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Receiver preview part 3: Mohamed Sanu & Juron Criner

May 11, 2011 / Rob Staton

I’m going to complete this early look at the 2012 receiver prospects with two other names that are worth monitoring this year: Mohamed Sanu (WR, Rutgers) and Juron Criner (WR, Arizona).

To see reports on Justin Blackmon, Jeff Fuller and Ryan Broyles click here. For my preview of Alshon Jeffery click here.

Sanu is one of my favorite prospects who will be available for next year’s draft. For me, he’s one of the most explosive playmakers in college football and a potential top-20 pick. I watched him several times as a freshman in 2009 and he absolutely blew me away with elite athleticism, perfect size and all-round playmaking ability. He showed sure hands catching the ball, an ability to create separation, blazing speed and a competitive streak when asked to block. Quite aside from that, he offered a real threat as a wildcat quarterback, often taking direct snaps and running for big gains (755 rushing yards in 2009-10).

Unlike the more orthodox receivers we’ve looked at over the last couple of days, Sanu is a guy you utilise in many different ways. Maybe he run 7-8 times in a game? Have him run screens and underneath routes to take advantage of his ability in the open field. You can ask him to run deep and open things up. The sky’s the limit really, he’s possibly the most exciting raw talent I’ve watched since Percy Harvin, yet Sanu has a major size advantage at 6-2, 218lbs.

However, he’s off the radar a bit due to a distinct lack of production during his sophomore campaign. After such a productive year as a true-freshman, big things were expected in year two. A 727 total yard season with six touchdowns wasn’t what the Rutgers fans were hoping for. We need to appreciate the situation he faced, which was far from ideal. Tom Savage entered the year also a true sophomore after a great start to his career at quarterback. He had everything – size, arm, talent. This was a key note commitment for Rutgers and he appeared to be destined for a great college career and eventually a move to the NFL. I’m still not entirely sure what went wrong in 2010.

Savage got injured early and lost his job to Chas Dodd, a smaller and more mobile quarterback who could deal with the porous Rutgers offensive line. At times it was ugly to watch the Scarlet Knights passing game and the skill players like Sanu suffered in a big way. He had highlights (including a 91-yard touchdown run against Tulane) but his production suffered almost entirely due to the inconsistency at quarterback. Savage appears to be ready to transfer from Rutgers and is currently plotting his next move to get back on track. We can only hope that whoever starts at QB next year can make the most of Sanu’s brilliant potential.

So what is he capable of? It’s hard to find guys capable of making explosive plays that impact games, but that’s what he brings to the table. The early mocks have him posted as a late first rounder but I have no issues putting him higher up the board.

Juron Criner is a player who almost declared for the 2011 draft but eventually opted to stay at Arizona. He’s Nick Foles #1 target (1233 yards and 11 touchdowns last season) with ideal size at 6-4, 211lbs. He was very consistent last season and he offers a major bonus in the red zone. Arizona uses a funky short passing game and Foles’ lack of arm strength makes it difficult to judge how good Criner’s straight line speed is – that could define his stock over the next 12 months. He has shown the ability to compete for the ball, make difficult catches and show some YAC ability.

With Foles returning for the Wildcats too, there’s no doubt that health permitting Criner will have another +1000 yard season. That’s an advantage that perhaps some others such as Sanu won’t have and it can only help his stock. I have tape from Arizona @ Stanford from last season, a game where Criner caught nine passes for 98 yards and a touchdown. I’ll review the tape not only to keep an eye on Sherman, but also to get another look at recent Seahawks addition Richard Sherman.

It’s a tight group of receivers heading into 2012 with a lot of depth and potential first round quality. Alshon Jeffery is the clear #1 heading into the new college football season, but doubts about the future of Stephen Garcia in South Carolina could hit his production. He could be the top 10/15 talent from this group, but it’s interesting to note there are two senior prospects in Texas A&M’s Jeff Fuller and Justin Criner who could also go in the top-25. It’s rare to have that quality of senior prospect at the receiver position. Both have the kind of size teams will look for in round one, while Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon will have production on his side. Mohamed Sanu is the X-factor in the draft, but don’t rule out the possibility of all five being taken on day one next year.

It doesn’t end there either. Michael Floyd (WR, Notre Dame) has courted controversy at Notre Dame recently. He’s a talented player with a lot of potential, but the light needs to switch on if he’s going to make the most of his ability. Greg Childs (WR, Arkansas) is another big name to watch out for and Chris Owusu (WR, Stanford) will provide Andrew Luck with a playmaker.

Receivers in review: Blackmon, Fuller and Broyles

May 10, 2011 / Rob Staton

Justin Blackmon (WR, Oklahoma State) won the Biletnikoff in 2010 and it was somewhat of a surprise that he chose not to declare for this year’s draft. Despite enduring a one-game suspension, he recorded 1782 receiving yards and 21 total touchdowns. The thing that stands out for me when watching Blackmon is his control running routes and positioning his body to catch the ball. He’s very smooth if not explosive going into his breaks and he does a decent job at getting open.

You’re not looking at a big physical guy at 6-1 and 207lbs and he’s not going to run a great forty time. Blackmon has a tendency to body catch a little too frequently and overall he hasn’t got great hands – as emphasised by the drop at 1:53 in the video above. Like Greg Jennings and Roddy White he has the potential to be productive receivers without having amazing athletic qualities or size, but like those two I expect he’ll be drafted in the late first or second round.

