SB Nation - Edwin Williams

Maryland Minute 11.23.09 - Terps See Jump in Rankings

Ben Goldstein — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:35:12 -0000

It's halftime in Maui so I thought I'd get the MM out for a quick halftime read. (I was a little late.) Not a great performance so far but at least we closed the half strong. Is there any doubt Sean Mosley will be our best player next season?

Gary Parrish Moves Us Up to 23
Much better than the 30ish we were earlier. - Ben B.

Pat Stevens has the Same Idea
The Terps got #20 in his poll. He's also got Duke at #8, UNC at #10, and Clemson at #18.

Is 3rd time the charm for Terps at Maui Invitational? - Baltimore Sun
It's not looking great right now but it's all about surviving and advancing.

Edwin Williams Update

Former Terp Edwin Williams found his way to the desperate Washington offensive line, but I'm sure he won't complain that it was because of two injuries. Good to see him in a starting lineup so quickly. - Ben B.

Turner Still Questionable for Saturday
The season's lost, so if he can play, he'll start. He deserves that much on senior day for all that he's done for the team. Whether he finishes, though, isn't as black and white. - Ben B.

ACC Top 2010 BB Recruiting Conference - Rivals
And it's not even close. The ACC has an absurd seven teams in Rivals' Top 25. The Terps come in at #6 in conference and #17 overall.

Recruiting Report: Weekend wrap
Devin Burns still impressing, Tyler Smith still worrying. We know who has the better tools as a passer, but Burns has been better so far. - Ben B.

Scouting the 2009 Football Opponents

FSUncensored — Sat, 23 May 2009 17:50:11 -0000

This page is dedicated to scouting the opponents the Noles will face in 2009. Whenever you see news on an opposing team, post it in this comment section (which will remain open for eternity or until 2010). This page can be found in the left column under "special pages."

07.27.09 Massive Update

Miami (FL)

@ Brigham Young University (BYU)

BYU had 3 starting/ Contributing defensive linemen leave for Mormon missions or fail out. Tialavea had started for two years ('07 and 08). Russell Tialavea (6-3 305) is a defensive tackle, and Ian Dulan (6-1 275) is the defensive end. Afutti is the 3rd. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705311402/BYU-football-Lineman-Afutiti-ruled-ineligible-for-09-season.html BYU loses another defensive lineman. BYU announced Thursday that junior defensive lineman Bernard Afutiti has been ruled academically ineligible and will not compete for the Cougars in 2009. Afutiti is the latest in a string of D-linemen who will not play for BYU this season. Starters Ian Dulan and Russell Tialavea, both juniors, have opted to serve missions. According to the depth chart released after spring practices, Afutiti was listed as Jan Jorgensen’s backup at left end. Afutiti, who was projected to be a major contributor this season, was sidelined for almost all of spring ball for academic reasons.
There are no slogans for the Cougars this season, after last year’s "Quest for Perfection" ended with a 10-3 record. The Cougars will be lucky to leave their 2009 opener with a victory. They open the season against Oklahoma at the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium in Arlington, Texas. BYU also plays home games against Florida State on Sept. 19, TCU on Oct. 24 and Utah on Nov. 28. Quarterback Max Hall returns, but four starters on the offensive line must be replaced. The Cougars also lost top receivers Austin Collie and Michael Reed. The offense might be OK if tailback Harvey Unga stays healthy. Eight starters return on defense, but BYU still had questions at cornerback at the end of spring practice.
http://philsteele.com/online/2009Top40/15BYU.pdf
http://cfn.scout.com/2/878353.html
http://cfn.scout.com/2/878352.html
http://cfn.scout.com/2/878351.html
http://cfn.scout.com/2/878350.html

South Florida (USF)

http://nationalchamps.net/2009/sub/previews/southflorida.htm
http://cfn.scout.com/2/867735.html
http://philsteele.com/online/2009Top40/26USF.pdf
USF had an unsustainable high success rate on passing downs (2nd and 8+, 3rd/4th and 5+) http://footballoutsiders.com/varsity-numbers/2009/varsity-numbers-2008-offensive-buffet
Rivals.com College Football - Rivals.com 120 Countdown: No. 25 South Florida
The Quad Countdown: No. 40 South Florida - The Quad Blog - NYTimes.com

