by Tommy Lawlor  -  http://www.ScoutsNotebook.com

Buffalo Bills

1 – NT Marcel Dareus – 6’3, 320 – Alabama
2 – DB Aaron Williams – 6’0, 204 – Texas
3 – ILB Kelvin Sheppard – 6’2, 250 – LSU
4 – SS Da’Norris Searcy – 5’11, 223 – UNC
4 – OT Chris Hairston – 6’6, 326 – Clemson
5 – RB Johnny White – 5’10, 209 – UNC
7 – CB Justin Rogers – 5’11, 180 – Richmond
7 – NT Michael Jasper – 6’4, 394 – Bethel TN

Most people thought the Bills would go for Texas A&M pass rusher Von Miller. The Bills instead opted for DL Marcel Dareus. Buffalo was dead last in run defense last year. They were 30th in 2009. One way to improve the run defense is to better control the line of scrimmage. Dareus is a guy who can do just that. He’s got the size and strength to be a NT. He’s got the quickness and skill to be a 3-4 DE. I think he’ll start off at DE. That’s where he played the most at ‘Bama so staying at DE will ease his transition. Plus, the Bills have some other guys already at NT.

Dareus is a big time prospect. I don’t see him as an Ndamukong Suh type, but he can be pretty darn good. Dareus is big at 319 pounds, but he’s got excellent feet and moves really well for that size. He’s quick off the ball and has pass rush skills. He can play DT when the Bills go to a 4-man front in the Nickel/Dime looks. It will be interesting to see how quickly he becomes a starter. Dareus was only a full-time starter at ‘Bama in 2010. He was a very productive backup in 2009. I’m sure the Bills want him on the field, but also don’t want to rush him and hinder his development. Dareus could be an outstanding LDE for them over the long haul.

In the 2nd round Buffalo went for DB Aaron Williams. He was a good CB for Texas, but then didn’t run all that well at the Combine. Some speculated that maybe Williams should follow in the footsteps of Malcolm Jenkins and move to FS. It sounds like Buffalo wants to try him at CB first. They reportedly will use him as the Nickel CB in 2011. He would then challenge for a starting role in the future. Williams is a player that I really enjoyed watching in college. Versatile player. He can cover, hit, and tackle. Plays the run well. Good blitzer. It was Williams hit that ended the college career of Sam Bradford. Williams has NFL size at 6’0, 204. He likes to press and be physical. Seems like the kind of player who will embrace STs and make his mark there when he’s not starting. Buffalo needed help on defense. Williams is the kind of football player they needed to add. He’s not a great athlete. He’s not a dynamic playmaker. Williams is simply a good football player. You can win some games with guys like him on the back end of the defense.   Read the rest of this entry »

by Tommy Lawlor  -  http://www.ScoutsNotebook.com

Pittsburgh Steelers

1 – DE Cam Heyward – 6’5, 290 – Ohio State
2 – OT Marcus Gilbert – 6’5, 330 – Florida
3 – CB Curtis Brown – 6’0, 185 – Texas
4 – CB Cortez Allen – 6’1, 197 – Citadel
5 – LB Chris Carter – 6’1, 248 – Fresno State
6 – OG Keith Williams – 6’4, 318 – Nebraska
7 – RB Barron Batch – 5’9, 200 – Texas Tech

I’m glad that Steelers GM Kevin Colbert is finally starting to get the recognition he deserves. He is just as good as any GM in the NFL right now. Colbert does a great job of making subtle moves (signing Mewelde Moore for instance) and making solid picks (LaMarr Woodley for instance). Colbert isn’t always going for the “wow” move that some guys are. It does help that he’s got a great foundation, but so does Bill Belichick. Still, seems at times Bill outsmarts himself in some personnel matters. Sometimes the obvious move is the smart move.

Colbert stuck with this philosophy and took Ohio State DE Cameron Heyward in the 1st round. Heyward is an ideal fit for the 3-4. He was excellent value at the end of the 1st round. Simple, obvious pick, but one that works for the Steelers more often than not. Pittsburgh needed some help at DE. Aaron Smith is so old that he remembers Brett Favre as a Green Bay Packer. Smith is a key guy for the Steelers. He’s got the ability to pressure the QB and play the run. In the last 2 years injuries limited him to just 11 total games. Factor in his age (35) and you can see where the Steelers needed to add a DE with good ability.

Heyward has big time potential. There were a handful of games where he looked like a dominant player that would be a Top 10 pick. Ask Penn State fans or Arkansas fans and they’re convinced Heyward was Ndamukong Suh and Reggie White rolled into one. Heyward didn’t play to that level each week and that’s one of the reasons he fell. He has good athletic ability for a big guy. He could play LDE in a 4-3. He’s strong enough and physical enough to be a DT as well. He’s got all the potential in the world. Heyward just needs some nudge to keep him at his best. He’s a good fit for Pittsburgh’s 3-4 and can also be a DT when they use a 4-man front in some Nickel/Dime situations.