Jeff Fuller (WR, Texas A&M) has the opportunity to fight for the second receiver grade after Alshon Jeffery (who we looked at yesterday – click here). He’s a rare senior wide out with first round talent. Fuller has the size (6-4, 215lbs) to be physical against elite cornerback talent and he’s more than capable of getting downfield. The tape above flashes exactly why he’s an outside candidate to go in the top-15 next year. That is every snap thrown in Fuller’s direction against LSU, so who do you think won that battle between the receiver and Patrick Peterson? He caught seven passes for 83 yards – a better performance than most managed against Peterson last year.

The quarterback situation for the Aggies didn’t help Fuller in 2010. He did quite well under Jerrod Johnson initially, had a great start with Ryan Tannehill against Texas Tech but that production was short lived. Things seemed to click in the Bowl Game as we see above, so if the chemistry is finally there it could be a major positive for Fuller who is my #2 receiver prospect for 2012.

Ryan Broyles (WR, Oklahoma) also had an extremely productive season in the Sooners prolific passing game. In three years at Oklahoma he has 3429 yards and 35 touchdowns. He’s not a big guy (5-10, 183lbs) but he has slot potential and could provide the kind of safety net that’ll make life easy for young quarterbacks in the NFL. Like the previous two receivers featured here, I think people expected Broyles to declare. He’s had three years in the Oklahoma offense and achieved major production plus success.

I can’t place his stock much higher than rounds 2-3 going into his senior campaign and perhaps that’s why he is staying in college? He’s a by-product of the Oklahoma offense, taking so many catches on high percentage passes and trying to use open field ability to make plays. To some extent he reminds me of Golden Tate in that regard, because Tate’s Biletnikoff season was packed full of simple routes to get the ball in his hands quickly. Like the current Seahawks receiver, he’s capable of making spectacular plays (see 1:01) but really hes a difficult prospect to project because he doesn’t run many pro-routes and he isn’t catching the ball in challenging areas.

Alshon Jeffery (WR, South Carolina) in review

May 9, 2011 / Rob Staton

So far in this series we’ve looked at Matt Barkley and Landry Jones (courtesy of game tape supplied by Draft Breakdown). The next four 2012 prospects in focus will all be wide receivers, starting with Alshon Jeffery (South Carolina) and moving on to Jeff Fuller (Texas A&M), Ryan Broyles (Oklahoma) and Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State).

Jeffery is a true junior with 2280 yards and 15 touchdowns already in credit. He enjoyed a productive freshman season (763 yards, six scores) and really burst onto the scene as a sophomore in 2010 (1517 yards, nine TD’s). At 6-3, 233lbs he’s very much in the Mike Williams category of receiver and will draw some comparisons to Jonathan Baldwin (drafted 26th overall by Kansas City this year). Jeffery has benefited from a potent setup at South Carolina. Stephen Garcia is a capable quarterback and Marcus Lattimore’s 1197-17 touchdown freshman campaign added elite rushing skills to an already thriving offense.

The similarities between Baldwin and Jeffery may grow depending on the fate of the aforementioned Garcia. He’s currently suspended after yet another off the field incident and there’s some talk his days as the Gamecock’s signal caller are over. If they’re forced to turn to less experienced sophomore QB Connor Shaw, it could spell trouble for both Jeffery and Lattimore. Ask anyone who followed Pittsburgh last year for the evidence.

With Bill Stull at quarterback – a capable if not explosive college player who eventually went undrafted in 2010 – Baldwin recorded 1111 yards with eight touchdowns in 2009. When Stull moved on the Panthers transitioned to sophomore Tito Sunseri who was anything but consistent. Productive games against Rutgers and West Virginia were offset by poor displays against Miami and Kentucky. Baldwin’s production took a major hit, dropping to 822 yards and just five touchdowns, despite catching only four fewer passes in 2010.

The end product was a player who entered the year as a possible top-15 prospect and went into the draft with some touting a fall into round three. Kansas City took a chance on the big body that could move and flashed explosive talent, but a few eyebrows were raised when he went at #26.

As I hinted earlier, it wasn’t just Baldwin that suffered. Dion Lewis went from a 1799 yard rusher with 17-touchdowns to a struggling running back who scraped to 1061 yards in 2010 with four less touchdowns. There were other mitigating factors in Pittsburgh that contributed to a disappointing season last year, but there’s no doubt what so ever that inconsistent and inexperienced quarterback play hampered the teams’ skill players.

If Garcia is out in South Carolina, that could hurt Lattimore (who won’t be available for the draft until 2013) and Jeffery’s production in a similar fashion. Last week ESPN’s Todd McShay paired the big receiver with Seattle in his early 2012 mock draft at #7 overall. Jeffery’s certainly capable of going in that range but he’ll need to maintain the same kind of production witnessed during his excellent sophomore year.

So what’s to like? He gets separation despite lacking an explosive first step or brilliant deep speed. He is fluid into his breaks and he’s shown the ability to make big time catches away from his body – that’s absolutely key when judging these big name receivers. There are one too many body-catches, but you expect to see that because not every player is going to be Michael Crabtree in that regard. You can toss the ball up in his general direction and he’ll go up and get the football. He’s not going to beat anyone deep with pure speed, but he’ll be a great red zone target.

He looks a notch slower than Jonathan Baldwin on his deep routes but he makes up for it with much greater control and awareness, especially when he leaps for the football and extends those long arms. Look at the way he gets open on the second touchdown against Alabama – that’s the kind of thing teams want to see from a guy who won’t run in the 4.4’s.

You can see in several instances where Garcia was willing to take a shot at throwing into tight windows, trusting his receiver to make a play. There’s also the odd spectacular play, such as the stunning one-handed grab against Alabama with Dre Kirkpatrick (another possible top-15 pick next year) draped all over him. That kind of quality will boost his stock and make up for the lack of elite deep speed. He’s not going to be Julio Jones – who ran in the 4.3’s to match the size and ended up in the top-ten. I’m not convinced that even with another year of great production Jeffery can go in that range. He’s very much in that 10-25 area for me as we shift attention to the 2011 college season.

