of control. May have ball-security issues and some issues with authority.
14. DeMarco Murray, Okla.: Great height, but could stand to pack some muscle on his thin lower body. Very good speed and nice burst. Makes quick decisions and has the quickness and acceleration to make moves and get up to speed immediately. Average hands. Runs upright, but still strong. Doesn’t keep legs moving after contact.
15. Roy Upchurch, Ala.: Displays both power and 3rd-down ability. Protects ball well and lowers pads to deliver a hit instead of taking one. Good vision, acceleration and speed. Great stop-and-start ability for the size. Reminds me of Bernard Scott. Needs to get stronger lower body to be able to move pile and improve his blocking leverage.
16. Chris Brown, Okla.: Average size. Good burst and balance. Also shows good hands. Patient runner who sets up blockers well. Quick feet, but often seems to be running out of control. Due to injury, didn’t play in Senior Bowl.
17. Lonyae Miller, Fresno St.: Good size, burst, speed, and inside-running ability. Keeps legs moving in short-yardage situations. Also knows when to bounce run outside. Good cut-and-run ability for zone-blocking scheme. Good receiver. Willing blocker but not an able one. Small hands, which may cause ball-security problems, as it did with Cedric Peerman in 2009 — Peerman and Miller both fumbled in their all-star games. But he has a strong upper body.
18. Joe McKnight, USC: Built more like an average WR than a RB and his skills seem better suited to WR than RB. Very good vision and quickness lets him find holes inside as well as get outside, which is where he’s best. Runs upright and doesn’t seem very strong. Also doesn’t run with balance, a trait that may prevent him from being a true RB in pros. Durability also an issue. DNP in bowl — legal trouble.
19. James Starks, Buffalo: Tall for a RB, and could use some bulk. Has excellent receiving skills and soft hands — may want to switch to WR in pros. Shifty runner behind the line and has good vision to get through line. Lowers pads well in short-yardage. Secures the ball well. Said to be a high-character teammate. Good straight-line speed, but doesn’t seem very quick. Runs a little out of control. Should be stronger as a blocker with his size, but lacks technique. Coming off of lost 2009 due to shoulder injury.
20. Andre Dixon, Conn.: North-south runner with good size and strength. Lowers his shoulder nicely and moves well through line. Was a workhorse in bowl game. Has a nose for the end zone because he can pick his way through inside traffic. Average speed outside. Adequate hands and good vision after the catch. Functional pass blocker. In Shrine Game practices, showed excellent hands and competitiveness. Not very explosive, though, and was hesitant to make his cuts, dancing in the backfield too much.
21. LaMarcus Coker, Hampton (Va.): Average size, but elite speed. Was All-SEC Freshman at Tennessee, and was starter over Arian Foster there until being kicked off team for drug violations. Went to Hampton and did very well. MVP of East Coast Bowl game, with 204 yards and 3 long TDs. Strong legs, but needs to get lower to avoid hits — was still tough to bring down. Showed elusiveness on screens, but suspect hands as receiver — dropped two easy passes in HBCU game (maybe as a result of an injured finger). May have character issues.

