Date Archives January 2014

Jene Bramel’s Reese’s Senior Bowl Defensive Practice Day 1 Notes

January 21, 2014 0 Comments read 2014 NFL Draft

Borland was fundamentally strong and instinctive, but might not have one elite skill. Photo by Enrique Sanabria.

Jene Bramel posts his takes on the North squad’s front seven on the opening day of practice.

By Jene Bramel

The first day of practice in Mobile is a transitional practice of sorts. Each NFL team that I’ve seen coach in Mobile runs their practice a little differently. Players that assimilate concepts in drills and installation work quickly and players with superior raw talent and technique stand out and draw rave reviews early. Players asked to do drills that may be just a little different than those they ran in college, who are learning a new position or who are now facing elevated competition for a full 90-minute period either do not draw any notice or are called disappointments.

Today was no exception on the defensive side of the ball.

I focused on the front seven today during the North practice, watching a mix of linebacker and defensive line drills and focusing on line play during the team sessions.

DT Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh: Without question, Donald was the most dominant player on the North defense today. Showing a mix of strong hands, a technically sound base and quick first step, Donald improved with each repetition. He was unblockable during 9-on-7 and team drills, including a stretch where he made Baylor’s Cyril Richardson look like a stationary heavy bag. Penetration is Donald’s game and today was a great start for the 288-pound defensive tackle. During team drills, Donald would have had at least three sacks had he been allowed to finish plays at the quarterback.

DT Ra’shede Hageman, Minnesota: Entering today, Hageman carried a higher consensus draft grade than Donald. He showed very quick feet during drills, especially moving laterally, but the Atlanta staff wanted him lower as he moved through the bags. Hageman was better in 9-on-7 and team drills, but didn’t flash as Donald did. Hageman’s size and athleticism are intriguing and it’s early, but if he’s unable to show he can be consistently disruptive, scouts may start to look at him as more of a 5-technique than a 4-3 defensive tackle.

DE Kareem Martin, North Carolina: In our weigh-in review earlier today, I implied that Martin’s above-average length might become a hindrance if he was unable to control his opponents with his hands. Technique was an issue for him today, as he frequently lost leverage with a base that was too wide for his pass rush plan. Notre Dame’s Zach Martin, a tackle whose measurements have observers wondering if he’s better suited to play guard, handled him with relative ease.

DE Trent Murphy, Stanford: Zach Martin also handled Murphy on the vast majority of their matchups. Murphy may have just had a bad opening practice, but he looked stiff laterally at times and had difficulty with his footwork in bag drills. He also seemed to noticeably tire at the end of his 2-3 rep bursts. It’s notable that, while Michael Sam and Marcus Smith joined the defensive line group for 1-v-1 pass rush reps, I didn’t notice Murphy join the linebacker group for coverage drills. Given his struggles with footwork in line drills, it may not be a surprise that Murphy is being looked at exclusively at end.

LB Chris Borland, Wisconsin: Borland played inside at Wisconsin, but is taking reps as the Will linebacker in Mobile alongside UCLA’s Jordan Zumwalt. In a group of linebackers featuring two edge rushers trying to learn a more traditional strong side linebacker role and others more athletic than instinctive, Borland stood out today as the only linebacker who looked confident in his reads and instinctive enough to put himself in position to make plays. He was in the right place to pick up at least two turnovers today and frequently was waiting in position to finish a tackle. The other North linebackers looked a step slow to the play and were often seen reaching to get a touch on a ballcarrier. I didn’t watch the LB v RB/TE coverage drills today. If Borland holds his own there, he may quickly move up draft boards.

CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Nebraska: Though I didn’t watch the CB v WR drills today, I did make a point to watch Jean-Baptiste footwork and hip turn during a handful of team reps. He looked fluid on those occasions and not limited by his 6-2, 215 pound frame. I expect he’ll generate lots of buzz if he holds his own during press drills during the week.

The North safeties are a promising group. Ahmad Dixon seemed to generate the most positive discussion from observers today. I’m also looking forward to watching Dixon, Jimmie Ward and Deone Bucannon more closely tomorrow.

Tomorrow is arguably the most critical practice session of the week. Players who struggled today can relieve concerns with a bounce-back effort while those who impressed early can further boost their momentum with another strong set of reps. North players on the hot seat include defensive ends Kareem Martin and Trent Murphy and outside linebacker Chris Kirksey.

Inside linebacker Jonathan Brown has an opportunity to take advantage of a relatively weak group of linebackers with a better day of practice. And the two edge rushers working primarily as strong side linebackers – Michael Sam and Marcus Smith – must show more comfort in playing the run off the line of scrimmage and recognizing run-pass from the second level.

[We’ll have coverage of both North and South practices on both Tuesday and Wednesday.]

Reese’s Senior Bowl Day 1 Offensive Practice And Media Night

January 21, 2014 0 Comments read 2014 NFL Draft

Was Bradley Roby's performance against Jared Abbrederis (above) a case of rust or a that of a polished receiver winning his routes? Photo by Matt Radickal. — Jared Abbrederis will be a minor revelation to some. Photo by Matt Radickal.

It’s not where you start, but how you finish. This is true in life and often during a Senior Bowl practice week. While not true for all players, the first practice session for an all-star game is good for setting an informal baseline for the week ahead.

We did not attend the Jaguars’ South practice, but according to an AFC scout we didn’t miss anything more than basic play installation and a bunch of minor errors. The Falcons’ practice wasn’t much different. If judging by first impression, the Atlanta coaching staff’s practice format isn’t the best I have seen for Senior Bowl observers, but it is far from the worst.

The positive of practice is that the Atlanta staff focused a lot on footwork, releases, and one-on-one drills between receivers and corners while also giving running backs chances to show their stuff in light scrimmage conditions. The negative is that there was a period of 10-15 minutes during field goal drills where the Falcons could have been working with the skill position players on the opposite side of the field.

Understandably, a coaching staff running practice at the Senior Bowl should not and could not care less about what the media wants to see. The event’s director Phil Savage has an opportunity to get the coaching staffs to provide an agenda of what the practices will include, but there’s only a handful of people like Jene and I who actually care about things like this. Still, it’s one of those things that many in attendance might value once they see the result.

As for the players, the first day reveals little things that provide layers to their overall analysis: who’s flexible, who has difficulty executing basic drills, what’s their level of effort, etc. Here’s a list of notes we observed from the North’s initial session.

Quarterbacks

Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech: He missed throws high and wide on basic drills to receivers running routes without coverage. He also threw an interception on a check-down to a back, which is something I rarely see in scrimmage conditions like these. He was not aggressive down field on his first day.

Tajh Boyd, Clemson: The Tigers’ quarterback led off scrimmages with a play action roll right with a deep throw long and wide of a wide open Josh Huff. Beyond this play, Boyd stuck to short passes and quick decisions running the basics of an offense that emphasized wide receiver and running back screens during this session.

Stephen Morris: The Hurricanes’ quarterback weighed a surprising 208 lbs. today. I fully expected him to be at least 10-15 pounds heavier. While I’ve seen Morris throw the football 60 yards in the air against Florida State like it was nothing, today he under threw a wide-open Huff up the right sideline and forced the receiver to work inside and wait on the ball. The Oregon receiver almost made a tricky one-handed grab on the play. Otherwise, Morris stuck to the short stuff.

Running Backs

David Fluellen, Toledo: Fluellen is one of several running backs in this class who I still don’t have a great gauge of his acceleration and short-range explosiveness. Some plays look better than others and today it was no different with Fluellen. At 226 pounds, the Toledo back looked good in receiving drills and fluid with his change of direction. He made a nice decision inside left tackle with a strong cut down hill early in practice that caught my eye.

Charles Sims, West Virginia: Strong hands, good feet, and a feel for the openings ahead of him. Nothing new from what I’ve seen on film, which is a good all-around runner with lead back potential. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.