However, if I’ve spent a lot of money on a young franchise quarterback and I’m looking for a safety net to make life easy then I’m less concerned about the speed and more concerned about how Jeffery absolutely fits the bill. I’m not entirely sure why McShay paired Jeffery with Seattle because ultimately the Seahawks already have this type of player on the roster. At the end of the day, what use are two big bodied receivers when the only contracted quarterback currently on the team’s roster is Charlie Whitehurst? His contract is also up after 2011 and if Seattle does own yet another top-ten pick next year, you have to believe quarterback comes first. In McShay’s mock, Landry Jones is still on the board.

Landry Jones tape review vs Florida State (2010)

May 8, 2011 / Rob Staton

Over the next few days I’m going to continue to review 2012 prospects, break down the tape and preview the new college season. Yesterday we featured USC quarterback Matt Barkley, so it’s only fitting to cover the other guy not named Andrew Luck – Oklahoma’s Landry Jones.

The redshirt junior had major production in 2010, stacking up a lofty 4718 passing yards, 38 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. It’s no surprise given the number of high percentage passes in the Oklahoma offense. Jones threw the ball an incredible 617 times last season, averaging 44 passes per game. Against Oklahoma State he threw 62-times and his lowest workload came in a 45-7 blow out of Texas Tech – a game he didn’t finish yet still managed 29 attempts. This is a very different offense than the one witnessed at USC (Barkley) or Stanford (Luck).

In Sam Bradford’s Heisman winning season he recorded 4720 passing yards, so around the same region as Jones last year. Yet Bradford attempted 483 passes, 134 less than Jones in 2010. The pass-happy offense didn’t restrict Bradford’s stock because he was able to shine regardless. Sure, he also made a large number of screens and dumps off – but he also flashed the ability to be incredibly accurate and capable of making every pro-pass. His 50 touchdowns and just eight interceptions in 2008 was testament to his quality and rightly he was drafted first overall last year. Jones has to prove he’s equally capable of flourishing in an offense that will always make life easy.

The good news is he has the prototypical size (6-4, 225lbs) and an arm that won’t be a restriction in the NFL. As with both Andrew Luck and Matt Barkley, Jones doesn’t have any character issues and plays up to the ‘leader’ role on his team.

The tape above is from a blow-out win over a sloppy Florida State. His opposite number Christian Ponder suffered a hideous meltdown on the day and one can only assume Minnesota didn’t linger too long on this game before drafting him 12th overall. As you can see, there’s a real mix of good and bad from Jones. On a positive day, you’ll see the kind of performance above. The errors are largely unpunished and he’s able to make a few good plays. On an off day, he struggles and we saw that in perhaps Oklahoma’s biggest game of last season against Missouri where Blaine Gabbert looked a superior pro-prospect.

His quest in 2011 will be to become a consistent force and to shine beyond the pass-happy offense. He can do that with the vast talent he has at receiver and particularly the return of safety net Ryan Broyles is a big positive. Limit the turnovers and try to become more efficient and Jones can become a quarterback with top 10-15 talent.

So to the tape…

This is pretty much eight minutes of screen passes and you could cut most of it out and be no more incapable of making a pro-judgement. Welcome to the Oklahoma offense. It’s all about quick tempo, high percentage passes that get the ball out to the playmakers quickly and then rush back to the line before the defense has a chance to rest. Jones is given a different read but the check-down is always there. What I need to judge next season, especially against the tougher defenses, is whether he’s too quick to go to that safe option. Alternatively, will he make errors trying to force things when dropping off a short pass was actually the best bet? Little things like that will define his decision making and as he owns the physical tools, will be a major factor in his final grade.

He has a tendency to be a little off with some throws, as witnessed at 0:51, 1:03, 2:11, 5:32, 5:37 and 6:18. The pass at 6:45 is a really poor decision that should’ve led to an interception.

In contrast there are some really positive plays where he looks like a top-ten pick. The first examples comes at 1:32 where he fits the ball through a crowd into a position where the receiver can catch it in traffic. Nice zip, good placement and it’s also from his second read, so he’s had to make a quick decision to make the completion. This preceeds the first touchdown, another pro-throw, with Jones’ showing a great pump, the #27 bites opening up space in behind two defensive backs for his receiver. Again the pass is very accurate and executed to perfection.

Fast forward to 2:21 for the next big play. This throw is Bradford-esque with beautiful touch, dropped in behind the cornerback giving the receiver a chance to catch by the sideline and run in for the score. It’s impossible not to see a throw like that and think top-10 potential.

In Seattle’s offense you need to be able run bootlegs and throw on the move, we see some evidence of this at 3:08. Mobility isn’t a big positive for Jones but he’s not Ryan Mallett-slow. He’s a bit like Matt Ryan on his feet – capable of rolling out and moving around in the pocket, but he’s not going to break off big runs or surprise you with a scramble. There’s a play-action at 4:11.

The third touchdown is a great example of how the fast tempo offense works to Oklahoma’s advantage. The FSU defense can’t prepare itself in time, it’s a disorganised mess and Jones takes full advantage by snapping the ball early and getting it to an open receiver.

He’ll probably want to forget the play at 4:30. Ouch.

There’s absolutely no reason why he can’t take the next step and not only be very successful with Oklahoma, but also be one of the big name prospects for the 2012 draft. Unlike Matt Barkley he has no real need to stay for a fourth year starting and there will be a market for the players next in line behind Andrew Luck. Can he become more clinical and efficient to match the physical qualities and the flashes of pure potential? He made major strides forward as a second year starter and there’s no reason why that can’t continue. However, there is still work to be done and he’s behind both Luck and Barkley at this stage in my opinion, but things can change.

