Three Pack: Ginn, Meacham and Jarrett

Here’s a group of first-round junior receivers who could – through some calamitous, indescribably cruel and vengeful act of God – end up in the mix for the Pats’ 24th and 28th picks of the first round.

Ted Ginn Jr., WR, Ohio State
Junior, 5′11, 178, 4.35
Ranked 18th overall on BSMW Mock Board (as of 3/21)

OSU officials are hoping that Ginn will become the first receiver in school history not to go completely bat shit crazy upon turning pro. Had a prolific college career in an elite program as both a returner and receiver. Sounds like a vertical threat more than a complete receiver who will also make plays in traffic. There’s no question he’s been a home run hitter, though, especially as a punt returner. Has a foot injury that’s keeping him on the shelf for the workout season and it seems to be driving his draft position through the floor. Why the Patriots should consider spending a first round pick on an injured specialist is beyond me.

NFL Draft Scout, John Murphy of Yahoo Sports, NFL Draft Countdown

Robert Meacham, WR, Tennessee
Junior, 6′2, 214, 4.39
Ranked 23rd overall on BSMW Mock Board (as of 3/21)

If you liked Donte Stallworth and Kelley Washington, you love Robert Meacham! Blowout season in 06 with 1300 yards and 11 TD’s. Sounds like the prototypical BIG RECEIVUH! Even I have to admit the package of size, speed, athleticism and productivity sounds great. Is there a more speculative position than receiver, though? We’re already backlogged on the ‘what ifs’ with Chad Jackson, Stallworth and Washington. Given the team’s needs, and given the direction of the off-season to date, it just seems like the wrong year to be talking about Meacham.

NFL Draft Scout, John Murphy of Yahoo Sports, NFL Draft Countdown

Dwayne Jarrett, WR, USC
Junior, 6′4, 219, 4.57
Ranked 26th overall on BSMW Mock Board (as of 3/21)

Jarrett sounds like an amalgam of Ginn and Meacham, really – the productivity in an elite setting, combined with the great size and ability to play all over the field and not just on the perimeter. Jarrett apparently doesn’t have the speed of the others, but it hasn’t kept him out of the end zone (all-time PAC 10 leader in TD’s). Sounds like he has a lot of ability, but OSU has nothing on USC when it comes to flake receivers. Jarrett’s already drawn unfavorable comparisons to Mike Williams in the attitude department. Sounds like a real charmer - a slacker with a big ego. And that, my friends, is the last time we shall speak of Jarrett this spring.

NFL Draft Scout, John Murphy of Yahoo Sports, NFL Draft Countdown

BSMW Game Day Draft Rumor Inventory

Today we submit Version One of the BSMW Draft Rumor Inventory. We’ve been keeping track of the draft prospects the Pats have been interviewing and working out since draft season began with the college all-star games in January. They’re listed below, along with the first source of the rumor, type of contact (see key below) and finally, Scout, Inc.’s estimation of the player’s draft value (by round).

The common perception is that the Patriots never draft the players they are reportedly ‘talking to’. That will undoubtedly be true for most of the players listed below. But just last year, the very same contacts occured with eventual draftees Chad Jackson and Jeremy Mincey, so sometimes the rumored interest ends up being not so rumored after all.

At the very least, a look at this inventory in total may give us an idea where the Pats are headed. For example, they’ve been linked to a total of 17 players who carry either a 1st or 2nd round grade. 11 of them are defensive players. 8 of them are outside linebackers or converted defensive end types. That might give us a hint as to their first day intentions.

Here’s a key for the rumor chart:

AS - Interview at a college all-star game
CB - Interview at the Combine
PD - Scouts attended a Pro Day for the player
WK - Scouts conducted a private workout
VIS - Player visits team

The X marks the spot, or spots, as it were. A player like Michigan DE Lamar Woodley, a possible 2nd rounder, has had several contacts with the Pats, according to the buzz. Draw your own conclusions.

The Inventory will be back with an update in mid-April. If you see ommissions, or have corrections, dial scott@bostonsportsmedia.com. Until then, here’s what we’ve got.