1. Sam Bradford, Okla.: Great size. Very accurate passer to all levels of the field. Above-average arm strength. Good timing and anticipation. OK at reading defenses, though the spread offense he ran doesn’t ask him to do it much, and this may slow down his progress. Though not a scrambler, keeps eyes downfield while on the move. Had excellent protection in college, so he has never had to practice footwork. Injured shoulder kept him out most of 2009, as well as bowl game, and he won’t work out until pro day at earliest. Also needs to add some bulk to handle punishment.
2. Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame: Average size. Very accurate passer with adequate arm strength. Seldom makes bad decisions. Works from pro-style offense. Won’t work out until April due to broken toe, which he played on most of the season.
3. Dan LeFevour, Cent. Mich.: Good size. Good pocket presence. Pretty good mechanics and accuracy in pocket and outside. Uses whole field. Deep accuracy seems to be improving. Works well under pressure — had 30 TDs and just 3 INTs in red zone in 2009. Goes through progression reads well and doesn’t lock onto receiver. Buys time with legs and is a good runner. Demands better performance from players, and has leadership to back it up. Good decision making. Knows when to throw ball away. Average arm. Fair accuracy. Worked from spread in college. Long windup. May be slow to pull trigger when on move.
4. Colt McCoy, Tex.: Below-average size and great accuracy on short and medium routes. Too willing to throw his body around. When he’s on, his mechanics are good, but they can be erratic. Needs to be more consistent in NFL. Also works from shotgun a lot, and will have to become more comfortable under center.
5. Jonathan Crompton, Tenn.: Good size. Good zip on medium throws. Throws well on the run. Keeps eyes downfield when rolling out. In Texas vs. Nation practice, went through progressions well and made quick decisions. Also threw well in the rain. In game, showed pretty good mechanics and quick release. Fair accuracy short and medium, and excellent deep accuracy and touch. Also showed good anticipation and timing. Knows when to throw ball away. Gets shoulders squared quickly when on move. Improved during 2009 season under pro-style offense, but still doesn’t read defenses well.
6. Tim Tebow, Fla.: Average size. Excellent runner with a lot of power and vision. Good touch. Knows the game and is a learner, though he probably has at least two years of coaching to go through before being start-worthy in NFL. Very slow windup will give defenses too much time to react in the pros. Not much zip on the ball. Though his college completion percentage was high, this is more indicative of the scheme and receivers he was throwing to — his receivers almost always have to adjust to the pass. Will have trouble adapting to pro defenses’ speed. Needs a lot of work on mechanics. In Senior Bowl practices, was terrible under center the first day — he reportedly fumbled 6 of 10 snaps — though he improved. May even play in CFL first.
7. Tony Pike, Cincinnati: Athletic. Great height, but could put on some muscle to avoid continued durability issues. Better-than-average movement in pocket, though he’s definitely not a natural runner. Nice touch and velocity, though a little scattershot with accuracy all around. Late on some throws. Somewhat inaccurate deep. In Senior Bowl practices, was working on his mechanics, which are good, but not great, and he has inconsistent footwork. Said to be a little sensitive, though, and confidence easily shaken. Not accurate on run. Long delivery.
8. Zac Robinson, Okla. St.: Average size. Goes through progressions well and doesn’t generally lock onto receiver. Above-average timing. Shows escapability and keeps his eyes downfield when on the run. OK velocity and good arm strength when feet are set — threw 64 yards in all-star skills challenge. Throwing mechanics and footwork generally need some tightening. Has a long windup and doesn’t reset his feet well on the move. Seems reluctant to run, and isn’t very accurate outside the pocket. Accuracy at all levels is streaky. Doesn’t throw with touch.
9. John Skelton, Fordham: Great size. In Shrine Game practices, showed great arm and tight spirals on deep passes, though wobbly underneath. Was reportedly a good listener who tried to soak up coaching. Got better and more decisive as days went on and comfort increased. Best when he can just play without thinking. Able to throw with touch. Seems to find coverage windows well. 3/4 delivery. Accuracy was inconsistent, though, probably as a result of his inconsistent mechanics. Slow delivery. Not patient enough to let routes develop. A little unbalanced outside pocket.
10. Jevan Snead, Ole Miss.: Above-average height and adequate bulk. Has good mechanics and arm strength, but is streaky with his accuracy and throws a wobbly pass. Made several bad decisions in bowl game, throwing high several times. Inaccurate on move. Doesn’t read defenses well.