Matt Barkley tape review vs Virginia (2010)

May 7, 2011 / Rob Staton

Thanks again to the excellent Draft Breakdown for providing game tape that goes beyond highlights. Today we have a close look at USC quarterback Matt Barkley, a player many consider to be one of the top rated NFL prospects in college football. He’ll be a true junior in 2011 having started as a freshman, but it’s unclear whether he’ll declare for next year’s draft. In 2012 sanctions will be lifted on USC allowing them to participate in a BCS Bowl and that could be tempting enough for Barkley to return for a fourth year.

There’s also the possibility of becoming the #1 pick in 2013, an honour which will almost certainly go to Andrew Luck next year. I suspect Landry Jones will declare as a redshirt junior having already had success with Oklahoma in two bowl games. It’s a very different situation for Barkley, but he’s worth reviewing nonetheless.

The snap judgement you make is that he’s a pure pocket passer, but actually he’s deceptively agile. We see at the 4:02 mark that he’s more than capable of making plays with his feet when the situation arises and the second touchdown pass at 5:37 is Aaron Rodgers-esque, a pump fake before slipping away from pressure, then hitting his target on the numbers. The plays at 6:48 and 6:58 are two more examples of what Barkley is capable of in this area.

On other occasions you’re left a little bit frustrated that he doesn’t extent the play. The sack and fumble after 35 seconds showed the perfect opportunity to step into the pocket yet he remains glued to the spot almost waiting to be hit. In that instance you want to see some appreciation for the pressure and adjustment, whether it’s a quick throw or at least trying to get out of the pocket to create a passing lane. We saw improvements in his footwork as a sophomore and it’s fair to expect that to continue as a junior. If he can become consistently good in this area you’re talking about a big-time pro-prospect because the other qualities he has are borderline elite.

Barkley excels with the quick pass and accuracy. Mechanically there’s no issues with his throwing motion and he’s well versed taking the snap from under center, taking a five step drop and delivering the ball on the money. The throw at 1:02 is the kind of thing that people rave about Andrew Luck, an efficient drop back and throw on the target in a crowd for the first down. You see further evidence of this at 4:46 and you have to love the way he looks off the safety to make the completion.

He needs to put more velocity in the mid/deep range throws and unlike some prospects I think he’s got the frame and mechanics to improve in this area. The pass at 1:14 could’ve done with a little more zip, but you can’t fault the placement over two defenders and it should’ve been caught. It’s the same situation at 2:24, good placement but you’d like the ball to hit the target a little quicker. A bit of work in the weight room will do wonders and he can add muscle without seeing an adverse effect on his accuracy.

Even so, the deep ball isn’t something we’ll ever rave about with Barkley but as long as it’s accurate and not under-thrown I don’t have an issue. Andrew Luck doesn’t have a cannon arm, but he rarely under throws his receiver. Christian Ponder on the other hand will try and throw to a distance he isn’t capable of and lobs it up for grabs. The completion at 2:40 is more Luck than Ponder, because although the ball doesn’t zip through the air like a Ryan Mallett pass there’s only one player who has any chance of catching the ball – the receiver. Barkley executes the play-action well and places the ball perfectly.

The touchdown pass afterwards flashes the decision making qualities he has, initially acknowledging his first option wasn’t on, moving to a secondary option before returning to the initial read in a split second when the pass re-opened. It’s a good, accurate throw to the back of the end zone.

Barkley suffers a little bit with an issue Luck had as a redshirt freshman and also at the start of the 2010 season in that he forces passes. This is probably to be expected with young guys still learning their game. Luck made major strides during last season but for the occasional stop-start performance (including the first half of the Orange Bowl) and I suspect Barkley will enjoy the same kind of improvement here.

The fade pass at 5:04 is perfect and should’ve been caught – it’s the third of five bad drops on the tape following an inch perfect throw. You also have to be impressed with the way he visibly progresses through his reads. Again, you’re talking about easy comparisons to Luck in that area.

Whenever I’ve watched Barkley I’ve been impressed and I maintain that he has #1 pick potential if he continues to improve as a junior and possibly during a fourth year with Southern Cal. Although he may not have the cannon arm, he’s pretty much the complete package in every other respect. Teams are going to want this guy to be the face of their franchise for the next +10 years. With USC off the national radar due to the sanctions, he’s unlikely to generate the same mass exposure that Luck enjoyed last season, but it’ll be fascinating to see how the pair perform and if they do both declare, how they’ll challenge each other at the top of the draft.

As things stand today I would project Andrew Luck to be a sure-fire #1 pick, but if he does declare Barkley would be the close second and who knows – he may end up having the better career.

Source: Blaine Gabbert was top QB on Seattle’s board

May 5, 2011 / Rob Staton

Gabbert was drafted 10th overall by Jacksonville

I had contact with my ‘draft insider’ yesterday for a catch up and to get some info on the team’s plans during last week’s draft. Before we get on to that, I want to point out the success rate of his information this year to date (click here and here). Despite placing Ryan Mallett at #15 in my final mock draft, the source told me there was no chance that would happen. Here’s what I wrote the night before the draft: “Ryan Mallett isn’t just off the Seahawks draft board, he’s sinking in a big way. Apparently he won’t be taken until the mid second round at the earliest. The source was quite adamant about this.”

What about the Seahawks? “I’m told it’s likely Seattle will favor offensive lineman if they can’t move down.” Seahawks Draft Blog even touted James Carpenter as an option.

