Sept. 11, 2010
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This is a list of players who have seen a change in their 2011 NFL Draft stock.
2011 NFL Draft Stock Week 3: Up
D.J. Williams, TE, Arkansas Williams had six receptions for 61 yards last week against Georgia, and he looked like one of the more athletic tight ends in the nation – which isn’t really saying much. He isn’t a very good in-line blocker, but he’s improving in this area. I like his hands and run after the catch ability. The tight end class for the 2011 NFL Draft is downright pitiful, but Williams looks like the top senior tight end in the country and could be a second-round pick with a good Senior Bowl.
Shane Vereen, RB, California If you have been reading the 2011 WalterFootball.com Mock Drafts, then you know Walter and I have been very high on the California tailback all summer long. Once he got out of the shadow of Jahvid Best he’s performed, and he showed us his vision and speed against Nevada. He’s not nearly the talent Best is, but he’s a second-round talent who really performed last week. He has good (not great) speed with excellent vision and elusiveness in the open field. The running back class for 2011 is not much better than the tight end class, but Vereen is one to keep your eye on.
Cameron Jordan, DE, California The most dominant player this weekend, hands-down, was Jordan. He simply mauled the Nevada offensive line with his power and tenacity. Every single play was the same. Jordan would use his heavy hands, get great arm extension, and control the line of scrimmage. He showed a lot of physicality and competitiveness to make me a believer. If Jordan continues to dominate and bulk up a little more (from 284 pounds to preferrably to the low 290s) this offseason, then he could go as high as the mid-part of the first round. His best position by far is 5-technique and the 3-4 teams are already salivating.
Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State Ponder was solid in his latest outing against Brigham Young, but I’m more impressed that he bounced back from his big loss against Oklahoma on the road more than anything. It shows this prospect has some geniune confidence and competitiveness in his ability to play the game. In the NFL, you are going to have really bad games, but the most important thing is how you respond mentally. Ponder passed the test against the Stormin’ Mormons.
Matt Reynolds, T, BYU Bad news first: The knocks against Reynolds are his age (will be 24-years-old in 2011) and his poor footwork. The positives are that he has great size (6-6, 325), nice athleticism and good hand use. The offensive tackle class for 2011 is sub-par, and Reynolds definitely stood out to me against Florida State. His age really hurts him in my eyes because he lacks upside and is playing against college players two to three years younger than himself in most cases. With this said, he flashed, had a good game, and looks like a second-round prospect going forward.
John Moffitt, G, Wisconsin Moffitt lacks range and isn’t the most fluid or athletic guard prospect out there, but if you need a big first down on third-and-short, then you want this guy leading the charge. Moffitt went up against potential first-round defensive linemen Lawrence Guy of Arizona State, and when he had the chance he always dominated Guy. Moffitt is powerful with good hands. He has nice instincts and is very intelligent. He needs to be in a scheme that suits his strengths (rushing offense with a man-blocking scheme), but he looks like a starter at the next level and will likely come off the board in the third round.
2011 NFL Draft Stock Week 3: Down
Demarcus Love, T, Arkansas Let’s get this straight right now – Demarcus Love is by no means a first-round prospect. Some team might be crazy enough to take him because they think they can coach him up (and he very well might blow up the Combine for all I know), but he played with the technique against Georgia of a mid-round pick. He has poor hand use and terrible balance, and bends at the waist far too consistently for me to get behind him as a prospect. On one play, Justin Houston caught him off guard and blew right past him with a speed rush – that’s just bad instincts on Love’s part that he didn’t anticipate it. Houston regularly set him up and Love was far too predictable for Houston to beat. I’m not sold anymore Love can be a tackle in the NFL; at least not as a rookie. He needs time to develop and I doubt his technique is going to take a 180-degree turn mid-season.
Dontay Moch, OLB, Nevada Dontay Moch had a ton of hype going into the game against California, but played like complete crap in my first time seeing him play. He has absolutely no instincts and was very invisible the entire game. He was rarely involved and didn’t look very competitive – even when the play was run right at him. His pass rush is nothing more than a speed rush. He has an elite first step, but has no moves. Moch is an elite athlete, but he can’t play the game of football. After watching his first game I have a late-round grade on him, but I’d like to see if he can improve at all as the season goes along. He’s not a first- or second-round prospect as I’m concerned any more – and it’s not even close. His game tape against California was downright pitiful.
Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas Mallett is getting a ton of hype because his team is doing well and they are playing on ESPN, and ESPN hypes up anyone they can to get ratings. Most of Mallett’s production are passes made to wide open receivers on crossing routes or other short routes in Bobby Petrino’s playbook. When Mallett is asked to made throws in the intermediate to deep range, he’s very inaccurate. If you look at the box score, then you will be impressed with Mallett and think he is a first-round pick with his 6-6, 240-pound frame and huge arm, but when I watch the tape I see a very inconsistent quarterback with his mechanics, accuracy and timing.
Jared Crick, DT, Nebraska This is going to be short and sweet. Crick didn’t even get off the bus. He looked lethargic and uncompetitive against Washington. He really disappointed me and first-round picks usually don’t have games this bad. Crick didn’t make enough plays, but more importantly, he didn’t look like he really gave a crap on the field.
Lawrence Guy, DT, Arizona State Guy still showed a lot of competitive fire as he went up against an extremely good Wisconsin offensive line and running game. He never quit, but his stock is on the down because I don’t see a defensive tackle here who can play the run. Guy got too high out of his stance and seemed to lack the wide body mass to hold his ground against NFL-quality offensive linemen (particulary John Moffitt). Guy can still go in the first round as a 5- or 3-technique, but his stock is on the down with me because now I know he struggles at playing the run and has uses inconsistent leverage. Another issue – the Pac-10 doesn’t have a lot of high-quality offensive linemen and Wisconsin owned him for most of the game. Guy still managed to get one sack, so it wasn’t like he had a bad game. I just saw things as a scout that are weaknesses; he got exposed.
2011 NFL Draft Stock Week 3: Stable
Colin Kaepernick, QB, Nevada Kaepernick made one of the nicest throws I have seen all year in college football. At 2:42 in the second quarter, he threw an absolute laser on a deep out (NFL, pro-style route) in which he showed incredible arm strength, accuracy velocity, and trajectory on the ball (as he had to pass it over a couple of linebackers to make it on-target). The problem with Kaepernick is he has a slow, awkward relase and poor mechanics, and plays in the Pistol offense. I doubt he can be coached up at this stage and he remains a late-round prospect.
Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska Amukamara had a solid game against Washington, but on one play he got flat out beat and it cost Nebraska a touchdown. He showed poor zone awareness and got burned on a double move by the Washington receiver at 14:08 in the third quarter. Cornerbacks have limited opporunties, and while Amukamara had a solid game overall, these types of plays add up and might hurt him in the No. 1 corner war against Patrick Peterson.
Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford Luck was good against Wake Forest, but let me repeat that – Wake Forest. Wake Forest has no NFL prospects and they are not an impressive team. Stanford is a very good team. Luck was accurate, got the ball out on time, and showed great mobility on a 52-yard touchdown run, but he didn’t make any passes that really “wowed” me as a scout. His receivers were generally open and he threw a lot of touch passes. In the NFL it just isn’t this easy. Luck is still a top 10 prospect and pick in my book, but he wouldn’t be as highly regarded if he were playing for Washington against Nebraska – it had to be said.
Jake Locker, QB, Washington Locker had a bad game against Washington, and his first interception was without a doubt inexcusable, but all prospects have bad games and Nebraska has an elite defense. Washington didn’t help Locker out a lot. His receivers didn’t get open and his offensive line struggled to protect him. This was just one game, and for anyone to start drinking the Locker haterade after one game is downright ridiculous. I don’t evaluate wins-losses as a means for who is going to be good in the NFL and who isn’t. It was why at this time last year, two NFL Draft analysts for ESPN said Colt McCoy was a first-round pick, and I felt McCoy didn’t deserve to get drafted in the first five rounds. Do Browns fans now care about McCoy’s win-loss record in college? I don’t think so. Locker plays for a crappy team and he puts his receivers in position to make catches. It’s not his fault he went up against a Bo Pelini beastly defense with no weapons, and his own defense can’t stop anyone.
MISSING
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