James White, Wisconsin: The 5’9″, 206-lb. runner was a fun interview with a good sense of humor. I asked him about recent alums from his program and how their performances have contributed to the perception that Wisconsin backs are a product of great line play. We also shared a laugh about the general surprise that the draft community had about his weigh-in. The best thing I got from White was a brief but informative take on what he watches when diagnosing run blitzes before the snap. I believe White has a realistic sense of who he is as a football player attempting to earn a job as a professional.

Wide Receivers

This is the position I spend the most time watching and the first day of practice confirmed (thus far) much of what I’ve seen on tape from these guys. The focus of the next few days will be looking for examples that they’re learning new things and on the way to improving their craft.

While some new lessons have a quick turnaround time, others will require far more than three practices to matter. If these players are making the effort and demonstrating incremental improvements – even if small – it can be a good sign.

Shaq Evans, UCLA: What I’m most interested in seeing is Evans’ vertical game. The Bruins receiver told me this evening it was the untapped aspect of his game that wasn’t on display at UCLA and many don’t realize he has the skill to make big plays down field. While I agree with him, I’m not confident his quarterbacks have the deep accuracy to help him this week as much as we saw from Marvin Jones a couple of years ago.

Still, Evans’ practice was among the better performances in positional drills. Other than a route where he was late looking for the ball from his break and it got on top of him before he could raise his hands, I didn’t see a dropped pass.

Evans was consistent at attacking the football away from his body. He also adjusts to the ball with fluid athleticism. What’s most notable is the speed and precision of his footwork in drills.

Atlanta’s opening drill was an emphasis on footwork patterns that ended with a break across the field to catch a pass. Over half of the receivers were either fast with their feet or precise with their steps, but only two possessed both characteristics. One of them was Jared Abbrederis. The other was Evans.

One of Evans’ best plays of the session was a fade route where he didn’t get too close to the sideline until he beat Dez Southward by a step and angled to the boundary for a catch over his inside shoulder with good extension of his arms. This was not the typical route of 12-17 yards that he says he saw routinely at UCLA.

Kain Colter, Northwestern: A quarterback-turned-receiver, Colter has a lot of work to do, but the frame and athleticism to get there. The opening footwork drills were sloppy in terms of precision, but the foot speed was there. He was the one receiver position coach Terry Robiskie had repeat a rep in practice and it was handled with a level of patience that connotes and understand that Colter is a behind the curve compared to his peers.

Colter had multiple reps where he struggled to get free from press. He lacks the polish to execute more than one release move and he doesn’t appear to recognize how to read the ways he should approach a release from the line at this stage of his development.

When Colter got down field on a route, Dontae Johnson pinned the receiver to the sideline and forced a throwaway. When he caught the ball on a route breaking to the left flat, his opponent forced a fumble.

These are the type of plays one should expect from a new convert still thinking his way through all the steps required to play the position. The quickness, hands, and hustle are all traits he brings to the table, but his athleticism won’t come to the fore until he isn’t thinking about the small things. The fact Colter is covering punts in this team is a good indication of his immediate potential value for an NFL team.

Jared Abbrederis, Wisconsin: I have admired Abbrederis’ game since he got the best of Ohio State’s Bradley Roby last fall. Some observers will be impressed and/or surprised with his performance today, but Abbrederis’ opening practice was not the best I have seen from the receiver.

Still it was a good overall afternoon for the receiver. As mentioned, his opening performance on the footwork drills was cleaner and faster than anyone’s save Evans and the occasional strong rep from Michael Campanaro. He also made a number of good plays in one-on-ones with cornerbacks.

He forced Pierre Desire to commit deep before breaking short and also flashed a strong rip move to get inside on his teammate Southward. Late in one-on-one sessions, Abbrederis caught a slant in tight coverage and ran through a wrap attempt. He plays bigger than his 189-lbs. frame.

At the same time there were reps that highlighted the need for Abbrederis to add more muscle. He had multiple one-on-one reps where he failed to get a clean release on press coverage and would not have earned a target if it wasn’t a drill where he was the sole receiver. He also had an early drop on a slant after contact from Stan Jean-Baptiste.

Yet, these plays weren’t indicative of his game and minor notes in the scheme of a player capable of winning just as many as he loses. The play that spoke most to his skill was his best of a the afternoon: A streak up the right sideline against Marqueston Huff.

Abbrederis beat the corner with a good outside-inside to earn the initial release and he had a solid step on the corner when quarterback Stephen Morris released the ball. Morris, under-threw the route and Abbrederis had to turn to face the trailing Huff and make the catch in the tightest of quarters.

The Wisconsin receiver will be a minor revelation to the uninitiated this week.

Jeff Janis, Saginaw Valley State: As Abbrederis validated his skills, Janis further demonstrated that he drops as many passes that he catches when forced to attack the ball with his hands. He trapped his first two reps and then dropped the third when forced to extend his arms from his body on an accurate throw. He resorted to trapping the ball for most of his reps where he had a chance to make the catch with the exception of a quick slant in 11-on-11s that resulted in a hard hit that knocked Saginaw on his side and drew oohs from the media.

Between that drop early and that catch late, Janis struggled beating press against Marqueston Huff, Dez Southward, I believe Deone Buchannon. During one-on-ones he failed to break to the quarterback on an in-cut that his opponent undercut for a near-interception and also failed to work to the quarterback after a good break on a stop route.

There will be some talk about what Janis can do based on isolated moments on tape where they see him make a good catch with his hands or get open and earn the reception in tight coverage. However, the volume of plays I had to watch to see these good moments were too large to give significant weight.

Robert Herron, Wyoming: What I liked most about this smaller receiver was his initial quickness and variety of moves to earn a clean release. Although I’m not convinced he has the down field speed to extend a lead against top corners, he was consistent at getting on top of his opponents in practice.

Herron demonstrated a swim move, rip, and underhanded release, and integrated these skills with good footwork. His play of the day was an excellent double move on a post-corner and flashed enough closing speed to corral a pass over his shoulder with full extension of his arms on a throw I didn’t believe he’d reach.

The Wyoming receiver was also a good interview. He shared some quality tips on the technique of position, including how to successfully find the ball on quick-breaking timing routes where it’s mandatory to get his head around fast.

Josh Huff, Oregon: As anyone familiar with his game would guess, Huff got open deep multiple times on Monday. He beat Dez Southward on a double move and then later had a touchdown in on a go route where he got open early and maintained his position.

Huff demonstrates some skill to catch the ball with his hands, but when he has to make a more difficult adjustment there’s a tendency to fight the ball. He juggled a low and away throw in drills and had another awkward catch in the middle of practice.

I like what I see from Huff as a future deep threat in a rotation, but not a slam-dunk future starter. No only do his hands need to get better, but he needs to display greater precision with his footwork. He was one of the three best with his feet today, but he lacked the precision of Evans and Abbrederis.

Michael Campanaro, Wake Forest: The 5’9″, 191-lb. receiver was shorter than I thought, but his weight was a pleasant surprise. A quick player, the Demon Deacon got the best of every corner he faced at least once on Monday. He displayed a variety of release moves that worked and he often displayed good feet in one-on-ones even if his footwork was less consistent in opening drills.

When defensive backs got the best of Campanaro it came when they pressed the receiver. It wasn’t an automatic loss for Campanaro, but he had to work hard on some plays where his peers had an easier time.

For analysis of skill players in this year’s draft class, download the 2013 Rookie Scouting Portfolio.The 2014 RSP will available April 1 and if you pre-order before February 10, you get a 10 percent discount. Better yet, if you’re a fantasy owner the 56-page Post-Draft Add-on comes with the 2012 – 2014 RSPs at no additional charge and available for download within a week after the NFL Draft. Best, yet, 10 percent of every sale is donated to Darkness to Light to combat sexual abuse. You can purchase past editions of the Rookie Scouting Portfolio for just $9.95 apiece.

Senior Bowl Weigh-In

January 20, 2014 0 Comments read 2014 NFL Draft

Funky historic undertones aside, the Sr. Bowl Weigh-In provides necessary data.

By Matt Waldman with contributions from Jene Bramel

Save the occasional whisper, the shuffling of paper, and feedback from a microphone, there’s a period of 109 minutes at the Senior Bowl Weigh-In where you only hear five things. It begins with a man at stage right announcing a name.