“Do not expect Andy Dalton to be drafted at #25. The words used to describe the possibility of that happening were very negative.”

Just a small sample, but there’s a lot more that came to fruition if you select the links above. Not every piece of information I relay on this blog will be proven true, but this particular source continues to offer a great insight into the Seahawks draft plans. He nailed the 2010 draft last year and called the Marshawn Lynch trade days before it became public knowledge (for proof, see here). So whether you believe the information I publish on this blog or not, it’s fair to say it’s coming from a source with a track record.

We told you before the draft that Colin Kaepernick was the #2 quarterback on the Seahawks draft board, with Andy Dalton at #3. The top ranked quarterback was unknown prior to the draft. I’ve since discovered that Blaine Gabbert was the man in question. You may be interested to know that Cam Newton was ranked at #4 and Jake Locker as low as #6. I am not aware of who was at #5, but it’s probably safe to assume it was Christian Ponder. Ryan Mallett was never a consideration.

What this tells me is that the Seahawks did not feel good about this quarterback class. A pretty obvious statement I suppose, considering they ignored the position completely. I understand there was interest in Kaepernick if they could initiate a trade down into the top end of round two, which makes sense given where he was eventually drafted by San Francisco. I also believe there was a significant grading drop from Kaepernick at #2 to Dalton at #3. The way the quarterbacks were ranked and left the board suggests a QB at #25 was never really a consideration. They simply did not rate this group.

I’m told that the team was really high on Danny Watkins, drafted two spots before the Seahawks by the Philadelphia Eagles. In fact, he was considered the #1 realistic target at #25 if they couldn’t trade down, but of course he left the board just before Seattle was on the clock. My source didn’t know how James Carpenter was graded in comparison, but certainly Watkins was in play before the Eagles drafted him.

Despite what has been said to the contrary by Seahawks GM John Schneider on KJR this week, I understand Jimmy Smith was still in play at #25 despite character concerns. However, as with Alex Gibbs last year, Tom Cable has been afforded a substantial input and the team decided that if they couldn’t move down, they would take an offensive lineman. Clearly the off-field concerns played some part because there’s no way a player as talented as Smith should’ve lasted into the 20’s anyway. But unlike Ryan Mallett, Smith wasn’t struck off the board and they did grade him higher than Prince Amukamara.

I was told about two specific targets whenever free agency begins, but have promised the source I won’t reveal the names on here. Both were offensive minded players that will continue the team’s desire to improve the run. Time for a bit of cryptic Pete Carrol-esque musical mystery. Your first task is to find the player hidden in: Ray Parker Jr – Ghostbusters theme tune. If you can work out who player #1 is from that, you should be a sleuth. Second player’s clue: Hilary Duff – The Getaway. Good luck, think outside of the box.

The final piece of information I can give you today is on the Seahawks immediate future at quarterback. Regulars will know that I’ve been writing about the possibility of a deal to bring Carson Palmer to Seattle being in the pipeline. I asked my Seahawks source about that talk and he couldn’t offer anything to confirm or deny it. However, he did tell me that Matt Hasselbeck is still a very realistic option for the Seahawks. He added that there is interest in Philadelphia’s Kevin Kolb, but any deal is dependant on the price. In fact he stated that the Cleveland Browns were the team to watch in the race for Kolb’s services. That would make perfect sense given Tom Heckert’s influence in drafting Kolb for the Eagles and with Cleveland holding two 2012 first round picks.

Finally, the team does still have faith in Charlie Whitehurst and I understand it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that he could end up being the starter next season. This would be dependant on other deals not being completed, for example Hasselbeck signing elsewhere or any possible deal for Palmer hitting a blockade. However, it appears the team are prepared and won’t panic about giving Whitehurst his opportunity.

Three more 2012 quarterbacks to keep an eye on

May 4, 2011 / Rob Staton

On Monday I highlighted eleven quarterback prospects worth monitoring during the 2011 college football season. Dave ‘rogue scout’ Razzano is touting as many as eight potential franchise QB’s from the class.

“2012 will be year of the QB. I see EIGHT potential franchise QBs for next years Draft. Will be best EVER! Great for NFL.”

Indeed Razzano tweeted today that he believes Oklahoma’s Landry Jones could realistically challenge Andrew Luck to be next year’s #1 pick:

“This Landry Jones of Okla is an absolute phenom. Don’t be surprised if he challenges Andrew Luck for #1 pick in 2012!”

I asked Razzano who he believed were the top 2012 prospects at the position and he confirmed some of the names I’d mentioned, but also added another into the mix – Houston’s Case Keenum. I was surprised to see Keenum’s name mentioned. He missed the majority of the 2010 college season through injury and has been granted a sixth year at Houston as compensation. His numbers are gaudy with over 10,000 passing yards and 88 touchdowns during 2008-09, evidence of the prolific Cougars offense.

Can he transition to the NFL? Let’s not forget that Kevin Kolb came from the same system. Keenum is 6-2 and 210lbs. His task in 2011 will be to prove that the numbers are not a faux pas and that he can be consistently accurate. You’re not talking about top-end physical qualities either in terms of arm strength or mobility. His decision making at times can be erratic and certainly a lot of the production at Houston is similar to that witnessed in Hawaii or at Texas Tech – not exactly hot beds of NFL quarterback talent.

Even so, I feel compelled to mention him in the discussion having warranted at least an acknowledgement from Razzano. I still think he’ll be lucky to be anything more than a late round pick.

In writing this piece I also thought about other possible quarterback options who are maybe flying under the radar, for very different reasons.