@ Boston College

BC Linebacker Mark Herzlich has Ewings Sarcoma (Bone Cancer), and will undergo Chemo. BC is now without their top 4 linebackers from last year (studs), and without their two monster defensive tackles.
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2009/05/acc-spring-prospectus-no-8-boston-college.html (before the bone cancer for Herzlich)
College Football News preview http://cfn.scout.com/2/859843.html
CFN Offense Preview http://cfn.scout.com/2/859860.html
CFN Defense Preview http://cfn.scout.com/2/859860.html
CFN Depth Chart http://cfn.scout.com/2/872120.html
BC's coach: "we won’t be spreading it out or throwing it a bunch. we will be pro style 2 back rushing"
http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=957386#68
http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/16992/2009-boston-college-eagles-preview
Know your enemies (UNC blog) http://tarheeltds.wordpress.com/2009/07/24/know-your-enemies-9-atlantic-boston-college/
http://clempsonfootball.blogspot.com/2009/07/bc-spazianis-3-5-3-defense.html

Georgia Tech

@ UNC

NC State

Phil Steele NC State Preview Page (a very good download)
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2009/05/acc-spring-prospectus-no-4-nc-state.html
http://www.garnetandblackattack.com/2009/5/21/878683/post-spring-preview-nc-state
Note: probably unsustainable level of long distance downs success
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpIPZ5C9J3o&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baAszlaKsjc&feature=channel_page
http://cfn.scout.com/2/859855.html
http://cfn.scout.com/2/875182.html
http://cfn.scout.com/2/875181.html
http://cfn.scout.com/2/875180.html
Know Your Enemies- 6 (Atlantic)- NC State " UNC Football Blog

@ Clemson

http://nationalchamps.net/2009/sub/previews/clemson.htm
http://cfn.scout.com/2/859844.html
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2009/05/acc-spring-prospectus-no-7-clemson.html Not very well done
http://www.philsteele.com/online/2009Top40/25Clemson.pdf
Know your enemies (UNC blog) http://tarheeltds.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/know-your-enemies-8-atlantic-clemson/
Rivals.com College Football - Rivals.com 120 Countdown: No. 32 Clemson
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/In-search-of-the-Dabo-difference-at-Clemson?urn=ncaaf,178438
http://clempsonfootball.blogspot.com/2009/04/defensive-line-and-depth-chart.html
http://clempsonfootball.blogspot.com/2009/04/inside-steele-curtain-cover-3-zone.html
http://clempsonfootball.blogspot.com/2009/04/inside-steele-curtain-robber.html
http://clempsonfootball.blogspot.com/2009/03/inside-steele-curtain-4-3-overunder.html
http://clempsonfootball.blogspot.com/2009/03/inside-steele-curtain-cover-3-zone.html

@ Wake

CollegeFootballNews http://cfn.scout.com/2/859849.html
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2009/05/acc-spring-prospectus-no-9-wake-forest.html
CFN Offense http://cfn.scout.com/2/865524.html
CFN Defense http://cfn.scout.com/2/865523.html
CFN Depth Chart http://cfn.scout.com/2/865523.html
http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/the-quad-countdown-no-69-wake-forest/
http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=961033
Know your Enemies http://tarheeltds.wordpress.com/2009/07/26/know-your-enemies-10-atlantic-wake-forest/

Maryland

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2009/05/acc-spring-prospectus-no-10-maryland-.html
CollegeFootballNews Preview http://cfn.scout.com/2/859850.html
CFN Offense http://cfn.scout.com/2/870207.html
CFN Defense http://cfn.scout.com/2/870206.html
CFN Depth Chart http://cfn.scout.com/2/870205.html
http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=957779#59
Very Biased DL – Much of the defensive line’s success will come from whether or not junior DT Dion Armstrong stays academically eligible. Right now, Friedgen said that Armstrong is probably 50/50. The Terps are already without DE Mack Frost, DT Jeremy Navarre (Jaguars) and DE Trey Covington (Jets, I think) but both were guys who never lived up to their potential. Senior lineman Travis Ivey will start but missed part of the spring with an injury. Redshirt freshmen AJ Francis and Masengo Kabongo may start but will definitely get playing time either way. True freshmen DeOnte Arnett and Zach Kerr could see the field and have the talent, but may not be needed.
LB – Dave Philistin and Moise Fokou both got picked up by NFL teams after going undrafted, and the Terps have some big shoes to fill. However, junior Adrian Moten could be an all-conference player if he stays healthy. Junior Alex Wujciak led the team in tackles last year (133 total) and is a monster in the middle. Sophomore Ben Pooler should contribute and could start by the fall, but has to heal a lingering injury first. Redshirt freshman Demetrius Hartsfield may start and nearly saw the field last year. He has earned high praise from Friedgen and is an attacking backer with serious athleticism. Junior Drew Gloster, a former tight end with academic/attitude issues, switched to linebacker and has turned some heads.