Marcus Gilbert was an interesting pick in the 2nd round. That was less obvious, but still makes a ton of sense. The Steelers don’t seem inclined to keep Willie Colon around. That means they need a long term solution at RT. Enter Gilbert. Pittsburgh was obviously impressed with former Florida OL Maurkice Pouncey last year. We’ll see if they can have anywhere near that kind of luck with Gilbert, another UF alum. Gilbert is a big physical blocker. He’ll fit in well with the Steelers run oriented offense. I’m not sure Gilbert is ready to start right away, but he had a good Senior season and then helped himself in the postseason. He seems to be a guy on the rise. And we saw last year with Pouncey that the Steelers aren’t afraid to play a rookie OL if he shows that he can handle the job.   Read the rest of this entry »

by Tommy Lawlor  -  http://www.ScoutsNotebook.com

Cleveland Browns

1 – DT Phil Taylor – 6’3, 334 – Baylor
2 – DE Jabaal Sheard – 6’3, 264 – Pitt
2 – WR Greg Little – 6’3, 230 – UNC
4 – TE Jordan Cameron – 6’5, 254 – USC
4 – FB Owen Marecic – 6’1, 248 – Stanford
5 – CB Buster Skrine – 5’10, 186 – Tennessee-Chattanooga
5 – OL Jason Pinkston – 6’3, 317 – Pitt
7 – DB Eric Hagg – 6’1, 209 – Nebraska

The Browns traded the #6 overall pick to the Falcons so that Atlanta could draft WR Julio Jones. In return Cleveland got 237 picks, or so it seemed. Atlanta paid a steep price. Cleveland was wise to make the deal. There wasn’t one player in this draft who was going to come in and instantly make the Browns a Super Bowl contender.

The Browns moved all the way back to pick 27 and took DT Phil Taylor from Baylor. Very interesting pick. People tend to think of Defensive Coordinator Dick Jauron as liking small players. He does appreciate the value of big DTs. While coach of the Bears, Jauron had a strong defense anchored by Keith Traylor and Ted Washington (only 59 years old at the time).

Cleveland had a big, athletic DT last year in Shaun Rogers, but they cut him after the season. Taylor steps in to be the center of the D-line. He is a massive run stuffer that blockers will struggle to move off the ball. Taylor isn’t just big. He has good feet for being such a massive player. He’s also quick and agile for his size. Taylor did have some weight issues in the past and was forced to leave Penn State. He was a good player for Baylor and appears to have turned things all the way around. He can be a big help to the Browns if he stays focused and in shape. Teams facing the Bengals, Ravens, and Steelers must play good run defense to have any hope of success. Taylor can clog the middle and free up other players to make plays. Matching him with DT Ahtyba Rubin will give the Browns an impressive pair of DTs to build around. Rubin is an emerging player. He’s not as athletic as Taylor, but is an excellent run defender. Jauron might start having flashbacks to Traylor and Washington.

Next up was DE Jabaal Sheard from Pitt. A funny thing happened on the way to the 2011 Draft. The stud Pitt DE went from being Greg Romeus to Sheard. Romeus had all the preseason attention, but got hurt. Sheard stepped his game up and had a terrific season. He posted 14.5 TFLs (9 of them were sacks). He also had 4 FFs, 4 pass deflections, and 15 QB hurries. Sheard was a regular force for the Panthers. And that is exactly why the Browns wanted and needed him. They are moving from a 3-4 to a 4-3 and had no proven 4-3 pass rushers on the team. Sheard isn’t explosive or dynamic, but he can get to the QB. He has a quick burst off the ball and plays with good leverage. Sheard rounds the corner tightly as he goes by blockers. He can use speed, rip moves, or inside moves to get by OTs. Excellent motor. He can play either side and has a good frame. Should be a starting DE for the Browns for years to come. Very good fit for the Browns new 4-3 DL.

With their other 2nd round pick the Browns went for Greg Little, a WR from UNC. Little was picked on potential. He didn’t play at all in 2010 because of a suspension for violating NCAA rules. He might have set the NCAA record for parking tickets by one player (problem was who owned the cars he drove and who paid the tickets?) and had some dealings with an agent. Little was an odd player prior to the off-field issues. He was recruited to UNC to play WR, but they got desperate and moved him to RB. He finally got back to receiver in 2009 and showed tremendous potential. Little is huge at 6’3, 230. He is strong, fast, and athletic. He has good hands. He can make acrobatic catches. The sky is the limit for him…if he stays focused and out of trouble. Now that he’s officially getting paid there shouldn’t be any issues, but the Browns have to be a bit nervous because Little has shown so little respect for the rules. He’s not a thug or anything like that, but you wonder what his mindset will be now that he’s about to become a rich young man. I hope all the issues are behind him because Little could develop into an outstanding NFL player. The Browns passing attack certainly needs all the help it can get.

In the 4th round Cleveland got another weapon for Colt McCoy. They took TE Jordan Cameron from USC. I really like this pick. Cameron came out of nowhere to emerge as one of the better TEs in the draft class. He had played some basketball and spent time at BYU as well as at USC. It wasn’t until midseason 2010 that he finally started to look like an NFL guy. He only caught 16 passes, but he showed NFL ability. Cameron has good hands. He is a very good athlete. Excellent size. Can be tough and physical. He looked like a natural receiver. That’s huge at TE, where we see guys with all kinds of backgrounds who go on to be good NFL players. Cameron definitely has the potential to be a good NFL TE. He can learn from Ben Watson and Alex Smith (assuming they stick around). Cameron would be a very good target for McCoy on short throws and in the middle of the field. I don’t know that he’ll be as impressive as Jimmy Graham was for the Saints last year, but Cameron has starting potential in a year or two.

