The Penn State Football Show

Here are some encouraging comments about the leaders stepping up this off-season:

http://www.nittanynetwork.com/index.php/component/resource/article/6-football-stories/434-lions-not-lacking-leadership

I'm starting to get excited...

Also, from the same site, here is a list of the top 10 PSU QB's of all time. I think Zack Mills has to be in the top ten for what he did in his career. And Chuck Fusina is my man.

http://www.nittanynetwork.com/index.php/component/resource/article/6-football-stories/431-nfr--psu's-all-time-top-10-quarterbacks

NFL DRAFT

I’ve covered the draft from a Penn State perspective. Now I will discuss the draft from a draftnik’s perspective.

As a 49er fan, I was very pleased with this draft. After getting Michael Crabtree with the tenth overall pick, San Fran could honestly have drafted Rudy with their next pick and I still would have been ecstatic. I said it a few weeks ago: I think Crabtree is the top overall prospect in this entire draft. I kept hearing he might fall to the 49ers at 10, but had a hard time believing it could actually happen. I can not wait to see what he does at the next level. He is the #1 wide receiver that the team has lacked since TO left.

After that, I liked the trade they made to pick up a #1 for 2010, although I also would have been happy seeing them take Everette Brown who was there for them in the second. Brown was projected as a first round pick, so I was surprised he lasted to the Niners in round two. Nevertheless, there must have been something that the scouts didn’t like about him, since they traded the pick.

I liked the picks of Glenn Coffee and Scott McKillop. The only pick I didn’t like was Nate Davis from Ball State. I watched him this year and was not impressed. I know he was great in college, but he doesn’t look like an NFL type QB to me. I would have rather them taken Graham Harrell or Drew Willy, but time will tell.

Okay, I realize nobody else cares about the 49ers, so I will just give my opinion on some of the biggest picks of the draft. I will start by listing what I thought were the best value picks in the draft:

-Chris Wells at 31 is an absolute steal. He was the best back in the draft in my opinion, and for him to fall that far is incredible. He’s my early pick to win Rookie of the Year next year for Arizona.

-Rashad Johnson at the end of the third to Arizona was another steal. I listed him in an earlier post as one of my favorite players in this draft because he was such a playmaker and a leader for Alabama. I think he will be a starting safety in the NFL.

-Darius Butler to New England in the second. The debate is between Butler, Vontae Davis and Malcolm Jenkins for who the top corner in the draft was. The other two went in the first, so Butler was the best value pick of the three.

-Orakpo falling to 13 was surprising. He could have just as easily gone in the top 5. He is a great player, and the Redskins wisely pounced on him when he was still on the board at 13. I have no idea how Denver passed on him to take a running back.

-Duke Robinson out of Oklahoma had a great college career. Somehow he fell all the way to the fifth (163). The Panthers will be happy with this pick. He has experience at both guard and tackle. I think he will be a successful pro.

-Tackle Thomas Morstead went with the very next pick after Robinson. He was rated highly on many people’s boards, including draft guru Gil Brandt. That’s good enough for me. He was on the board for too long.

-AQ Shipley: He should have been picked earlier than the seventh round. He will have a long career in the NFL.

WORST PICKS:

-Darrius Heyward-Bey at number 8 to Oakland. I’m sure you’ve already heard all about this crazy pick, but honestly, this was just dumb. I kept hearing that the Raiders love speed, and that they may even take Maclin or Heyward-Bey at #8 over Crabtree, but I refused to believe these rumors until I actually saw it happen. Al Davis is out of his mind. First, Crabtree is without a doubt the best wide receiver in this draft. Second, how can you take a player in the top 10 based solely on his impressive size-speed ratio? That’s exactly what they did. His production at Maryland was not incredibly impressive. It’s foolish to pick someone that high just because the guy is 210 lbs. and runs a 4.3. Those measurables only go so far. You need to get a proven consistent playmaker at that spot, not somebody that actually had games last year where he failed to record a single reception.