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People Are Talking: Jarvis Moss, DE, Florida

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Year: Junior Height: 6′6 Weight: 250 40 Time: 4.70 Stats: NCAA

BSMW GAME DAY BOARD (as of 4/15/07) - Rank: 23rd Mock Median: 21.0 (4 mocks) Lo: 17 Hi: 33 Most Frequent: 21 (Denver, 3 mocks)

BSMW SUMMARY (as of 3/19/07)

When the Patriots signed premier free agent linebacker Adalius Thomas, I automatically assumed Thomas would fill the edge spot first vacated by Willie McGinest, then Tully Banta Cain. That could still be the case, but Thomas’s versatility could be a factor as to why the Patriots have spent so much time this spring looking at players that match the prototype for a pass rushing 3-4 linebacker. Anthony Spencer of Purdue and Lawrence Timmons of Florida State are two such players the Patriots been eying, and Moss is a third. The profiles say Moss is a Kearse-like speedster that can be a pass-rushing threat due to his explosiveness and pass rush moves on the edge. But unless I’m reading this wrong, Moss doesn’t appear to be a well-balanced player that would also be a factor against the run. Appears to have thrived due to athletic ability more so than position skills. The profiles claim his size and lack of bulk will hold him back from contributing as anything other than a pass rush specialist, at least in the early stages of his career. If we can rely on the profiles at all, we can surmise that Moss would move to linebacker with the Patriots. If so, he’ll have to overcome inexperience (started only 13 of 26 college games), some health questions (missed a good bit of his early career as the result of a staph infection) and some character blips (was suspended last year for violating team rules). Still, the promise of an impact pass rusher has placed Moss squarely in the first round; the mock consensus is that he’s a good bet to go in the top 20. You have to wonder if the Pats interest in Moss may have cooled; after meeting with him at the Combine, there are no reports that team worked him out when they visited teammates Reggie Nelson, Marcus Thomas and Earl Everett earlier this month.

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John Murphy of Yahoo Sports rates Moss fifth among this year’s defensive ends
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People Are Talking: Joe Staley, OT, Central Michigan

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Year: Senior Height: 6′5 Weight: 306 40 Time: 4.75 Stats: NCAA

BSMW GAME DAY BOARD (as of 3/16/07) - Rank: 39th Mock Median: 33.5 (4 mocks) Lo: 28 Hi: 38 Most Frequent: 38 (Arizona, 2 mocks)

BSMW SUMMARY (as of 3/19/07)

The profiles say the former tight end (started four games as a freshman) may be the most athletic of the OT prospects. Profilers claim Staley’s speed, quickness and agility give him the tools to start as a LT in the NFL, and his 4.75/40 at his recent work out have intensified the pre-draft buzz. He’s seemingly been productive in the running game (CMU had three 1,000 yard rushers during his career), and is known for his endurance and durability, which are very good things, if you can play. I also read that he’s a smart kid that works at the game. The concern is that he IS a former tight end that added an alarming 80 lbs. to his frame during his college career, a nouveau big, if you will. As a result, the profiles fret that he may struggle with the power game, as he is left, in the immortal words of Pro Football Weekly, without enough “sand in his pants”. There is also concern about the level of competition at CMU. I’ve heard the sniping about Matt Light, namely that he can’t block five-time Pro Bowler Jason Taylor, and I suppose that if the Patriots share that concern, Staley might be a fit, perhaps at #28. Admit it – it wouldn’t be an outrageous pick. As for the mocks, NFL Draft Scout says Staley goes to Pats at 28. Others agree that if he isn’t picked in the first round, he’ll go quickly in the second. The Pats attended Staley’s pro day and, suitably impressed, will dispatch OL boss Dante Scarnecchia for a private workout.

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John Murphy of Yahoo Sports rates Staley fourth among this year’s offensive tackles
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The Usual Suspects: Paul Posluszny, OLB, Penn State

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Year: Senior Height: 6′1 Weight: 238 40 Time: 4.70 Stats: NCAA

BSMW GAME DAY BOARD (as of 4/15/07) - Rank: 22nd Mock Median: 22.0 (8 mocks) Lo: 15 Hi: 38 Most Frequent: 20 (Giants, 4 mocks)

BSMW SUMMARY (as of 3/17/07)