Let’s start at Florida, a team that has undertaken a major transformation during the off season. Urban Meyer’s resignation led to wholesale changes for the Gators coaching staff, with Will Muschamp leaving Texas to become the new head coach. One of his first acts was to enlist Charlie Weis as offensive coordinator.

The 2010 season was a difficult one for Florida, moving on from Tim Tebow and being stuck between two offensive schemes. Meyer ‘s spread offense didn’t suit quarterback John Brantley, so they flip-flopped between the system used for Tebow and a more orthodox passing game. Freshmen Jordan Reed and Trey Burton took over a number of snaps at quarterback and it was, at times, a bit disjointed. Brantley was caught up in the middle of a transition period for the Gators and the numbers showed – a mediocre 9-10 touchdown-to-interception ratio and only 2061 passing yards.

Employing Weis to run Muschamp’s offense could be of significant benefit to Bentley. Let’s not forget, this is a player touted by Mel Kiper at the start of the 2010 college season as a potential first round pick. Instead, it was left to the likes of Blaine Gabbert and Cam Newton to surface and take their place in the top ten alongside Jake Locker.

At 6-3 and 220lbs, Brantley looks like a pro-prospect. The Weis offense at Notre Dame was basic if nothing else and afforded the likes of Jimmy Clausen the opportunity to wrack up big-time numbers and limit turnovers. Brantley may enjoy the same kind of boost throwing a lot of passes into the flats and working around the athletes Florida always churns out to support it’s offense. Even if Weis goes with a more complex outlook after a year with the Kansas City Chiefs, he’s likely to avoid flirting too much with the spread which should offer Brantley an opportunity to develop.

KC Joyner at ESPN had the opportunity to watch Florida’s spring practise:

“It might seem a bit odd to be touting Brantley after a 4-for-14, 45-yard performance in the Orange and Blue game, but consider this: In a three-game sample review of Brantley’s 2010 season, he threw a stretch vertical pass (defined as thrown 20 or more yards downfield) only 5 percent of the time. This is a very low number and indicates the Gators were not very effective at even threatening the long pass.In the spring game, four of Brantley’s aerials fell under the “stretch vertical” designation and one would have been completed for 40 yards had it not been for a very good defensive play. Brantley also did not force any of these downfield passes into coverage, so the downside on these throws was limited. It bodes well for what the Florida vertical game will be able to do in 2011 — not just for Brantley and Charlie Weis’ new downfield passing game, but for the playmakers in the Gators’ running game as well.”

If Brantley becomes a downfield passer who can manage underneath routes and limit turnovers as you’d expect with Weis, then he has the opportunity to put his name firmly into contention as a high draft pick.

The third player I’m going to mention in this article is South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia. As things stand today, the Gamecocks may be the most talented overall team in the SEC. They have a big-time receiver in Alshon Jefferey, an excellent sophomore running back in Marcus Lattimore and a cluster of defensive talent that could turn into high draft picks next year.

Garcia himself has shown flashes of quality, throwing for 20 touchdowns in a productive 2010 season. His decision making at times is poor, but he has shown the ability and the physical qualities (6-2, 227lbs) to warrant consideration at the next level.

Unfortunately, Garcia’s decisions off the field are just as poor as they are on it. He was suspended indefinitely from the team in April and it’s a familiar story for a player who has made headlines for the wrong reasons too many times in his career. Matt Hinton at Yahoo reports:

“As salacious rumors go, coming in drunk and disorderly doesn’t quite match the tales of epic pregame partying that reportedly led to Garcia’s suspension for the start of spring practice last month (although that depends on just how “disorderly” we’re talking about), but it’s certainly enough to violate his probation. And with five boozy strikes on his record, it’s probably enough to put his college career in the past tense.”

Indeed we may be robbed of the opportunity to see if Garcia can repair his stock on a team ready to contend in the toughest division in college football. The off-field concerns grade out at UDFA, completely wasting the on-field potential. Can he recover from this? It remains to be seen and his time may well be done in South Carolina, but he’s a player who otherwise would’ve been on the NFL’s radar next season.

Game Tape

Case Keenum (QB, Houston)

John Brantley (QB, Florida)

Stephen Garcia (QB, South Carolina)

An early look at the 2012 quarterback class

May 2, 2011 / Rob Staton

Everyone's heard of Andrew Luck, but what about the rest?

Every single year we hear the same thing. In 2009 Matt Stafford, Mark Sanchez and Josh Freeman would pale in significance compared to next year’s quarterbacks. People talked up Sam Bradford correctly, but Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow were vaulted above their means. When reality set in, the 2011 class came into focus.

By August people started to look at Andrew Luck, Jake Locker and Ryan Mallett – and wondered if Christian Ponder could work his way into round one. When the 2011 draft arrived Luck was staying in college and Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert were now on the scene. With the Seahawks still looking for a long term answer, attentions now turn to 2012.

“Next year is a better class” is the turn of phrase rearing it’s ugly head once more.

Let me start by saying, I’m not ruling it out. It’s still far too early to project and who knows who will join the party? Certainly nobody was talking about Cam Newton this time last year. You have a prospect in Andrew Luck who many believe to be a generational prospect capable of forming a dynasty. I’m not completely sold on that, but clearly the guy is very talented. Whoever owns the #1 overall pick in 2012 will almost certainly be taking the Stanford quarterback.

After that, it’s a mixed bunch with some potental among the underclassmen who are never certain to actually declare (see: Andrew Luck, Sam Bradford). The 2011 class had it’s critics but four guys went in the top twelve picks. Even without Andrew Luck, there was unnatural first round depth this year and no guarantee that it’ll be repeated any time soon.