CB – Kevin Barnes got drafted by the Redskins but was out for the majority of the year with a shoulder injury, which meant several reserves got meaningful playing time. Senior Anthony Wiseman leads the crew and starts alongside senior Nolan Carroll. Fifth-year senior Richard Taylor should get granted an extra year of eligibility after getting hurt last season. Other reserves include sophomore Trenton Hughes, who didn’t play last season, and sophomore Cam Chism, who may break through the depth chart and see the field a lot, if not start at some point. The depth is a bit of a concern but with a new scheme it may be a good time to have the young kids learning the new formations and plays.

S – The Terps lose Jeff Allen but return senior Terrell Skinner, a senior known for making some big hits last season. Senior Jamari McCollough started just two games at strong safety last year but picked off four passes and should be a solid starter in a senior-laden secondary. Sophomore Kenny Tate is a monster at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds and has great instincts for a young player, and should see the field a lot.

Defensive injuries/academics/questionables – The Terps stole first-year defensive coordinator Don Brown from his head coaching gig at UMASS and he has already made waves. Brown is an old-school dude with a mustache and a gruff voice, who loves to blitz and put pressure on the quarterback. This is a welcomed change from former DC Chris Cosh (Kansas State), who played a very soft zone predicated on reacting to a play rather than altering it. The defensive line will be much, much stronger if Armstrong can stay eligible.

SPECIAL TEAMS

K – Obi Egekeze is gone and Maryland must figure out a way to replace him, despite a fairly weak leg and some consistency issues. Fighting for the starting gig are Mike Barbour and Nick Wallace (IUP transfer). Nick Ferrara, a heralded high school kicker in Long Island, NY, may swoop in and take the job when he begins class this fall.

P – Junior Travis Baltz returns as one of the top punters in the nation, first-team All-ACC and led the ACC in punting as a sophomore.

QB – For the first time in several years, there is no quarterback controversy. Chris Turner has the gig for once and for all. QBs Jordan Steffy (graduated) and Josh Portis (transferred) are no longer with the program. Turner has been effective, though not a stud by any means. He started nine games as a sophomore and 12 games as a junior, so he has good experience for an ACC quarterback. Turner doesn’t have a cannon but does have the ability to make good throws and should be one of the better returning ACC quarterbacks. His biggest asset is probably his ability to keep an even keel, something that the coaching staff jokes about as he is a California kid.

RB – Top rusher Da’Rel Scott (209 car, 1,113 yards, 8 TDs) returns, as do Nos. 2 and 3 in sophomore Davin Meggett (89 car, 457 yds, 4 TDs) and Morgan Green (24 car, 112 yds, 3 TDs). While those are the top three running backs on the roster, the Terps do lose a mobile QB in Portis, who carried for 186 yards last season, and WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (15 car, 202 yds, TD), who ran reverses and trick plays last year. Scott missed part of the spring with a sprained knee but should be 100% back to health by June.

FB – Senior fullback Cory Jackson is one of the best players on the Terps’ offense. Though he rarely gets carries, he paved the way for NFL RBs Keon Lattimore and Lance Ball, and has a high motor. As a sophomore, he broke his hand against UNC before the half, got his hand taped up and started the second half.

OL – Easily the biggest concern for this team, having graduated three off the line, including center Edwin Williams. Junior Bruce Campbell has NFL talent if he can stay academically eligible (it looks likely he will), but other than Campbell and senior Phil Costa, the o-line has very little experience. Costa is taking over at center despite never having played at center in college. A pair of redshirt freshmen in RJ Dill and Justin Lewis are slated as starters and earned praise from head coach Ralph Friedgen, but it is certainly still an area of concern.