The other 4th round pick was also spent on offense, but this time it benefited RB Peyton Hillis. The Browns added the top FB in the draft by taking Owen Marecic from Stanford. Incumbent FB Lawrence Vickers is set to be a free agent and the Browns must not have been interested in paying him to stick around. Marecic gives them a younger, cheaper option. He obviously isn’t a proven NFL player, but was outstanding at Stanford. Toby Gerhart will certainly vouch for Marecic as a lead blocker. And anyone who followed Stanford or college football loved Marecic because he was a 2-way player, FB and ILB. Owen ran for 5 TDs, caught 9 passes, had 2 INTs, 51 tackles, 2 sacks, and 5 pass deflections. Not a bad resume for one season. Think he’ll be a natural fit on STs? Solid value in the 4th round.

Cleveland finally went back to defense in the 5th round. They took speedy CB Buster Skrine from UTC. He is a workout warrior. Skrine ran a blazing time at the Combine and was excellent in the drills. His game tape wasn’t nearly as impressive. Solid player, but nothing like the guy from Indy who had blown people away with his showing. Skrine has the physical ability to be a starting CB, but he needs a lot of work. He’s got to develop proper technique and hone his skills. Being fast isn’t enough in the NFL. Getting a guy with his upside in the 5th is good value.

With the other 5th round pick the Browns went for OL Jason Pinkston from Pitt. He started at LT the last two years, but doesn’t have the size or athleticism to play there in the NFL. Most likely he’ll slide into G, but it’s possible the Browns could give him a chance at RT. Pinkston was a very good player for Pitt. Excellent run blocker. Tough. Good effort. Really stuck with his blocks. He’s not a gifted athlete and doesn’t have a sleek build, but the man can block. I’m surprised he slid down to the 5th round. I think Pinkston can be a good NFL interior lineman.

Cleveland spent their final pick on DB Eric Hagg from Nebraska. Hagg was one of the most versatile players in college football the last couple of years. He was moved around by situation. Sometimes he was a CB. Other times he was a S. He even was like a LB at times. Hagg isn’t fast, but has great instincts and a knack for making big plays in big games. I’m really interested to see how the Browns use him. Hagg isn’t great at any one thing. He could be a FS and use his instincts. He could be a SS and play in the box. He could be a slot corner in some situations against big WRs. I think Hagg needs a creative coach to bring out the best in him. I hope the Browns coaches are able to carve out a role. The NFL should always have room for players with good instincts. Too often we fall in love with size/speed. It will be interesting to see who has the better career, Skrine or Hagg. My money’s on Eric. At the very least, he could be a good STs player.

by Tommy Lawlor  -  http://www.ScoutsNotebook.com

Cincinnati Bengals

1 – WR A.J. Green – 6’4, 211 – Georgia
2 – QB Andy Dalton – 6’2, 215 – TCU
3 – LB Dontay Moch – 6’1, 248 – Nevada
4 – OG Clint Boling – 6’5, 308 – Georgia
5 – S Robert Sands – 6’4, 217 – West Virginia
6 – WR Ryan Whalen – 6’1, 202 – Stanford
7 – CB Corey Lindsey – 5’11, 194 – Southern Illinois
7 – RB Jay Finley – 5’11, 203 – Baylor

The Bengals landed elite WR A.J. Green with their 1st round pick. He can be the foundation of their receiving corps for years to come. The Chad Johnson era is just about over. TO isn’t coming back. There are some other pieces in place (Shipley, Simpson), but Green has the potential to be a Pro Bowl player. He can be a difference maker and that’s important for a team like the Bengals that mainly wants to run the ball. They need impact plays from the passing game when they do throw.

Green is a complete WR. He has good size. He’s a good athlete. He didn’t blow people away at the Combine, but his athleticism shows up on gameday. Just put on the Colorado game and you’ll see how gifted he is. Green is also a skilled receiver with excellent hands. He can stretch the field vertically. He can catch short throws and be a possession type of receiver. Green has good RAC ability. He can also help the Bengals in the Red Zone. Green caught 9 TDs last year in less than a full season. He had 23 TD catches in his career.

Green is somewhat like Chad Johnson in terms of skill set. Both have good size and strength. They can be physical. Both guys have excellent body control that helps them to run good routes. Green should thrive in the NFL. The big question is what kind of QB play he’ll have to help him out.

That leads us to 2nd round pick Andy Dalton. He was a great player for TCU, but running an NFL offense is a whole other challenge. The Bengals loved Dalton and think he’ll be a franchise QB for them. I have my doubts about Dalton. His intangibles are through the roof, but I’m not as confident about his ability to be a top shelf passer in the NFL. He thrived in TCU’s spread offense. That involved a lot of short throws and also a very good running attack.

