|
|
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Pro
Sports Daily
Official
Site
USA
Today
Pro
Football Weekly
Saints Stats
ESPN
2009
draft 2008
draft 2007 draft
2006 draft
2005
draft 2004
draft 2003 draft
2002 draft
2009
DRAFT PICKS
links go to
NFL.com website
| Rd |
Sel# |
Player |
Pos. |
School |
Jay's
ranking |
Jay's
draft value |
| 1 |
14 |
Malcolm
Jenkins |
CB |
Ohio
State |
#4
CB |
Round
1 |
| 4 |
116 |
Chip
Vaughn |
SS |
Wake
Forest |
#2
SS |
Round
2 |
|
Player
who will have a better NFL career than many drafted higher than
him. |
Everyone
both on and off the football field should keep an eye on this
kid. A hard-hitting safety, Vaughn ran a 4.40 forty.
However, his speed is not just straight line. He also ran a
4.12 short shuttle and a 7.03 three-cone. Vaughn is ideal as
an in-the-box strong safety. |
| 4 |
118 |
Stanley
Arnoux |
ILB |
Wake
Forest |
#10
ILB |
Round
5 |
| 5 |
164 |
Thomas
Morstead |
P |
Southern
Methodist |
#2
P |
Late
Round Value |
| FA |
---- |
Reggie
Jones |
CB |
Portland
State |
NR |
7th/FA |
| FA |
---- |
Danny
Gorrer |
CB |
Texas
A&M |
NR |
Late
Round Value |
| FA |
---- |
P.
J. Hill |
RB |
Wisconsin |
NR |
Late
Round Value |
| FA |
---- |
Jonathan
Castillas |
OLB/SS |
Wisconsin |
#13
OLB |
Round
4 |
| FA |
---- |
Matt
Simon |
WR |
Northern
Illinois |
NR |
7th/FA |
|
C-
|
2009 COLLEGE
DRAFT REPORT CARD
|
by
Jay Goldberg
|
|
I
agreed with half of the Saints picks, however, with one of the
selections I disagreed with their only selection in the first
three rounds their draft grade suffered. They did add a
couple of college street free agents with a legitimate shot at
making the roster.
DRAFT
PICKS
I
felt the only cornerback the Saints should add in the draft was
one who would be a shut down corner. They have a number of
cornerbacks I like who are good NFL players, including free
agent signee Greer, last year's free agent signee Gay, and last
year's second round pick, Porter. I also wouldn't give up
on Usama Young just yet as a cornerback. Therefore,
selecting a corner in round one was okay, however, not
Jenkins. Jenkins who is more quick than fast, can be a
solid starting cornerback, an excellent nickel corner, and a
potential top-tier free safety. I do not believe he will
be a shut down corner. If the Saints gambled on Vontae
Davis' athleticism, or Darius Butler's tremendous speed,
or even Alphonso Smith's smarts and ballhawking I would have
been more willing to give them a pass. My selection,
however, would have been outside linebacker Brian Cushing.
Vaughn
is a tremendous physical specimen. He has great strength,
speed, quickness and athleticism. I saw him more as an
in-the-box strong safety with plus cover skills. However,
playing him at free safety and pairing him long term with Harper
is very intriguing. He may need some time to grow
into a starting free safety, but he will be a terror on special
team cover units until that happens.
Arnoux
was an okay selection. He has good speed and a well
conditioned athlete. However, with Jaspar Brinkey on the
board, if I wanted a future middle linebacker, I would have gone
with him over Arnoux. My pick here would have been outside
linebacker Marcus Freeman. His strength, speed, quickness
numbers were outrageous and the only reason he was still on the
board is that he played hurt his senior year so he didn't look
as good on tape as he did the previous year.
The
Saints needed a punter and came away with my second-rated punter
in the draft. Morestead will be a steady pro.
COLLEGE
STREET FREE AGENTS
Jones
is a great athlete with good speed. He will be a plus
special teams player if he wins one of the last spots on the
Saints' roster. His athleticism makes him worth keeping
and trying to develop on the practice squad this year. Gorrer
is a kid I like. He has good height, and excellent
speed. I look for him to steal a roster spot during camp. Hill
was a promising NFL prospect early in his college career, but
broke his leg as a sophomore (came out as a Junior). He is
an ideal development squad candidate. Castillas
is an outside linebacker/strong safety hybrid who could win a
role as a special teams performer and nickel linebacker. I
had a fourth round grade on him and he was an excellent signing
by the Saints. |
For
chart below: red indicates workout number in top range at position in
draft
ARM-HAND
relative to position, for ranges see ranking pages for 2009 draft
LAST
NAME
at Combine |
FIRST
NAME |
SCHOOL |
HGT |
WGT |
ARM-
HAND |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT |
LONG |
3
CONE |
VERT |
BROAD |
| Jenkins |
Malcolm |
Ohio
State |
6'0.1" |
204 |
L-L |
15 |
4.51 |
1.47 |
2.62 |
4.08 |
- |
6.59 |
33" |
10'4" |
| Vaughn |
Chip |
Wake
Forest |
6'1.3" |
221 |
M-L |
21 |
4.40 |
1.48 |
2.56 |
4.12 |
- |
7.03 |
37" |
10'5" |
| Arnoux |
Stanley |
Wake
Forest |
6'0" |
232 |
L-L |
20 |
4.53 |
1.49 |
2.58 |
4.37 |
11.64 |
7.02 |
31.5" |
10'1" |
| Jones |
Reggie |
Portland
State |
5'11.3" |
193 |
- |
13 |
4.43 |
1.52 |
2.54 |
4.42 |
- |
6.95 |
40" |
10'7" |
| Gorrer |
Danny |
Texas
A&M |
5'11.5" |
185 |
- |
- |
4.40 |
1.50 |
2.53 |
- |
- |
6.90 |
35.5" |
9'5" |
| Hill |
P.J. |
Wisconsin |
5'10.1" |
222 |
- |
16 |
4.63 |
1.59 |
2.67 |
4.10 |
- |
7.05 |
37" |
10'2" |
| Castillas |
Jonathan |
Wisconsin |
6'1.1" |
228 |
M-M |
24 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Simon |
Matt |
N.
Illinois |
6'1.3" |
199 |
- |
14 |
4.48 |
1.53 |
2.61 |
4.41 |
- |
7.14 |
36" |
10'4" |
2009 NEEDS PRIOR TO DRAFT AND FREE
AGENCY
Major need
Need
Upgrade possible
Depth/possible need
Not a need
| QB |
Brees is a top quarterback.
