College Scout, Bowl Edition III

logoby Greg Doyle
greg@patriotsdaily.com

New Year’s Day is here, traditionally the best day to watch college football. And what a great slate of games today. Let’s review some of the players to keep in mind as the NFL draft approaches, now only four months away.

The Outback Bowl - Tennessee (9-4) vs. Wisconsin (9-3) (ESPN 11:00 AM): A good game between the SEC runner-up and a good Big 10 team. Two of the best conferences out there should provide two quality, well-matched opponents. Wisconsin has won two straight bowl games over SEC opponents.

Tennessee QB Erik Ainge (#10): Danny’s nephew had a good season. Nice 29/10 TD/INT ratio. Very tall, but not real strong. Can be sacked. Has a good and accurate arm. Doesn’t throw as well on the run. Should be a good NFL QB and a first day pick.

Wisconsin TE Travis Beckum (#9): A junior, he had a great year catching the ball with 73 receptions for nearly 1,000 yards. Some scouts see him as a first round choice and one of the better tight ends in the draft if, he enters it. I am not so sure. He is clearly a great pass catcher, with amazing hands and good speed. But at 221 lbs., he is a bit small. Will need to bulk up, if that may cost him quickness. I see him more as an h-back, so he’ll have to find the right offense to fit into. The Patriots could use a guy like this, but they don’t utilize that position enough, nor is Beckum good enough, to warrant a first or even a second round selection. If he slid to the third round, that may interest them though I still wonder if he is just not big enough and good enough of a blocker for them. In some ways, just a big, glorified receiver.

The Cotton Bowl - Missouri (11-2) vs. Arkansas (8-4): (FOX 11:30 AM): Two high scoring teams that can run the ball, but who also feature quirky offenses that features in the case of Arkansas running backs playing quarterback and in the case of Missouri wide receivers running the ball fairly regularly. We’ve all talked a lot about Darren McFadden, let’s see who else shows up in this game.

Missouri TE Martin Rucker (#82): Missouri also features an excellent pass-catching tight end in Rucker. Rucker hauled in 81 receptions this year for 815 yards and 8 touchdowns. He checks in a 6′6″ 255 so he certainly has NFL size. Very fast for his size and excellent hands. Does not have the strength he needs for the NFL yet and doesn’t break tackles, more of a finese receiver. But his speed, athletic ability and hands make him perfect for a West Coast offense.

Missouri CB Darnell Terrell (#3): This would be a good guy for the Patriots to look at later in the draft. Has nice NFL size at 6′2″ 200 and was All Big 12 Honorable Mention this year. Chipped in 40 tackles and 10 pass breakups. Did not have any interceptions this year and only three for his career, so needs to work on ball skills. Still, has size and talent and is somewhat of a sleeper, making him a ideal for a 4th or 5th round pick. Has nice straight line speed.

Arkansas DT Marcus Harrison (#55): Had an ACL injury last year, but came back to play in 11 games this year. Checks in at 307 lbs. Had a nice 72 tackle season. Not a pass rusher, but holds his ground nicely. May be more suited outside for the Patriots as he’s not quite as big as needs to be to be a pure nose tackle, nor does he have experience at that position.

The Sugar Bowl - Hawaii (12-0) vs. Georgia (10-2) (FOX 8:00 PM): The undefeated Hawaii squad can make an argument to move way up in the polls and complete their undefeated season if they knock off SEC powerhouse Georgia.

Hawaii QB Colt Brennan (#15): Slightly undersized but highly regarded QB who puts up huge numbers in Hawaii’s run and shoot system. Harder to project to the NFL than other college quarterbacks due to the system, but fits profile better than past Hawaii signal callers. Has nice size and the room to get bigger. Good arm and accurate. Smart guy who is a leader. Completed over 70% of his passes this year. Throws well on the run. Will be a first day draft pick.

Hawaii WR Jason Rivers (#84): A nicely sized WR with 4.45/40 speed and productive. What’s not to like? Plays in strange offense, so will require some learning time. But given his production, good size and speed, would seem to be a nice second day sleeper.

Georgia OLB Marcus Howard (#38): An outside linebacker who could play in a 3-4 for the Patriots. Has bulked up a bit, so now checks in at around 245 lbs. Has good speed and came into his own a bit this year, his first full year as a starter, with 7.5 sacks. Can play in coverage, but needs to improve. Somewhat of a sleeper, but stock is rising. Hadn’t played much until this year, but was a very good player here at the end.