WR – Junior receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey bolted to the NFL (#7 overall to the Raiders), yet the star wideout was under-utilized and only ended up with 23 percent of the team’s receiving yards. Still, he was the top receiving option and a terrific deep threat. Danny Oquendo, the team’s top possession receiver, graduated, leaving a crop of several young-but-unproven receivers to shoulder the load. Sophomores Ronnie Tyler (20 recs, 225 yds, TD) and Torrey Smith (24 recs, 336 yds, 2 TDs) dazzled at time last year and will be two of the top targets. Juniors Adrian Cannon (3 recs, 75 yds, TD) and Emani Lee-Odai (12 recs, 115 yds) should contribute as well, while redshirt freshmen Kevin Dorsey and Kerry Boykins have the talent to see the field this year. The wide receiving unit, while unproven, is expected to be one of the strong points on the team.

TE – Gone is Dan Gronkowski (brother of Arizona’s Rob Gronkowski), a heady blocking tight end who got selected in the 7th round of the NFL Draft. Everyone else in the TE corps comes back, though. Senior Tommy Galt will be the primary blocking tight end and the Terps have a trio of tight ends who are known for their hands: sophomore Lansford Watson (10 recs, 115 yds), Matt Furstenburg (RS-Fr) and Devonte Campbell (RS-Fr), who should all be good options for Turner to find.

Offensive injuries/academics/questionables – Offensive coordinator James Franklin is in his second year after coming to Maryland from Kansas State. He was named the head coach in waiting in the offseason and is a very good recruiter. However, last year the Terps lacked some offensive sizzle that Franklin was expected to bring, running a fairly vanilla scheme. Potential future pro Bruce Campbell has to fight to stay academically eligible but missed part of spring practice to hit the books.

@ UF

I plan to update this page throughout the offseason and during the season. Anything you find, put it in this comment section. Help the cause, and in turn, we'll write better previews for our games.

Redskins Minicamp Starts Today: Meet 3 Local Players

KevinE — Fri, 01 May 2009 11:47:28 -0000

Redskins football is offically back today! I haven't been able to comb through the entire Redskins minicamp list but 3 local guys do pop out, so I thought it would be good to bring them to light.


Name	Edwin Williams	J.D. Skolnitsky	Doug Dutch
Position	Center	DE	CB
Height/Weight	6'2" / 308 lbs	6'5 / 263 lbs	5'11" / 199lbs
College/HS	MD/DeMatha	JMU/Fairfax HS	Miichigan/Gonzaga
DOB	12/10/1986	11/6/1986	2/15/1986
40 time	5.50	4.75~ (Pro Day)	4.58

Strengths	Marginal athlete with good bulk and technique. Gets good leverage and a real push in the run game. A good base for pass blocking and is tough to root out. Has a bit of a nasty disposition while playing.	Fine athlete. Strong enough for college DT and big enough to be looked at as a possible conversion guy to a 4-3 DE slot.	Converted to CB from WR two years ago and was a standout special teams player for the Wolverines.
Weaknesses	Not real quick off the snap. Can not pull effectively or get out on the second level with regularity or effectiveness. Not real strong despite his bulk.	Only really put up big numbers for one season. Kind of a tweener right now who is too light for DT, but not experienced as a DE.

Doug Dutch I am most biased for since he shares my alma mater, Gonzaga High School, in Washinton DC. Dutch, a native of Bowie, MD, spent most of his playing time at Michigan on special teams, which he exceled at. I don't have much more that that unfotunately.

J.D. Skolnitsky, a DE/DT from Fairfax, VA, decided to skip his Senior year at James Madison after being suspended for the 2009 season after testing positive for a banned substance (a supplemant he thought was OK but bought over the internet). He was slated to be one of the top pass rushers in his class, so the kid has some promise. He played both DT and DE at James Madison, but given his size, he'll be focused on DE. When asked about the Redskins minicamp and his competition, J.D. showed nothing but confidence, he replied,

"I don't think anyone, maybe besides Orakpo, has that big an advantage on me," Skolnitsky said.

