|
Overheard
Dwayne Goodrich and Deon Grant had so so workouts recently.
William Bartee (Oklahoma) and Reggie Austin(Wake Forest) ran sub 4.4 40s and
improved their stock at the combine.
Brian Gray had a bad day at the combine, running a 4.9 40. He is not that slow,
he must have been working through an injury.
A few teams like Brian Urlacher better at safety.
Ahmed Plummer said that the Vikings showed alot of interest in Indy, not just in
him, but in CBs in general.
Kareem Larrimore(West Texas A&M) is moving up
|
|
 
  
The `2000 crop is void of a CB or safety with a franchise or
super blue-chip grade;
nobody is carrying a Charles Woodson, Shawn Springs, or Champ Bailey type
expectation. In fact, some believe that no one will even have a Aaron Glenn type
grade.
That points out how uninspiring this draft class is. Most teams will cross their
fingers and
hope that their choices produces a player who performs over their grade. Past examples
are: Sam Madison, Donnie Abraham, and Ty Law. None of these guys entered
the
draft with hoopla in tow. Only Law was chosen in round one, 23rd overall. These
players
have gone on to become solid blue-chip type performers. There is minimal difference
between the highest ranked DB and the fifth rated DB in many scouts minds. You may be
able to get a DB in round 2 that is every bit as good as ones chosen in round one. I don't
feel there is a Deion or Woodson hidden in the rough, but you may be able to uncover a
Law if you are lucky. There are a few prospects that have the athletic tools, and with
some polish, they may be able to fill in nicely down the line. Patience is needed with the
`2000 group.
1) Deon Grant 6'2" 209
4.47 Tennessee S/CB 
Excellent size and athletic ability. Fluid motion with great range and
ball skills. Solid hands for intercepting passes. Goes overboard with
the trash talk and is a subpar tackler. Well built. Comes out of his
breaks sharply. Has been compared to Shaun Williams. Has a ton of potential and should be
the first defensive back taken. Has big play
written all over him, but he will need to learn how to fight off blocks
better. FS is the most likely long term position. Tackling needs work.
Dave Te: "Has the hands and body control to act like a
receiver with
the ball in the air ..."
STATS: `99-
69 Tkls, 9 Ints, 8 BrUp
`98- 62 Tkls, 5 Ints, 6 BrUp
2) Deltha Oneal 5'11"
193 4.42 California CB
Ball hawk demon. Electric moves with the ball in his hands. Return skills
are a bonus. He reads and reacts very well and is excellent tracking the
ball in flight. Top notch hands. Needs to be more physical verse the run.
Moves very well in reverse and has a catch up burst. Will gamble some
and will give up some underneath routes. Cal's alltime leader in INTs
returned for touchdowns (5). When he gets his hands on the ball its
like watching Deion Sanders exploding through a crease.
Dave Te: "If anyone could sneak into the
first round at this position,
O’Neal is that man."
STATS: `99- 32 Tkls, 9 Ints,
11 BrUp
`98- 32 Tkls, 2 Ints, 3 BrUp
3) Lewis Sanders 6'0" 202
4.49 Maryland CB
Exciting junior entry. He picked off 6 passes and recovered 3 fumbles
this past year. He is big and plays tough and smart. Would have been a Thorpe candidate if
he returned, but in this weak CB draft, he felt he
would benefit coming out early. He has an uncanny knack for deflecting passes in the
clutch. He saved several games that wen't down to the
wire. He also is an accomplished return man. One concern is that he
didnt play much, having red-shirted his sophmore year. Has a very
good turning motion and attacks aggressively. Needs to wrap up more
securely.
Dave Te: "Solid second rounder who I liken to the
Packers’ Mike
McKenzie for the way he effortlessly moves in the open."
STATS: `99-
56 Tkls, 6 Ints, 14 BrUp
`98- Redshirt
4) Ike Charlton
5'11" 205 4.47 Virginia
Tech CB
Big, strong, and aggressive. He has solid hands for intercepting
passes. He also is versatile, can play safety and return kicks.
Has good awareness and puts in the study time needed to get
better. Does not shy away from tackling like many CBs do.
Deceptively fast. Has run in the 4.3s in the past and was
considered the Hokies fastest player. Has good balance and
delivers a good chuck at the line. Has a smooth turning motion
and reacts well to deflections.