-Knowshon Moreno to the Broncos at 12. I’m not saying he’s not a great running back, because I think he is. But this pick doesn’t make sense to me for the Broncos. A lot of people liked this pick, but I just don’t understand it, when they have so many needs on defense. Brian Orakpo was there. He would have been a perfect fit, and they should have been happy to have him fall that far. Most importantly, why did they go out and sign all of those free agent running backs this off-season? I liked what they did this off-season going out and getting Buckhaulter, Arrington and Lamont Jordan, who I think are all solid backs. Running back, in my opinion was not a big need for Denver, especially since you can get good value at running back in the later rounds. They had much larger needs they could have filled with this pick, and taking Moreno doesn’t make sense to me. A lot of people liked this pick, but I just don’t agree. I liked their next pick taking Robert Ayers later in the first, though.

-Josh Freeman: I just don’t see it. I think he’s overrated. He’s a good athlete, but I don’t see him being successful in the NFL. His decision making is lacking and his mechanics are far from where they need to be. I realize it may be a large drop off to the next group of quarterbacks after him, but that doesn’t make Freeman a first round pick. He is head and shoulders below Sanchez and Stafford. I don’t think Freeman will be an NFL starter.

More to come including which teams I thought had the best drafts.

I was not able to make it to Penn State for the Blue White Game, and it was not televised, so I can’t really provide any insight on the game. I know Rudy dished out ten bucks to watch it online, so hopefully he can share what he saw.

Of course, you can’t really take much out of the Blue White Game anyway. Remember how good Morelli looked in his first Blue White game? Anyway, from what I’ve read about it, everything went as expected: Clark looked great. Offensive line struggled. Secondary struggled. I read that Derek Moye looked pretty good at wide receiver. Also, apparently Andrew Quarless had a big game… maybe he will finally come to play this year. If so, he could be in store for a huge senior season. I also heard good things about Hodges, the freshman safety.

While I missed the Blue White Game, I certainly did not miss the NFL Draft this weekend. As most of you know, the NFL Draft is my favorite event of the year, and this year did not disappoint. I watched every second of the first round, missed the second round because I had to make my pitching debut for the Brookline Black Sox, but then watched almost all of Day 2, missing only some of the seventh round. So, basically, on the only weekend of nice weather I’ve had since moving to Pittsburgh, I sat in front of the television for over 15 hours watching nothing but the draft. And I loved every second of it.

Since this is a Penn State Football blog, I will once again start with my thoughts on Penn Staters in the draft, before moving on to the draft as a whole:

I was EXTREMELY pleased with the way the draft went for the Nittany Lions. Maybin went very high (#11 to Buffalo) and to a perfect fit for him. As stated in my earlier post, I really didn’t think Maybin projected well as a 3-4 outside linebacker as many people had projected him to be. Putting him at linebacker takes away his biggest strength: His explosive first step off the line. I think Buffalo will handle Maybin the right way: Slowly let him get his feet wet in the NFL. I think he will start out as a third down pass-rushing specialist, because I don’t think he is ready to be a 3-down player in the NFL. But if they put him in on passing downs, he can make in impact early. Eventually he can become an every down player too. I also like the fact that he is teamed with Poz.

Derrick Williams went in the third round, which is right about where most people expected. I personally don’t think he is worth a third round selection, but I hope he proves me wrong. I’m sure Detroit will plan on using him as a returner, but I don’t think he will pan out as a punt returner. He may work out as a kick returner though.

Deon Butler went surprisingly early (round 3 to Seattle). I am happy for him and hope he succeeds.

The pick I was most happy to see was Rich Ohrenberger going to New England in the fourth round. Most people didn’t have Ohrenberger getting drafted at all, so fourth round is extremely early for him. He was a tremendous college player that many people didn’t think translated well to the NFL, mainly due to a lack of size. However, if there is a team that knows what they are doing in the draft, it’s the New England Patriots. They obviously saw something in Rich that they liked, and I’m sure he will succeed in their program with the coaching he will get.