Here’s what the profiles have to say about Posluszny: another product of the Penn State linebacker factory, Posluszny is said to be a smart, tough player and leader. Highly productive (set a school record for career tackles) and decorated (winner of both the Butkus and Bednarik Awards), he was named captain of the Nittany Lions as a Junior. The profilers say Posluszny can play any linebacker position - he flourished on the outside as a junior before moving inside as a Senior. The consensus is that he dipped after the change in positions, but some of this is attributed to his recovery from a knee injury suffered during the 2006 Orange Bowl. He settled in as the year went along, and some profilers now consider him to fit best as an inside player in the pros. Not off-the-charts great in any one area, but solid in every area. Maybe not as smooth in defending the pass as he is the run, the profilers claim, but he will be competent. His high football IQ (he is said to know every assignment on the field), solid skills and zeal for the game (will play through pain - is that supposed to be good?) is said to be the difference. He is not especially big, but is seen as a player than can add heft while retaining his quickness and range. The mocks see Posluszny as a certain first-rounder, falling somewhere in the late teens to the late twenties. Two mocks see him going to the Pats with either of their first-round picks, but 5 others say he’ll go to the Giants at #20. Like Adam Carriker, who we took a look at yesterday, Posluszny seems to be one of those players with the intangibles the Patriots like. It’s hard to tell what they’re thinking at the moment - the Patriots have not been linked to Posluszny at any post-season all-star games, the Combine or individual workouts.

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John Murphy of Yahoo Sports rates Posluszny third among this year’s outside linebackers
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People Are Talking: Adam Carriker, DE, Nebraska

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Year: Senior Height: 6′6 Weight: 296 40 Time: 4.90 Stats: NCAA

BSMW GAME DAY BOARD (as of 4/15/07) - Rank: 11th Mock Median: 11.0 (10 mocks) Lo: 6 Hi: 19 Most Frequent: 11 (49ers, 5 mocks)

BSMW SUMMARY (as of 3/17/07)

Here’s what the profiles have to say about Carriker: he is called the top rated 3-4 DE, a big, strong, quick player that’s stout against the run, both at the point and in pursuit, and he can collapse the pocket inside and be a factor in the pass rush. One profile compared Carriker to Richard Seymour in terms of style and approach. The profiles also raved about his character and commitment to football. Very team-oriented, focused, and mature, with plenty of experience as a three year starter. Reliable in every way. You get the sense he’s a refined player already. The sole complaint against Carriker is that he is not explosive enough to be an edge rushing threat. The Pats scheduled a work out with him this week, along with teammates Jay Moore (DE) and Stewart Bradley (LB). Defensive end may not leap off the page as a primary draft need, but I could understand this pick, if Carriker fits as well into the Pats scheme as the profiles claim. The Pats have just Jarvis Green and Mike Wright behind Seymour and Warren, and Wright is sometimes called to fill in on the nose. It seems like Carriker would be able to help right away here. The profiles say he can even be effective inside. Obviously, a starting caliber player would have longer-term impacts as well, perhaps even on Seymour himself. The mocks say he’ll almost certainly be picked in the early teens, meaning the Pats would have to swing a fairly significant trade to get him.

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John Murphy of Yahoo Sports rates Carriker third among this year’s defensive ends
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People Are Talking: Lawrence Timmons, OLB, Florida State

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Year: Junior Height: 6′3 Weight: 234 40 Time: 4.66 College Stats: NCAA

BSMW GAME DAY BOARD (as of 4/15/07) - Rank: 22nd Median Draft Position: 21.0 (9 mocks) Lo: 15 Hi: 38 Most Frequent Mock Selection: 15 (Steelers - 4 mocks)

BSMW SUMMARY (as of 3/16/07)

Here’s how the profilers describe Timmons, who worked out for the Patriots in March. He’s said to be a superior athlete, with the range and speed to make plays sideline to sideline. A promising impact edge rusher. But Timmons has just one year of starting experience, and his position technique and recognition skills are described as undeveloped, particularly in the passing game. Needs to get bigger and stronger. Overpursues, collides more than tackles. Everyone raves about his tools and potential, though. Perhaps he’d fit with the Pats right away as a situational pass rusher and develop his game over the long-term while playing behind Thomas and Colvin. It would be hard to argue with youth and talent at any linebacker spot, though I still consider more immediate help in the middle as a greater priority. The mocks say Timmons will be chosen anywhere from mid-first round to mid-second, so if the workout went well this week, he could be in play at either of the first round picks, or if the Patriots decided to trade down.

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John Murphy of Yahoo Sports rates Timmons first among this year’s outside linebackers
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www.nfldraftpro.com

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