Next comes the muffled thud of steps from an athlete in his early twenties. He’s barefoot and stripped to his underwear as he makes his way for measurement at center stage.

The attendant at center stage announces the athlete’s height. There’s a 10-12 second pause followed by three digital beeps from a scale at stage left and the announcement of said athlete’s weight.

It’s a process that cycles through 109 players with the slow-moving precision of an assembly line as a crowd of scouts and media seated in 7 rows of 67 chairs, 12 rows of risers, and 8-10 rows of overflow convert everything they see and hear into data for their notebooks, spreadsheets, and databases.

The weigh-in is the ultimate sign of the commoditization of an athlete. Watching this process set in the Mobile Convention Center “Ballroom,” a warehouse space with a cement floor and loading doors across the street from what used to be a dock in Mobile, Alabama. Although gussied up with black drapes, three large projection screens, and a podium, it doesn’t disguise the fact that men are being evaluated for purchase on the Martin Luther King holiday – a fact not lost on us.

The weigh-in has the mood of a slave auction posing as a beauty pageant with ex-jocks-turned-librarians as judges. It’s not a fun thing for any man with a sense of history to attend, but it’s hard to imagine football ever finding a way to fix this vibe and getting what needs to be seen.

And what needs to be seen is what these football players look like. It’s not just about height and weight, but build and expectations validated or dashed. Here are some observations Jene Bramel and I have from the 2014 Senior Bowl Weigh-In.

Pageant Winners

These players not only fit the size/weight/wingspan prototypes of their positions, but they were also in fine physical condition. If the weigh-in was a beauty pageant, they’d earn a sash. Just remember substance trumps looks every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

RB Charles Sims, West Virginia (5-11, 214): Sims’ carries his weight on a well-distributed frame and there was still room to add a little more muscle to his arms if necessary. Much like Demarco Murray and Darren McFadden two players he physically resembles, Sims looks the part of an elite athlete.

WR Jeff Janis, Saginaw Valley State (6-2, 212): Janis has well-defined build with broad shoulders and an even distribution of muscle. He looks the part of an NFL wide receiver.

QB Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech (6-5, 250): Tall, strong, and athletic without any flab that one often sees from some quarterbacks over 210 pounds. Some team will see him as a raw material.

RB Jerick McKinnon, Georgia Southern (5-9, 209): The former quarterback has a thick trunk with a build that looks a lot like Frank Gore’s. If only he had that kind of game. If only most running backs had that kind of game.

DE Kareem Martin, North Carolina (6-5, 272): It isn’t the height / weight measurements that stand out for Martin. It’s the 84 1/4 wingspan and 34 3/8 arm length. If Martin can use that to his advantage by keeping offensive tackles away from his body, he’ll do well in the pit battles and gain some momentum as Pro Day workouts approach.

OLB Jerry Attaochu, Georgia Tech (6-3, 252), DE Dee Ford, Auburn (6-2, 243) and DE Chris Smith, Arkansas (6-1, 266): The South defensive line doesn’t have the names it had in 2012, when Quinton Coples, Melvin Ingram and Courtney Bishop dominated their offensive line counterparts. Ford and Smith all showed impressive frames during the weigh-in. All three are on the shorter side of the ideal prototype but stood out with strong frames. Smith, despite measuring two inches smaller than his pre-weigh in roster listing, had a thick base and an above-average arm length (34 1/8) and wingspan (82 1/2).

OLB Telvin Smith, Florida State (6-3, 218), OLB Chris Kirksey, Iowa (6-2, 234), ILB Christian Jones, Florida State (6-3, 234), ILB Jordan Zumwalt, UCLA (6-4, 231) and ILB Lamin Barrow, LSU (6-1, 229): Size isn’t everything at the linebacker position in today’s NFL. 235 pound linebackers once considered too small for most schemes are now found throughout the league. But those players need elite technique and athleticism to be successful. None of the linebackers above looked to have a frame capable of adding much bulk. Smith, in particular, looked like a safety as he walked across the stage. Of course, the only real question scouts have to answer will be, “Can he play?” Smith and Kirksey are probably the best bets to overcome physical limitations.

CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Nebraska (6-2, 215): It’s dangerous to overreact to measurements at the defensive back positions. Fluidity and flexibility are much more important physical attributes for corners and safeties than how they look in shorts. A solid frame and defined build don’t say much for how well a defensive back can turn his hips, change direction and use his feet. Jean-Baptiste will be another test case here. Jean-Baptiste looked capable of lining up at strong safety or outside linebacker with a tall but stout frame. If his play matches his measurables this week, he may get teams talking about him as a second or third round pick.

Good Surprises

These players exceeded my expectations based on what I perceived of them in pads on the field. Some have probably added weight so it will be interesting to see how they perform with those changes.

RB James White, Wisconsin (5-9, 206): I had doubts White was 5-10 or 5-11 or remotely near the 200-lb. range. His true height is still in the wheelhouse of a quality NFL runner and his weight was a pleasant development. If White can demonstrate more physicality with his running style, he could find a place in the NFL. He’s a smart runner with good agility.

RB Antonio Andrews, Western Kentucky (5-10, 225): I didn’t think Andrews was this big and based solely on appearances, he carries the weight well. The definition isn’t there but I like that much of the weight is in his hips and legs. He’s solid, not flabby.

WR Cody Hoffman, BYU (6-3, 218): The height is nice, but I was happy to see he was as big as he looked in pads. Hoffman has a quick first step so I was glad to see he possesses the size to run through contact.

Maxxed Out

These players could play today with their builds, but I don’t see them adding more than 5 pounds and carrying it well.

TE Arthur Lynch, Georgia (6-4, 258): Lynch has that natural-looking muscle definition in nice-sized frame. He looks like a fluid athlete. I don’t think he’s capable of getting bigger, but he’s big enough to make a roster. Lynche’s question marks are speed and quickness. If he has these two commodities, he could contribute down the line.

WR Josh Huff, Oregon (5-10, 201) and Jordan Matthews, Vanderbilt (6-2, 209): I’m skeptical that these two players have the frames to support another 10-15 pounds of muscle and maintain their current athleticism. I don’t think either of them needed it, but Huff has better proportions in terms of his weight distribution than Matthews.

QB Derek Carr, Fresno State (6-2, 215) and QB Jimmy Garoppolo, Eastern Illinois (6-2, 219): Not sure what it was about their frames because their height is the same, but Garoppolo appears as if he could add a little more weight than Carr. I’d be surprised if either reach that 230-mark – it won’t be necessary either. Both are well-defined athletes and don’t look like some of the beer-league softball players in training that we sometimes see on Mobile’s stage.

Construction Projects

SS Craig Loston, LSU (6-0, 214): If you look at his torso, you’d think he was 190 pounds but if you only checked out his bottom half you’d swear he was 225.

WR Kevin Norwood, Alabama (6-2, 197): This receiver has nice height and a frame that I believe will support additional weight, especially his upper body where he can get stronger. With his height, this is a plus.

WR Jared Abbrederis, Wisconsin (6-0, 189): The Badgers’ wide receiver plays bigger than he looks. He has the frame to gain another 10 pounds of muscle, maybe 15. If he can maintain his quickness and explosion (leaping ability), he has the technique to contribute.

Boiler Room: Arizona State RB Marion Grice

January 20, 2014 0 Comments read 2014 NFL Draft, Players, RSP Boiler Room Videos (Short Form), Running Back

One of my favorite players in this draft thus far is this 6-0, 204-lb. Sun Devils running back with the vision, balance, and grit to get the most from every play.

A series I started last spring at the RSP blog is The Boiler Room. One of the challenges involved with player analysis is to be succinct with delivering the goods. As the author of an annual tome, I’m often a spectacular failure in this respect.

Even so, I will study a prospect and see a play unfold that does a great job of encapsulating that player’s skills. When I witness these moments, I try to imagine if I would include this play as part of a cut-up of highlights for a draft show at a major network or if I was working for an NFL organization creating cut-ups for a personnel director. Unlike the No-Huddle Series, The Boiler Room is focused on prospects I expect to be drafted, and often before the fourth round.

