Great Blue North Draft Report

(Ed Note: Paul Guillemette, editor of Paul’s Pigskin Place and publisher of a newsletter with views and analysis on the passing football scene will be stopping by on a weekly basis with some preliminary scouting reports on players who caught is eye during the past weekend's college football action from the perspective of the 2010 draft. Back on his home page Paul covers the NFL like a blanket with plenty of insight and analysis to help develop the most accurate NFL power rankings. That makes it a great place to help figure out the best NFL picks of the week.)

November 19

One of the great things about weeknight college football games games is that one can focus on the one televised game instead of channel surfing to catch as much action as possible. That really comes in handy when trying to scout players. So tracking all the way back to last Wednesday night, here are some prospects WHO CAUGHT MY EYE this week in college football...

WR BRYAN ANDERSON, CENTRAL MICHIGAN, 6-5, 205 ... Anderson has been a solid target for star CMU QB Dan LeVour their entire time together in Mount Pleasant where he has 226 carer catches for almost 3,000 yards to date. Anderson is a long, rangy target with large, soft hands. He is particularly effective in the red zone and working the sidelines where he uses his reach and jumping ability to give smaller DBs fits. At the same time, though, I just do not see the quickness and body control needed to be an elite receiver in the NFL. Anderson is rather stiff and takes a long time to get in and out of his cuts. Anyone drafting him thinking of getting more than a #4 WR is going to be disappointed. Think of Ruvell Martin.

OT CIRON BLACK, LSU, 6-5, 335 ... On first blush, Black looks overweight and appears a little sluggish this season. That being said, he is still a highly regarded OT prospect for the 2010 draft. Black, though, likely won’t start at LT in the NFL like he has at LSU as he's not quick enough to slide with fast pass-rushing DEs like Indianapolis DE Dwight Freeney whom he would be facing on almost a weekly basis at the next level. However, Black is massive and can move his feet, especially when he's in top shape. Even in his current condition I saw him pull to the A-Gap, right side and make a nice seal block last Saturday night against Louisiana Tech. Right now, Black looks like a second round type selection for a power running team like San Diego or Washington who could be an effective starter for 10 years in the NFL if he can keep his weight in the 325 range.

RB TOBY GERHART, STANFORD, 6-1, 237 ... Gerhart has been running a bit under the draft radar for a couple of years, but has been one of the most productive backs in the country this fall. In fact, Gerhart had shown flashes earlier in his career, but had never consistently put up the numbers until this season. There have also been concerns because he is a gifted baseball player as well. Gerhart, though, appears to have dedicated himself to football and is third in the country with 1,400 rushing yards to date. And Gerhart has been at his best in the Cardinal's big games rushing for over 400 yards in Stanford's huge wins over Oregon and USC the past couple of weeks. Gerhart has always been terrific in the red zone and is a blood hound for the goal line, scoring 19 times so far this fall. Gerhard reminds me some of Stanford grad Touchdown Tommy Vardell, but Gerhart is more a pure running back whose game will translate nicely to the NFL. He is a power runner with the speed to get outside and go the distance. In fact, it wouldn't be a total shock in a week year at the position if Gerhart snuck into the first round of the 2010 draft.

WR MARDY GILYARD, CINCINNATI, 6-0, 190 ... Gilyard is one of the most explosive WRs and return specialists, although his numbers have fallen off a bit since star Bearcats QB Tony Pike has been out and the UC offense become more of a short passing attack rather than a downfield throwing team. Last weekend, West Virginia threw double coverage at him all night, and basically took him out of the passing game. So what did he do but become a very aggressive blocker. Gilyard also picked up the pace as a return man on the night. It’s exactly what I wanted to see from a guy who has already shown what a receiving threat he is. With some glamor receivers coming out early I expect Gilyard to be a nice catch for some team in round two next April.