I was also very happy to see AQ Shipley go to Pittsburgh. Again, another perfect fit. I knew as soon as Pittsburgh passed on Unger in the first that they would take Shipley later in the draft. They love taking Penn State guys, and Shipley is the perfect Steeler. He is a little undersized and has short arms, but is a very hard worker, and just a great overall football player. I’ve heard a lot of discussion about whether or not he will make the squad. I think he will, and I think he will have a 15 year career with the Steelers. He played high school football in Moon, college ball at Penn State, and now professional football for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the words of Nick Powden, “That’s ideal. That’s what you want.”

Gerald Cadogan, Maurice Evans and Jordan Norwood all went undrafted. Cadogan and Norwood don’t surprise me, but I thought someone would take a shot on Evans just based on the potential he showed as a sophomore. I have NEVER, seen anyone’s draft stock plummet as much as Mo Evans. After his sophomore campaign, he was projected as a top 15 pick. I really doubt that there have been many players that have fallen from a top 15 pick to being completely undrafted. I’m sure all three will be signed by a team, if they haven’t already.

MATTHEW STAFFORD: He has all the physical tools you look for in quarterback, and I’ve heard a million times that he “can make all the throws.” But so could Kyle Boller. I think Stafford is a great prospect, but I don’t think he is worth the first overall pick.

My main argument against Stafford is that to me, in a quarterback, you need a leader and a winner. Georgia is loaded with talent year in and year out. They were the preseason number one last year. If Stafford was a great leader and a winner, they would have done much more last year. At quarterback, you need a winner. Someone to lead the team to victory in crunch time. Stafford has not shown he is that guy.

JEREMY MACLIN: He was very productive in Missouri’s wide-open offense, but I don’t think he projects well to the NFL. I agree with Rudy’s assessment. He’s an explosive guy, but he’s not an NFL #1. He won’t be anything more than a deep threat in the NFL.

JOSH FREEMAN: The only reason he is even being mentioned as a first rounder is because of how big the drop-off is after him. But this guy is not going to be an NFL starting quarterback in my opinion. His mechanics are not even close to where they need to be. I don’t see him being successful in the NFL, and if a team takes him in the top two rounds, they are making a mistake.

DERRICK WILLIAMS: See my write-up in earlier post.

MICHAEL OHER: Too inconsistent to be a top 10 pick.

AARON MAYBIN: See write-up in earlier post. Not proven enough to warrant a top 15 pick.

So it's been a while since I last wrote anything of substance on here, but I have been busy. Strangely enough I have two finals and a project due in the next 3 days so why I am choosing now to write...I don't know. But the draft is this weekend and so is the Blue/White game. I will talk about the draft now, maybe the BW game later...

DRAFT:
Pete I like your analysis. I feel like Maybin may be one of those guys a team won't want to pass on. I think that he will be the most sought after DE in the draft over Orakpo simply because of his desire (they are very similar athletically and physically). Maybin will go in the top ten despite most experts saying he will go 11th to Buffalo. Plus its hard enough to have my Patriots play against Poz...I dont need another PSU guy hunting down Tom Brady. Bad for business.