Brunell is the backup, it's questionable how he would perform at
this point in his career if he was needed for a long stretch of
games. Harrington, the third quarterback, is an UFA.
Look for New Orleans to address the backup quarterback position
this offseason. |
| RB |
Bush is a useful offensive
weapon, but not the explosive one hoped for when the Saints'
selected him in the draft. Thomas is a solid runner, but I'm
not sure he is top-drawer. McAllister hasn't recovered from
his injuries. Stecker, an underrated player is an UFA.
Surprisingly, after usi8ng a high pick on Reggie Bush a few years
ago, the Saints have a need at running back |
| WR |
Colston should bounce back
after dealing with a thumb injury last year. Moore played
very well and has a nice future in the league. Henderson is
an UFA. He has great speed and makes some big plays, but has
shown inconsistent hands. Patten is a solid veteran and
Meachem, who hasn't developed as quickly as hoped for, is still a
promising prospect. The Saints may add another useful body
at receiver, but that is about it. |
| TE |
Shockey and Miller are a
nice one-two punch. However, Shockey is moody and injury
prone. Campbell, an excellent blocker is coming off injury
and is an UFA. Personally, I would add a tight end,
especially if Campbell walks. |
| OL |
The Saints have an
efficient, productive offensive line. However, right tackle
Stinchcomb is an UFA and Evans is a RFA. While the Saints
have depth, their backups are best served remaining in backup
roles, not moving into the starting lineup. |
| DL |
The Saints invested heavily
in Smith and Grant and their performance is going in the wrong
direction. McCray looked like their best end at times last
year. Ellis is a keeper who will be playing in Pro
Bowls very soon. Young, Thomas and Clancy are reliable vets
who can be plugged in next to Ellis. The Saints need a
defensive end, but won't bring in a top talent because of the
money they have already committed to that position. |
| LB |
Vilma is an UFA. If
he leaves, there isn't a good option to start on their roster.
Shanle and Futija are solid. However, with or without Vilma,
the Saints lack a difference-maker, a player other teams have to
prepare for at linebacker. They such a player. |
| DB |
The Saints have a lot of
good players at corner, but were riddled with injuries last year.
I like Gay, Porter, McKenzie and Young to be a capable unit,
although if a true shut down corner can be secured, the Saints
should jump on that opportunity. At safety, Harper is fine
at strong safety, but it may be time to re-think free safety.
Bullocks has not become the player the team expected him to be and
Kaesviharn is solid, but replaceable as a starter. |
| ST |
The Saints young kickers
earned a second chance in 2009. Bush is best as a playmaker
returning punts. Roby is a good kick returner but may have
to beat out a bottom of the roster receiver to keep the job. |
2008
DRAFT PICKS
links go to
NFL.com website
| Rd |
Sel# |
Player |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
School |
Jay's ranking |
Jay's draft value |
| 1 |
7 |
Sedrick
Ellis |
DT |
6'0" |
309 |
Tennessee |
#1 DT |
Round 1 |
| 2 |
40 |
Tracy
Porter |
CB/Ret |
5'10.7" |
188 |
Indiana |
#6 CB |
Round 2 |
|
Player
who will have a better NFL career than many drafted higher than
him.
|
Porter
has excellent speed, a nose for the ball, and good man-to-man
cover skills. Some question his toughness but the kid
showed good strength at the Combine and he did have 83 tackles
his senior year. Porter is an underrated cornerback
prospect. He also looked good during Senior Bowl
practices. He could develop into one of the better corners
in the league. He is also a good punt returner. |
|
Player
who will have a better NFL career than many drafted higher than
him.
|
Nicks
is very big, very strong, and very quick for a man his size.
He is also a good athlete and can play either tackle or guard.
He will have a good NFL career. |
| 6 |
178 |
Taylor
Mehlhaff |
K |
5'10" |
185 |
Wisconsin |
#1 K |
Late Round Value |
| 7 |
237 |
Adrian
Arrington |
WR |
6'2.7" |
203 |
Michigan |
|
Late Round Value |
| FA |
|
Jeremy Geathers |
DE |
6'2.1" |
256 |
UNLV |
|
Late Round
Value/Free Agent |
| FA |
|
JoLonn Dunbar |
ILB/OLB |
6'0.4" |
231 |
Boston Coll |
|
Late Round
Value/Free Agent |
| FA |
|
David Roach |
FS |
6'0.3" |
210 |
TCU |
#5 FS |
Round 3/Round 4 |
| FA |
|
Todd Blythe |
WR |
6'4.7" |
217 |
Iowa State |
|
Late Round Value |
|
Given
that the Saints had no third or fourth round picks, their grade
of "A" is very impressive. They got
excellent value with Nicks and signed one of my favorite college
street free agents in Roach.
DRAFT
PICKS
Ellis
was my top rated defensive tackle in the draft. I believe
he will be a more dominate NFL player than Dorsey. Ellis
was virtually unblockable in Senior Bowl practices. He
will be solid against the run and will get penetration against
the pass and make sacks. He could be the best defensive
tackle since Warren Sapp. Obviously, a great get by the
Saints.
Porter
was a very underrated corner coming into this draft. He
has excellent man-to-man cover skills, great speed and quickness
and a nose for the ball. The supposed knock on him is that
he doesn't like to mix it up. However, he has good
strength for the position and made his share of tackles at
Indiana. I look for him to eventually be a starter and the
Saints' best corner.
Pressley
is good against the run. He has tremendously quick feet
and changes direction very well. He is not the big-time
run stuffer, but instead moves well to the ballcarrier to stop
quick bursts thru the hole. He should be a good rotation
player for New Orleans' for years.
Nicks
was a steal in round five. He is a boom or bust type that
I believe will be a boom, hence my second round grade. In
round two, however, there was a considerable risk. In
round five it was a no brainer. Nicks is a big man with
tremendous speed and quickness for a man his size. He is
also a strong kid who, worst case should develop into a good
run-blocking guard. Best case he could be a dominate
tackle.
Mehlhaff
was my top rated kicker. He has good accuracy and a better
leg than many think. He could be this year's version of
Nick Folk. Oh, by the way he had 14 bench presses, not bad
for a kicker!
Early
reports on Arrington have been very good from Saints' camp.
However, that's what they are, early reports. Don't expect
another Colston. In fact, Arrington may have trouble
making the team and could wind up on the practice squad.
COLLEGE
STREET FREE AGENTS
Geathers
is a strong, undersized defensive end who could develop into a
situational pass rusher. With backups like Josh Savage and
Orien Harris on the depth chart, he has a shot a roster spot.
