Posts tagged NFL draft

New York Times Fifth Down Series: No. 2 WR Justin Blackmon

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[youtube=http://youtu.be/voprccSVyz4]

2. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma St. (6-0, 207) [Highlights above differ from article in NY Times.]

Blackmon plays a physical brand of football despite the fact that he is smaller and slower than he appears when featured in this wide-open Oklahoma State offense. The Cowboy offense gives Blackmon a lot of opportunities to approach defenders in space with the ball in his hands and heading downhill. While he will consistently be playing in tighter spaces at the N.F.L. level and he is not as explosive as other top prospects, Blackmon has the strength, hands and balance to become a reliable “plus” possession receiver (Anquan Boldin, Brandon Marshall) in the league.

Blackmon’s skill after the catch is what separates him from most prospects in this class. He is tough to bring down in the open field because he is a fluid runner with enough burst, strength and balance to run through hits and wraps. Blackmon’s strong hand-eye coordination and tendency to attack the ball from his breaks places him in an aggressive position to get the jump on defenders in open space.

If he develops better [Click here to read the rest]

Matt Waldman’s RSP Writer’s Team Q&A

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How do you make A.J. Green even better? Make him work against Darrelle Revis in practice. Photo by Wade Rackley.(http://www.flickr.com/photos/tnjn/5064947481/sizes/l/in/photostream/)

I will have two teams in this project because I had too much fun just building one. I’m also learning too much from the process to build just one. If you’ve tried building a team, I think you know what I mean. However, I’ll make this squad my official roster despite how much I like the other team I’ll share later this month.

Offensive System

I’m implementing a system with a streamlined playbook and simple concepts that complement each other while hopefully using variations of plays that don’t force additional complexity with my blocking and route schemes. I want my quarterback to have enough freedom Continue reading →

Matt Waldman’s RSP Writers Team

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Rob Gronkowski is the best tight end in the NFL? Not so fast. Give Vernon Davis surrounding talent capable of creating plays at quarterback, receiver, and running back, and I think the difference is negligible…possibly in Davis’ favor. Photo by The Bay Area Bias.

I will have two teams in this project because I had too much fun just building one. I’m also learning too much from the process to build just one. If you’ve tried building a team, I think you know what I mean. However, I’ll make this team my official roster despite how much I like the other team I’ll share later this month.

The genius of this project is Continue reading →

WR Josh Gordon: Hands are for more than catching the football

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Josh Gordon reminds me of Demaryius Thomas, but I believe Gordon has more physical upside and flashes more technical skill than Thomas at the same point of their careers. Photo by Jeffery Beall.

Warning: Although the video clips illustrating the analysis of this post are more than adequate to get the point across, they are amateurish, at best. Future analysis will likely be in still frames as I’ve used in the past.

Josh Gordon’s current skill and style of play reminds me of a mix between a raw Terrell Owens and Demaryius Thomas. However, his potential could be as limitless as Calvin Johnson. Gordon has a fascinating amalgamation of strengths and weaknesses for a wide receiver and this post will examine the strengths and weaknesses of the former Baylor wide receiver, who is the wildcard of the 2012 NFL Supplemental Draft.

This post will focus on Gordon’s speed, acceleration, and his knowledge and execution of separating from defenders as a receiver and ball carrier. The quick and dirty on Gordon’s skills in this area is that the former Baylor receiver has to speed to be a dangerous deep threat in the NFL, a big-play ball carrier in space, and the strength and quickness to put some toast under a cornerback’s jam and leave the defender standing by himself in the kitchen as his coach turns up the heat.

But Gordon’s sophomore performances against Kansas, Texas Tech, and Illinois are a wonderful illustration why size, speed, and strength are precious commodities, but at the NFL level these characteristics don’t have the same value if the player in possession of these athletic gifts doesn’t learn the craft of his position. If his off-field indiscretions are a thing of the past, I believe Gordon’s on-field performances demonstrate that he was learning the skills of his position and there is a good chance he’ll grow into a strong technician in the NFL.