11. Jarrett Brown, W.V.: Good size. Leads receivers well — nice touch and timing. Spread QB who is improving from under center. Snaps wrist well, leading to good velocity. Good pocket presence and steps up when he feels the rush. Just looks like an eventual starting NFL QB. Good speed. Uses stiff arm like a WR. Experienced runner, but looks to run too soon and doesn’t wait for routes to develop. Rushes some throws. Not great field awareness. Needs at least three years before he’s ready to start in NFL.
12. Sean Canfield, Ore. St.: Good size. Lefty spread QB with good touch and fair accuracy. Shows good anticipation and patience on timing routes. Good pocket presence and knows when to step up in pocket. Very accurate on the run. At best, has average arm strength. Bit of a long windup got him in trouble during bowl game. Needs some work on maintaining throwing mechanics — threw screen pass off back foot even without pressure in Senior Bowl practices. Slow reads — doesn’t read deep safety well.
13. Ryan Perilloux, Jacksonville St.: Started at LSU, but later transferred to Jacksonville St. Good size. Elite arm strength and good touch. Nice throwing motion. Goes through progressions well. Very good runner and runs like RB. Not easy to bring down. Knows when to throw the ball away. Moves up in pocket but still looks to throw. Accurate on the run. Footwork improved during TvN practice week. Accuracy short and long is fair, but medium accuracy is sketchy. Worked from shotgun in college and fumbled snap in Texas vs. the Nation game. Also fumbled ball while trying to throw it.
14. Matt Nichols, E. Wash.: Good size. Showed big arm, touch, and comfort level in early Shrine Game practices. However, later made poor decisions and reads. Looked very good on move, and was willing to take shots downfield. Nice deep out pass. Good timing. Pump-fakes well. Strong hands. Threw well even in the rain and wind. Poised during two-minute drills. In Shrine Game, Good speed and natural runner, keeping eyes downfield. Tends to lock onto receiver, though. May need to learn when to get rid of ball — doesn’t feel rush very well.
15. Max Hall, BYU: Below-average size. Weak arm. In bowl game, not very accurate in pocket or on run. Has good touch on medium throws. Good production in red zone — 21 TDs/1 INT. Good pocket presence, and knows when to throw ball away. OK runner. Small frame may limit him in NFL. In Shrine Game, his footwork from under center was erratic — maybe evidence of tough transition from spread offense. Has trouble moving back after snap from center. Had trouble in practices when weather was wet. Some bad decisions during Shrine Game (threw across body for INT and near-INT). Settled down as game went on, and almost won the game. Good game awareness.
16. Mike Kafka, Northwestern: Average size. Spread QB who was accurate during season, but threw 6 INTs in bowl game. Strong runner, though not fast or quick. Looks off receiver well. Accurate on crossing patterns and comebacks. Good timing and touch, though inaccurate on fade route. Weak arm, with 50-yard limit. Lost job to Brett Basanez in 2007, so can he really be all that good in the pros? In Shrine Game practices, showed good comfort from under center and poised with good movement within the pocket, but holds ball too long.
17. Daryll Clark, Penn St.: Not great defense reader. Pro-style QB. Below-average height, but good bulk. Locks on WR too much. Accuracy is an issue even on short passes and screens. Fumbled snap twice in bowl and fumbled several times during Shrine Game practices. Average arm strength and seldom throws downfield, but has nice touch. Moves well and throws with accuracy outside of the pocket. Excellent runner. Slow to make throwing decisions, even when receiver is wide open. Consistent mechanics, but needs to work on footwork setting up. May be converted to RB or wildcat QB in pros.
18. Bill Stull, Pitt.: Has experience in pro-style offense. Accuracy is an issue, especially deep, where his throws tend to float. Overthrew several receivers in bowl game. Good zip on medium routes.
19. Rusty Smith, Fla. Atlantic: Great size. Good footwork. Has experience under center. Has good touch, but his accuracy is questionable. Mobile, though not fast. Tends to lock onto receiver. Has durability issues, but has shown toughness, playing through separated throwing shoulder for whole season. Productive. Plays well in big games — was MVP of two bowl games. In Texas vs. the Nation practice, throwing mechanics were very inconsistent, though they had improved from the season, showing he can learn. Late on reads. Fumbled snap. Sidearms it sometimes. Ball sails on occasion. Looked better when he ran 2-min drill — was playing instead of thinking perhaps. Threw well on run. Ran through back of end zone in Texas vs. the Nation game — suspect field awareness.
20. Trevor Harris, Edinboro: In Cactus Bowl, was pretty efficient, with 77% passing on 13 attempts and 7.5YPA. Also an effective runner. Showed good escapability and pocket presence. Most poised QB in Cactus Bowl. Good pump-fakes. Nice touch on short and medium throws. At least adequate arm strength. Strong and fairly quick runner. A little inconsistent accuracy — not good on run. Seems to go through progression reads well, which is interesting given only a few days with playbook.