Adjusting to an NFL offense will be a challenge for Dalton. It doesn’t sound like the Bengals are going to pursue a veteran QB. That means Dalton will be the starter right away and have to learn on the fly. He’ll be throwing the ball to an okay group of WRs, but the most talented player will be his fellow rookie AJ Green. RB Cedric Benson is a free agent. Re-signing him should be a priority so that Dalton has a strong running game to help him out.

I think Dalton was drafted too early, but taking him in the 2nd round was reasonable. There was pre-draft speculation that he might go in the Top 20 picks. That seemed insane to me. Listen, you can’t help but love Dalton as a person. He’s absolutely the kind of guy you want running your offense and representing your organization. I just have some questions about whether he’s able to be a high quality starting QB in the NFL.

Cincy went for a defensive player in the 3rd round. They grabbed LB Dontay Moch from Nevada. Moch actually was a DE in college, but at 6’1, 248 will need to shift to LB in the NFL. He is a very gifted athlete and should be able to make the transition. He has great speed and that can help him as a LB playing more in space. Moch was a force off the edge at Nevada. He racked up 25.5 sacks in the last 3 years. He was the WAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2009. Marvin Lewis has done a great job of developing LBs going back to his days as a positional coach with the Steelers 20 years ago. If he thinks Moch has what it takes to make the transition to LB, it is hard to dispute that. Moch definitely has the physical ability. Now he’s got to develop the skills. He’ll benefit from the teaching of LBs coach Jeff FitzGerald. Moch can contribute right away as a STs player and situational pass rusher. Adjusting to LB could take a year or two.

I was surprised to see OG Clint Boling fall all the way to the 4th round, where the Bengals snatched him up. I thought he could go as early as the late 2nd round. Boling isn’t great in any way, but is a pretty complete prospect. He is versatile, having started at both G and T for Georgia. He has plenty of experience as well. Boling has good size at 6’5, 308. He’s not athletic enough to be a regular starter at OT in the NFL, but could fill in there if needed. He’s got the potential to be an outstanding G. Boling is a quality pass blocker, but also has the strength and tenacity to be a good run blocker. He was very impressive at the Senior Bowl. I think one thing that hurt Boling’s value was how much he moved around at Georgia. He basically played everywhere but Center. That kept him from becoming a force at any one position. Excellent pick. Good player and very good value.

In the 5th round the Bengals rolled the dice on a talented Safety, taking Robert Sands from West Va. Sands feels like a typical Bengals pick. He has all the potential in the world, but didn’t consistently play up to that level in college. He’s huge at 6’4, 217. Good athlete. Made a lot of plays in 2009 (5 INTs), but wasn’t as productive in 2010, only 1 pick. Sands has the physical ability to be a good NFL Safety. I wonder if he has the instincts and the discipline. He never showed much feel for the game when I watched tape of him. Safety is a position that requires instincts. His tackling needs to be more consistent. Like so many young players, Sands has fallen in love with big hits. That’s great when they work, but not so much when you miss. Sands left WVA after his Junior season. That’s too bad. I think another year of playing could have really helped him. Sands very much feels like a boom or bust pick.

Cincy added another WR, selecting Ryan Whalen in the 6th round. Whalen was a good player at Stanford, but never impressed me as an NFL caliber prospect. In the last 2 years combined he was 82-947-3.  Sure, Stanford is a running team, but only 3 TDs in 2 years?  Whalen does have good size at 6’1, 202. He is skilled. Ryan runs good routes and catches the ball well. He could be a #4 WR and STs player. I just don’t see much more than that. He isn’t a great athlete. He isn’t a guy that is ideal in the slot (quick with RAC ability). Ryan feels like a possession receiver and not much more. He did play in a pro style offense at Stanford and that will help his transition to the NFL. He is a high character guy and maybe the Bengals value having a receiver like that. They took him at a place where taking chances on guys makes sense. We’ll see if Whalen is a better NFL player than I think.

The Bengals had a pair of 7th round picks. First, they chose CB Korey Lindsey from Southern Illinois. Good pick. There was pre-draft talk that Lindsey could be as high as a mid-rounder. He was a very good player for SIU and NFL teams were impressed. The Benglas brought him to Cincy for a pre-draft visit so this was a player they had targeted. Lindsey was a I-AA All American. He had 14 career INTs. Lindsey likes to play off and then break on the ball. Jonathan Joseph does that a lot now for the Bengals so you can see why they liked Lindsey. Korey had a hamstring injury in the offseason that kept him from giving teams a full workout. I think not knowing just how athletic he is caused him to fall a bit. Normally you focus on the game tape, but with kids coming from smaller schools and not facing NFL competition, that can be tricky. You really want a good time on those prospects.