Williams will go in the second round. He has decent hands and he is a physical receiver and a strong runner with the football (not a flopper like Randy Moss/Marvin Harrison/etc). The receivers this year are very underwhelming with the exception of Crabtree, who when healthy will be a playmaker. Great hands and great motor and fight in him. Calvin Johnson was a similar guy at GT, but his NFL career has yet to take off, part of which may be due to his lack of determination. Other than Crabtree though...no one else is a great WR. Many have Maclin going in the top 10, and in my opinion he is NOT a very good WR. Certainly extremely fast and a great returnman, but undersized, not very strong, and will never be a go to receiver, just a big play guy. As for a guy that Pete likes a lot, Nicks from UNC...very good numbers, but he is not very fluid. He sort of clamps down on the ball when he catches it rather than accepting it. This was very evident to me last night when, upon Pete's request, I watched the ESPN skills competition, where Jordan Norwood was able to showcase his hands. Butler and Norwood will both be drafted. Butler could go in the 3rd or 4th because his speed is very elite. Norwood is a reliable guy that teams will be able to count of for catching. Receivers are tough to draft because many times teams will get guys who are fast, strong, tall, whatever...but they dont have great hands and they think that at some point they'll learn to catch better. Not the case. Patriots in 2006 drafted Chad Jackson from Florida with the 36th pick of the draft. Total waste, the guy cant catch. Reliable hands are not a commodity, and I expect teams to be salivating if Norwood is still available in the 7th round.

Shipley is another under the radar guy. One of the highest wonderlic scores at the combine, great athleticism, but again people point to things like short arms, small hands, no height...whatever people, this guy is a great football player who transitioned from DL to center and became the Remington Trophy winner. He will have a successful NFL career. Cadogan should perform well in the NFL as well. He made huge strides from his junior to senior season. Finally, Dan Lawlor. He won't get drafted, but he'll make a team and will be an asset. This guy is a great blocker and has decent speed as well.

Others: At quarterback I feel the best guy out there is Sanchez. It's tough not to think that after he torched Penn State with precise passes that simply could not be defended by the 3-deep coverage of Penn State. He has a strong arm, kind of a long motion, but great accuracy and mobility. I feel he is a much better quarterback than Leinart ever was (total bust). As for Stafford, I think he's trash. I also have a newly discovered hatred for the University of Georgia, but I've never liked this guy. Overhyped like the rest of the team. Ranked #1 at the beginning of the year!? Give me a break. Moreno is another guy who is overrated and simply a youtube allstar. Look at me, I hurdle people! Too bad that's one of the first things a football coach will tell you not to do. One day he'll find out the consequences of leaving your feet in the NFL.

Some quick hitters:
BJ Raji (BC) - total freak
Michael Johnson (GT) - total freak but also total pussy
Vontae Davis (ILL) and Malcom Jenkins (OSU) - nasty corners that will play immediately
Laurenitis (OSU) - people say that he is very overrated, but I feel like he will have a solid career
Donald Brown (UConn) - Best RB in the draft. NFL ready (people get so excited over these guys in college that have 90 yard runs...that doesnt happen in the NFL...you gotta be able to pound)
USC LB's - Cushing is the only one worth drafting in the 1st round, but he's on steroids anyway. Maualuga is slower than my dog if you chopped her two right legs off (love you Sadie).

Sleepers:
Nate Davis (Ball State) - Saw this guy play on ESPN one time and he's a great passer and will be a starting QB in the next few years
Travis Beckum (Wisc) - Last year this time people would have had him going in the first two rounds, but some injuries and a down year for Wisconsin have hurt his stock, but this guy could be a Dallas Clark kind of guy. Great hands, pretty fast and good strength (not a great blocker but that's something easily improved).
Shonn Greene (Iowa) - Can't believe no one is talking about him. Another NFL ready kind of guy that will be more durable than Beanie Wells who is injury prone (also a freak if he's healthy).

PROSPECTS I LIKE

MICHAEL CRABTREE WR TEXAS TECH– Crabtree is listed first on this list for a very good reason. He is, in my opinion, the best overall player in this draft. He measured out a littler shorter than I had anticipated at 6’1”, which hurts him a little, but he is still an absolute STUD.

The guy has great size, great hands, adequate speed, knows how to get open, and most importantly, he makes plays. We all saw how clutch he was with that incredible game-winning catch against Texas.

Some people have concerns about his speed. In response to that, I would just like to remind everyone that there were also concerns over the speed of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin coming out of college. The reason Boldin fell to the second round was because he ran somewhere in the 4.6-4.7 range in the 40. Big deal. The guy makes plays, and so does Crabtree.