Others to Watch

Tune into the Capital One Bowl at Noon on ABC and check out Michigan RB Mike Hart (#20). Hart is a good runner who had an extremely productive college career. Doesn’t overwhelm you physically. He’s short, not that big and not a speed burner. But he runs hard and puts in maximum effort with his runs. Can move the pile with power. He could be a first day pick or early second day. Michigan will be taking on Florida. Also at Noon on CBS, Texas Tech takes on Virginia in the Gator Bowl. There has been a lot of talk about Virginia defensive end Chris Long (#91). Long is the son of former Oakland Raider and Hall of Famer Howie Long, a native of Charlestown, Massachusetts. His son Chris is a 275 lb. defensive end and playmaker. Racked up an impressive 14 sacks this season. Personally, I feel he may not fit well into the Patriots 3-4 system and they won’t take him in the top 10. On the other hand, he played for Belichick protégé Al Groh so there is carry over. May be able to be a Willie McGinest type for the Patriots and Belichick does always find ways to use talent. I am sure they will examine him closely. The “Granddaddy of them all”…. The Rose Bowl will be on ABC at 4:30 PM. Check out USC Junior LB Rey Maualuga (#58) who kept current Patriots rookie Oscar Lua a backup his senior year. Maualuga is a great inside linebacker with ideal size and athletic ability, as well as strength, smart and tackling ability, to be a perfect fit with the Patriots. If he comes out, they will be interested.

College Scout, Bowl Edition II

logoby Greg Doyle
greg@patriotsdaily.com

The college bowl season resumes on the day after Christmas and there are several very interesting games and many good NFL-caliber players to watch between now and Friday. Let’s take a look.

Thursday December 27, 2007

Holiday Bowl - Arizona State (10-2) vs. Texas (9-3) (ESPN 8:00 PM EST): The Holiday Bowl has traditionally turned out to be a very entertaining bowl game and this is one of the best matchups of the earlier bowls. Two very good and talented teams face off and offense should be in ample display.

Arizona State CB Justin Tryon (#4): A smallish cornerback with blazing speed. He was a JUCO player who transferred to Arizona State and started every game the last two years for the Sun Devils. Very dangerous with the ball, but also improved a lot in coverage as a corner this year. Picked off 3 passes and returned them for 122 yards, including one TD. Also defended 15 passes to lead the Sun Devils. Was a track star in high school and may be one of the fastest players in this year’s draft. Has the ability to return kicks and did that in junior college, but Arizona State hasn’t utilized him much that way.

Texas WR Nate Jones (#9): Came into the season low in the depth chart, but really developed as a senior when he got a chance (partly due to injuries). Caught a team leading 64 passes for 748 yards. Came into the season with only 29 career catches. Has nice size at 6′2″ 195 lbs. A smart player who was first team All-Academic Big 12.

Texas DT Frank Okam (#97): A huge defensive tackle at 6′5″ 320 lbs. who is adept at clogging the middle. Despite his size, does have some penetrating ability. At his size and athletic ability, he’d fit nicely into the Patriots 3-4 system. Could be a first round pick. Smart guy with good character. This is the type of player the Patriots look for, immensely talented but also versatile and smart.

Texas S Marcus Griffin (#26): Twin brother of Tennesse Titans first round choice Michael Griffin, who was selected in last year’s draft. Marcus Griffin is a three year starter who is rated by many as the top safety in this year’s draft. Known as a sure-handed tackler, but also has good range to play in coverage. Like his brother, an outstanding athlete who could play strong or free safety or even corner in a pinch, as well as being a fine special teams player. The Patriots reportedly had interest in Michael Griffin, they’ll undoubtedly look very closely at Marcus as well.

Friday December 28, 2007

Champs Sports Bowl - Boston College (10-3) vs. Michigan State (7-5) (ESPN 5:00 PM EST): Of local interest because of BC, there are many NFL caliber players playing in this game. Michigan State has lost several key players to ineligibility, as well as suspension, so it will be interesting to see how they handle that.

Boston College QB Matt Ryan (#12): If you follow football at all, you’ve heard about Ryan. It appears now most NFL draft observers have him rated as the first or second QB in next year’s draft. He could go as high as a top 5 pic, according to some. He is big and has a great arm and can even buy time in the pocket. Does a good job searching the field, but on occasion seems to lock on and miss the location of defenders, particularly on short middle routes. Does not get rattled by pressure but at times forces balls trying to do too much. Take the sack or throw it away Matt. Still, a very good prospect for the NFL.