Dunbar's
best attribute is his versatility. He can play inside and
outside and will be a productive special teams player.
Still, he will have his hands full trying to make the roster.
Roach
was a great free agent signing. I will be surprised if he
doesn't make the roster. Roach convinced me that he will
be a good pro by his workouts. He was thought to be a good
athlete, and he is. He was thought to have good speed, and
he does. he was thought to be too straighht-line, lacking
quickness and change-of-direction skills. Uhhh, no.
Look at the numbers! They're excellent. Lastly, he
will need work on his technique, he doesn't play as fluidly as
he should. Most thought that was due to the supposed
limitations. I believe it was because he was getting by on
his athletic ability alone. Roach will be a toip special
teams player and could be a quality starter down the line.
Blythe
is a tall, quick, slot receiver with a knack for catching
touchdowns. He could wind up on the Saints' practice squad
and could be a better long term asset than Arrington.
|
red
indicates workout number in top range at position in draft
(blue college
name indicates workout #'s include Pro Day numbers)
COMBINE
YES |
FIRST
NAME |
SCHOOL |
HEIGHT |
WEIGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT |
LONG |
3
CONE |
VERT |
BROAD |
| Ellis |
Cedric |
USC |
6'0" |
309 |
36 |
5.01 |
1.85 |
3.06 |
4.75 |
NA |
7.78 |
30" |
8'9" |
| Porter |
Tracy |
INDIANA |
5'10.7" |
188 |
18 |
4.30 |
1.46 |
2.56 |
4.07 |
NA |
7.20 |
34" |
10'3" |
| Pressley |
DeMario |
N
CAR ST |
6'3" |
300 |
28 |
5.09 |
1.65 |
2.86 |
4.72 |
NA |
7.15 |
28" |
8'10" |
| Nicks |
Carl |
NEBRASKA |
6'4.7" |
341 |
31 |
5.18 |
1.80 |
2.98 |
4.68 |
NA |
7.91 |
25.5" |
9'1" |
| Arrington |
Adrian |
MICHIGAN |
6'2.7" |
203 |
NA |
4.55 |
1.53 |
2.64 |
NA |
NA |
NA |
36" |
NA |
| Geathers |
Jeremy |
UNLV |
6'2.1" |
256 |
29 |
4.74 |
1.66 |
2.83 |
4.49 |
NA |
7.28 |
28" |
8'9" |
| Dunbar |
Jo-Lonn |
BOSTON
COL |
6'0.4" |
231 |
19 |
4.79 |
1.52 |
2.69 |
4.45 |
NA |
7.05 |
33" |
9'4" |
| Roach |
David |
TCU |
6'0.3" |
210 |
16 |
4.51 |
1.54 |
2.59 |
4.15 |
11.11 |
6.88 |
38.5" |
10'3" |
| Blythe |
Todd |
IOWA
ST |
6'4.7" |
217 |
NA |
4.61 |
1.61 |
2.67 |
4.23 |
NA |
6.92 |
31.5" |
9'10" |
2008 NEEDS PRIOR TO DRAFT AND FREE AGENCY
NO
Major
Need Need
Upgrade Depth
Need Not
a Need
| QB |
Brees
is a solid starter. Martin is a free agent so the team
needs to resign him, or bring in another backup. Palko is
not a bad #3 who could develop into a good backup quarterback. |
| RB |
The
need here depends on how well McAllister comes back from injury.
Bush will need some time to become a full time starter. He
may grow into a Brian Westbrook type of player. To do that
he will have to commit to the weight room and become a better
runner inside the tackles. Thomas is a keeper.
Stecker gets it done. |
| WR |
Colston
is All Pro. Patten is a nice receiver but if an upgrade
can be secured it would help. Meachem could be that guy,
but may need a year contributing in multiple receiver sets.
Henderson flashes big-time potential, but has inconsistent
hands. Moore has the look of a long time, valuable #4
receiver. Copper is a valuable end of the roster type
player. |
| TE |
Johnson
can catch, but is hurt a lot. Campbell is coming off
injury, but is best served as a #2. Miller, once a
one-dimensional receiving threat is an improved blocker and a
valuable reserve. If a top tight end can be brought in, it
would represent an upgrade. |
| OL |
The
Saints line did an excellent job protecting Brees. It's
hard to know if the drop off in run blocking was due to the line
regressing a bit, or McAllister's injury. The Saints also
have good depth. If a player the Saints' believe can be a
dominate LG or RT, they could pull the trigger. Otherwise,
the team will just bring in competition for camp. |
| DL |
A
deep and talented unit needs Grant and Smith to rebound and get
more sacks next year. A third end who can rush the passer
should be added. The team has good depth at tackle. |
| LB |
The
trio of Futija, Simoneau and Shanle just doesn't strike fear in
opposing teams. All are solid players, Futija more than
that, but a stud in the middle and a sideline-to-sideline force
at the WILL are needed. |
| DB |
This
is a case where the sum of the parts is not better than the
whole. When looked at individually, you would think the
unit would perform better than it does. To correct that, a
top corner should be brought in to pair with McKenzie or Young,
and the short-statured David should be relegated to the nickel.
At safety Harper and Bullocks look like a good young tandem.
However, the unit may be best served if a cagey veteran was
paired with one of the youngsters. |
| ST |
A
third kicker could be brought in to compete with Mare and
Gramatica. Punter, long-snapper, and the return game are
in good hands. |
2007
DRAFT PICKS
links go to
NFL.com website
| Rd |
Sel# |
Player |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
School |
Jay's ranking |
Jay's Draft Value |
| 1 |
27 |
Meachem,
Robert |
WR |
6-3 |
211 |
Tennessee |
# 3 WR |
Round 1 |
| 3 |
66 |
Young,
Usama |
CB |
5-11 |
186 |
Kent
State |
# 9 CB |
Round 3 |
| 3 |
88 |
Alleman,
Andy |
G |
6-4 |
302 |
Akron |
# 5 OG |
Round 2 |
| 4 |
107 |
Pittman,
Antonio |
RB |
5-11 |
195 |
Ohio
State |
# 3 RB |
Round 2 |
| 4 |
125 |
Bushrod,
Jermon |
OT |
6-4 |
315 |
Towson |
|
Late Round Value |
| 5 |
145 |
Jones,
David |
CB |
6-0 |
196 |
Wingate |
|
Late Round Value |
| 7 |
220 |
Mitchell,
Marvin |
ILB |
6-3 |
249 |
Tennessee |
|
Late Round Value |
| FA |
|
McKnight, Rhema |
WR |
6-1 |
211 |
Notre Dame |
#13 WR |
Round 3 |
| FA |
|
Palko, Tyler |
QB |
6-1 |
212 |
Pittsburgh |
|
Late Round Value |
| FA |
|
Porter, Joe |
CB |
5-10 |
198 |
Rutgers |
|
Late Round Value |
|
The
Saints followed up a great year with an terrific draft They
secured three players from my list of players who will have a
better NFL career than many drafted ahead of them. They then
added one of the top college street free agents available in
McKnight.