Crabtree didn’t run at the combine because of his foot injury. Most people guess he would clock in around the 4.5-4.6 range. Personally, I don’t really care what his 40 time is. Forty times are overrated, and Boldin and Fitzgerald proved that. We all saw Fitz run away from everyone on that go-ahead touchdown in the Super Bowl. Fitz is not a 4.4 guy. But I don’t think anyone would argue that he is not fast. You don’t need to run a 4.4 to be a great wide receiver in the NFL, and that is a fact.

Somehow, there are talks of Crabtree falling to the fifth pick. I even read yesterday the possibility of him slipping to ten. (Which would please me very much, provided that my 49ers did the right thing and snagged him at 10. Actually if he made it past six and they didn’t make a move to trade up and get him I would be frustrated.) But Crabtree falling to ten would just be ludicrous. This guy should not make it out of the top four, and if I’m an NFL team, and he does fall past four, I would try very hard to trade up and grab him.

Players like Crabtree don’t come around very often. He was the best wide receiver in the country as a freshman at Texas Tech, and won back to back Biletnikoff awards in his first two seasons. In recent memory, top wide receiving prospects have included Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson, and Calvin Johnson. Now there is Michael Crabtree, and I feel confident putting him in the same class as those others.

Okay, now that I’ve adequately expressed my man-crush on Michael Crabtree, I can move on to the other guys in this draft that I like:

RASHAD JOHNSON SAFETY ALABAMA– Johnson was the unquestioned leader of one of the best defenses in the country. He’s not the biggest or the fastest, but he is a definitely a player.

STEPHEN MCGEE QUARTERBACK TEXAS A&M – Outside of the Big Two, there are not a lot of quarterbacks I like in this class. McGee may be the one exception. I’ve seen him in a couple games, including the Alamo Bowl against Penn State. His best asset is his mobility. He is a great runner and can throw pretty well on the run. He does have a good arm, as well, which I don’t think many people realize. He is good at making plays stay alive with his feet after the play breaks down. He is a tough competitor and a good leader. He seems to have all the tools, but never really put it all together at A&M. He has pretty good size at almost 6’3” and 220 lbs. If he falls into a good system with a good coach, I wouldn’t be surprised seeing him become an NFL starter. He should be available for someone to take in the fourth or fifth rounds.

CHRIS WELLS RUNNING BACK OHIO STATE – Chris Wells, when healthy, is a dominant running back. At 6’1 235 lbs, he is a very big back, and he uses his size well, often falling forward when tackled to pick up an extra couple of yards. He also utilizes his vicious stiff arm at the end of plays to get some extra yardage. He reminds me a lot of Larry Johnson. Both share similar body frames – not only are they both 230+ lbs., but at 6’1”+, they are two of the taller backs in the league. The two have very similar running styles too. Great power backs that take some time to get up to full speed, but once they do, they are extremely tough to bring down, especially in the open field.

Wells, in my opinion, is one of those guys that really needs to land with a good offense. Like LJ, he benefits more than most by playing behind a great offensive line. Since they take a while to get to full speed and are not very shifty, they lack the ability to make plays on their own if the play breaks down. He needs a big hole to run through, but if the hole is there, Wells will find it and burst through it as well as anybody. However, if his offensive line struggles (see the game against Penn State in 2008), he becomes a complete non-factor. If he goes to the wrong team, he could be extremely ineffective.