One of these players is a running back I look forward to watching this week at the Senior Bowl, Arizona State’s Marion Grice. Not the most physically talented player in this class of backs, this 6’0″, 207-lb. runner is savvy, tough, and versatile. I enjoy his game enough that I’m already going to violate my one-highlight rule (shocking I know . . .) and show you two.

The first is a demonstration of Grice’s skills as a receiver on a fade route against a linebacker in tight coverage for a touchdown to tie USC in the second quarter. The Sun Devils’ runner flanks the quarterback on the right side of the shotgun at the 11 with 7:59 in the half. The two tight end alignment forces the outside linebackers to account for these receivers, matching Grice with the middle linebacker – a tough draw for the defense.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Pn5vRoTqIk&start=182&w=560&h=315]

The fact the quarterback even targets Grice on this play is a display of trust in the runner’s skills in the passing game. This is a timing route where Grice must execute his break with one fluid motion. Watch the replay and the timing of this break is late enough in the route so the linebacker has to react first.

This first reaction gives Grice the advantage of “having the last say” with the target – turning his back to the linebacker, extending his arms to the ball, and completing his turn through the linebacker’s coverage to win the pass in bounds. Grice makes it look easy. It’s this prowess versus man coverage in the red zone and intermediate routes that makes Shane Vereen a promising weapon in New England.

At the very least, I expect Grice to earn a roster spot because he’s also a capable return specialist. However, I’m more optimistic that Grice has potential as a long-term contributor as a third-down back based on the strength of his receiving skills and promise as a pass protector.

This week in Mobile and additional tape study should give me enough information to make a judgment on his overall NFL upside. Is Grice’s potential that of a role player or a more frequent contributor in a starting lineup?

Running backs are a dime a dozen and when a player like Grice lacks special athleticism, odds aren’t in his favor of developing into a long-term starter. However, I see flashes of strong balance, second effort running, and smart decision-making that give me some optimism.

This failure of an offensive play on 3rd and 14 with 2:14 in the first quarter is the type of moment few would consider for a highlight reel, but I believe it underscores the skills I mentioned above in addition to a heightened level of vision/awareness of his surroundings as a receiver/runner.

Grice flanks the quarterback’s right side in this 3×1 receiver, 10-personnel shotgun set at the 50 versus a USC defenese with six defenders in the box. This is a swing route to the right flat.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Pn5vRoTqIk&start=99&w=560&h=315]

The difficulty of this target is understated. Although the physical adjustment to make the catch isn’t a difficult one, the placement of the ball forces Grice to catch the ball over his shoulder and maintain his momentum towards a safety screaming into the flat. This is the type of attempt many receivers drop due to a lapse of concentration.

Not Grice, who is fully aware of the safety but makes the catch with good form and still has the agility and timing to make the defender miss and then layer a spin to the inside of the second defender coming from the inside. After layering two moves after the catch, he fights his way though three defenders before tackled at the line of scrimmage.

In the box score or the context of the game, this is not a meaningful play. However, when I’m evaluating talent it’s a great example – one of many I’ve seen – of a player who integrates his physical skills, on-field awareness, and effort.

As I mentioned in my Senior Bowl Preview, I want a better feel for Grice’s speed and acceleration. If he demonstrates enough athleticism – and maybe at 210-215 pounds – he could be an underrated prospect with starter upside.

Reads Listens Views 1/17/2014

January 17, 2014 0 Comments read Reads Listens Views

My grandfather and I used to take 7 am swims on Miami Beach then get some Cuban food. "Blue In Green" courtesy of one of the great jazz educators ever, Whit Sidener. — My grandfather and I used to take 7 am swims on Miami Beach then get some Cuban food. “Blue In Green,” courtesy of Whit Sidener, one of the great jazz educators ever.

This week’s RLV: Roger Goodell’s inbox, a killer author, a killer oud performance, and dinosaur pushups.

Welcome

If you’re new to the Rookie Scouting Portfolio blog, welcome. Every Friday, I post links to things I’m checking out when I’m online. You may not like everything listed here, but you’re bound to like something. It’s also my chance to thank you for reading my work and encourage you to follow the RSP blog and buy the Rookie Scouting Portfolio publication.

For those of you new to the Rookie Scouting Portfolio, the publication is available every April 1. You can learn more about the RSP here. If you want to see samples of the play-by-play notes I take to write the analysis, you can find them here. And to download past versions of the publication (2006-2012), go here.

This month through February 10, I’m offering an early bird discount to those who pre-order the RSP.

In addition to the RSP and the post-draft publication that comes with it a week after the NFL Draft, 10 percent of each sale is donated to Darkness to Light. This organization is a non-profit devoted to preventing and addressing sexual abuse through community training in schools, religious groups, and a variety of civic groups across the U.S.

Here is what the RSP donated to D2L this year. According to D2L, the RSP’s 2013 donation amount was enough to train 250 adults in communities across the country. I will have an announcement about the 2014 RSP next week. Stay tuned.

Listens

[youtube=http://youtu.be/SDoQIF1erLo]

Thanks, Cian . . .

Views – Excellent “Magic Tricks” H/T to Gordon Hu

[youtube=http://youtu.be/YI-MIhsx1xg]

Reads (Football)

Grantland’s Faux Inbox for Roger Goodell – Well done.
What If The NFL Logos Were Hipsters? – Then Joe Bryant would be a Chargers fan, Zach Law would loath the Titans, and Aaron Schatz would still be a Patriots fan.
Seahawks Fans Generated an Earthquake During Skittles’ TD – In other news, the world is round . . .
Want to write about fantasy football? Eric Dickens (Twitter @DLFootball) is looking for 1-2 aspiring dynasty league writers.

Listens

[youtube=http://youtu.be/GObThIZ_ZoQ]

You never forget the first tune you took a solo – mine came at the “goin’ to church, hand-clapping portion” . . .

Reads (Non-Football)

Photo-Driven Facts about Martin Luther King Jr – For instance, his first name wasn’t always Martin.
Prize-Winning Mystery Writer Is Also A Murderer – Taking “Write what you know,” to a new level.
The Medium Is Not The Message – A review of “Slow Reading In a Hurried Age”
One Woman’s Dying Wish: A Month Long Farewell Party – As a former hospice worker, this is how you do it.
The Flood Next Time – Grappling With Sea Level Rise Sooner, Not Later.
The Great Dying Redux: Shocking Parallels Between Ancient Mass Extinction and Climate Change – The scariest article I’ve ever read. Seriously.
Fresh Hopes On Climate Change – You may need this (and a lot more) after you read the above link.

Below the Radar: Alabama Utility Back Jalston Fowler

January 16, 2014 0 Comments read 2014 NFL Draft, Running Back

Alabama FB/HB Jalston Folwer reminds me of Atlanta Falcons’ underrated ‘tweener Jason Snelling, only Fowler is a better ball carrier.

The eye in the sky doesn’t lie. It’s a pithy football cliché. But the eyes in our heads can fool us.

It happens to everyone while watching a football game and play-by-play commentary can reinforce inaccurate depictions of what’s happening on the field. If you’re a casual viewer this is nitpicking criticism. If you’re focusing on a player it’s important to forget what you saw on the couch with your buds and ignore what you heard during the game.

A good example is what I heard from announcer Brent Musberger’s during Alabama’s 2012 opener against Michigan when he described Crimson Tide fullback/halfback (and H-back) ‘tweener Jalston Fowler “hammering away” at the Wolverine front. I thought I saw the same thing from the 250-lb. Fowler. However, when I studied his performance last month, what I saw on repeat views was a big man making defenders miss.

If what you see below didn’t fool you upon first viewing, good for you. You have truthful eyes today. Congratulations, you’re a football analysis god. Now go away.

Whether Fowler returns to Alabama this year or leaves for the NFL (and I believe he’s staying), he is the type of prospect who heightens my interest as a talent evaluator because he has been a supporting actor on a stage that has included leading men Trent Richardson, Eddie Lacy, and T.J. Yeldon. If Folwer makes an NFL roster and develops into a contributor along the lines of Snelling, Mike Tolbert, or ascends to a lead role, it wouldn’t be the first time a runner in a collegiate supporting role earns a greater opportunity as a ball carrier as a pro.