The rich get richer. In Meachem the Saints add another
future offensive star. He has very good hands, excellent
speed and quickness and nice size. However, many receivers
don't hit their stride until their third year in the NFL and I
have a feeling Meachem will follow that trend, not buck it.
He will be productive early, but he will explode down the line.
Usama Young jumped out at me after his workout. The kid has
the speed to run with fast receivers, will have to be sure not not
hit his head on the dome when he jumps, and was one of the best
athletes in the draft. And, oh yeah, he was a very good
corner for Kent State. He was a little inconsistent in
college but that was because he could usually get by just on his
athleticism. After he gets coached up by the Saints, he
could be special. What Young was athletically for corners,
Alleman was for guards. Alleman is another small school
prospect who may need time, but should be a long time starter in
the NFL. Pittman was an out and out steal. In the last
few years I've had some success identifying the top couple of
backs after the first round backs. This year the running
back I loved was Pittman. He was clearly my third rated back
in the draft. Unfortunately for me (but not the Saints) it
may awhile before I can be proved right due the presence of Bush
and McAlister (and even Stecker) on the Saints' roster.
Pittman reminds me of the Jones brothers. He runs like
Thomas, but has the breakaway speed of Julius. Like all of
the Saints' previous selections, Bushrod is a gifted athlete for
his position. He needs to hit the weight room, but should
develop into a reliable backup and possible starter in time.
Jones is another top athlete. He played corner and receiver
in college but projects as a backup corner in the NFL. He
has very good speed and man cover skills but is raw in zone
coverage and doesn't like to mix it up. He will have to
become more physical to make the Saints' roster since he will need
to make a living on special teams coverage units in addition to
being a backup cornerback. I thought Mitchell would be best
served going to a team that played a 3-4 defense. Mitchell
has good size, is quick, but has only average speed. On the
field he makes tackles. He could stick as a reliable
reserve.
The
Saints signed three college street free agents that I will mention
here. McKnight is an interesting case. He played
poorly during early Senior Bowl practices, but came on late making
some terrific catches and showing his ability to get open.
McKnight makes sharp cuts and is quick, but lacks the speed and
athleticism of the top receivers in the draft. I had a third
round grade on him because I believe he can be a Keenan McCardell
type of receiver. One who may have trouble getting on the
field because he lacks some of the desired measurables, but once
he gets on the field, he gets open and makes the tough catches.
Palko had a chance to jump into the mix of day two quarterbacks
during the post-season, but didn't separate himself from the pack
during the all star game practices and games. However, he is
a smart kid I called a poor-man's Drew Brees who could be stashed
on the Saints' development squad and turn into a solid backup
quarterback. Porter is the type of player that development
squads were made for. He is a track guy who has showed
football skills at cornerback but needs more work. During
his workout, some had him timed at 4.28 in the forty.
|
red
indicates workout number in top range at position in draft
|
COMBINE
YES
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| MEACHEM |
ROBERT |
TENNESSEE |
WR |
6'2" |
214 |
|
4.39 |
1.49 |
2.49 |
4.19 |
11.30 |
6.97 |
37.5" |
10'8" |
| Meachem
has it all, good size, speed, quickness, good hands and
athleticism. The only negative some find is that he only had
one standout year in college. However, that was a great year
where he set a single season record for most receiving yardes at
Tennessee. Meachem is a future NFL star. |
|
COMBINE
NO
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| YOUNG |
USAMA |
KENT
STATE |
CB |
5'11.1" |
196 |
15 |
4.39 |
1.46 |
2.51 |
4.31 |
|
6.65 |
43" |
10'11" |
|
PLAYER
WHO COULD HAVE A BETTER NFL CAREER THAN PLAYERS SELECTED AHEAD OF
HIM in the DRAFT
|
| Wow!
Look at the numbers. Young played well at Kent State and his
workout numbers clearly show he should be able to transfer those
skills to the NFL. The kid has speed, can change direction
well, and is a phenomenal athlete. He will be a good special
teams player while he learns how to play corner in the NFL.
Young is a sleeper worth watching. |
|
COMBINE
YES
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| ALLEMAN |
ANDY |
AKRON |
OG |
6'4" |
305 |
30 |
5.07 |
1.71 |
2.87 |
4.38 |
|
7.43 |
30" |
8'10" |
|
PLAYER
WHO COULD HAVE A BETTER NFL CAREER THAN PLAYERS SELECTED AHEAD OF
HIM in the DRAFT
|
| Alleman
is a perfect fit for the zone blocking scheme, although he could
play in any system. He is the most athletic guard in the
draft. Alleman also has good strength and was impressive in
drills at the Combine. Alleman could step in right away and
be one of the surprises of the draft while lineman selected ahead
of him languish on the bench. |
|
COMBINE
YES
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| PITTMAN |
ANTONIO |
OHIO
ST |
RB |
5'10.6" |
210 |
16 |
4.40 |
1.52 |
2.53 |
4.16 |
|
6.84 |
35.5" |
10'3" |
|
PLAYER
WHO COULD HAVE A BETTER NFL CAREER THAN PLAYERS SELECTED AHEAD OF
HIM in the DRAFT
|
| After
Peterson and Lynch, Pittman is the running back I would draft if I
was looking for a prime time back. He has the speed to
bounce outside and take it the distance, is quick and makes good
cuts, and has enough strength to run inside. Pittman has the
skills to be a runner like Thomas or Julius Jones. |
|
COMBINE
NO
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| BUSHROD |
JERMON |
TOWSON |
OT |
6'4.5" |
315 |
22 |
4.92 |
1.61 |
2.82 |
4.72 |
|
|
32" |
8'6" |
| Bushrod
is an athletic tackle with good feet and the potential to develop
into a starter down the line. He needs to get stronger but
is an intriguing day two prospect. |
|
COMBINE
NO
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| JONES |
DAVID |
WINGATE |
CB |
5'11.7" |
195 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Jones
is a gifted athlete who played both corner and receiver in
college. Corner will be his NFL position. He is a fast
cover corner who needs work as a zone defender and doesn't play
physically against the run. |
|
COMBINE
YES
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| MITCHELL |
MARVIN |
TENNESSEE |
ILB/OLB |
6'3" |
249 |
22 |
4.79 |
1.62 |
2.74 |
4.25 |
|
7.29 |
32" |
9'8" |
| Mitchell
is an active linebacker who made a lot of tackles at Tennessee.