You may be reading this and thinking that I’m just stating the obvious. Of course all running backs perform better when they have better offensive lines in front of them. And that is true. But I would argue that certain players benefit more than others by a good offensive line – and NEED a good offensive line more than others. Just look at Larry Johnson. When Kansas City had a strong offensive line with Willie Roaf and Will Shields, Johnson was arguably the best running back in the NFL, rushing for 1,750+ yards in back to back seasons. When the offensive line began to deteriorate, Johnson’s numbers plummeted, failing to reach the 1,000 yard mark in either of the next two seasons. I know that the Chiefs had one of the best offensive lines in the league in 2005 and 2006, but I don’t believe that there are many, if any, other running backs that could have been as dominant those years as LJ was. Conversely, I think there are some backs that could have played with the poor offensive lines that KC has had the past two years, and been much more effective than LJ has been. For example, more consistent guys like Brian Westbrook or Tiki Barber still would have been able to put up respectable numbers despite Kansas City’s poor offensive line. But would they have been as dominant as LJ was with the great offensive line? I don’t think so.

So, depending on which team Wells goes to, he could either be my favorite to win Rookie of the Year, or he could be my pick to be a first-year bust. But trust me, if he goes to a team with a good offensive line, the guy will be a force at the next level. He is physically ready for the NFL right now, and is capable of being a Pro-Bowler in his rookie season. He will be drafted somewhere between picks 10-20.


MIKE GOODSON RUNNING BACK TEXAS A&M– I was really impressed with his quickness when I saw him play against Penn State in the Alamo Bowl. His 40 time wasn’t as fast as I had expected (4.54), but he is very shifty and elusive. He is also a capable receiver. I think Goodson can make for a perfect third-down back. He will never be an every-down back in the NFL, but could be a very productive role player on a team looking for a quick back that’s a reliable receiver on third downs.

MARK SANCHEZ QUARTERBACK SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA – I think Mark Sanchez is going to have a very solid NFL career at quarterback, but he is definitely not ready to start right away. He has shown me all the tools. He has a strong arm, throws well on the run, and has adequate mobility for a quarterback. He needs to work on secondary reads if his primary target is not open, but with proper coaching, he should improve on that. The key to Sanchez as I touched on earlier, is that he needs time to develop. He only started for one year at USC, and he is not ready to start in the NFL. I’m actually of the opinion that no quarterback should ever start in their rookie year in the NFL. I would always give them at least one year to be a backup and learn the system and adjust to the speed of the game before throwing a quarterback in with the wolves. However, with Sanchez in particular, he needs to go to a team that will allow him to sit on the bench for a year and develop. If this happens, I think he will be successful when his time eventually comes. (I think Matt Leinart will be successful when he gets a shot, and I thought the same about Aaron Rodgers.) Sanchez will be an interesting player to watch in this draft. Most mocks have him lasting until at least the tenth pick, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see someone try to trade up and get him anywhere between picks six and twelve. He could also be drafted by someone and then traded.

HAKEEM NICKS WIDE RECEIVER NORTH CAROLINA – Ideal size and great hands. Good concentration when the ball is in the air, and does a good job of going up and getting it in traffic. Adequate but not elite speed. Not a burner so he won’t be used as a deep threat. Good coaching could improve his route-running and ability to get open. Should make a solid NFL wide receiver, and is worth a late-first round pick in my opinion.

BRANDON TATE WIDE RECEIVER NORTH CAROLINA – Tate was way up on my board before he got hurt. He was off to a fantastic start in the 2008 season, making some great plays for the Tar Heels. The injury really cost him, but assuming he can return to 100%, Tate could be a steal if he slips to the mid-rounds. He adds value as a return-man. He has good speed and overall ability, and decent but not ideal size.

BRIAN ROBISKIE WIDE RECEIVER OHIO STATE – He is a very polished receiver and may be one of the most NFL-ready players in this draft. He had a very productive career at Ohio State. His numbers tailed off in his senior year, but that was a direct result of Terrelle Pryor taking over at quarterback. He has great hands and incredible concentration. I’ve seen him make a handful of great catches through the years against Penn State. I never realized he was as big as he is (6’3”, 210 lbs.) or as fast as he is (4.49 at combine), but both of those numbers really add to his value. Robiskie is one of those players where you know exactly what you are getting when you draft him. He most likely won’t be a team’s number one target, but will make for consistent number two option. A perfect possession receiver. He should go somewhere in round two or three, and should benefit a team right away, and for years to come. I expect him to have a long, consistent, solid NFL career.