Finally the Bengals took Baylor RB Jay Finley. I also liked this pick. Finley has the kind of size I like in a RB, 5’11, 203. He’s not so big that he makes for an easy hitting/tackling target, but he is big enough to deal with LBs when he’s got to run over them or try to block them. Finley runs in the 4.5 range which is solid speed for a RB. Finley only started a handful of games in his first 3 years. He had a breakout Senior season. Finley ran for 1,218 yards and 12 TDs. He delivered his share of big plays and averaged 6.2 yards per carry. Finley was a good backup prior to 2010. He had 2,660 yards for his career and averaged 5.6 ypc. He’s the kind of hard-working overachiever type that can be a good role player in the NFL, if not something more.

by Tommy Lawlor  -  http://www.ScoutsNotebook.com

Tennessee Titans

1 – QB Jake Locker – 6’3, 231 – Washington
2 – LB Akeem Ayers – 6’3, 254 – UCLA
3 – DT Jurrell Casey – 6’1, 300 – USC
4 – LB Colin McCarthy – 6’1, 238 – Miami
4 – RB Jamie Harper – 5’11, 233 – Clemson
5 – DT Karl Klug – 6’3, 275 – Iowa
6 – OT Byron Stingily – 6’5, 315 – Louisville
7 – DT Zach Clayton – 6’2, 299 – Auburn
7 – DB Tommie Campbell – 6’3, 203 – Calif. (PA)

The Titans must really like their scout for the Western region. The first 3 picks were UW, UCLA, and USC. The Pac-10 comes to Nashville. All this is exactly what I predicted. It was so obvious to everyone that the Titans draft would unfold exactly that way. Or not.

I was shocked when they went with QB Jake Locker at #8. I knew the Titans needed a QB for the long term, but I just didn’t think Locker would go that early. I don’t think he’s worth that pick. My personal feelings aside, there was little talk of Locker going to Tennessee. That pick really surprised me.

We all know Jake is very talented. He’s got good size and is a terrific athlete. Jake could pursue a baseball career if he wanted. You absolutely see his athletic ability on the football field. He’s nimble in the pocket and dangerous as a runner. Jake ran for 1,939 yards and 29 TDs in college (and remember sack yards lowered that yardage total). Jake has the arm to make every throw in the book. There are times when he made some great intermediate and deep throws. He can put the ball into tight spaces and has good velocity. What’s not to love?

While Jake has all the natural ability in the world, he is still raw. Normally this wouldn’t be a huge deal. Cam Newton is raw, but went 1st overall. The difference is that Jake played in a pro style offense for 4 years. He had very good QB coaching for the last couple of seasons. After all that, he should not look as raw as he does. Things weren’t always ideal for him (lack of great OL or skill players), but I don’t think that excuses Jake’s lack of progress. He should have shown more development as a QB than he did.

I have no doubts that Jake can be a good NFL QB. Will that happen? Very different feeling there. I’m just not so sure that will happen. So why did the Titans take him 8th overall? Clearly they love his talent. Also, he has great intangibles, which was a major issue with Vince Young. Jake is a natural leader. He really commands the huddle and you can see that the other players play hard for him. This is critical for the Titans. Chris Johnson comes across as a flighty guy. Kenny Britt definitely has issues. That huddle needs a leader as much as a gifted passer. And Jake can be that guy. The pick will make sense if he can just develop into a consistently solid passer.

I was surprised in the 2nd round when the Titans grabbed LB Akeem Ayers. He seemed destined for a 3-4 team where his pass rushing skills could be really taken advantage of. The Titans brought him in for a visit before the draft so that tells you he is a player they had targeted. New coach Mike Munchak has said that he wanted to get bigger in the front seven. Putting Ayers at SAM is definitely a way to get bigger. Ayers has ideal size for SAM at 6’3, 254. He is able to cover. He’s got agility, but also shows a feel for coverage. Ayers can set the edge on run plays. He’s big and strong enough to take on blockers and battle them at the POA. What makes Ayers special is his ability as a playmaker. In his 3 years at UCLA he racked up 29.5 TFLs, 6 INTs, 7 FFs, and 10 pass deflections. Not too shabby. 14 of the TFLs were sacks. Some came on blitzes, but others came when Ayers lined up at DE and rushed the passer.

Originally I thought Ayers would be a mid-1st round pick. I loved his game tape. He had a poor showing at the Combine. He was just too slow to be a high pick. Overall, he’s a solid athlete. He’s quick and has good COD. Ayers has good game tape and could turn out to be a great pick. The guy shows up on gameday. I think he was excellent value in the early 2nd. TEN has done well with developing LBs over the years so Ayers is in a good place.

Next up is DT Jurrell Casey, a Junior DT from USC. He is a pure one-gap DT. Casey is 6’1, 300 and loves to fire off the ball and attack upfield. He doesn’t have the explosiveness to be a force up front, but Casey is athletic enough to become a starting DT. He is quick off the ball. He pursues well. Casey moves well laterally. He’s a smart player with good awareness. Casey is active and had 59 or more tackles each of the last 2 years, a good total for a DT. There is a lot to like. The downside is that he needs to be more stout vs the run. Teams that run at him will have some success. He’s a solid pass rusher, but not great. He had 9 career sacks. 3 of them came vs lesser competition. Casey was solid value in the 3rd and fits the Titans scheme well. He’ll come in as a backup to Tony Brown and Jason Jones, but could become a starter in time.