Many tout Matt Barkley as a potential top ten pick in a years time and certainly he is a talented player. However, he still has a lot of things to work on because his footwork and decision making can be refined to max out his potential as a third-year junior starter. He’s had flashes of brilliance including a superb display against Stanford last season. He followed it up with an equally classy performance against California. Yet there were too many games that SC should’ve dominated and didn’t and Barkley’s numbers were poor. He was a non-factor in defeat to Washington, out-shone by Jake Locker. He was only OK against Washington State and patchy against UCLA.

I’m not convinced he’ll declare after the 2011 season, but there’s no way of knowing as we sit here today. Sanctions preventing USC from featuring in a BCS Bowl game will be lifted for Barkley’s senior year, which will be tempting. The potential to go first overall may also sway his final decision, a prize almost certainly out of the question with Luck taking center stage.

Landry Jones is in a similar situation having started unexpectedly as a freshman due to Sam Bradford’s unfortunate injury in 2009. He developed as a sophomore into a much more accomplished passer and has a chance in year three to cement his credentials to be a first round pick. He has the size (6-4, 220lbs) and major production in Oklahoma’s pass-friendly offense (64 touchdowns already).

I like his arm and he’s efficient, but I’ve seen two sides of him. One, the inch perfect four touchdown display against Florida State last year where he recorded 380 yards and completed 30 of 40 passes. Then there was the frustrating game against Missouri, where Blaine Gabbert out performed Jones on the big stage with the Sooners ranked #1. Such is the issue I have, that when he’s at his best he’s ultra efficient and when he’s bad it’s because he becomes sloppy. Can he shine past the stat-padding offense and become the focal point that Sam Bradford became? Or does the offense mask a guy who’s got all the tools you look for but simply isn’t special?

Alongside Luck, those are the three names you’ll read about the most, but what about some of the others?

Kirk Cousins may end up being the second best prospect available if he keeps going. He’s mobile, he’s generally accurate and he appears to have the arm. He needs to add some weight to a 6-3 frame which scraped above 200lbs as a junior. You’re looking at a guy who has shown he can make a range of throws and does a good job switching between targets. He completed 67% of his passes last year in a tough three-way divisional battle in the Big Ten.

The problem with Cousins in 2010 was consistency and the occasional flash of bad decision making. There were some excellent games and performances mixed in with some pretty rancid displays. 9/20 for 131 yards and an interception against Minnesota isn’t good enough when you’ve shown capable of 69% and three scores in a win against Wisconsin.

If he can become more consistent and add weight, he’s one to watch.

Another player to keep an eye on is Ryan Lindley at San Diego State. Again, you’re talking about ideal size (6-4, 215lbs). He has a nice quick release, but has a tendency to stare down his targets. The arm is strong enough as you’ll see on the video below and certainly there’s some potential. You’re also looking at a guy who in three years starting has never completed more than 58% of his passes. He’s also thrown 39 interceptions in that time, alongside 67 touchdowns.

A final mention for another quarterback I recommend keeping in your thoughts when we eventually get closer to the 2011 college football season is Austin Davis of Southern Mississippi. He’s a more modest physical talent and admittedly I’ve only seen him once – in last season’s ‘Beef ‘O’ Brady Bowl’ loss to Louisville where he threw two touchdowns and registered 205 yards. He showed an athleticism and mobility, a zip to his passes if not the big-time arm and this was a controlled performance. His task is to take things to the next level as a senior.

They are the names I recommend. Now for those that I think are slightly over rated.

Kellen Moore (QB, Boise State) is not a NFL quarterback in my view and I wrote about that in greater detail here. Great college achiever, potentially a good coach down the line, but not a player I expect to see on a Sunday. Nick Foles (QB, Arizona) will be labelled with the classic ‘west coast offense’ tag that is given to so many players with physical limitations. He puts up the big yardage, but he’s not a clinical player who stands out and certainly his offense encourages production. When I watched him in 2010 I saw a later round pick, but he has every chance to be over drafted in the same way Christian Ponder and Andy Dalton saw their stock rise.

Terrelle Pryor (QB, Ohio State) is a fantastic athlete and sometimes you watch him and want to believe it’s possible that he could develop into a prospect. It won’t happen though and nobody is going to touch him in the early rounds, if at all (at least as a quarterback). Brandon Weeden (QB, Oklahoma State) had a 4277 yard season in 2010 and looked the part of a pro-prospect, but how can you seriously consider a guy who will be 28-years-old in October and hit 29 as a NFL rookie?

By request I’ve added a Robert Griffin (QB, Baylor) video below. I’ve not had the opportunity to sit down and really look at Griffin, so feel uncomfortable passing judgement. I like the guy having seen a few interviews over the last 12 months and he’s someone I look forward to watching in 2011. You’re talking about a very mature, humble individual who completed 67% of his passes last year. What I can determine is that he’s the focal point of the Baylor offense, he’s incredibly elusive and capable of making plays with his legs. The offensive scheme at Baylor may never truly test him as a pro-prospect, but he starts the season against TCU’s defense on September 2nd which should be interesting.

Here’s the tape:

Andrew Luck (QB, Stanford)

Matt Barkley (QB, USC)

Landry Jones (QB, Oklahoma)

Ryan Lindley (QB, San Diego State)

Kirk Cousins (QB, Michigan State)

Austin Davis (QB, Southern Miss)

Nick Foles (QB, Arizona)

Terrelle Pryor (QB, Ohio State)

Kellen Moore (QB, Boise State)

Brandon Weeden (QB, Oklahoma State)

Robert Griffin (QB, Baylor)

What next at quarterback?

April 30, 2011 / Rob Staton

The 2011 NFL draft is in the books and the Seahawks did it their way. With an element of the unknown and a distinct lack of thrills, Seattle added several pieces in the latest chapter of Pete Carroll’s rebuild.