He has good size, average speed, but good quickness so he may be
best served inside in a 3-4 defense. |
|
COMBINE
YES
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| MCKNIGHT |
RHEMA |
NOTRE
DAME |
WR |
6'1.2" |
211 |
|
4.53 |
|
|
4.16 |
11.28 |
6.84 |
34" |
9'10" |
| McKnight
is an intriguing prospect. Early at Senior Bowl practices he
had trouble holding onto the ball, but he came on strong later in
the week making great catches and constantly getting open, and had
a nice game. McKnight knows how to get open. He makes
sharp cuts and is quick. However, he is not the fastest or
most athletic receiver. He could go late on day one or late
on day two. Personally, I think he is closer to the receiver
that showed up late during Senior Bowl week rather than the
receiver who was dropping the ball early during Senior Bowl week. |
|
COMBINE
YES
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| PALKO |
TYLER |
PITTSBURGH |
QB |
6'1.3" |
212 |
|
4.83 |
1.73 |
2.83 |
4.36 |
|
7.05 |
31.5" |
9'4" |
| Palko
is a heady quarterback who didn't separate himself from the pack
during his work at the post season all star games. However,
he is a poor-man's Drew Brees, one who could dewvelop into a nice
backup. |
|
COMBINE
NO
|
|
COLLEGE
|
POS |
HGHT |
WGHT |
BENCH |
40 |
10 |
20 |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3
CONE |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
BROAD
JUMP |
| PORTER |
JOE |
RUTGERS |
CB |
5'10.1" |
198 |
21 |
4.33 |
1.47 |
2.48 |
4.23 |
|
6.62 |
36" |
10'3" |
| Porter
is a track guy who is one of the fastest players in the draft.
He is also a solid football player but could use time on a team's
development squad. |
2007
TEAM NEEDS PRIOR TO THE DRAFT and FREE AGENCY
major need
need
depth/possible
need
not a significant need
| QB |
Competition
for Martin as backup QB should be brought in. |
| RB |
McAllister
and Bush are a greta 1-2 punch. Stecker is a solid #3. |
| WR |
If
Horn leaves, a body for depth could be added. |
| TE |
Miller
is an UFA. A backup receiving TE could be added in the
draft. Their are a couple of receiving only TEs. |
| OL |
The
Saints' line was an excellent pass blocking unit and good run
blocking unit. Stinchcomb is an UFA. |
| DL |
Thomas
and Lake are UFAs and a run-stuffer would help whether they come
back or not. |
| LB |
As
a unit they played better than expected. Adding a stud
would upgrade the unit. |
| DB |
Two
corners are needed. A Started and a backup.
Insurance for the rookie Harper should also be added. |
| ST |
How
long can Carney continue? There are some good young
kickers in the draft. |
2006
DRAFT PICKS
Links go to write-ups at NFL.com
| New Orleans |
| Rd |
Sel# |
Player |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
School |
Jay's
ranking |
Jay's
draft value |
| 1 |
2 |
Bush,
Reggie |
RB |
5-11 |
200 |
Southern
California |
#
1 RB |
Round
1 |
| 2 |
43 |
Harper,
Roman |
FS |
6-0 |
197 |
Alabama |
#
5 FS |
Round
3 |
| 4 |
108 |
Evans,
Jahri |
OT |
6-4 |
317 |
Bloomsburg |
Late
Round Value |
>
Round 4 |
| 5 |
135 |
Ninkovich,
Rob |
DE |
6-3 |
260 |
Purdue |
#
18 DE |
Round
4 |
| 6 |
171 |
Hass,
Mike |
WR |
6-0 |
208 |
Oregon
State |
Late
Round Value |
>
Round 4 |
| 6 |
174 |
Lay,
Josh 'Bernard' |
CB |
6-0 |
196 |
Pittsburgh |
#
11 CB |
Round
3 |
| 7 |
210 |
Strief,
Zach |
G |
6-7 |
349 |
Northwestern |
#
12 OT |
Round
4 |
| 7 |
252 |
Colston,
Marques |
TE |
6-4 |
223 |
Hofstra |
Late
Round Value |
>
Round 4 |
| |
FA |
Bienemann,
Troy |
TE |
6-5 |
256 |
Washington
State |
Late
Round Value |
>
Round 4 |
| |
FA |
Davis,
Tommy |
DE |
6-3 |
270 |
North
Carolina |
Late
Round Value |
>
Round 4 |
| |
FA |
Phillips,
Anwar |
CB |
6-0 |
190 |
Penn
State |
Late
Round Value |
>
Round 4 |
| |
FA |
Weatherford,
Steve |
P |
6-2 |
215 |
Illinois |
#
2 P |
Round
7 |
| |
FA |
Hughes,
Connor |
K |
5-10 |
172 |
Virginia |
#
3 K |
Round
7 |
|
After grabbing the best player
in the draft in round one, the Saints reached for their next two
picks, but got good value in round five, round six (second
selection), and round seven (first selection).
The grade for the Saints
includes the draft day trade which netted them center Jeff Faine.
Bush was the best player in the draft and the Saints did a good
job of not trading out of the spot once he fell to them.
Bush, McAlister, Brees, Horn, Stallworth, and even Henderson give
the Saints the potential for one of the most explosive offenses in
the league. In addition to Bush being a top runner, he would
have been a first round pick if he played wide receiver. It
will be interesting to see how Coach Payton uses McAllister and
Bush. I would start them together with Bush moving back and
forth from a two back set to slot receiver. The result would
be the Saints' creating favorable matchups all over the field.
To make the offense even more flexible, I would use my tight end
at times on the line, and at times I would line him up as a
blocking fullback for McAllister, and then I would also use
McAllister a little (very little but enough to keep defenses
guessing) at fullback leading Bush throw the hole. Harper
was a reach in round two, although not a bad reach. I had a
third round grade on him, and that was higher then many other
draft analysts. Harper is a heady player who reacts quickly
to the action on the field. He has good speed, but is
limited athletically and is not, currently, a playmaker.
Harper is the type of player who fits in as a long term starter
(hence the not a bad reach statement), appreciated more by his
team than by outside observers. However, in addition to a
reach, the Saints had more pressing needs than at free safety.