OK, so I watched the last of the 3 big college all-star games (the Texas vs. the Nation game), and I came away with one guy who was absolutely the best guy on the field on offense. Bernard Scott from Abilene Christian U.

I admit, I’d never heard of him before. But he is actually not as much of an unknown to the rest of college football as he is to me. But this year, Ive been watching as many bowl games and all-star games as I can, because I’m part of a dynasty fantasy football league where we keep our entire rosters year after year, and only draft the rookies coming in.

But like I said, even though this guy just completely slipped under my radar, he was awesome in that game. Running through and around guys, always getting the extra yard, always heading downfield. It just looked like he was the best player on the field every time he touched the ball.

So I checked out his college stats, and they’re just sick. Because his school’s Division 2, his competition wasn’t top-notch. Even so, he rushed for over 2,100 yards and still caught passes for another 1,000 yards — with 34 TDs — IN 2008 ALONE! IN 2007, he was just as dominant, with 39 total TDs. That’s 73 TDs in just two seasons. This year, he won the Harlon Hill award (the Heisman of Division 2), after being second the year before.

From 2004-2006, he kicked around at a couple of other schools due to off-field troubles, but still rushed for 1,200 and 10 TDs his freshman year at Central Arkansas, then 20-something TDs at a junior college his sophomore year. He’s stayed out of trouble and become more of a leader the past couple of years (he also turned 25 this week, so he’s gotten older), and it looks like he’s turned a maturity corner.

And it seems like nobody is talking about this guy. People see him as MAYBE an undrafted free agent. So I’m putting my evaluation skills on the line here and saying that Bernard Scott is my sleeper pick of the year. I just wanted to be the first on record as saying this.

Now that the inevitable has become reality and Brett Favre is finally a Viking, what does it mean?

Going back over Favre’s game logs from 2005-2008, I count 26 games where he had either a sub-Favrian effort or had a monumentally bad effort (including one game where he threw 5 INTs). On the other hand, he only had 22 games where he produced good to very good numbers (including one where he threw 6 TDs).

The upshot is that when he’s good, he can be very good. But when he’s bad, he can be Henry Burris bad or Jonathan Quinn bad (you Bears fans will understand that one).

Of course, I’m not exactly breaking any ground in this finding. People have said for years that he is declining. And barring his magical resurgence 2007 with the Pack, the past five years have seen some pretty bad QB play from number 4. But it does bring up the question of what he brings to the table with the Vikings. Would they have been (gasp!) better off with Rosenfels or Jackson under center?

Well, Rosenfels is a safe passer, for the most part. And nobody was ever going to ask him to win games for the Vikings — they already have A.P. and the Williams Wall to do that for them. All he was going to be asked to do was get the ball on short and intermediate throws to Harvin and Rice, with the occasional post or fly to Berrian on the move. That, and hand it off. Safe. Efficient. Grind the other team to pulp. And they would win a lot of games that way. It’s questionable whether they would win in the playoffs, though.

What about Jackson. Well, what about him? He has talent but he generally hasn’t gotten it done. He may get you more big plays than Rosenfels, but he’ll give it to the other team, too — putting even more pressure on his own defense to win the game. That’s not a winning formula.

Point is, neither one of their QBs guaranteed a long playoff run. Does Favre? He’s definitely more physically talented than the others. And if he can tone down the hired-gun mentality just a bit and depend on the team’s other playmakers to make the plays rather than always trying to make something out of nothing, then yeah, I think the Vikings are serious Super Bowl contenders right up there with the Steelers and Giants.

Favre needs to realize that the team can carry each other, and that he’s not the team. Take the outlet to Shiancoe or Peterson and don’t try to force it down the middle. If he’s on the run, don’t always throw it back across your body to the middle of the field where it will be picked off. The team was already good enough to win most of its games without him. And if he can add just a little more talent to the QB crew, then Favre can finally get that second ring.

Fantasy Spin
The fact that Favre CAN and WILL throw to the deep half of the field means that defenses won’t be able to stack the line to stop the running game. And they won’t do as many run blitzes, either, preferring to keep a man in coverage. So Peterson and Taylor might just be able to combine for 2500 yards and make either one valuable fantasy starters if the offensive game plan doesn’t change much from 2008. But I don’t think Childress is going to be able to avoid trying to use his new toy. He’ll call more pass plays than last year. And that means that we’ll see pretty much the same output from the running backs as last year — at least 1500 and 10 TDs from A.P. and around 500 yards and 5 from Taylor.

But more pass plays means you can probably move up the entire receiving corps a few slots, but especially Berrian, who might see 1200 yards and 10 TDs. The other starter — whether it’s Wade or Sidney Rice — can probably get upwards of 700 yards and 5 TDs. Favre has always used the tight ends effectively, and I think Shiancoe’s talented enough to be one of the top 3 or 4 in the league this year.

The wildcard here is Percy Harvin, the rookie out of Florida who has been an offensive centerpiece of the game plan this offseason. If he can learn how to run good routes, which was a concern for some because he didn’t really do that in college, he can be an effective weapon. And I saw some of his Pro Day footage and I don’t think routes are going to be a problem for him. Injuries… maybe. But he might even be the most dynamic receiver in the league since Steve Smith. And he’ll even see some running plays. If they can get it to him in space on screens or crossing patterns, he’s going to be a dangerous weapon. Fantasy-wise, he could be a 1200-total-yard guy who gets around 8 TDs this year. In 2010 and beyond, who knows? All bets are off once Favre leaves.

I belong to a dynasty fantasy football league where we can keep our entire roster year-to-year. It’s a 12-team league with 29-man rosters and you start 1 QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, a TE, Kicker, and Team Defense. We held our inaugural draft last year (for veterans and rookies) but this year was the first time that we were drafting rookies only.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of information online ranking rookies only. Or, at least, when I was doing my own research, I didn’t find many. And they certainly aren’t current. So I decided to post the results of our own draft to help other players understand where the rookies are being drafted.

Good luck!

Here are the results of the first round. Team names have been deleted to protect the innocent and guilty alike, but they know who they are. And even if they don’t, I do, and will make fun of them behind their backs until next year.

1. Michael Crabtree
2. Donald Brown
3. Knowshon Moreno
4. Mark Sanchez
5. Jeremy Maclin
6. Shonn Greene
7. Darrius Heyward-Bey
8. Matt Stafford
9. Chris Wells
10. LeSean McCoy
11. Hakeem Nicks
12. James Davis

Best pick: Sanchez at four. I think he’ll end up being the best player from this draft.

Biggest surprise for me is that Crabtree went #1. Keep in mind, this draft happened on August 8, when Crabtree was already over a week holding out, with no real end in sight. Gutsy move, especially when the team that got him already has Calvin Johnson, Roddy White, Anthony Gonzalez and Eddie Royal.

Second-biggest surprise is James Davis going in the first round at all. I’ve seen him play a little bit, and I have him ranked in the 50s. I mean, the guy who drafted Davis does have Jamal Lewis, so he obviously wanted the handcuff, but I honestly don’t think James Davis is going to win him any trophies. But what are you going to do? This is the same guy who picked David Garrard fifth overall in our inaugural draft last year.