One of the more important things Gordon will have to improve Continue reading →

Quick Breakdown on Supplmental RB Ed Wesley, TCU

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TCU may miss RB Ed Wesley’s contributions to its three-man rotation, but he has a lot to learn before an NFL will feel the same way. Photo by Joe Duty.

I watched Ed Wesley this time last week, presuming he would be playing another year. A few days later, he applied for the NFL’s supplemental draft. Wesley was a rising senior at Texas Christian and in a committee situation with fellow runners Waymon James and Matthew Tucker. He’s a 5’9″, 200-pound runner with potential to develop into a better player at his position. In this final game versus Louisiana Tech, I saw more areas he needed to work on than areas where he shined.

As most of you following this blog know, all of my conclusions are based on play-by-play analysis. I may decide to give some play-by-play break down of Wesley before the draft, but in case I don’t here is a short summary of what I saw from the Horned Frogs runner. Continue reading →

RSP Writers Roster: DraftBreakdown’s Eric Stoner

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Eric Stoner’s RSP roster includes “the moveable chess piece,” Aaron Hernandez, who might be the team’s least dangerous receiving threat when it’s all said and done. Photo by Patriotworld.

Eric Stoner is a legal assistant by day, and a writer and video guy for DraftBreakdown.com for the remaining hours he’s awake. He specializes in quarterback evaluation. His YouTube videos are a quality service for football fans seeking more than the typical highlight packages that fans put together of college stars. Stoner’s videos are actually more like Continue reading →

Writers Team: Nick Whalen’s RSP Squad, Dynasty Rogues

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Nick Whalen’s RSP Writers Team

Eric Berry, Earl Thomas, and Patrick Willis headline a young and athletic defense for Ryan Whalen’s Readers Team. Whalen has assistant coaching experience with four different college teams. Photo by Wade Rackley.

Nick Whalen is a regular at the Footballguys.com message board and a guy I’ve corresponded with frequently over the years. He’s a writer at Dynasty Rogues. Whalen has a variety of experiences in football and he’s person I’ve enjoyed trading info.

A former high school quarterback, Whalen also has experience on coaching staffs as an assistant student coach with Drake University, Carthage College, and Montana State. He also spent two years as an assistant student coach with Western Kentucky. He has been a quarterback, wide receiver, and defensive back coach for three different high school teams.

His RSP Writer’s Team has one of the more Continue reading →

The Guardian NFL Writer Cian Fahey’s RSP Project Q&A

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You have to admire a writer with the sack to believe in a player others are ready to abandon. With a defense that Cian Fahey put together, he’s willing to give Colt McCoy a shot as a starter in what he believes will be a better offensive fit. Details below. Photo by Erik Daniel Drost.

Cian Fahey covers the NFL for The Guardian. He also writes for Irish Central and at one time contributed for The Bleacher Report. Fahey is a Steelers fan and also contributes for Steelers Depot. If you’ve never read his work or followed him on Twitter, he’s not afraid to give his unfiltered opinion. You can follow him on Twitter @Cianaf.

What I enjoyed about collaborating with Fahey on this project is that he took some risks and as a fellow risk-taker, I appreciate the things we all can learn from doing so. His interview and the discussion that ensues about his team is below. Continue reading →

Random News and Notes

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Brandon Lloyd is an artist when it comes to catching the football. See why he and Adrian Peterson kick of my Insanity Series at Footballguys.com Photo by Jeffery Beall.

Fantasy Football

At Footballguys.com, I kicked off my Gut Check column with what I’m calling the Insanity Series: Players that will drive you mad in 2012. You can find column at Footbalguys and I’ll also link to them on this page. The first two published pieces in the series are on Adrian Peterson and Brandon Lloyd.

2013 Rookies Continue reading →

Reads Listens Views 6/11/2012

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Film Study is a Dangerous Job

My life has been a whirlwind these past two months. In addition to writing the 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio here’s the rest of the past eight weeks:

Of course this list doesn’t include the more personal elements of my life that make life a fun (sometimes) challenge.  Continue reading →