Dave Te: "...he has
the fewest flaws of any DB in the draft."
Dave has Ike rated as his #1 CB.
STATS: `99-
51 Tkls, 1 Int, 5 BrUp
`98- 48 Tkls, 5 Ints, 5 BrUp
5) Ahmed Plummer 5'11" 192
4.45 Ohio St. CB
Hard worker who studies like a pro. Technique is advanced. Rarely
makes mistakes reading the offense. Physical skills are not eye
catching. Plays physical and smart, but may have trouble with deep
speed. Above average tackler who springs into his hits. He gets his
head around on deep balls and has quick feet to turn and run. A
high character guy who can excel in a zone scheme but may have
trouble with m/m coverage verse a lightening quick player who uses
double moves. One of the highest scorers on the combine intelligence
test (39).
Dave Te: "Very capable covering in the zone, firing low
out of his
backpedal..."
STATS: `99-
55 Tkls, 5 Ints, 9 BrUp
`98- 52 Tkls, 4 Ints,17 BrUp
6) Rashard Anderson 6'2" 206
4.45 Jackson St. CB/S
Has the size/speed package you search for. Can make the
big hit. Read and react skills are fairly good and he has good
catch up speed. Breaks on balls in front of him well, as well
as balls thrown deep. His hips are pretty good, but a small
nifty guy may be trouble for him. Needs to improve hands
and backpedal, relies too much on physical skills at the
expense of technique. Needs refinement. Most effective
when allowed to jam and play bump and run. His lateral
agility is suspect so a future as a FS maybe in the cards if
things don't work out well at CB.
Dave Te: "Explosive hitter who is extremely strong in
his plant
and drive..."
STATS: `99- 47 Tkls,
3 Ints, 9 BrUp
`98- 52 Tkls, 4 Ints, 11 BrUp
7) Mark Roman 5'11" 188
4.41 LSU CB/S
Gets an excellent break on balls thrown underneath. He plays tight
man on man and can re-direct a receiver at the line. He is a fluid
player who has good hands. He does not always play with awareness
when in zone; he guesses alot which lets guys get wide open. He
looks the part, and is not short on confidence. He is a physical player
who gets through trash to make tackles and covers very well when on
his game. His recent workouts were impressive.
Dave Te: "He has impressive deep coverage skills to play
boundary
corner..." Dave's most underrated CB
STATS: `99- 33 Tkls, 2
Ints, 5 BrUp
`98- 82 Tkls, 3 Ints, 7 BrUp
8) Hank Poteat 5'10" 197
4.47 Pittsburgh CB 
Quick feet, fluid hips. A man cover specialist. Has a smooth turn
out of his backpedal and can control his speed. Not the best in run
support, due to questionable instincts. He does explode into his
tackles though, once he makes the read. Pretty good playing tight
man coverage, but average in zone. Can help in the return game,
whether it be punts or kickoffs. Alltime leader in KO return yds
with (1917yds). Has been accused of not playing when hurt.
Dave Te: "Reads receivers’ moves well and can
shorten his stride
instantly to redirect to the ball..." (when playing m/m) Hails from
the same town as the Vikings' Denny Green(Harrisburg, PA).
STATS: `99- 44
Tkls, 3 Ints, 9 BrUp
`98- 57 Tkls, 6 Ints, 8 BrUp
9) Mike Brown
5'10" 204
4.52 Nebraska S
Compact thumper. Likes to hit and wraps well in run support. Does
a good job reading the play and takes good angles to the ball. Led
the team in tackles three straight years. Very durable and plays with
reckless abandon. Needs some work in backpedaling and zone
coverage. Has marginal range and ball skills but is fearless and an
extra LB on the field despite his size. A leader who might not wow
you but will be steady and reliable. What he lacks physically are
made up for with intelligence and quick reactions.
Dave Te: "Classic case of not getting
stuck on prototype size/speed numbers. Just let this kid play."
STATS: `99- 96 Tkls, 5 Ints, 5 BrUp
`98- 102 Tkls, 1 Int, 4 BrUp
10) Rogers Beckett
6'2" 207
4.58 Marshall S
Knows his assignments and rarely gets out of position. A big hitter
who often goes for the knockout; sometimes it leads to missed tackles.