The most likely candidate of making the squad is Edwin Williams, the former Maryland Terrapin teammate of 3rd round pick, Kevin Barnes. From the Terps website:

...possesses good strength and a solid work ethic ... moves very well ... played in the final 49 games of his career ... a two-time Academic All-ACC honoree ... member of the 2008 Terrapin Council, the team's leadership committee ... selected to play in the 2009 East-West Shrine game...
...member of the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, honoring the best center in the nation

Best of luck fellas!

Update 1:00PM - Matt Terl just posted a great interview with Williams.

C, Edwin Williams, Maryland

Jeremy Bolander — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 04:47:21 -0000

C, Edwin Williams, Maryland

At A Glance
Position 1: Center	Height: 6-2
Position 2: Guard	Weight: 308
Class: Senior	Age:
Projected Round: 6th	40time: 5.40

Combine/Proday Results
Bench Reps: 22	Vertical: 28.5
20yd Split: 3.09	Broad Jump: 8'3"
10yd Split: 1.81	20yd Shuttle: 4.98
3 Cone Drill: 8.15

Pros: Durable, high-effort center. Good initial quickness off the snap. Good hand placement

Cons: Relies on his initial foot quickness to turn defenders in the running game, but struggles to sustain.

Styg's Broncos Fit: The overall world-class depth of this year's center class is driving down the value of good players like Williams. Because he isn't the tremendous athlete of the top of the class, teams can expect to start bidding for his services later in the second day, and they may just get a steal. Williams had the admiration of his teammates and coaches for his leadership both on and off the field, and he could be counted on to disrupt surprise-blitzers and to call the exotic defensive plays correctly for his team. Adequate strength and speed, with excellent short-area quickness and a great explosion off the snap, he can be beaten by quicker defenders consistently, and struggles to maintain longer blocks on the stronger players. Overall a solid player with limited upside but who could provide dependable depth for years.

Around MHR:

Around SBNation:

From "Steel100's Mock Draft" at Behind the Steel Curtain:

seems to have the size and weight to compete with the shaun rogers and haloti ngatas of the division, and still has the quickness to be a factor in the passing game, with a good ability to reach the next level, which is key, where 2/3rd of the division plays a 3-4 defense. Shows to have a higher preference for snapping out of the shotgun, and what really wows me is his leadership abilities. Pittsburgh has a knack for finding centers with a great work ethic and absolute leader abilities, and hes shown that he has the character and the leadership to be that guy. the only thing i worry about is his height and strength. there may be a tendency to bet bowled over by a good bull rusher, so i hope our olineman coach will get him accustomed to adjusting to using his frontline speed, and not being a phonebooth blocker (quick in the box for anybody wondering what that means)

Highlights:

Scouting Reports and Offsite Links:

2009 NFL Draft -- Point of Attack - Centers/Guards Ranked for Denver

Jeremy Bolander — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:31:31 -0000

With only a handful of ideal starter-quality zoneblock linemen, and with many mocks placing them at odd spots just out of Denvers reach, I found myself looking deeper and deeper at a position that is generally a lot of fun to analyze. I was pleased to see lots of good, traditional-style zoneblock linemen throughout the middle and later in the draft, with a few more promising prospects just on the outside of the CFA cut.

With that in mind Denver should feel pretty good about going after a C/G combo at any point where the deal falls into their laps, and no sooner. Worst case-scenario Denver misses out on the draftable prospects and gets their choice of some highly select, workaholic prospects, so this is one area where I am hoping to see Denver refrain from reaching.

As to whither C or G, these analyses ended up leaning towards C, but only because a lot of good guard prospects this year are more suited towards power schemes, and thus translate better between G/T than C/G. A few prospects looked like good fits anywhere along the line, and they were included, and a few looked like they would make better tackles, period, and they were left off. Of the group selected here they tend to be more athletic, good second level blockers, good at timing and placing cut blocks, technicians favored over power, and capable of or experienced at handling C duties. The highest rated prospects for Denver also tend to have a great football mind to go with their great zoneblock fits, which raises their short-term value significnatly, on the grounds that they may be asked to step in in the case of injury, and so they will need to learn quickly and show a good grasp of their responsibilities, with the potential to prevent Hamilton from having to slide over to center in the event of injury at C.