There was talk that the Saints would have drafted Hawk, not
Williams if the Texans drafted Bush. In part that was due to
a pressing need at linebacker. The trade with the Browns
(for Faine) cost the Saints OLB Thomas Howard who I think would
have been their second round pick if they stayed at their original
spot in round two. While I like Fincher's potential, and
believe he could find himself starting in the middle by seasons'
end, I would have drafted Abdul Hodge in round two, put him in the
middle, and known that I had a hard-hitting, long-time starter at
that position who would be the face and soul of the defense.
In round four Evans was another reach. Evans is as
developmental prospect with upside, but needs to add bulk and
strength to make the move inside to guard. Evans is at least
a year (more likely two) from being a reliable backup, so round
four was at least a round (probably two) early to select him.
He does have the potential to be a quality starter down the line,
but so do a lot of other players at guard in the draft.
Kuper would have been my pick at guard at this spot.
Ninkovich is one of the underrated pass rushing defensive ends in
the draft. He is very quick, changes direction well, and
could be a pass rush specialist for the Saints this year. He
will need to add bulk to get on the field in run situations.
Hass could stick as a third down specialist. He runs precise
routes, can set up defensive backs, knows how to get open, and has
reliable hands. He lacks the speed to get deep consistently
so his ceiling is as a fourth receiver who can come in to catch a
8 to 14 yard pass to move the chains. Lay was a great pick
in round six. I had a third round grade on Lay. Lay
is a 6' corner with a 40.5" vertical jump, and acceptable
speed. Lay has the potential to develop into a corner who
can cover the taller receivers in the league. He does need
to show he is willing to step up and make big hits against the
run, but that will come in time. Strief was another good
get. I had a fourth round grade on him. He is a giant
of a man with a mean streak who got by in college on size and
attitude. With work in the weight room Streif should develop
into a good starting right tackle. Colston was an
intelligent pick in round seven. He has an excellent blend
of size and speed and is at his best going up to catch high
throws. He will, most likely, never be a starter, but could
provide a nice target in goal line situations.
The Saints signed a number of noteworthy
college street free agents. Bienemann is a tight end whose
best asset is his long snapping ability. With Houser
established as the long snapper, Bienemann will have to show good
special teams skills to force the Saints to keep him as a fourth
tight end and backup long snapper. Davis is a defensive end
with the size and strength to play the run. Phillips plays
better than he tests. Still, his speed is suspect for a
corner. His quickness, athleticism, change-of-direction
skills, and speed are better suited to free safety. If he
can prove that he can play safety and corner he could stick as a
backup defensive back. Weatherford will have a hard time
beating out Berger for the Saints' punting job, but could stick as
a kickoff specialist. Hughes has great leg strength and
could battle Weatherford for the kickoff job, and also be an
option to kick long fields. He is also very accurate from
short distances. He could challenge Carney full time field
goal job.
|
red indicates
workout number in top range at position in draft
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Bush |
USC |
5'10.7",201 |
4.33 |
|
|
|
|
|
25 |
40.5" |
10'9" |
|
RB
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Can do it all. Is a
bigger, faster Brian Westbrook. Bush has a real chance to be
the first player picked in the draft. In his senior year
Bush rushed for over 1,700 yards, had almost 500 yards receiving,
rushed for 16 touchdowns, and averaged almost 9 yards a carry.
Bush is fast, quick, athletic, and strong. He can run
outside, is a stronger inside runner than many think, catches like
wide receiver, and is the top return man in the draft. He is
an unique talent destined to be a superstar in the NFL. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Harper |
Alabama |
5'11.7",
198 |
4.48 |
|
|
4.34 |
11.81 |
7.04 |
|
34" |
9'8" |
|
FS
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Harper
looked good in coverage at Senior Bowl practices.
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET -
Harper is a heady player who reacts quickly to plays in front of
him. While smart, he is not a ballhawk. Harper does
have better speed than many thought, but is limited athletically.
Harper is the type of player who won't wow anyone but will be a
steady long term starter in the league. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Evans |
Bloomsburg |
6'4",
318 |
5.24 |
1.81 |
3.11 |
4.88 |
|
7.98 |
20 |
27" |
7'11" |
|
OG/OT
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Evans
has good size, but needs to add bulk and get stronger to
transition to guard, his best chance for NFL success. Evans
is a developmental prospect but has enough upside to be drafted on
day two rather than risk signing as a priority free agent. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Ninkovich |
Purdue |
6'2.6",
255 |
4.79 |
1.66 |
2.83 |
4.18 |
11.33 |
6.96 |
23 |
34.5" |
9'8" |
|
DE/OLB
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET -
Ninkovich had a nice East West Shrine Game.
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET -
Ninokovich has excellent quickness and terrific
change-of-direction skills for a defensive end. To play the
run and the pass he will need to add bulk, but right now Ninkovich
can be a very good pass rushing end. Ninkovich started only
5 games at Purdue the last two years, but accumulated 16 sacks
over that time. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Haas |
Oregon
St |
6'0.5",
207 |
4.58 |
1.60 |
2.70 |
4.14 |
|
6.52 |
|
36.5" |
9'8" |
|
WR
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Hass played well in the East
West Shrine Game.
Mike Mayock,
NFL Network - Haas caught the ball very well at Combine workouts.
Jay Goldberg,
900FootballLinks.NET - Hass is a one dimensional receiver.
He can play on third downs, run precise routes, make sharp cuts,
get open in the short to intermediate zones, catch the ball, and
move the chains. Hass made big plays down the field in
college but doesn't have the speed to do that consistently in the
NFL. He does have excellent hands, can set up defensive
backs, and caught 176 balls his last two seasons at Oregon State. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Lay |
Pittsburgh |
6'0.3",
194 |
4.49 |
1.50 |
2.67 |
3.94 |
|
6.78 |
16 |
40.5" |
10'0" |
|
|
PLAYER
WHO WILL PERFORM BETTER IN NFL THAN MANY DRAFTED BEFORE
HIM
|
Lay
is Ty Law's cousin. He has good size, excellent
quickness, and can cover the larger wide receivers in the
league. However, his speed is only adequate and he
needs to show he is willing to mix it up. Lay is a
player who will go late, but should be a long-time starter
in the league. |
CB |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Strief |
Northwestern |
6'7.3",
333 |
5.41 |
1.89 |
3.18 |
4.85 |
|
7.80 |
19 |
21" |
7'10" |
|
OT
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Strief
is a tough kid with a nasty streak. He is a right tackle
prospect, who needs to get into the weight room, but has the base
skills to be a starter in the NFF. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Colston |
Hofstra |
6'4.6",
224 |
4.43 |
1.60 |
2.65 |
4.44 |
11.27 |
6.96 |
|
37" |
10'3" |
|
WR
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - At the East West Shrine Game,
Colston showed the ability to go up and get the the ball.