The Titans wanted new bodies at LB. Ayers went in the 2nd and in the 4th they added Colin McCarthy from Miami. He projects to the inside in the NFL, but played both OLB and MLB in college. The Titans probably view McCarthy as an insurance policy. They’d love to re-sign free agent Stephen Tulloch, but if he gets a great offer from another team it doesn’t seem like Tennessee with try to match. If Tulloch does leave, it will be interesting to see what happens at MLB. Does Will Witherspoon get shifted in there? Does McCarthy get a chance to play as a rookie? McCarthy is very experienced. He played a ton at Miami. McCarthy finished his career with more than 300 total tackles. He also had 35 TFLs, very impressive for a LB. McCarthy certainly looks like someone that will be a starting MLB at some point. He has the size and skills. Good enough athlete. He likes to attack downhill. He needs to do a better job of reading plays and then going to the ball. McCarthy seems like a coachable guy and that is something that can be worked on. Good value pick in the 4th round.

I was surprised to see Clemson RB Jamie Harper go in the 4th round. Harper impressed me at times, but I just didn’t expect him to go that early. He left Clemson after his Junior season. Harper only got to be the feature back for one year and piled up 760 yards and 7 TDs, hardly staggering numbers. Does he have NFL ability? Yes. Harper, fair or not, just makes me nervous. One solid season at Clemson convinced him to head for the NFL? We’ll see. He does have good size at 5’11, 233. He runs well for a big back. The thing that stood out to me was what a good pass catcher he is. Harper was 35-328-3 as a receiver in 2010. Beyond the numbers, he showed good hands and the ability to make tough catches. Harper is a good fit for the Titans. Chris Johnson is the workhorse, but isn’t a great goal line or short yardage runner. Harper and his size can help in those areas. Javon Ringer is another talented runner in the mix. He’s a capable backup, but is ideally someone you’d like to have as your #3 RB.

DL Karl Klug as the next pick. He played DT at Iowa, but could very well move to DE in the NFL. Klug is 6’3, 275. He was an attacking 1-gap DT in college. He could be a situational DT in the NFL, but with Munchak saying he wants more size on defense it would make sense that Klug will be a DE in the base unit. He can obviously move inside in sub packages. Klug was a disruptive interior player at Iowa. In 2 years as a starter he had 9.5 sacks and 26 TFLs. Klug played some DE early in his career at Iowa, but moving there in the NFL would be a big adjustment. He’s not used to playing in space. His specialty is exploding off the ball and going straight up the field. There’s a whole other set of angles and moves at DE. Plus, beating OTs off the edge is much more challenging that getting by interior blockers. Klug does have the build to be a solid LDE. He’s got the toughness to hold up vs the run. If Klug fails as a DE, he could be a good STer and situational DT. The Titans showed interest in him prior to the draft so this is a player they think can work despite the changes. Solid 5th round pick.

Tennessee went for an O-lineman in the 6th round, taking OT Byron Stingily from Louisville. The Titans have a pair of very good starters in LT Michael Roos and RT David Stewart, but there is always a need for depth. Stingily has the size and athleticism to play in the NFL. He’s 6’5, 315 and posted good workout numbers. The game tape is also impressive. He has the physicality to be a good run blocker. He’s tough and physical and puts good effort into his run blocks. Stingily is athletic enough to potentially be a LT in the NFL. He takes short, choppy steps and has solid footwork. Stingily does need to work on how to use his hands. He should have time to develop, which he will need. Good value in the 6th.

The Titans had a pair of 7th round picks. First up they went for Auburn DT Zach Clayton. He’s 6’2, 299 and is another 1-gap type of DT. Clayton was “the other guy” to Nick Fairley in 2010. No shame in that. Fairley dominated. Clayton was solid. He had 8 TFLs. Clayton was very much under the radar until his Pro Day. He put up fantastic numbers (ran 4.87 and did the 3-cone in 7.35). Game tape shows that Clayton is a good athlete as well. He doesn’t project as a future starter, but could develop into a good backup.

Finally the Titans took DB Tommie Campbell. He had one of the more interesting backgrounds of anyone in the draft. Tommie began at Pitt back in 2005 (that was the Bronze Age I think). He was a backup SS. In 2006 he moved to WLB and started 6 games. Grades forced him to leave Pitt and he played at Edinboro in 2007 as a SS. Campbell left there and quit football. He was a janitor and PIT Intl Airport when he was offered a chance to play at Calif. PA in 2010. Campbell grabbed the chance and had a solid year. He even got some starts at CB. Campbell has good size at 6’3, 205. He projects to Safety in the NFL. He had a solid workout at his Pro Day and showed that he’s got NFL athleticism. His versatility as a WLB/SS/CB should help him adjust to life in the NFL, where players must do a variety of things well. Moving around hurts him because Campbell is far from a polished player and he could use quite a bit of coaching and practice time. Good value in the 7th round.

by Tommy Lawlor  -  http://www.ScoutsNotebook.com

Jacksonville Jaguars

1 – QB Blaine Gabbert – Missouri – 6’4, 234
3 – OL Will Rackley – Lehigh – 6’3, 309
4 – WR Cecil Shorts – Mt. Union – 6’0, 205
4 – S Chris Prosinski – Wyoming – 6’1, 210
5 – CB Rod Isaac – MTSU – 5’11, 190

In recent years the Jaguars have become one of the more interesting teams to follow in the draft. GM Gene Smith marches to the beat of his own drummer and isn’t afraid to make bold picks. We were all shocked when he took DL Tyson Alualu last year. This year Smith decided to surprise us once again, but in a more conventional way. He traded up to the 10th pick and took Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert.