Lets check out the rankings:

C--Alex Mack

1st-2nd

Alex Mack, California: A solid all-around center with terrific speed and balance, but who can lose leverage battles against quicker 3-techs. He has above-average intelligence and football smarts, even for a center, and has mastered his duties on the line, in terms of getting other players in position and making the correct reads. He has a classic competitor's mindset and plays through the whistle every time. Tough and ornery, this is one near-elite level player who figures to be gone by the time Denver gets around to addressing the O-Line depth, but no doubt ranks highly on Denver's board.

C--Max Unger

2nd

Max Unger, Oregon: A tough player with a nice, workman-like attitude towards his responsibilities. Though his speed and agility impressed at the combine, on the field he doesn't look quite that quick. He is, however, good on short pulls and traps and can land blocks at the second level. Very intelligent and understands his job. If he has a serious compromise, it is in his whole-body strength, as he is severely lacking in lower-body strength, and very inconsistent about using his upper-body strength to consistently hit and reset against opponents. It really hurts his drive-blocking ability, which makes him an early liability in the running game. Overall he is a solid player with experience at the tackle position, but I am expecting Denver to not rank him that highly for what they are trying to do, and for a second-round pick, I think they will be looking for more than a questionable starter.

G--Duke Robinson

2nd

Duke Robinson, Oklahoma: Excellent size and weight, and is surprisingly agile for his size. Not fast so much as quick, and does a great job getting off the line and into his blocks. Excellent in short yardage and power situations, but has issues when blocking on the move. Not the most effective pull or trap guy, and doesn't always make contact at the second level. Does not place his cut blocks well against DBs, and can lose his own footing and balance easily. A lot of teams will appreciate his size and presence in a drive-blocking scheme, and Denver will no doubt agree that he has a lot of upside, but for what Denver is trying to accomplish on the line, the value isn't there; from a scheme standpoint, their are major questions as to whether he could fit in at all. Only two stars for this excellent prospect who simply doesn't fit the traditional profile on the Denver line.

C--Eric Wood

2nd

Eric Wood, Louisville: Smart, strong and athletic with lots of durability and and an unquestionable drive and work ethic, this player is almost perfect for Denver. Where he falls a bit short is in the characteristic "nimbleness" required from our interior linemen. But for as tall as he is, he has mastered keeping his pads low and rarely loses the leverage battle, and he understands opposing defenses inside and out, putting in lots of extra time to study them. He isn't the most consistent through the hips and knees, but he is willing to do whatever it takes to stay with and finish a block. He has an intense attitude and gives 100% every play. Denver will definitely value Wood, but may find themselves out of the running before they even have a chance to consider him in the 2nd round.

G--Kraig Urbik

2nd-3rd

Kraig Urbik, Wisconsin: Powerful upper and lower body, with quickness and explosion at the snap. Can play inside or outside, but has not played center. Good at pass protection and on the move, but can struggle in short yardage and goal-line situations due to letting himself come up in his stance. Needs to bend more at the knees and work on keeping his pads low, but has an excellent grasp of the game and tenacious work ethic. Again, another case of versatility that isn't quite what Denver is looking for, but which provides extra value.

C--Jonathon Luigs

3rd

Jonathon Luigs, Arkansas: Less-than-desirable lower-body strength, and inconsistency in bending his knees and driving forward will drive down Luigs' stock, but there may be no better "game smart" player at the center position in 2009. Applauded by coaches for his ability to translate coaching to on-field production, Luigs could execute even complex plays and schemes with minimal practice. His love for the game and competition shined when he was put up against tougher or faster players, and he would fight to the whistle to stay with a block. His explosion off the snap is excellent, and he has relied on it to compensate for his lack of brute power, but he will need to address his lower-body strength in the pros. He is excellent when pulling and locating blocks on the second level, but needs to do a better job of maintaining his balance when blocking fast DBs, as he will overextend himself to make the block. His highest value will be to zone-blocking teams, but any team will be able to appreciate his awareness of the defense and alignment on the field. I am thinking Denver may grade Luigs out very highly among offensive linemen.