William Andrews was a fullback for Joe Cribbs. Terrell Davis was backing up Garrison Hearst. Priest Holmes took a backseat to Ricky Williams. And Willie Parker knew every grain and knot of the pine where he sat at UNC.

These examples and others are often personnel decisions that factor scheme fit in addition to talent. In the case of Fowler, a four-star prospect as a running back at the prep level, it was an embarrassment of riches in Tuscaloosa.

Here’s an introduction to those unfamiliar with Fowler as a ball carrier.

Footwork in the Hole

Fowler is the single back on 2nd and 10 with 5:37 in the first quarter from a 21 personnel weak side twin, strong side I-formation set at the 33 of Alabama. Michigan is in a 4-3 with the free safety in the box at linebacker depth over right defensive end. This is a zone run with the right guard collapsing the defensive tackle inside and the center working to the middle linebacker.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zStxtcjBRmU&start=44&w=560&h=315]

Fowler works behind the right guard to reach the line of scrimmage, entering the hole with low pad level as the outside linebacker from the left side pursues inside. At 6’1″, Fowler is a tall runner but his pad level is excellent and I’m impressed with his ability to change direction running from this crouched position. He dips outside that linebacker’s reach two yards down field and turns up the left hash for another eight.

Then Fowler bends inside the cornerback coming from the left hash at the first down marker maintaining that strong pad level with the ball high and tight under his right arm. The Alabama runner finishes the play dropping his pads into the safety 13 yards down field gains another four yards for a total of 17.

This finish warrants Musberger’s characterization, but it’s Fowler’s maneuvering around these blocks untouched for three-quarters of this carry that is most noteworthy.

Feature Back Agility

This 2nd-and-10 gain of four with 2:11 in the first quarter isn’t a display of Lesean McCoy’s skill at cutting against the grain, but it reveals that Fowler has the agility to execute NFL-caliber, press-and-cuts down hill at the line of scrimmage. This is a 12 personnel weak side twin set versus a 4-3 with the Michigan strong safety outside the wing back on the unbalanced strong side. Alabama runs a zone blocking play to the strong side.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zStxtcjBRmU&start=75&w=560&h=315]

Fowler presses the run towards the end and then cuts the play downhill. He cuts inside his left tackle and then bends the run under his left guard. I have the 49ers-Panthers Divisional Playoff game on as I’m writing this and I just watched Frank Gore execute the same press and cut – Fowler’s was no different.

Alabama’s big back bursts through the line of scrimmage for a gain of four before the defensive back hits Fowler in the legs. This is when 250 lbs. of north-south burst and pad level does it’s job: Fowler keeps his legs moving and earns another four on the play, carrying two more defenders on his back.

This 1st-and-10 wind back play from a 12-personnel weak side twin set at the 43 of Alabama is good display of quick, economical feet that transitions well to the NFL.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zStxtcjBRmU&start=159&w=560&h=315]

The left guard and center do a good job with their double team to the middle linebacker. Combined with the tight end’s effort on the edge, there’s a huge lane to the left side of the line of scrimmage. However the outside linebacker manages to shoot this gap unblocked straight for Fowler.

The runner executes a nifty cut inside the attempt, reaches the line of scrimmage, and runs through the arms of the next defender. Fowler maintains his balance for another five yards down field and then out runs a wrap attempt eight yards past the line of scrimmage, splits the safety and cornerback with strong pad level and falls forward for a gain of 12. The replay does an even better job of showing the footwork.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zStxtcjBRmU&start=167&w=560&h=315]

Mature Decision Maker

Fowler may have good feet, but he’s not a big back with a little back’s mindset like Lendale White or Marc Tyler. If a large crease doesn’t open, Fowler makes the most of what’s ahead. This 12 wind back play from a 12 personnel weak side twin set with 9:58 in the game isn’t a big gain, but it’s a mature decision.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zStxtcjBRmU&start=153&w=560&h=315]

At the snap, the wing back works across the formation to the weak side end as Fowler takes the exchange. Fowler spots the right defensive end working across the face of the runner’s edge block to penetrate the middle of the line. Fowler dips to the left for three yards, gaining all three after contact at the line of scrimmage when there was no crease.

With Richardson and Lacy the marquee backs while Fowler was an underclassman and Yeldon and Derrick Henry as the present and future of the Alabama backfield, Fowler isn’t a name the public will know. But whether it’s this year or next, Fowler is a player I expect to make an NFL roster as a special teams contributor who will develop into a factor in a pro offense.

You can begin placing orders for the 2015 RSP in January.

Futures: Senior Bowl Preview

January 15, 2014 0 Comments read Matt Waldman

Is UNC defensive end Quinton Coples the next Jason Pierre-Paul? Jene Bramel says the potential is there but like everything earned in life, he has to put in the work to hone his gifts. — The Senior Bowl practices begin next week on the Martin Luther King holiday. Photo by Jene Bramel.

Another year, another Senior Bowl. What I am looking for, and what does the format of the Senior Bowl help me see?

Futures: Senior Bowl Preview

by Matt Waldman

There will be hundreds of Senior Bowl Previews available within the next seven days. Most of them will explain why the game is important to the NFL and the participating player. Only a few writers won’t provide 3-4 sentence summaries of the prospects.

I have provided this type of preview in one form or another since I began attending five years ago. I’m doing some of that once again this year, but I’m also sharing a more personal preview of the event. In addition to disclosing what I want to see from dozens of players, this preview will cover what else all-star games offer me as an evaluator of talent with my own publication devoted to offensive skill prospects.

Continual Football Education

At its core, studying tape is a solitary pursuit focused on the end product. Attending all-star game practices provides a glimpse into another dimension of the game, its coaches, and its players behind the scenes.

The opportunity to watch two NFL coaching staffs conduct a practice for a week provides insight into not only what’s important to them, but also what I can reasonably expect a player to reveal about his game during these sessions.

There are prospects that arrive in Mobile with a reputation for a certain skill set based on their junior and senior film, but the practices reveal something important about their game that the past two years of tape doesn’t show. I was fortunate enough to see Bengals receiver Marvin Jones showcase his skills as vertical threat during his sophomore year, but because his role at Cal changed after his sophomore year, many observers had their eyes opened for the first time when they witnessed Jones’ big-play ability at the Senior Bowl.

Practices vary in tone, tempo, and detail and it means the type of information one can gain varies from year to year. While I’ve expressed my utopian ideal for the Senior Bowl in the past, the practical approach is to be prepared to take what you can get.

When Buffalo’s staff ran a week of practice a few years ago, special teams had heightened priority and the teaching moments from individual drills were less frequent. There’s still a lot to see, but practices don’t serve as an informal technique clinic, which Bengals and Lions practices often were.

Former Detroit offensive coordinator Scott Linehan’s practice sessions for the offense at the Senior Bowl were especially good. He had an up-tempo style and packed the mornings with a variety of drills that tested and taught details that prospects needed to develop into more complete players.

Learning What’s Valuable (And What’s Not) From Practices

Everyone gets something different from watching practice. My book focuses on skill prospects, so I don’t spend much time . . . (read the rest at Football Outsiders)

UCF QB Blake Bortles

January 13, 2014 0 Comments read 2014 NFL Draft, Players, Quarterback

QB Blake Bortles is a tall glass with water at the halfway mark, but is it half-full or half-empty?

Last year, I broached the topic of comparing a quarterback prospect – E.J. Manuel – to a half a glass of water. Some saw the Bills quarterback as half-full, others half-empty.

Blake Bortles is also one of those “glasses of water” in this year’s 2014 quarterback class. The 6-3, 23o-lb. quarterback has the physical skills of an higher-functioning NFL starter and he flashes the feel and conceptual talent to develop into one.

The Central Florida Knight’s junior season has excited the media and divided the scouts. Is he a top prospect because of what he is and what he could become or is he a developmental project with few guarantees? Where and when Bortles goes in April nobody knows. Since I don’t make round projection a priority in my analysis of talent, I have only a passing interest.