Smith obviously felt like Gabbert was great value at that point. There was some talk Gabbert could go as high as #1 so to see him slip down and still be available at pick 10 must have been a no-brainer. Smith did have to deal the Jags 2nd round pick to move from 16 to 10, but that’s a reasonable price for a franchise QB, which is how they see Gabbert.

Blaine will likely spend the 2011 season watching from the bench. Incumbent starter David Garrard is still a solid player. While Gabbert has a world of potential, he does have plenty of learning to do. Gabbert only started 2 years at Mizzou. He played in a spread offense. He needs to learn how to run a pro style offense. The most obvious adjustment for Gabbert will be learning to play under Center. Adjusting to taking snaps, dropping back, and developing precise footwork are best done over a long period of time. Rushing a young player can lead to bad habits.

Gabbert gives the Jags their most talented QB in a long time. He’s big at 6’4, 234. He has a strong arm and can make all the throws. Gabbert isn’t just a pocket passer. He actually has pretty good athletic ability. He doesn’t have great QB skills because of the offense that he was in, but he does have the physical ability to develop into a top shelf QB. Gabbert also seems like a natural leader and high character player. Being a good QB means having good intangibles as well as physical ability and passing skills. From that standpoint, Gabbert seems like a very smart choice.      Read the rest of this entry »

by Tommy Lawlor  -  http://www.ScoutsNotebook.com

There is a very good new blog for fans of the NFC East called Blogging the bEast.  Jimmy just put up a post that really fascinated me.  He compared the numbers of MLBs London Fletcher and Ray Lewis.  They are remarkably similar.  I don’t think anyone would dispute that Ray is the better player, but London is woefully underrated.

London Fletcher’s resume:

* Never missed a game.

* Started in 2 Super Bowls, won with the Rams in 1999.

* Led Rams to 2 seasons where defense finished in both Top 10 in fewest points, yards allowed.

* Led Bills to 2 seasons where defense finished in both Top 10 in fewest points, yards allowed.

* Led Skins to 2 seasons where defense finished in both Top 11 in fewest points, yards allowed.

* Check out Jimmy’s post for all the stats.  London has put up some great numbers.

The fact that London Fletcher has only made the Pro Bowl twice tells you all that you need to know about the insanity of the Pro Bowl.  Fletcher is an afterthought compared to Brian Urlacher, but I’d take Fletcher in a heartbeat.  Urlacher can make some highlight plays, but Chicago has had more mediocre defenses than good ones in his tenure.

Fletcher has played for different teams, coaches, and in a variety of schemes.  He’s performed at a high level no matter what.  His durability is frightening.  I don’t know how a smaller MLB like him is able to be so physical and remain on the field.

I generally think anecdotal evidence is sketchy, but there was an Eagles/Skins game a few years back that really made me appreciate just how good London Fletcher was.  On a play early in the game Eagles Center Jamaal Jackson (6’4, 330) got pushed aside by Fletcher on a run play.  That showed great strength, power.  Later on the Eagles ran a wheel route with Brian Westbrook.  Fletcher had him blanketed along the sideline and this was 20-30 yards down the field.  How are you supposed to deal with a MLB that can toss your giant C around and then cover your elite pass-catching RB on a downfield route?

London Fletcher won’t make the Hall of Fame, but he’s one of the few players I’d genuinely like to meet.  To me, he is the consummate pro middle linebacker.  He can play in any system.  He is a leader on any team he’s playing for.  He doesn’t try to be flashy.  Fletcher knows his job is to control the middle of the field.  He does that very well.  He doesn’t sell out to land SportsCenter hits, but Fletcher is a punishing hitter within the context of being a good LB.  Coaches have to love this guy.

Ray Lewis is one of the all-time greats.  Fletcher isn’t on that level, but I do think more people should appreciate just what a good player he is.  Age is starting to catch up with him a bit so we’ve only got a couple more years to enjoy seeing him play.

by Tommy Lawlor  -  http://www.ScoutsNotebook.com

Indianapolis Colts

1 – OT Anthony Castonzo – Boston College – 6’7, 311
2 – OL Ben Ijalana – Villanova – 6’4, 317
3 – DT Drake Nevis – LSU – 6’1, 294
4 – RB Delone Carter – Syracuse – 5’9, 222
6 – CB Chris Rucker – Michigan State – 6’1, 195

GM Bill Polian said last year that he regretted passing on OT Rodger Saffold in the 2010 draft. With most GMs you would take that with a grain of salt, but Polian is a straight shooter. He doesn’t play a lot of games with his comments. So it was no surprise to see the Colts focus on the O-line with their first couple of picks. Peyton Manning is a great QB, but even he needs to have a clean pocket to be at his best.

I’m sure the Colts were ecstatic when their pick came up and Anthony Castonzo was still on the board. He is pretty NFL-ready and that’s important. They need someone to plug in at LT early on. Charlie Johnson is the incumbent LT and he may or may not be a free agent. Even if he’s back, the Colts want an upgrade. That also allows them to move Johnson inside where he might be a better fit.