Boston College T Gosder Cherilus (#77): Another possible first-rounder for BC, Cherilus is local to the Boston area and has had a fine career. Big, strong and athletic, he could play either left or right tackle. Has nice size and can use his arms to keep defenders at bay effectively. Dominated some good players at times. The Patriots would like a player like this because he is versatile, in that isn’t just one thing as a lineman he is good at. He has good strength, but also the ability to move and get out on screens and be athletic. That is what the Patriots look for in their lineman, not just the big guys who beat defenders up on running plays. They want some of both. Cherilus is that.

Michigan State TE Kellen Davis (#80): Big, tall tight end who has had some disciplinary problems. Had 28 catches for 475 yards, which computes to a nice 17 yard average. Was more heavily utilized in the new offense Michigan State ran this year. Kelly runs well and has good hands.

Michigan State LB Kaleb Thornhill (#41): A nice sized insider ‘backer that could play in a 3-4. Had a mildly disappointing season statistically, but is still a good prospect and has all the measureables. Could fit in the Patriots system. Will be interesting to see how he tests, but as of right now he appears to be a second day prospect. Reportedly runs a 4.6/40 so that is encouraging.

Other Games

Wednesday December 26, 2007 - Motor City Bowl, Central Michigan (8-5) vs. Purdue (7-5) (ESPN 7:30 PM): Played indoors in Detroit, this one could be a shoot out as well. Interesting to watch if the MAC team from Central Michigan can match up with the team from the stronger Big 10 Conference. Watch for Purdue CB Terrell Vinson (#34) who is a fast, but very small corner who had a top-notch year for the Boilermakers. Because of his size, may be a 3rd round slot corner type, but perhaps is talented enough to be more than that. Would be easy to envision the Patriots being interested in that kind of value, a good player with good tackling ability and lots of experience who may be undervalued because he is only 5′9″ 180. Picked off five passes and was Purdue’s leading tackler.

Friday December 28, 2007  - Texas Bowl, Houston (8-4) vs. TCU (7-5) (NFL Network 8:00 PM EST) The Texas Bowl features two Texas teams. In this one you’ll want to watch TCU DE Chase Ortiz (#93) who is a 3-4 outside linebacker type at 6′3″ 255 lbs. Been one of the best defenders in the Mountain West Conference for several years and had 8 sacks and 3 forced fumbles this years. Has played a bit in coverage so linebacker is not completely foreign to him.

Friday December 28, 2007 - Emerald Bowl, Maryland (6-6) vs. Oregon State (8-4) (ESPN 8:30 PM EST): Look for Maryland running backs Lance Ball (#44) and Keon Lattimore (#21) who split time and combined for about 1,500 yards. Ball appears a bit more talented, but both have good size and runs hard. Ball is a hard running 223 lbs. Both will get a shot in the NFL. Oregon State RB Yvenson Bernard also is a good, shifty runner who has had a good career, including being utilized in the passing game. Ran for over 3,500 yards in his career. Smallish, but runs hard and finds the holes. Was once drafted for baseball by the Minnesota Twins. Is probably a second day prospect, but his toughness and shifty running could make him a steal.

College Scout, Bowl Edition

logoby Greg Doyle
greg@patriotsdaily.com

The College Bowl season gets under this week and I could not be more excited. Scores of entertaining, fun games between generally good teams with many great players can be found from now up until through the first week of the New Year. So sit back, enjoy and take in some college football. Here at College Scout we’ll try to review each of the Bowl games and the plan is to do so in three parts. As always, we’ll do so in terms at looking at potential draft prospects and, on occasion, how they may or may not fit with the Patriots. Part One will look at the Bowl games from December 20th through December 23rd.

Thursday December 20, 2007

The Poinsettia Bowl - Navy (8-4) vs. Utah (8-4) (9:00 PM EST ESPN): Two good teams face off here in this annual Bowl held in San Diego at Qualcomm Stadium. Utah has a six game Bowl winning streak on the line. Navy coach Paul Johnson has taken the Georgia Tech job so will not coach this game. Ken Niumatalolo, who was offensive line coach and assistant head coach, takes over for Johnson. Because of service commitments, among other things, Navy is not traditionally a program that sends a lot of players to the NFL. But let’s take a look to see who they have who has a shot, as well as Utah.