However, I do care about talent, potential, and team fit. Like Manuel, I view Bortles as a player with lessons to learn, but “unlearning” a lot of bad habits isn’t one of them. He’d fit best on a team with a staff that sports a track record of success developing quarterbacks. It would be even better if he sat behind a veteran sold on aiding Bortles’ long-term development.

If the Central Florida quarterback lands in this type of situation, he has shown enough feel for the game that he can develop into a capable NFL starter. He has the upside to lead a team to the playoffs and carry that team in the fourth quarter of games. Yet, if his development becomes a case of mostly self-directed study, Bortles could create knots in his game that become more difficult to untie later.

What’s compelling about Bortles is his athleticism, a feel for managing the chaos of the pocket, flashes of pinpoint accuracy, and budding conceptual skill at manipulating defenses. Bortles most prominent struggles occur in three areas: complex coverage schemes common to the NFL, executing accurate throws outside the hash, and making consistent and mature decisions with regard to placement of targets.

I’ve seen a comparison or two between Bortles and Jake Locker. I’m not sold it’s the right stylistic choice, but I haven’t arrived at one I like yet. Physically they are similar athletes, but there are notable differences.

Locker often threw bad passes with good mechanics and footwork. It was the aspect of his game that concerned scouts.

Bortles often throws good passes with mediocre footwork. Locker had a running back mentality far more often than Bortles and the UCF quarterback has a better feel for the pocket that should help him develop into good NFL passer with the right team environment.

I have more to study of Bortles, but based on his performance against South Carolina – a defense filled with NFL-caliber athletes that incorporates coverage schemes that Bortles will encounter in the NFL – I believe Bortles has a better feel for the game as a quarterback than Locker even if he still has much to learn.

When examining Bortles’ footwork, I see a quarterback who may not be as experienced as his fellow prospect Derek Carr, but Bortles often appears more patient and poised with his mindset. If I were to draft a quarterback from this class who has the potential to remain calm during the chaos, Bortles would be on my short list.

Accuracy

Bortles delivers in the short game with the accuracy and placement on the move of a basketball point guard. He’s capable of making plays under duress. Here is a 2nd-and-5 play with 1:57 in the first quarter from a 1×2 receiver, 11-personnel set with Bortles working from center at the Central Florida 6 versus South Carolina’s four-man front, its corners tight to the ends, and its safeties 10 yards deep.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYd29xlmc04&start=109&w=560&h=315]

At the snap, Bortles gives a quick jab of a play fake towards the back heading to the right. As the quarterback turns left he’s face to face with the right defensive end in the end zone. Bortles reacts fast and throws a jump pass to the tight end on the drag route while taking a hit to the chest.

The ball arrives on time to the tight end, hitting the receiver in stride two yards behind the line of scrimmage. The throw gives the receiver room to turn outside the right hash with the safety only a half a yard behind. The placement is the difference between a completion for a loss and room for the tight end to break the safety’s tackle and get the first down.

This is a risky type of decision that could have resulted in mayhem and it’s the type of choice that some scouts and personnel men will dislike. However it’s also a display of athleticism, accuracy, and a willingness to take punishment to win a play.

Bortles also executes these skills well in the screen game and a screen game is a good fit for an athletic (but not game-breaking) runner who can draw a defense to him. Brees and Brett Favre are examples of quarterbacks with excellent screen games.

Where Bortles’ accuracy falters in the short and intermediate game is a specific set of throws outside the hash or from one end of the hash to the other. This 1st and 10 at the UCF 50 early in the second quarter is a good example.

The offense is in a 1×2 receiver 11 personnel pistol versus South Carolina’s nickel look with two safeties deep. The “setup” on this play is the single receiver on the left side motioning across the formation to the right – it’s the eye candy for the defense so Bortles can make a deeper throw to the same side.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYd29xlmc04&start=145&w=560&h=315]

At the snap, the receiver swings to the right flat and Bortles stares down this route with his feet pointed towards his shallow receiver. After baiting the shallow zone into the short look, Bortles turns down field and delivers the ball from the 44 of the Knights to the Gamecocks’ 35 to the receiver crossing the right hash. Bortles’ throw is too high and the receiver tips the ball skyward in an attempt to highpoint it.

The reason is Bortles’ feet. They are too wide after his initial turn from the short route to the down field route. The wide stance causes the ball to sail. Bortles has to be more precise with his turns or make a post-turn adjustment with his feet to throw from a more balanced stance.

Here’s another wide-stance throw that sails in the third quarter from a 2×1 receiver 11 personnel shotgun set.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYd29xlmc04&start=350&w=560&h=315]

Bortles takes a three-step drop, turns to his left and the step he takes towards the receiver during his release is too long and widens his base. The receiver still makes the catch, but the ball sails from the right hash to the left sideline.

Once again, this is a footwork issue and the shorter-faster the drop, the more precise the footwork and the body position as to be. We laud the inherent athleticism of a great juke, spin move or lateral cut to avoid a defender, but the discipline, precision and detail of drops and quick turns to deliver an accurate football requires a similar form of athleticism found in high-end ball room dancing competitions. It’s no coincidence that some NFL wide receivers have performed well in that ballroom dance series in ABC.

Several quarterbacks would fare well, too. When the FOX play-by-play crew quoted Sean Payton saying that Drew Brees was the finest “foot athlete” he’s ever seen, it wasn’t surprising. Brees’ accuracy is among the best in the NFL and he also moves more than most of his peers – even set plays. Matt Ryan also excels at the quick game that requires precision timing and accuracy.

If Bortles continues working on his feet, he has the athleticism and base accuracy to execute this type of passing game if paired with a fine route runner like Roddy White. The key will be honing his feet to remain balanced with multiple turns and steps during this brief span between snap and throw. Based on his ability as a runner and improviser, I see enough from his footwork that there’s an opportunity to maximize this skill if he’s dedicated to the NFL like a career and not like he won he won the lottery.

Eye Manipulation

When a quarterback exhibits the skill to use his eyes to hold or bait the defense, it’s often a product of a passer’s comfort with the play, the opposing defense, and his physical skill to execute. Here’s a dig route Bortles hits in stride with good rhythm and an easy throwing motion. It’s a 2nd-and-11 pass with 0:46 in the first quarter from a 1×2 receiver pistol at the 15 of UCF.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYd29xlmc04&start=135&w=560&h=315]

Bortles drops looking to the middle and then turns to the single receiver side at the right flat towards the running back peeling to the flat before returning to the receiver on the dig. The integration of his eyes and feet to got form left to right, change the depth of his target to the right, and then make an effortless delivery of the ball to the receiver in stride and with good velocity is all quality work.

Here’s a 2nd and 13 with 5:28 in the half with UCF in a 2×1 receiver 11 personnel set with the runner and tight end to the single receiver side. South Carolina is employing another 4-3 look with the weak side linebacker playing inside shade of the slot receiver. Bortles’ work here flashes his potential as a player who can learn to layer multiple techniques in a short span to manipulate a defender on quick-hitting plays.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYd29xlmc04&start=262&w=560&h=315]

The quarterback executes a one-step drop, turns right, pumps to the back in the flat (or resets the ball if you don’t believe it was actually a pump), and then hits the receiver low and inside up the right sideline. This is savvy play manipulation with the eyes, the action of the ball, and the feet to give his receiver the chance to earn 12 yards under the corner.

Where Bortles gets dinged by NFL scouts is his skill recognizing defenses that employ hybrid man/zone concepts before the snap. This type of defensive scheme that varies where it uses man and zone on the same play in an attempt to trick the quarterback is common in the NFL. The athleticism and flexibility of South Carolina’s defense is a reason I chose to study Bortles’ performance in this game.

The Gamecocks intercept Bortles for the first time using this hybrid concept on a 1st and 20 pass with 1:28 in the half from a nickel look with the corners off the outside receivers between 5-7 yards. When Bortles comes to the line in a 2×1 receiver 11 personnel alignment, the quarterback reads the safeties and sees a defensive alignment that looks like pure zone. He does not note the potential impact on the cornerback coverage when the safeties change their positions just before the snap.