Nine players were taken, starting with James Carpenter in round one. My final mock had some significant flaws but I can’t see anyone who had the Alabama offensive lineman placed comfortably in the mid-20’s. He consistently stood out for Alabama as the team’s starting left tackle and jumped off the screen. Regular visitors will have noticed my high regard for Carpenter.

John Moffitt (OG), K.J. Wright (LB), Kris Durham (WR), Richard Sherman (CB), Mark Legree (FS), Byron Maxwell (CB), Lazarius Levingston (DT) and Malcolm Smith (LB) were added in the subsequent rounds.

Yet one key position was surprisingly ignored.

It’s now six years since the Seahawks drafted a quarterback in the first four rounds (David Greene, 2005 being the last – in round three). By the time we’re ready for the 2012 draft it’ll be seven years. Of course the Seahawks have invested stock in Charlie Whitehurst, but rest assured if the team had any confidence in his ability to start, it would’ve been announced by now. He has one year left on a very expensive contract and is approaching 30. It’s not harsh to suggest this was a calculated gamble that isn’t going to work out.

I understand why the current front office have not added a quarterback. Last year’s draft offered slim pickings at the position and selecting so late in round one this week put the Seahawks in a position where reaching was the only solution. They passed on Ryan Mallett twice, yet nobody can complain considering his gigantic slide into round three.

The situation though, as a complete entity, is stunning. How can a team drift into the position it’s in at quarterback? Quarterback?Of all the positions. You know Matt Hasselbeck is approaching the end of his career and if he starts in 2011 – he’ll be the oldest starting quarterback in the league. You know he’s going to be a free agent this year and with the greatest respect to one of Seattle’s favorite sons, his performance has declined.

With no young quarterback waiting in the wings, the Seahawks’ greatest challenge is now to complete a deal for their next starting quarterback. Trent Dilfer claimed today the team won’t re-sign Matt Hasselbeck. My source said it’s still a possibility and only a disagreement on guaranteed money prevented any chance of a short term extension before the lockout. With so many teams addressing the quarterback position during the draft in round one, this surely narrows Hasselbeck’s bargaining position? Teams are not going to sign your Jake Locker’s, Christian Ponder’s and Cam Newton’s to blockbuster deals and still spend premium dollar on a two year contract for a 36-year old.

Indeed Hasselbeck’s options are fairly limited at this stage, perhaps exclusively to the NFC West. I’m not even sure the likes of Arizona and San Francisco would show much interest. Would a team like Washington show interest as a stop-gap option? If he lowers his demands, it increases the likelihood that he could return to the Seahawks.

I reported on this site last week that a deal for Carson Palmer is in the pipeline with Cincinnati receiving a deal worth a 5th rounder and a conditional pick. The drafting of Andy Dalton confirms the Bengals are ready to move on. Although people are quick to point to Mike Brown’s defiance to force Palmer into retirement, it’s important to remember a few things:

– The Bengals are preparing to start with Andy Dalton and want to move on. They don’t want any controversy with Palmer potentially turning up to camp having been denied a trade, earning a premium salary and causing a major distraction. It’s not as simple as Palmer arriving at camp and suddenly becoming the starter again, with everyone happy. Carson Palmer can make life very difficult (and expensive) for Cincinnati and it’d be a fruitless battle for the Bengals having firmly set their new direction during the draft.

– Palmer is willing to re-negotiate his contract and take a deal worth less than the one team Hasselbeck is asking for. Money is not dictating any part of Palmer’s life at this stage. He is currently in the process of arranging a permanent move to the pacific north west for family purposes. He will move there either as a retired ex-player or as a Seattle Seahawk. He won’t consider any other team, which will prevent a bidding war. Again, Mike Brown may have a reputation as a man not to be dictated too, but he ‘gets’ this situation. The Seahawks are no threat to the Bengals in the NFC West, save for one game in 2011. Why not receive some compensation and avoid any distraction?

Here’s a report from Chris Mortensen via Cincy Jungle.com:

Bengals owner and president Mike Brown has said he will not trade Palmer, but sources say he may consider it if the team secures a quarterback and gets a favorable trade offer. Several teams such as the Raiders, 49ers, Seahawks, Cardinals and Dolphins are among those that could be interested in the veteran, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2003 draft.

Quarterback secured, Bengals now considering it.

Things can change quickly in this deal. Already the Seahawks and Bengals have gone from talking about potential first round compensation to a much cheaper arrangement. I’m not suggesting a deal is anything close to a ‘lock’, but it’s very much on the table. The Seahawks’ investment in the offensive line was part one of an offensive remake which will include a veteran quarterback addition. It could be Hasselbeck, back on a two-year deal. It could be Palmer.

Rest assured the Seahawks’ lack of investment in a quarterback during the draft wasn’t without a plan. This was a no thrills draft, but the fireworks will begin whenever free agency opens for business.

NFL Draft 2011 Rounds 4-7: Open Thread

April 30, 2011 / Rob Staton

Round four begins at 9AM PST. The Seahawks begin the day with seven picks: #99, #107, #154, #156, #173, #205, #242.

With the 99th overall pick, the Seahawks selected K.J. Wright, linebacker from Mississippi State.

With the 107th overall pick, the Seahawks selected Kris Durham, wide receiver from Georgia.

This is the place to talk about everything that happens on the final day of the 2011 NFL Draft. Select comments to join the discussion. I would recommed starting a new comment every time you post and if you want to reply to someone, simply right (for example) @Rob at the start of the message.

In the meantime, here’s a video compilation from Universal Draft on third round pick John Moffitt: