Category Players

NY Times Fifth Down Top-Five Series: No.1 WR Michael Floyd

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1. Michael Floyd, Notre Dame (6-2, 220)

From the standpoint of on-field performance, I believe Floyd has the best all-around skills and talents among the receivers in this draft class. This is a talent-rich group, but none of the prospects in this class have all of the qualities that Floyd brings to the game. When evaluating the last two years of receiving talent, I believe the only receiver with more promise is A.J. Green.

One of the factors that might have clouded the picture in the evaluation of this year’s receiver class was the condition of Floyd’s right knee. While Floyd was still healing, he had to gather his steps to accelerate. If he had to make a break to the quarterback, he could not get a great bend on the knee when he had to use his right leg to plant.

However, after watching Floyd get completely healthy, [Read the rest here]

Download the 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio for analysis of over 151 prospects at QB, RB, WR, and TE.

RSP No-Huddle Series: NIU QB Chandler Harnish

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Northern Illinois quarterback Chandler Harnish might be known as a dual threat in the college game, but he has the size (6’1″, 219 lbs.), athleticism, and fundamentals as a passer for a team to develop him into an NFL contributor. Here’s a touchdown pass from the Godaddy.com Bowl in Mobile, Alabama that demonstrates his skill with play action, a decent release, and budding skill with the deep ball that has room to get better with work.

For more about the RSP No-Huddle Series, read here.

Harnish throws this touchdown the series after throwing a 1st and 10 interception to begin the second half. Continue reading →

NY Times Fifth Down Top-Five Series: No.3 WR Kendall Wright

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3. Kendall Wright, Baylor (5-10, 196) (Video above different from video at NY Times)

There was a time that I considered Wright the best receiver in this draft class. He’s not big, but he is physical and that is what you need from an N.F.L. player with his speed and quickness. He has no problem lowering his pads into secondary defenders and bouncing off their hits for extra yardage. He is strong for his build, and his acceleration aids that strength to run through hits or grabs by a defender.

Wright adjusts well to the ball and tracks vertical passes at a high level. He ran by many college cornerbacks who gave him a cushion, without the aid of trickery. He showed that he understood how to find open zones in the Baylor offense, but his change of direction is so good that he will eventually thrive against man coverage.

His routes need refinement. He needs to be more careful about [Read the rest here]

Download the 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio for analysis of over 151 prospects at QB, RB, WR, and TE.

No-Huddle Series: Ohio WR Lavon Brazill

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If you haven’t seen the announcement about my No-Huddle Series, read here. Since most of you don’t click links when you read (neither do I – at least not all of them), I’ll emphasize what’s important: this series is one-play displays of certain things I like about a player. They are not meant to generate sweeping conclusions of a player’s potential

Player No.1 in this series is Ohio wide receiver Lavon Brazill, a preseason All-American as a junior who missed most of that season due to injury. I have no expectation where Brazill will be drafted, if at all. I think he has skills to potentially develop into an NFL starter. I like what he flashes as a route runner, athlete, and catcher of the football. Here’s one play that embodies much of these positives: Continue reading →

Rankings Insight for This Year’s WR Class

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Marvin Jones can tell a story that keeps cornerbacks guessing a big reason he’s my No.4 WR in the NY Times RSP Series. Photo by John Martinez Pavliga.

When it comes to this series, I usually just provide a teaser of the post to the Fifth Down and link you to the rest. But with today’s receivers,  No.5 WR Greg Childs and No. 4 WR Marvin Jones, I want to discuss the thought process behind their unusually high ranking – and a few general philosophical points with how I rank players. I believe additional perspective is a good thing in this case because many of you reading this post are fantasy owners in addition to football fans and draftniks. Continue reading →

New York Times Fifth Down Blog: No.1 RB Trent Richardson

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1.    Trent Richardson, Alabama (5-9, 228)

There are several impressive components to Trent Richardson’s game. His balance and agility combined with his strength make him a rare commodity among backs of his range of 220-230 pounds. He has the footwork and balance of a back 15-20 pounds lighter. And that balance is what makes him special. Once he gets a head of steam and lowers his pads, the way he runs through defenders looks effortless at times.

Richardson has the power to push the pile and grind his way through defenders that execute good wraps. More often than most running backs I see, Richardson seems to be the one [Click here to read more]

Download the 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio for analysis of over 151 prospects at QB, RB, WR, and TE.

New York Times Fifth Down Series: No. 2 RB Doug Martin

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2.    Doug Martin, Boise State (5-9, 223)

Martin reminds me of Ray Rice in the respect that he’s not abundantly fast once he reaches the second or third level, but his initial burst is top notch. He consistently defeats the angles of defenders as he enters and exits a hole because they misjudge his quickness, which is excellent for a back of his dimensions. Combined with the fact that he’s a strong, downhill runner who isn’t afraid to create a hole by ramming up the backsides of his linemen, he seems to be the product of a mad football scientist who spliced Rice with Frank Gore’s build.

Martin does three things that a lot of N.F.L.-caliber runners can do:[Click here to read more]

Download the 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio for analysis of over 151 prospects at QB, RB, WR, and TE.

New York Times Fifth Down Series: No.3 RB Lamar Miller

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3.     Lamar Miller, running back, Miami (5-10, 212)

Lamar Miller is a potential Pro Bowl back. He’s at the sweet spot in terms of height, weight, speed and acceleration. He runs with patience and balance, and he protects the ball. He understands how to stay close to his blocks until an opening develops, and like Clinton Portis and Edgerrin James before him, he knows how to shorten his steps in traffic until he finds a cutback lane or alternate crease when the primary hole does not open.

He runs with good balance and power between the tackles. He can run through contact, and he has good enough footwork to prevent defenders from getting angles on him. He bends runs with good speed, and he has shown some skill to [Click here for the rest]

Download the 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio for analysis of over 151 prospects at QB, RB, WR, and TE.

Get Er Done: QB Mechanics by Brett Favre

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If scouts, analysts, and media ascribe the Emily Post finishing school of QB mechanics, Brett Favre belongs to the Larry the Cable Guy technical college of Get Er Done. Photo by Tiger Girl.

This weekend I watched the 2010 NFC Championship between the Saints and Vikings so I could study Drew Brees for my first “Futures” column at Football Outsiders, but I couldn’t skip the Vikings possessions. Not because of Adrian Peterson or Percy Harvin, whose  physical skills I marvel with each viewing. The truth is, I’m an unabashed fan of Brett Favre’s game.

I don’t care about the will-he-or-won’t-he drama at the end of his career or the possibility that he thought a cell phone portrait of his Continue reading →

No. 4 RB David Wilson

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David Wilson is my No.4 RB in the 2012 RSP. Here’s an excerpt of my ranking thoughts on Wilson in the New York Times Fifth Down Blog.

4. David Wilson, running back, Virginia Tech (5-9, 206)

Physically, Wilson might have as much upside as any back in this draft, and from this perspective, he might be the best back to come out of Virginia Tech. Ryan Williams was a conceptually smarter runner with great effort and a strong array of skills, but purely from an athletic perspective Wilson is to Williams what Trent Richardson is to Mark Ingram.

Wilson’s quickness, speed, balance and stop-start agility are among the best in the country, and it makes him a special athlete/runner in the open field. Get him in space and he’s a nightmare to bring down. When he’s disciplined about what he’s doing conceptually, he has the pad level, acceleration and technique to be productive as a between-the-tackles, chain-moving runner.

Wilson is a “strong” 205 pounds, and I think he can probably [Click here for more]

Also see my David Wilson Series:

Download the 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio for analysis of over 151 prospects at QB, RB, WR, and TE.