As a result, Bortles thinks he can look off the safety to his left and then turn to the right and deliver a route between the zone. The corner, now playing off-man, breaks on the route and cuts off the receiver for the interception.

One of the many reasons Peyton Manning is great is his skill at baiting a defense into revealing its coverage much earlier in a play than it wants. In fact, it’s often the last second before the snap that reveals the greatest clues of what a defense is doing. For Bortles becoming a competent player will be a matter of study and drilling (easier said than done).

Pocket Managment

South Carolina’s defense has presented a strong test for a quarterback’s pocket skills well before Clowney ever set foot on the Columbia campus. The Gamecocks tested Bortles’ skill to maneuver the pocket and find the open man down field several times in this game.

Bortles won some and lost some if you count the end result, but the overall process that he demonstrates to address the pressure is impressive. His skills in the pocket project well in the NFL if he can get better with his feet and improve his recognition of coverage.

This sack by Kelcey Quarles on 3rd and 3 with 13:54 in the half is a good example of a bad result, but a good process. Bortles comes to the line in a 2×1 receiver 11 personnel formation versus Carolina’s 4-3 look with both safeties inside the hash 10 yards deep.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYd29xlmc04&start=160&w=560&h=315]

The quarterback takes a three-step drop and Clowney comes roaring outside the left tackle. By the end of Bortles’ drop, Clowney is two steps away. This is the point of the play where Bortles shares something in common with the best NFL quarterbacks in the pocket.

I noted Sunday on Twitter that Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, and Brees possess a common trait when it comes to eluding pressure from the pocket and it’s not something I have discussed before: They wait as long as possible before executing the first move to avoid the defender. They bait the defender with their stillness, draw him in, and then explode with a turn or dip to ensure the defender has no time to alter his angle to them.

Bortles has this maneuver down pat. On this play, the quarterback is looking down the middle at the end of his drop and waits until Clowney’s approach is too close to alter. Once Clowney reaches that point of no return, the quarterback spins left of the defensive end’s approach, leaving Clowney with nothing but a desperate shot at grasping Bortles’ jersey.

As a quick tangent, Bortles displayed the speed later in this game to escape Clowney to the left flat and throw the ball away. It was a display of speed and quickness that not many NFL quarterbacks will possess.

Back to this play, because there’s more to see. As Bortles spins free of Clowney’s angle, he turns into the second defensive end’s trajectory and is in this end’s face. To compound matters, the defensive tackle on the left side is coming free and closing fast.

Bortles’ sudden spin is enough to get loose from Clowney and in bang-bang succession Bortles makes the second defensive end miss by turning away from the pressure. Throughout it all, the quarterback still manages to keep his arm in position to throw.

If you suspend any thought about the outcome of this play and look at his work avoiding two defensive ends in succession while keeping his arm in a position to deliver the ball, that’s the takeaway despite and anti-climatic ending for the offense.

Here’s nice display of climbing and then sliding – a 2nd and 10 from a 2×1 receiver 11 personnel pistol with 13:56 left from the 25 of Central Florida. Bortles faces a nickel look with two safeties split at the hashes.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYd29xlmc04&start=387&w=560&h=315]

He drops five steps, feels the pressure off the right side from then end, climbs, and then slides to his right. His eyes are down field the entire time. He throws the ball from the right hash to the receiver on the comeback at the right sideline seven yards down field. The receiver drops the ball, but the movement from Bortles is noteworthy.

This 1st and 10 pass of 30 yards from release point to reception that splits the defenders up the seam with great accuracy is also a fine display of pocket management. Bortles comes to the line with 6:47 in the half from a 1×2 receiver 11 personnel pistol with the back to the right and the tight end at left end versus a nickel look with two safeties deep split at the TE and slot man.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYd29xlmc04&start=225&w=560&h=315]

Bortles takes a five-step drop while looking to the middle. As pressure comes from right end, the quarterback hitches to the left, sliding away from the end and splits the zone up the seam to his receiver on the deep cross. The receiver gets his hands on the ball, but the safety over top delivers a hard hit on the airborne receiver, knocking the ball lose, and incurring a personal foul penalty.

Technically, this is an excellent throw. However, it’s not the type of target that Bortles should make unless the game is on the line and no other choice but to place his receiver in harm’s way. A more optimal decision would be to place the ball to the back shoulder and give his receive an opportunity to protect himself.

Accuracy is the basic part of the equation, but placement is advanced section of quarterbacking. This next play should have been a touchdown, but the lack of mature placement results in Bortles’ second interception.

This is a shotgun set on 2nd and 10 with 6:58 left versus South Carolina’s nickel. One safety is 10 yards off the line in the flat, the other occupies the deep middle. But as I mentioned about last-second movements that reveal the true nature of the coverage, the shallow safety begins a deep drop to change his depth to 20 yards just prior to the snap.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYd29xlmc04&start=548&w=560&h=315]

Bortles takes a five step drop looking to the middle and then the left. He makes the read based on the safeties but doesn’t see the deep drop by the middle linebacker that completes what is really happening with this pre-snap safety rotation.

Bortles targets his receiver down the middle seam and this linebacker’s drop beats the throw. Although Bortles likely misread the coverage, he could have beaten it anyway if he throws the ball to a more optimal spot of the field – over the linebacker to the back of the end zone (just as the analyst explains on the broadcast).

As with the 30-yard pass leading his receiver into the teeth of the secondary, Bortles attempts to thread the needle on this potential touchdown rather than lead his teammate to open territory.

Flashes of Integration (View Play and Replay)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYd29xlmc04&start=464&w=560&h=315]

This 73-yard touchdown is a good example of Bortles combining several of these skills into one positive result. South Carolina opts for a 3-3-5 look with the strong safety at linebacker depth between the defensive end and slot left receiver. At the snap, the safety in the middle of the field drops to his zone and the defensive back on the right plays man on a receiver while the defensive back on the left appears to play zone.

Bortles looks to the middle during his three-step drop, hitches a step to slide past Clowney’s pressure off the edge, and delivers the deep cross under the high safety at the Central Florida 44. It’s a high throw, but not so high that the receiver can’t highpoint the target in stride, turn up field and gain 55 after the catch.

Overall, I was impressed with Bortles’ performance against the Gamecocks. It was far from perfect, but even Andrew Luck struggled making reads and maneuvering pressure at the college level (see Oregon and Oklahoma State). Bortles isn’t the slam dunk prospect that most think Luck was, but I like his feel for the game.

If I had responsibility picking players for an NFL team, Bortles makes my shortlist of first-round candidates based on what I’ve seen thus far and would remain there at least until I interviewed him. I believe he’s closer to what the Titans are hoping they’ll see consistently from Jake Locker.

“One Good Year” And Other Asinine Thoughts on QB Evaluation

January 13, 2014 0 Comments read 2014 NFL Draft, Players, Quarterback

This guy had "one good year" in college football. Photo by PDA.Photo — This guy had “one good year” in college football. Photo by PDA.Photo

One good year. It’s a cautionary refrain from the chorus of skeptics not sold on Central Florida junior Blake Bortles as a top-flight quarterback prospect (see my evaluation of Bortles vs. South Carolina). In the wee hours of the morning in a video-lit room evaluating quarterbacks, this three-word phrase will strike the fear in the hearts of most veteran scouts.

One good year could be Akili Smith, who like Bortles, was another 6’3″, 220-plus-pound college wonder who the Cincinnati Bengals took third overall in the 1999 NFL Draft. Smith had the arm and the legs to carry team, but according to Smith, who is now coaching quarterbacks at St. Augustine High School in San Diego, he spent more time curling glasses at bars than he did grinding tape in Cincinnati.

However, one good year is also Cam Newton, who took the NFL by storm as a rookie and along with a fine defense has pried open the Panthers’ window of contention. Many scouts were also singing the One good year dirge during the winter of 2011 for this rocket armed athlete who has grown each year as a quarterback and team leader despite concerns he didn’t possess the right kind of potential to handle the role on the field and in the locker room.