OT KEVIN HASLAM, RUTGERS, 6-6, 295 ... Most of the attention on the Rutgers offensive line has been focussed on star junior LT Anthony Davis, but Haslam has improved greatly the past two seasons as the starter at RT. Haslam is tall and still very lean, but he still has decent functional strength. Haslam's real strength though is the sliding dancing feet he displays more and more with every game he plays. I see him as a very effective zone-blocking scheme RT in a west coast style NFL offense. Haslam may never go to a Pro Bowl, but if he can gain about 15-20 pounds of muscle and translate that to functional strength, he could have a nice long career as a back-up/starter ala Ephraim Salaam and should be a nice steal for some team once we get to the 5th round area next April.

WR DEXTER McCLUSTER, MISSISSIPPI, 5-8, 165 ... Slash guys have become all the rage in the NFL these days and this Ole Miss speedster who has played RB and WR as well as returned kicks could be one of the best. Indeed, anyone wondering why this little guy would have any real value to an NFL team obviously missed the Ole Miss-Tennessee game last Saturday when he tore apart the Vols for over 300 total yard and 4 scores. McCluster is an all-purpose weapon who has to be used in short stretches, playing his strengths against the weaknesses of your opponent; in particular, he is elusive and shifty with exceptional explosion when he gets a seam; and while McCluster isn't all that big, he plays bigger than his 165 pounds. He can also handle a Wildcat, like he has the Wild Rebel to great affect this season. An NFL team will have to pick his spots and limit his touches, but he is worth drafting late for teams needing an explosive, part-time player.

DE O’BRIEN SCHOFIELD, WISCONSIN, 6-2, 245 ... It’s always nice to see players come through late in their college careers when they finally get a chance to emerge as starters. So say hello to O'Brien Schofield who has almost made Badgers' faithful forget Matt Shaugnessy. O’Brien is a high motor guy who plays sideline to sideline, but under control, and shows great football IQ. He has a quick first step on the pass rush and is athletic enough to drop into coverage. He has the gotten the attention of pro personnel people with a solid senior season and now will have to prove to them that he can play standing up in a 3-4 scheme as an OLB. O'Brien will have a chance to upgrade his stock in the off-season as he is committed to play in this January's Shrine All-star game in Orlando the week before the Senior Bowl.

WR GOLDEN TATE, NOTRE DAME, 5-11, 195, Junior ... The more that I watch Tate the more impressed I am at his overall play. He is dangerous in the return game as well as in a receiver mode. Tate is strong and can break tackles, which no doubt comes from his background as a prep RB. He also displays good hands and is explosive, although he is not an absolute speed burner. Tate almost single-handedly carried the Irish to within a TD of coming back against Pitt last Saturday night with some nice catches and his big return TD. He is a smart player who can be asked to do many things. He may be may never be the a #1 WR at the next level, but could be the Anquan Boldin to someone’s Larry Fitzgerald. I also like the fact that he has improved himself every season.

******

November 11

I don’t think any of these guys has a chance to get into Round One next April, but they should all get Drafted.

P BRENT BOWDEN, VIRGINIA TECH, 6-210 ... Most NFL teams never want to use a draft pick to fill a punting need and yet will stress every week how important field position and directional punting are to overall success in tight games. This young man fills all those needs for Coach Beamer and the Hokies. Bowden has a very solid gross punting average, and yet still excels at placement and pinning opponents inside their 20. He also looks to have hang times in the 5 second range most of the time. It may be in the later rounds, but I suspect Bowden will hear his name called in April.

SS CHAD JONES, LSU, 6-3, 215, JR ... Jones is far from a finished product at this stage of his career, but his athleticism and certain skills just jump out at you if you isolate on his play. Even at a solid 215 pounds, he was back on punt return duty most of the Alabama game. Jones may not be great in coverage as few safeties are truth be told, but sees the ball in the air and closes fast because of his speed. He looked particualrly good closing on receivers to provide deep help for the CBs. You can also really hear the shoulder pads crack when he gets a hit on someone. Jones comes up in run support with gusto and gets his nose in on the tackle quite often. I like his potential and am sure he can contribute greatly on special teams cover units as he works his way into an NFL secondary. He has second round athleticism if he comes out early.