Castonzo should be the starting LT this year. He was the LT in a pro-style offense for the last 3 years. He knows what he’s doing. Anthony has enough athletic ability to play the position. The only real adjustment is the one that all guys make – adapting to the NFL. And that is going to be a big challenge. I was very high on Anthony last summer. He was my favorite OT heading into the 2010 season. For some reason he didn’t play well early on. I guess you’d call it a bad case of senioritis. I remember seeing a Kent State DE push Anthony around on a play and that really got my attention. Castonzo did improve as the year went along, but still didn’t play as well as he did as a Junior.

I do think he was good value where the Colts got him and can be a real good pro. Anthony had a pretty good showing at the Senior Bowl. The highly competitive environment brought out the best in him. He’ll need to respond the same way to playing in the NFL. He’s not good enough to get by with 85%. He must be ready to play each week and really get after it. If he does that, Castonzo should be a good LT for a long time.

In the 2nd round the Colts stayed with the O-line and took Ben Ijalana from Villanova. He played LT for the Wildcats, but will move in the NFL. The Colts can put him at G for now, but he could eventually play RT. That position is solid for now with Ryan Diem, but he’ll turn 32 next month. While Ijalana is coming in from a I-AA school, he’s not a complete project like some guys.

Ijalana started for 4 years. He was a gifted player in high school. He’s got a lot of experience. Ijalana has a good combination of athleticism and skill. It will be interesting to see how hard the Colts push him early on. Do they see him starting at OG in 2011 or just learning so he’s ready to play when someone gets hurt? The Colts do have the attitude that rookies should be able to contribute if called on. They don’t give out “redshirt years” the way that a lot of other teams do. Ijalana was good value in the late 2nd round. There was speculation in December/early January that he could sneak into the 1st round. Unfortunately he played part of the year with an injury and that had to be dealt with after the season. That cost him the ability to play in the Senior Bowl or workout at the Combine. There was no way a I-AA player was going early without the help of the postseason events.

The Colts added DT Drake Nevis in the 3rd round. Perfect fit. Nevis was a terrific 1-gap DT for LSU and is a match for the kind of DTs that the Colts use. He has excellent quickness and can be very disruptive. When he times his get-off just right, it looks like he’s shot out of a cannon. And the Colts could use help up the middle. They only got 4 sacks from DTs last year (3.5 by Eric Foster). Fili Moala was a 2nd round pick a couple of years ago and has gotten off to a slow start with his NFL career. There’s no guarantee Nevis will be great, but he’s got the perfect skill set for what the Colts want to do. He had 10 sacks over the last 2 seasons. As a Senior he added 3 FFs and even had an INT. That kind of disruptive ability is what the Colts need.

Nevis is a system player. He needs to fire off the ball and attack upfield. He can struggle when teams run at him. He is a bit undersized at 6’1, 294, but plays accordingly. He stays low and is able to get under the blocks of some OL. That helps him to penetrate and get into the backfield. It obviously hurts when teams are running his way. Blockers can easily bury him. Nevis will need to work on his run defense. Even if he’s just a backup and situational player, he can help. Nevis has a very good motor and can make impact plays. Good value in the 3rd round.

Despite what Polian says to the media, the Colts rushing attack needed help and they got it when they used a 4th round pick on Delone Carter. The Syracuse RB had some injuries early in his career, but played well his final 2 years. He went over 1,000 yards each season and ran for 20 TDs in the 2 years combined. Carter is a different kind of RB than the Colts have had in a while. He is 5’9, 222. There are times when he’ll remind you of a less dynamic Maurice Jones-Drew. Carter might be short, but he’s strong and runs hard. He’s got some pop. He’s mainly a N-S runner. Carter does have enough wiggle and athleticism to get outside and be effective in space. Donald Brown has been disappointing so far in his time in Indy. Joseph Addai might be a UFA (stupid CBA uncertainty drives me crazy…can’t imagine being a player and not knowing). There is a role for Carter in the offense no matter who the starter is. He’s the heaviest back on the roster. He will give the Colts a good short yardage runner and be a good change-of-pace back. Addai ran for 38 TDs in his 4.5 years of action. Brown has just 5 TDs in 2 years. If Addai goes, Carter can help out in the Red Zone for sure. Carter could possibly also play some FB in certain sets. Another good pick in terms of value and fit.  Also a fun guy to watch.

The final pick by the Colts was DB Chris Rucker from Michigan State. He is the type of CB who should fit well in their system. Rucker is big at 6’1, 195. He is physical. He’s better as a press/zone guy than in man-to-man. He’s not a major playmaker, but is productive. Each of the last 2 seasons he had 37 or more solo tackles, 2 FFs, at least one INT, and 7 PDs. Those aren’t highlight stats, but do show a consistently productive player who can hit, cover, and tackle. Rucker is also the biggest CB Indy has on the roster. That can come in handy when facing guys like Andre Johnson, Kenny Britt, and Mike Sims-Walker twice a year. Of course, Rucker is just a 6th round pick so it isn’t like he’ll be squaring off with those WRs right away, but I’m sure one reason the Colts took a chance on him was his size. Now we have to see if he’s got the athletic ability to play in the NFL.