Colston has excellent size.
Jay Goldberg,
900FootballLinks.NET - Colston proved to have great speed for a
player his size. He is a developmental prospect who could
pay dividends for the team that drafts him. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Bienemann |
Wash
State |
6'4.5",
256 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TE/LS
Jay Goldberg,
900FootballLinks.NET - Bienemann is a good long-snapper who could
stick as a third or fourth tight end and special teams player. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Davis |
North
Carolina |
6'2.6",
270 |
4.74 |
|
|
4.31 |
|
7.38 |
34 |
34" |
9'3" |
|
DE - NOT AT COMBINE
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Davis
is a three-year starter with tremendous strength. He has the
potential to play end in either a 3-4 or 4-3. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
HGT-WGHT |
FORTY
DASH |
10
DASH |
20
DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER
LIC |
| Phillips |
Penn
State |
5'11.6",
190 |
4.59 |
|
|
4.09 |
11.49 |
6.80 |
10 |
35.5" |
10'2" |
|
CB
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET -
Phillips plays better than he tests. He had a poor forty
time, but has good size, quickness, and athleticism.
If Phillips hits the weight room, he could develop into a better
free safety than corner. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
POS |
WORKOUT NUMBERS |
| Jay Goldberg,
900FootballLinks.NET - Weatherford can handle kick offs as well as
punt. After averaging about 45v yards a punt in his
sophomore and junior seasons before falling to about 42.5 his
senior year. |
| PLAYER |
COLLEGE |
POS |
WORKOUT NUMBERS |
| Jay Goldberg,
900FootballLinks.NET - Hughes has a strong leg and also showed
accuracy from short distances. |
2006
TEAM NEEDS
prior to free agency
| NO |
| QB |
Assuming Brooks is moved, the Saints will
need to find their next starting quarterback. |
| RB |
McAllister is coming back from injury.
Smith is an UFA, leaving Stecker as the backup. The
Saints need to add a running back to the mix in the
offseason. |
| WR |
Horn, Stallworth, and Henderson have
speed and game-breaking abilities. A reliable,
move-the-chains, wide-out could be added to the mix.
Hakim is an UFA. |
| TE |
Hilton came on to play well and could
hold onto the starting job in 2006. Conwell and/or
Williams, if either can stay healthy, add depth.
Just in case, another tight end should be brought in to
compete. |
| OL |
Bentley, their best lineman is an UFA.
Gandy, and especially Brown are solid tackles.
Mayberry, Jacox, and RFA Holland can be improved upon. |
| DL |
Smith and Grant are two very good ends.
Howard, an UFA, is also very good, but will be allowed to
leave. Verdon could get playing time next year in
his place. DT Whitehead is also an UFA, but he isn't
the run-stuffer needed at defensive tackle anyway.
Sullivan showed improvement, buts needs to take another
step next year. Young is serviceable. Leisle
also has some upside. A defensive tackle to
challenge Sullivan and Leisle, and an end to challenge
Verdon are needed. |
| LB |
Hodge, Allen, McKinnon, and Slaughter are
all UFAs. Only Hodge figures as a possible starter
anyway. Bockwoldt is an over-achiever who a team can
get away with as a starter if the other two starters are
top players. That's not the case with the Saints.
Watson has some upside, but Fincher is the linebacker to
watch in camp. He could start in the middle next
year. The Saints need two new players with starting
potential to add to their mix at linebacker. |
| DB |
Smith and Bullocks are a good safety
tandem. Bellamy is a quality reserve. A team
could do worse than McKenzie and Thomas at corner.
But a team could do better as well. Brown is an UFA,
so brining in a corner to push the starters and, at worst,
be a nickel, is needed. |
| ST |
Both kickers are getting up in age and
could be replaced. If Lewis returns healthy, then
the return game is in good hands. However, with
Hakim an UFA, another returner is needed in case Lewis
doesn't make it back. |
|
2005
COLLEGE DRAFT
| The Saints did a good job drafting for value.
They did not reach, and got excellent value with McPherson on
day two.
The Saints had a very good draft. Offensive tackle was
a major need in round one, and Brown will be a good one.
Time will tell if they were right in selecting Brown over
Barron, the top tackle on my board. Both, however, had
first round grades. Bullock will be one of the best
defensive players to come out of this draft when analyzed five
years down the road. He is a heady player who has good
coverage skills and is a ballhawk. Immediately, he is the
Saints' best safety, however, he will probably start off as a
nickel safety, replacing Bellamy in passing situations. In
time, he will beat out Smith as the Saints' starting free
safety, and will play at a pro bowl level. Fincher was
another good pick. He will challenge Watson at middle
linebacker. While Watson is more gifted physically,
Fincher is a leader who is instinctive and is a sure tackler.
In time, Watson may be the Saints' starting weakside linebacker,
with Fincher taking over in the middle. Lyman had a fourth
round grade from me based on talent, but he is injury prone, and
got injured in camp. He may miss the season. If he
can stay healthy, Lyman has a nice combination of size, speed,
and strength, and could be especially effective as a receiver in
the red zone. McPherson should be the Saints' quarterback
of the future. He is a top athlete with a big-time arm.
He is also unusually strong for a quarterback. Jefferson
and Verdon are two defensive lineman who play the run well, but
are limited against the pass. They could be useful role
players, especially defensive tackle Jefferson.
The college street free agent signings I will mention are
cornerback Dwight Ellick and fullback/running back Keith Joseph.
Ellick has good measurables. However, he will have to be a
standout on special teams to stick because his cornerback skills
need developing, and his upside is as a nickel back.
Joseph is a fast, quick fullback who may be best suited as a
short-yardage running back.
|
RED NUMBERS BELOW - among best
at position
Long shuttle numbers (where available) in blue, top performers to be
determined later
| PLAYER |
POS |
FORTY |
10 DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER-
LIC |
| Brown |
OT |
5.02 |
1.76 |
4.70 |
|
7.95 |
|
31.5" |
9'1" |
13 |
| Jay Goldberg
of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Not a bad second
option to Barron. Brown has as much talent as Barron, but is
not as sure a thing on the left side. |
| PLAYER |
POS |
FORTY |
10 DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER-
LIC |
| Bullocks |
FS |
4.46 |
1.56 |
4.09 |
|
7.09 |
13 |
37.5" |
9'10" |
19 |
|
JAYBIRD PLAYER
WHO WILL HAVE A BETTER NFL CAREER THAN MANY DRAFTED HIGHER THAN
HIM
|
Plain and simple, Bullocks will be
one of the best defensive players to come out of this draft.