MALCOLM JENKINS CORNERBACK OHIO STATE – There are a lot of questions about whether he is fast enough to play corner or if he will have to be moved to safety. In terms of the draft, that is a big difference, because corners are hot commodities, but safeties are rarely taken early in the first round. Here is a case where the 40 time plays a crucial role in someone’s draft stock. Had Jenkins ran a 4.4 forty, he would be a top 10 pick without a doubt. Since he ran in the 4.5 range, he most likely will slip to the middle or the end of the first round. I don’t know whether or not he can be a corner in the NFL. What I do know is that he is a good football player with great instincts and a natural ball hawk. Wherever he plays, he will be successful.

WILLIAM MOORE – William Moore is a very interesting prospect. Heading into his senior year, he was the consensus top safety for the 2009 draft. Then he struggled through an injury plagued senior year and fell on most draft boards. There is still a debate as to where he should be rated. I’m going to take the side that argues that his poor senior year was a direct result of his injuries, and therefore scouts should look at his junior year tape, which is spectacular. Just look at his numbers from that year: 115 total tackles, eight INTs and five PBUs. He has ideal size at 6’ 220 lbs. He has good speed and great ability to go up and get the ball at its highest point. Assuming he gets back to full health and can play at the level he played during his junior year, I think Moore can be a great value pick in the late second round.

AQ SHIPLEY - I expect AQ Shipley to have a solid NFL career. He is a hard worker and a leader, and can be a solid NFL center for the next 12 years. He is inhibited by a lack of height and short arms, which will scare of some teams. However, I expect Shipley to be taken somewhere around the 4th, 5th or 6th rounds.

GERALD CADOGAN – Cadogan has the ideal size for an NFL tackle. I think he may be a little too soft for the NFL, but I thought he would be too soft for the Big Ten, and he proved me wrong. He will be drafted in the late rounds, but I would be surprised to see him become an NFL starter.

LYDELL SARGEANT – Sargeant has gotten more attention for this draft than I had expected. I don’t see him being successful in the NFL. I’ve always thought that Tony Davis was a much better corner. Sargeant is not physical enough to play corner in the NFL. Beyond that, he is not even close to being good enough in coverage to make up for his lack of physicality by being a cover-corner. If Sargeant gets drafted, it will be a late round pick.

MAURICE EVANS – I have no clue what to project for Evans. His sophomore season he looked like a guaranteed top 15 pick. Somehow he managed to play so poorly his senior year, that he has fallen out of the first three rounds altogether. He may not be taken until the fifth or sixth round. I can’t recall seeing anyone’s stock plummet as much as his, and deservedly so. Not only did his play on the field fall off, but his actions off the field hurt his draft stock even more. He was suspended for having marijuana in his apartment prior to the Illinois game, and never won his starting job back after that point.

However, as disappointing as Evans was this past season, he was equally as dominant the year before. Just look at his numbers from his first two years, keeping in mind he did not play much as a freshman:

2006-'07: Evans starts 12 of the 25 games he appears in recording 66 tackles including 25 tackles-for-loss and 14 sacks. He force five fumbles and recovers a fumble.

If he can somehow regain that form, he could be a steal. His decision to come out after such a terrible junior year was quite perplexing. My guess he just didn’t like being at Penn State and wanted to move on. He could have made himself millions of dollars by sticking around one more year and playing like he did as a sophomore though. I am very intrigued to see how he pans out. Lots of potential, but also a lot of risks involved with this pick.

RICH OHRNBERGER – A great career at Penn State, he apparently does not project well to the NFL. He was an All-Big Ten guard in his last two seasons at Penn State, and will be sorely missed next year. He was well liked by the teammates. I’m hoping he can make an NFL roster and help an NFL team out on the scout team. It seems he lacks the size and speed required to play guard in the NFL though.