DT VINCE OGHOBAASE, DUKE, 6-6, 300 ... Now that Duke is winning some games they are actually getting some air time on Saturday afternoons, even if it is on ESPNU and FOX Sports. So I finally got my chance to see Oghobaase in action last weekend and my first reaction was that he plays very fast and is a gifted athlete, although he looks lighter than his listed weight of 300 pounds. Oghobaase got good penetration into the UNC backfield and ran sideline to sideline at the line of scrimmage. Unfortunately, he also got buried on several running plays up the middle and needed time off of the field on long drives by UNC. It occurred to me sometime late in the 3rd quarter that perhaps his future as a pro will be at the DE position in a 4-3 scheme. I sure hope he gets invited to Mobile or Orlando for some All-Star action where I’d like a peek or two of him during practice on the outside rather than in.

DT D’ANTHONY SMITH, LOUISIANA TECH, 6-2, 300 .... I can always tell when I start seriously thinking about an upcoming draft, because I have a tendency to watch a player and project him to different positions for the pro game. I have seen Smith twice this season and even though I have been impressed with his pursuit skill and tackling ability I don’t see that he has the frame to hold up inside at the NFL level. And his height, or lack thereof, works against him moving to DE. He is a solid tackler and runs all over the field. I could see him getting his weight down to about 275 pounds and being a Larry Foote-type ILB in a 3-4 scheme. He really does look like he has enough athleticism to drop into short coverage even at that weight level. We shall see what happens next spring, but his small frame will only work with a few NFL Defenses with his hand on the ground.

FS AARON WEBSTER, CINCINNATI, 6-2, 215 ... The Bearcats are undefeated and thriving primarily on their offensive production, but don’t kid yourself, their 'D' has come up big in more than a few of their victories this season. Perhaps the biggest hitter and playmaker on that defensive unit is Webster, whose ball -hawking skills remind me a bit of Darren Sharper, although he does not possess the latter's return skills. Webster, though, is also a vicious hitter who delivers blows more fitting for guys weighing 20 pounds more than he does. He also exhibits great leadership skill and savvy in that Bearcat D. Once we get into January and scouts really put him under their microscope I suspect he could go as early as the third round next April.

DE C. J. WILSON, EAST CAROLINA, 6-4, 270 ... Wilson actually caught my eye last season for his pass rush ability as he has natural quickness and can spin inside or out on his rush. Wilson also really delivers a punishing blow to the QB when he reaches him. He also seems to have a good idea where the ball is going, and holds his outside position well on most misdirection plays. Wislon, though, will gets run over and buried too often on running plays. He is functionally strong, but just has a lean frame and is never going to weigh enough to anchor against the run. However, Wilson should make a solid mid-round draft pick next April as a DL rotation player. He’ll need to play in a 4-3 scheme, though, and see most of his time on passing downs.

CB KYLE WISON, BOISE STATE, 5-9, 190 .... While Boise State is unbeaten and on tarck to challenge fr a spot in the BCS picture this coming January, Wilson is the only real senior prospect on the Broncos with a chance to be drafted next April which must be thrilling news to other members of the WAC and their fans. Wilson is a special athlete with speed and quickness that are elite at the collegiate level. But given his size and lack of fundamentally sound tackling technique, he is not an elite CB prospect. Wilson, though, is also a very elusive return man and will make his biggest mark in the NFL on special teams. I think he also has a chance to contribute as a nickel back right away, but am not sure he is a full-time CB prospect. He may sneak into several Top 100 Prospects lists, though after he puts up amazing speed numbers at the souting combine in Indianapolis in February.

November 5

The GREAT BLUE NORTH DRAFT REPORT is a division of SQUITERLAND ENTERPRISES, Ottawa, Ontario,Canada