Navy FB Adam Ballard (#22): Ballard is an option fullback like current Patriots fullback Kyle Eckel. He has good size at 6′1″ 223 and is a nice inside runner. Not just a blocker, he’s run for over 2,000 yards in his Navy career. Broke his leg in Navy’s bowl game last year and required surgery, but was back for spring practice. Shows good speed, but pass catching ability is questionable as he has only caught a handful of passes with Navy. Has not played in a pro-type offense. Has played special teams. Like Eckel, there is potential here but a long way to go. He has to learn a NFL offense and needs to bulk up because he lacks the pure size and strength of Eckel. Isn’t quite as good a runner as Eckel either. But he is a good athlete and is worth a look as a project.

Navy KR Reggie Campbell (#7): A pure burner who has played a little bit of everything for Navy, including running back and wide receiver. Is Navy’s leading receiver this year. But where he really excels is kick returns and that is where he has a chance in the NFL. Tiny player at 5′6″ 168, but has great speed and elusiveness. Explosive on returns and that may get him a look.

Utah S Steve Tate (#28): An under-the-radar player who deserves a look. Been extremely active for Utah and put up some really great numbers, including being their leading tackler. Comes up and stops the run, but also has been solid in coverage. Seems to make plays and is a smart player. Two issues are his age, he’ll be 25 at the time of the draft, and his size as he only checks in at 5′11″ 195. A late round pick at best, but he could stick with a good camp somewhere.

Utah DE Martail Burnett (#93): A big, fast defensive end at 6′3″ 262 and reportedly runs a 4.68/40 which is a great time for a guy his size. Shows pass rush ability and led Utah in sacks this year. Great athlete, he has a chance to be a high pick and may really move up at the combine. You could see the Patriots taking a stab at converting him to outside backer, but more likely he is a Robert Mathis-type defensive end.

Friday December 21, 2007

The New Orleans Bowl - Florida Atlantic (7-5) vs. Memphis (7-5): (ESPN2 8:00 PM EST): Florida Atlantic makes its first bowl appearance ever under head coach Howard Schnellenberger, who once won a National Championship as head coach at Miami. Memphis rebounded from a 2-10 season to make this bowl this season. Let’s take a look.

Florida Atlantic S Taheem Acevedo (#9): Their team leader on defense, he has perfect safety size at 6′1″ 220. Known to be a good tackler, has also made 9 career interceptions. His production and size will get him a look, but has a lot to prove coming from a low-profile school.

Memphis QB Martin Hankins (#13): Hankings is not going to be a high draft pick, but he’s worth a look and will be in somebody’s camp. Has had an excellent college career, including career 87-43 TD/INT ratio. Started at Southeastern Louisiana before transferring to Memphis, where he has been the starter for two years. Hankins is one of those guys who has had been very productive in college, seems to be smart, has a decent arm but doesn’t overwhelm you in any area. Has average size and needs to commit to bulking up if he is to make it in the NFL. May be able to stick on a practice squad and eventually make a team.

Saturday December 22, 2007

The Birmingham Bowl - Southern Mississippi (7-5) vs. Cincinnati (9-3): (ESPN2 1:00 PM EST): The always solid Southern Mississippi program takes on the Cincinnati Bearcats, who had an excellent season, including some big upsets, under first year head coach Brian Kelly.

Southern Mississippi LT Chris Clark (#75): A good All-Conference USA tackle who may attract the interest of the Patriots as a second day type as he is strong, a good worker and also a good enough athlete to get out in space as the Patriots insist upon from their linemen.

Southern Mississippi DT Martavius Prince (#97): A good college player with nice size who ould convert to a 3-4 end if the Patriots took him. Known as a very smart player who studies the game. A little bit undersized for tackle. Shown some special teams ability by blocking kicks at key times. Can pass rush and had 6.5 sacks this year. Good prospect the Patriots should consider.

Cincinnati RB Greg Moore (#48): Splits time with fellow senior Butler Benton, but Moore is the better pro prospect of the two. Has NFL size at 6′2″ 225. Rushed for over 1,500 yards in his career. Mediocre speed which could indicate he should bulk up a bit and be a fullback. Will have to prove himself as a blocker and on special teams to make it. Did okay as a pass catcher this year and shows some potential. Possible 7th round pick.

Cincinnati RB Butler Benton (#23): Splits time with Moore. Not as big as he is, but checks in at 210 lbs as well. Put up over 1,700 yards in career and isn’t completely lost in the passing game either. A bit faster than Moore, but not as powerful. Like Moore, may be picked at the end of the draft.