Jumps well and has decent hands for the interception. Physique is eye
catching, well built. Good burst to the ball and can shed blocks. Does
a good job jamming the receiver at the line but is inconsistent in run
support even though he can hit. Needs to learn to tighten his cushion
and not give up so much underneath. Aggresive player with upside.
Dave Te: "Does a nice job getting his head around
and playing the deep ball ... "
STATS: `99-
79 Tkls, 4 Ints, 5 BrUp
`98- 108 Tkls, 3 Ints, 3 BrUp
11) Jason Webster 5'9"
180 4.44 Texas
A&M CB
Small but fearless. All-Big Twelve Conference first team selection.
Likes to tackle and fights to get through blocks. He scrapes well to
the sidelines and has good change of direction skills. He has a knack
for effecting a receivers vision and has a closing burst, especially on
balls thrown short. He does not have the size you look for and is not
the greatest in deep coverage, although he generally is in the vicinity.
Not a Aaron Glenn, but could be a bigger Mark McMillian. Chosen
as team spokesman following the Bonfire tragedy.
Dave Te: "Has the body control and turning motion to
quickly redirect towards the ball..."
STATS: `99- 74 Tkls, 4
Ints, 10 BrUp
`98- 72 Tkls, 2 Ints, 7 BrUp
12) Ben Kelly
5'9" 183 4.39
Colorado CB
Bigtime playmaker. One of the best return men in college history. Is
dangerous with the ball is his hands. Plays fairly well in bump and run
and is instinctive. He is a great leaper who plays the ball well in flight.
A willing tackler but an inconsistent one. He will gamble going for the
pick and will blow some coverages in zone on occasion. Needs to be
more dedicated and play under control more. He is not big and will get
pushed around some, but is feisty and very athletic. Looks to be ideally
suited for slot coverage in nickel duty with a chance to start if the light
goes on.
Dave Te: "Can easily turn and redirect when coming out
of his backpedal..."
STATS: `99- 42 Tkls,
5 Ints, 9 BrUp
`98- 54 Tkls, 4 Ints, 22 BrUp
13) Mario Edwards 6'0" 191
4.44 Florida St. CB
Size, speed, quick feet, ball skills; he has it all. He looked like a
blue-chipper coming off his promising `98 campaign, but he had
a poor `99, which led to a benching at one point. He has the the
tools required to excel, but he has a bad habit of losing his
concentration and has had trouble adapting to zone schemes.
Was unable to go all out in recent workouts, so he is a medical
risk at this point. Could be a steal for somebody because he did
look like a stud in `98.
Dave Te: "Consistency is the problem. On good days
he’s the best
DB the school has produced since Deion Sanders..."
STATS: `99- 19 Tkls, 0
Ints, 9 BrUp
`98- 20 Tkls, 6 Ints, 11 BrUp
14) Dwayne Goodrich 5'11" 195
4.47 Tennessee CB
Speed is what all scouts look for. His plant and drive is solid. He
shows a great burst at times, but his fluidity is up and down. He
pretty much has been stagnant over the last two years, not showing
the improvement one would expect. He guesses too much, and is
too often fooled by double moves. He can hit but goes passive on
occasion. He is a physical specimen who flashes an excellent
backpedal and a deep closing burst. His recent workouts have left
some shaking their heads. Scouts wonder how he has fallen so far so
fast.
Dave Te: "Square forceful tackler with a strong initial
pop."
STATS: `99- 33
Tkls, 3 Ints, 6 BrUp
`98- 41 Tkls, 3 Ints, 10 BrUp
15) David Macklin 5'9"
194 4.50 Penn St.
CB
Has foot quickness and instincts that are ideal. Although small he
tackles like a bigger man and is pretty reliable wrapping up in space.
He is a feisty guy who takes good angles to the ball while showing
solid anticipation skills. He is built well. He is at his best covering in
the slot. Will sacrifice his body and mix it up in a pile. His recovery
speed on deep balls is not the best and his lack of height may lead
to him being out jumped occasionally.. But boy is he a scrapper.
Dave Te: "Bends his knees properly and
hits low to prevent
receivers from gaining extra yardage."
STATS: `99-
32 Tkls, 1 Int, 11 BrUp
`98- 24 Tkls, 6 Ints, 9 BrUp
16) Kareem Larrimore 5'11"
190 4.45 West Texas
A&M CB
Coming off an impressive Senior Bowl week. Good build and
quicks. Fluid hips and smooth sustained backpedal. His closing
burst is above average and he delivers a strong jolt when he arrives.