Otherwise, the first round was fairly typical of other drafts I’ve seen, outside of McCoy and Wells dropping past six picks.
13. Percy Harvin
14. Rashad Jennings
15. Glen Coffee
16. Gartrell Johnson
17. Brian Robiskie
18. Brandon Pettigrew
19. Kenny Britt
20. Juaquin Iglesias
21. Javon Ringer
22. Pat White
23. Josh Freeman
24. Chase Coffman

Best pick: Robiskie. In the 2nd round, I think it’s a good idea to make sure you get a solid player who can get you points on a consistent basis, and that’s what Robiskie’s gonna do. Probably 10-12 points a game. Good enough for a second WR.

Biggest surprise was either Iglesias or Ringer. I think they’ll be good players, and I have them rated in the first 36 picks, but this is still a little high for guys who probably won’t play much, if at all, this year.

25. Ramses Barden
26. Bernard Scott
27. Jared Cook
28. Andre Brown
29. Mike Wallace
30. Patrick Turner
31. Deon Butler
32. Stephen McGee
33. Javarris Williams
34. Mohamed Massaquoi
35. Austin Collie
36. Johnny Knox

Best pick: Bernard Scott. I think this guy is going to one day be considered a gem, and I was seriously peeved when he was picked before I could get to him in this round. I wanted to pick him in Round 2, but thought nobody else had heard of him, and decided to wait. My bad.

Biggest surprise: Either that Andre Brown slipped down to this round or that Javarris Williams slipped up to it. I would have said that the surprise is Stephen McGee, but the guy who drafted him also owns Romo, and McGee is a good rookie handcuff for years to come. And a month ago, Knox would have been a surprise, but he’s been lighting it up in training camp and OTAs.

Most people would also consider it a surprise that Deon Butler went this high — but since this was my pick, it’s not so surprising to me.

37. Brooks Foster
38. Brandon Tate
39. Shawn Nelson
40. Demetrius Byrd
41. Mike Goodson
42. Arian Foster
43. Richard Quinn
44. Nate Davis
45. Bear Pascoe
46. Louis Murphy
47. Aaron Kelly
48. James Casey

Best pick: A tie between Nate Davis and Louis Murphy. I’m one of the few people who thinks that Davis is a quality QB of the future for the 49ers. And Louis Murphy looks like he might be a better pick than Darrius Heyward-Bey in Oakland — if Jamarcus or Garcia can get him the ball, that is…

Biggest surprise: A few surprises to me here, but the biggest must be Demetrius Byrd. I think he could be a quality #3 some day, but there were plenty of better options out there.

Second-biggest surprise is Bear Pascoe. Behind Vernon Davis on the 49ers, he won’t have much of a chance, and he’s expected to be a blocker mostly. However, he does have good hands, and could contribute, but with guys like Beckum and Cornelius Ingram out there (this was before we heard the news that Ingram’s out for the year) there were better options out there. And of course, this is the guy who picked James Davis in the first and Garrard at 5 overall last year.

49. Jeremiah Johnson
50. Jarrett Dillard
51. PJ Hill
52. Anthony Hill
53. Devin Moore
54. Mike Thomas
55. Mike Teel
56. Sammie Stroughter
57. Cornelius Ingram
58. Travis Beckum
59. Derrick Williams
60. Brandon Gibson

Best pick: Jarrett Dillard was my pick, and I like him, but I like the Devin Moore pick, too. He’s in a crowded backfield with Duckett and Julius Jones in Seattle, but, you know, they’re Duckett and Jones. It’s not like Moore’s trying to make the Titans’ or Giants’ backfield. Moore should be a quality player for a long time. He’s strong, fast, can catch, and has great quickness.

Now that I think about it, maybe I should have picked Moore instead…

Biggest surprise: Mike Teel. Hasselbeck’s getting older, which gives Teel a good shot to start some day, but he didn’t exactly light it up in college, did he? Not even throwing to Kenny Britt. Would have picked Curtis Painter, Rhett Bomar, and John Parker Wilson before Teel.