More than anything, one good year means NFL scouts don’t have enough evidence to cover their collective assets if a quarterback like Bortles fails. It’s one thing to invest a second, third, or fourth-round pick in players like Colin Kaepernick, Russell Wilson, Drew Brees, Matt Schaub, or Aaron Brooks and spin their development as a surprise or a stroke of scouting/coaching genius. It’s another to anoint first-round picks the future of the franchise and watch them set back a team’s development.

Personally, I think the phrase one good year is just a phrase. Giving those three words anywhere close to the weight of what’s seen in a game, in practice, or during a team interview is asinine.

Let’s go with the popular idea that a first-round quarterback should be more than a “capable starter.” I know what that means to me, but I have no idea what it means to everyone else. The same goes for “he should be a star.”

Then there’s the inevitable truth that stars rise and decline. If you don’t believe me, look in the sky.

There are many ways to define what that either term means. I’m defining a star as a quarterback who has done at least one of the following during his career:

Earned multiple trips to the Pro Bowl.
Led the league in meaningful passing categories (yards, touchdowns, completion percentage, or QB rating) for multiple seasons.
Led his team to multiple conference championship games.

Here is my criteria for capable starter status. A quarterback with this label should have done at least one of the following:

Led his team to the playoffs at least once.
Earned one trip to the Pro Bowl.
Earned top-5 production in meaningful passing categories (see above) for multiple seasons.

Using this criteria on the 51 first-round quarterbacks drafted since 1993, 22 of them are or were at least capable starters. That’s an underwhelming 45 percent success rate. Only 8 of these first-round picks can be considered stars – an appropriate stardom rate of 15 percent even in this day and age where everyone earns a trophy for participating.

Here’s a look at 17 years of first-round quarterbacks courtesy of DraftHistory.com. I’m not counting the 2013 class – even in today’s ever-impatient media-fan-ownership environment of the NFL, they get a pass.

Year	No.	Round	Pick	Name	Star	Capable	Comments
2012	1	1	1	Andrew Luck		x	Quintessential rising star. But by this conservative criteria, a “capable starter.”
	2	1	2	Robert Griffin III		x	Pro-Bowl rookie season, toilet bowl sophomore year. Still, a “capable starter.”
	3	1	8	Ryan Tannehill			Flashes of good work, but jury still out.
	4	1	22	Brandon Weeden			Two years in and the Browns are eyeing the draft for a QB once again.
2011s	1	3	0	Terrelle Pryor			Had moments this year, but regressed and lost the starting job.
2011	1	1	1	Cam Newton		x	On the cusp of stardom accoridng to my simplistic criteria.
	2	1	8	Jake Locker			Injuries and play mean the jury is out.
	3	1	10	Blaine Gabbert			The Jaguars are giving him one more year. I think they mean with the team and not as a starter unless he wows everyone.
	4	1	12	Christian Ponder			Like the coaching staff, out with the old and in with the new.
2010	1	1	1	Sam Bradford			The talent is there but he cannot be considered a capable starter yet.
	2	1	25	Tim Tebow			Italy is calling.
	2	1	5	Mark Sanchez			Sanchez is the fly in my criteria’s ointment, because it considers him a star. Fortunately, I’m not counting it. Common sense is a beautiful thing.
	3	1	17	Josh Freeman			Where will Freeman land?
2008	1	1	3	Matt Ryan		x	Not quite a star, but more than capable.
	2	1	18	Joe Flacco		x	Highly capable.
2007	1	1	1	JaMarcus Russell			Have we heard anything from Jeff Garcia lately?
	2	1	22	Brady Quinn			Storied program, big muscles, QB looks, and holds a clipboard with the best of them.
2006	1	1	3	Vince Young		x	At one time, capable but blew it. Still, it counts.
	2	1	10	Matt Leinart			The next Tom Brady . . .
	3	1	11	Jay Cutler		x	Capable starter.
2005	1	1	1	Alex Smith		x	Capable starter.
	2	1	24	Aaron Rodgers	x		Stud.
	3	1	25	Jason Campbell			Career backup.
2004	1	1	1	Eli Manning		x	Capable starter.
	2	1	4	Philip Rivers	x		Low end of stardom, but qualifies.
	3	1	11	Ben Roethlisberger	x		Stats don’t justify stardom, but the postseason does.
	4	1	22	J.P. Losman			Trent Edwards was better until Adrian Wilson got to him.
2003	1	1	1	Carson Palmer		x	Capable starter.
	2	1	7	Byron Leftwich		x	Low end of capable starter at one time.
	3	1	19	Kyle Boller			Big arm, big-name school, big disappointment.
	4	1	22	Rex Grossman			Low-end of capable starter w/his Super Bowl appearance.
2002	1	1	1	David Carr			Human pin cushion.
	2	1	3	Joey Harrington			Good college quarterback, good at the piano, and decent on FS1 Network.
	3	1	32	Patrick Ramsey			Reserve.
2001	1	1	1	Michael Vick		x	One-time capable starter with exciting gifts.
2000	1	1	18	Chad Pennington			Not healthy enough to earn capable starter status even if he was in spirit.
1999	1	1	1	Tim Couch			Capable SEC commentator for a regional cable network.
	2	1	2	Donovan McNabb	x		One-time star.
	3	1	3	Akili Smith			High school QB coach.
	4	1	11	Daunte Culpepper	x		One-time star.
	5	1	12	Cade McNown			Where are they now?
1998	1	1	1	Peyton Manning	x		Hall of Famer.
	2	1	2	Ryan Leaf			Still in the news on occasion.
1997	1	1	26	Jim Druckenmiller			Big, strong, and UDFA/NFL Europe’s Jeff Garcia much better.
1995	1	1	3	Steve McNair	x		Underrated star. Yes, I’m biased. I don’t care. Don’t argue . . .
	2	1	5	Kerry Collins		x	Capable starter at one point.
1994	1	1	3	Heath Shuler			I wonder what Norv Turner was thinking when he laid eyes on Shuler.
	2	1	6	Trent Dilfer		x	Beginning to remind me of F. Murray Abraham in “Finding Forrester.”
1993	1	1	1	Drew Bledsoe	x		Low-end star at one time.
	2	1	2	Rick Mirer			Goes to show you even Bill Walsh was fallible.

I inadvertently omitted Matt Stafford from this list (capable starter), but I did count him into my calculations. I don’t know about you, but a 45 percent success rate for a first-round quarterback developing into a capable starter tells me that having hard and fast rules about where and when you invest in a quarterback is foolish.

Another acceptable notion of “common sense” is that NFL teams shouldn’t draft a quarterback unless they believe that player sees star potential from that prospect. Using the same sample size and criteria, there are 35 quarterbacks since 1993 that were drafted with one of the top-15 overall picks. Only 6 of those 35 passers became stars – a whopping 17 percent success rate for meeting these organizations’ expectations.

Go easier on these top-15 picks and consider them successful as “capable starters” then that rate jumps to 54 percent. Still, the probability for turning a top-15 overall pick at quarterback has been marginally better than a coin flip. If the NFL hasn’t figured out how to project the talent with more accuracy than it has, then why should anyone listen to a former or current scout, coach, general manager, or owner when they explain their criteria for what makes a good first-round caliber quarterback?

This is not a complete indictment of NFL personnel men. Injuries and surrounding talent can alter the prospects of a young player that teams probably did a fair job of evaluating. However, the idea that the NFL and the draft community should be critiquing what constitutes a potential “bull’s-eye” with an anecdotal theory about “one good year” when it has difficulty hitting the target is putting the Super Bowl before the regular season.

This week, I’ll post some evaluation notes on Bortles. I promise you “one good year,” won’t be a part of my analysis.

Reads Listens Views 1/10/2014

January 9, 2014 0 Comments read Reads Listens Views

This Week’s RLV: A jive turkey worth eating, appreciating Klook, a spec at sea, Cyrille Aimee, and tree houses.

Listens

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Views – Unbelievable Tree Houses

For more, including an invisible tree house, check out Higher Learning