He takes on blocks well and won't shy away from run support duty.
Has pop in his hits and trys to give receivers something to think
about next time they try to catch a ball in front of him. Has solid
ball skills and good hands. Can double as an effective return man.
Asthmatic condition may be a problem and has led to some down-
grading him.
Dave Te: "Well-built pass defender who is very light on
his feet in
his forward attacks..."
STATS: `99- 32 Tkls, 5
Ints, 10 BrUp
`98- 34 Tkls, 2 Ints, 7 BrUp
17) David Barrett 5'10"
195 4.49 Arkansas
CB
Experienced. Received alot of playing time and was in the lineup from
his freshman year on. Competitive and very intense. He displays rare
change of speed ability; can fool a receiver into believing he is open.
Shifty with good playing speed with the pads on. Can chuck his man
hard off the snap and is strong and forceful coming forward to attack
the run. His combine performance elevated opinions. He has a solid
body and showcases good awareness. He gets his head around quickly
to play the ball. His hips are so-so and he does miss some tackles in
space.
Dave Te: "Very explosive breaking out of his
backpedal..."
STATS: `99- 50 Tkls, 3
Ints, 7 BrUp
`98- 54 Tkls, 3 Ints, 8 BrUp
18) Jacoby Shepherd
6'2" 195
4.49 Oklahoma St. CB
Raw but blessed with fine athletic skills. Size/speed ratio is top notch and
his closing burst is impressive. He is a good leaper who has natural aerial
skills; does a good job knocking balls away with his long arms. Quick
feet. Looks more comfortable as a bump corner but does show a knack
for breaking up underneath routes when playing off. Can hit hard but is not
reliable in his wrapup. Needs to hit the weights and improve his build. Due
to the fact he only started two games in college, he needs alot of technique
work; double moves give him trouble and his zone ability is not developed.
Will commit errors too often. May have come out too soon but has upside.
Dave Te: "If he stayed in school he would
have ranked with college’s elite
in 2000."
STATS: `99- 22 Tkls, 2 Ints, 6 PrUp
`98- JC
19) Lloyd
Harrison 5'11" 190 4.47
North Carolina St. CB 
Has the tools, but lacks consistent aggresiveness. Looked promising
in `98, showcasing ball skills and quickness out of his backpedal. He
was a force in run support and was all over the place causing havoc.
Then came `99 and he wen't sort of passive. He still played well on
special teams but started to give up a bigger cushion in coverage and
his hard hits came less frequent. An enigma. Sometimes he doesn't
fight for the ball. Has 12 career interceptions and quick twitch COD.
He lost focus in `99 and someone may get a steal if they can get him
back to where he was. He does flash deep cover expertise and zone
skills with decent m/m ability. Needs to rededicate himself.
Dave Te: "Does an excellent job of getting his hands in
for the deflections
while maintaining contact with his opponent..."
STATS: `99- 29 Tkls, 5
Ints, 10 BrUp
`98- 80 Tkls, 7 Ints, 23 BrUp
20) Tyrone Carter
5'8" 190
4.48 Minnesota S/CB
Some believe that because of his size he will have to undergo a shift to
CB, and although he showed potential at CB at the Senior Bowl I feel
he can still make it as a safety. He is a 2 time All-American who is the
NCAA-1A's alltime leader in tackles amongst DBs with 528. He is a
absolutely solid wrapup tackler; a machine. He is fearless and tough
as a cheap steak. He is a smart player who rarely is fooled in coverage
or in disecting run or pass. Durable. Never missed a game. Can be a
ace on special teams. Has quick feet and plays the short stuff very well.
Has excellent hands and timing even though he rarely played off the
line of scrimmage. His size is a concern and some have written him off
because of it. He is not a deep cover man and has little experience in
true m/m coverage. A blue-collar warrior.
Dave Te: "I see a
lot of Blaine Bishop (Titans) in this guy. He’s fearless
and plays larger than his size dictates..."
STATS: `99- 144 Tkls, 0
Ints, 2 BrUp
`98- 158 Tkls, 1 Int, 8 BrUp
Disclaimer: Some information was gathered from
Sportspage.com
and their lead draft expert, Dave Te Thomas. Items are quoted
and may not be displayed elsewhere.
|