Cincinnati DE Anthony Hoke (#12): A quick pass rusher who disrupted opposing offenses all season long. Finished with 12 sacks and another 7 quarterback hurries. A 6′1″ 245 pass rushing end who could be perfect as a 3-4 outside linebacker for the Patriots. Also reportedly runs a 4.55/40, so if that is confirmed at the combine, Hoke could become a name that could start racing up the charts. In an interview, he once said the quarterback he most hopes to someday sack is Peyton Manning, so that should endear him to Patriots fans.

Cincinnati OLB Angelo Craig (#82): A sleeper who the Patriots should take a look at. A 6′5″ 245 lb. guy who has played both end and linebacker and had a pretty good year this year. Had only started 2 games prior, but showed talent this year and contributed 3 sacks and 11 quarterback hurries. Has played special teams. This is a guy who is a true sleeper and not likely to attract much attention, but would be a nice undrafted free agent to look at if he does well in workouts.

New Mexico Bowl - Nevada (6-6) vs. New Mexico (8-4) (4:30 PM EST ESPN): It would appear New Mexico would have the homefield advantage in this one that points a potent Nevada offense versus a good New Mexico Defense.

Nevada LB Ezra Butler (#56): An All-WAC linebacker, Butler has good NFL size at 6′2″ 248. Was on the pre-season Lombardi watch list for the nation’s best linebacker. He’ll get a shot in the NFL and is a good prospect for the Patriots inside if he can show he is intelligent and has good speed and strength when tested. If the 4.55/40 speed reports prove accurate he could be a first day pick.

New Mexico WR Marcus Smith (#4): Set the Midwest Conference on fire this season with 86 catches for 1,039 yards. Has excellent size at 6′2″ 212. Smart receiver with good hands. A mid-round talent with average speed, his size makes him a nice slot receiver possibility.

Las Vegas Bowl - BYU (10-2) vs. UCLA (6-6) (ESPN 8:00 PM EST): Just what the world needs, Mormons in Las Vegas. I hope Mandalay Bay and The Palms are busy locking up the milk in preparation for this one. In any event…..

BYU LB Kelly Poppinga (#46): The Cougars middle linebacker, he was their leading tackler this year. A full-time starter for the first time this year. Has two brothers who have played in the NFL. An athletic guy with a good motor and good strength and size, he deserves a look. Could be a good sleeper for the Patriots, especially since he has played in coverage.

UCLA DE Bruce Davis (#44): A really good defensive end who at 234 lbs will play outside linebacker in the NFL. Has racked up 29 sacks in his career including 12 this season. Made some All-American lists in his career. Father is Bruce Davis who was a tackle on two Raider championship teams in the 80’s. Extremely quick and has a lightning fast first step as a pass rusher.

UCLA CB Trey Brown (#23): Had a very good senior season with 5 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries. A bit undersized, but good in coverage and sticks his nose in there in run help. Has a ton of experience in a good conference. Shows an ability to make plays. Could interest the Patriots in the later rounds.

Sunday December 23, 2007

The Hawaii Bowl - Boise State (10-2) vs. East Carolina (7-5) (ESPN 8:00 PM EST): An offensive shoot out in what should be perfect Hawaii weather conditions. This could be an entertaining game and we all saw how the Boise State coach isn’t afraid to pull out all the stops as he did last year in the bowl season.

Boise State OT Ryan Clady (#79): Only a junior, but a dominant left tackle who already projects as a first round choice, so he very likely will come out early for the 2008 draft. Has dominant strength and size, but combines it with amazing athletic ability. Could be a franchise left tackle for a decade or more. May interest the Patriots even though their line is pretty set. He is that good and could eventually move Pro Bowler Matt Light to right tackle if the Patriots looked in this direction.

East Carolina RB Chris Johnson (#5): A very productive runner who ran for 1,200 yards this season, averaging 5.8 per carry and scoring 16 touchdowns. Not terribly big, but gets it done and runs hard. Has excellent speed and was a sprinter in high school. Ran for over 2,700 yards in his career. Showed good ability to catch the ball with 34 receptions and did a lot with them, averaging 14.6 per catch. Returned kicks, which will help him, and brought one back for a touchdown. Could be a first day pick. Remains to be seen if he can take the pounding as a full-time back in the NFL or if he is more of a third down/kick returner/change of pace type.