He is a heady ballhawk with more athletic skill and speed than
originally thought. Bullocks will be a second round steal.
|
| Gil
Brandt of NFL.com reports: Bullocks did all the
position drills and looked very good (at his Pro day). |
| PLAYER |
POS |
FORTY |
10 DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER-
LIC |
| Fincher |
ILB |
4.74 |
1.63 |
4.48 |
11.85 |
7.70 |
25 |
31.5" |
9'4" |
21 |
Jay Goldberg
of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Fincher could be a
steal in the upcoming draft. He is a good tackler, but also
has excellent on-field leadership skills.
Jay Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Fincher
played okay at the Senior Bowl game. He looks like a solid
tackler.
Colin Lindsay of GBNReport.com reports: UConn MLB
Alfred Fincher, who looks very quick and instinctive between the
tackles, appears to have emerged as one of the leaders of the
North defense.
Colin Lindsay of GBNReport.com reports: UConn LB Alfred
Fincher, who is known more as a run-stuffer, got a couple of nice
breaks on underneath passing routes at Senior Bowl practice on
Tuesday. |
| PLAYER |
POS |
FORTY |
10 DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER-
LIC |
| Lyman |
WR |
4.49 |
1.56 |
|
|
|
16 |
36.5" |
9'7" |
24 |
| Jay Goldberg
of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Lyman has a nice
blend of size, speed and strength. With the depth at wide
receiver, Lyman will be a nice selection on day two of the draft.
The major downside for Lyman is that he has been injury prone. |
| PLAYER |
POS |
FORTY |
10 DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER-
LIC |
| McPherson |
QB |
4.50 |
|
4.12 |
|
6.78 |
22 |
40.5" |
10'7" |
26 |
|
JAYBIRD PLAYER
WHO WILL HAVE A BETTER NFL CAREER THAN MANY DRAFTED HIGHER THAN
HIM
|
McPherson is the best athlete among
this year's quarterback crop (excluding Matt Jones who will not be
a quarterback in the NFL). He has matured since his young college
days (who hasn't), and is more than just an athlete. He can throw
the ball.
|
Jay Goldberg
of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: McPherson
was reported to have had a phenomenal workout. He is the
best athlete of all the quarterbacks in the draft and showed a
strong arm and good footwork during quarterback drills. Has
franchise quarterback skills.
Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports: McPherson
is a quarterback whose career at FSU was cut short and he wound up
playing in the Arena Football League. He has good height (6-3½),
good speed (4.72 in the 40, right up there with the other fast QBs)
and has kept his arm live by playing for the Indiana Firebirds in
2004. His touchdown-to-interception ratio (61 TDs, five INTs) with
Indiana was unheard of, and growing up in Florida, he was the high
school football and basketball player of the year in the same
year. He's agile and athletic -- two very important qualities
you'd want your quarterback to have.
Jay Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: McPherson
is a wild card in the draft. He has good quarterback skills
and is a very good athlete. I would take a chance on him
late in day two, or early in day two. He could develop into
a solid NFL quarterback.
Colin Lindsay of GBNReport.com reports: Former
Florida State and AFL quarterback ADRIAN MCPHERSON was 6034, 218
pounds at his weigh-in, and does intend to perform a full workout
with his group over the weekend. He did 22 reps of 225 pounds
today, which drew rave reviews from the scouts/coaches in
attendance who also had marveled at his athletic physique at the
earlier weigh-in.
Randy Covitz of KNIGHT
RIDDER NEWSPAPERS (on
www.bradenton.com) reports: Remember
Adrian McPherson? His rap sheet is longer than his stat sheet.
McPherson, a can't-miss prospect at Florida State four years ago,
was the only high school athlete in the history of talent-rich
Florida to be selected both the state's Mr. Football and Mr.
Basketball in the same year. But he made only four starts in
college and was booted out of Florida State in November 2002 when
he was accused in a series of theft and misdemeanor charges. On
Friday, McPherson stood at a podium and calmly addressed his
transgressions at the NFL Scouting Combine in the city where he
was chosen rookie of the year while playing for the Arena Football
League's Indiana Firebirds in 2004. "I was young, I
made a mistake," said McPherson, 21. "I'm the first to
step up and say I made a mistake. But I'm also the first one to
say it's never going to happen again because I don't put myself in
situations where I allow trouble to come my way. "I'm mature
from it, and anybody that wants to know, I'm willing to stand up
and answer any questions and admit to what I did then and move
forward." After pleading no contest in July 2003, McPherson
was ordered to pay more than $4,000 in restitution to cover bad
checks and avoid conviction on other charges. His sentence
included community service, 30 months' probation and a 90-day
stint on a county work detail, where he picked up trash at city
parks while wearing an orange vest. Indianapolis Colts coach
Tony Dungy, whose club is in good hands at quarterback with
two-time league MVP Peyton Manning, couldn't resist sneaking a
peek at McPherson last year in the Arena League.
"Adrian is a talented guy," Dungy said. "He's going
to be an exciting player. Obviously, a team would have to deal
with the issues at hand, but his talent is unmistakable." |
| PLAYER |
POS |
FORTY |
10 DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER-
LIC |
| Jefferson |
DT |
5.14 |
1.74 |
4.48 |
|
7.80 |
19 |
28.5" |
8'6" |
21 |
| Jay Goldberg
of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Jefferson is a
one-dimensional run-stuffer. he will not be a star, or maybe
even a starter, but he will be a useful player to have on a team. |
| PLAYER |
POS |
FORTY |
10 DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER-
LIC |
| Verdon |
DE |
5.10 |
1.77 |
4.53 |
|
7.89 |
18 |
29.5" |
8'9" |
18 |
| Jay Goldberg
of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Verdon is a
run-stuffing end. He does not have good pass rushing skills.
He could develop into a situational player in the NFL. |
| PLAYER |
POS |
FORTY |
10 DASH |
SHORT
SHUTTLE |
LONG
SHUTTLE |
3 CONE |
BENCH |
VERTICAL
JUMP |
LONG
JUMP |
WONDER-
LIC |
| Ellick |
CB |
4.37 |
|
4.13 |
|
6.95 |
17 |
36" |
10'2" |
18 |
| Jay Goldberg
of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Ellick is a
notch below the top corners i | | 