C--Antoine Caldwell

3rd-4th

Antoine Caldwell, Alabama: A leader and a motivator, Caldwell is stronger than his measurables might indicate, getting most of his power from his lower body. Not the most effective player on the move, nor does he seem to possess other great prospects' feel for the pocket and protecting their QB, but he does handle line calls and pre-snap reads adequately. A stronger type of center that would be suitable for a power scheme, but to the degree that Denver continues with zone-block, should lose value.

G--Tyronne Green

4th

Tyronne Green, Auburn: This is one of those "sweet spot" picks that Denver may have a chance to nab. He is versatile, playing at DT, G and most recently C, which he picked up quickly. He does a good job of studying defenses and using technique against opponents, but his strength is definitely his inherent athleticism. Not a finished product currently, he needs a little more time to work with an offensive line and to polish his game up. He grades out well and consistently in every category, but with some time he has the ability to grade out great. As a high-investment backup, he has the potential to pay tremendous dividends.

C--A.Q. Shipley

5th

A.Q. Shipley, Penn State: a former nose guard, Shipley is tough, physical, aggressive, and likes to get dirty. Understands his duties on the line, makes good calls and consistently gets off the line with adequate pop; he lacks a bit in the work-ethic category, and isn't a guaranteed "play to the whistle" type of player. Doesn't have ideal measurements to play at a consistently high level at guard, so may project best as a backup center.

G--T.J. Lang

5th-6th

T.J. Lang, Eastern Michigan: A work in progress, Lang is a tough-minded, physical player who never lets up and who shows flashes of the kind of awareness you like to see in C depth. He is athletic enough to pull and trap effectively, has good balance and is smart enough to learn the line calls. A self-starter who responds well to coaching and could play a relief role at any spot on the line, he could be a good value for Denver in their search for interior depth, but may not have the upside to project to a long-term answer at C.

C--Edwin Williams

6th

Edwin Williams, Maryland: The overall world-class depth of this year's center class is driving down the value of good players like Williams. Because he isn't the tremendous athlete of the top of the class, teams can expect to start bidding for his services later in the second day, and they may just get a steal. Williams had the admiration of his teammates and coaches for his leadership both on and off the field, and he could be counted on to disrupt surprise-blitzers and to call the exotic defensive plays correctly for his team. Adequate strength and speed, with excellent short-area quickness and a great explosion off the snap, he can be beaten by quicker defenders consistently, and struggles to maintain longer blocks on the stronger players. Overall a solid player with limited upside but who could provide dependable depth for years.

C--Jon Cooper

7th-FA

Jon Cooper, Oklahoma: The traditional makeup of a zone-blocking center. Cooper is smart, versatile, and can hold the point of attack with help from the guards. Tenacious and never gives up on a play. He moves well and has a real gift in his short area quickness, allowing him to help both guards in the same play. Excellent snapper out of the shotgun and has long-snapping experience, he is bound to intrigue Denver if they still are looking for this classic version of a zone-blocking center; lighter, quicker and very aggressive.

C--Brett Helms

7th-FA

Brett Helms, LSU: Another undersized zone-block specimen with adequate smarts and recognition, a good snapper in the shotgun and a great never-say-die attitude. Team player who buys in completely to the line and QB, giving up his body in protection. Of course, he wouldn't have to do that so much if he had the strength and athleticism to consistently hold the point of attack. Intriguing prospect with a small amount of upside, rare for this late in the draft.

G--Roger Allen

7th-FA

Roger Allen, Missouri Western: Very smart guard, one of the few guards in this class who clearly could project to center at the next level. He is very competitive, has played through an injured hand and shoulder and takes a lot of pride in his consistency. The shoulder injury and questionable competition figure to drive his stock way down; but after getting cleared medically, the hope is he can climb back into the draft. He has tremendous upside, with a very strong hand-punch; good, strong lower body with good drive and consistency in run blocking. He also has quick feet and hands, adjusts well to defenders and finds good blocks at the second level. An exceptional option late in the draft, he may turn out to be one of the best linemen drafted this year, and Denver is bound to take a long, hard look.

G--Matt Slauson

7th-FA

Matt Slauson, Nebraska: A one-and-done type of player, Slauson is in need of some good coaching, because his "one" can be positively amazing sometimes. As a moving blocker, he adjusts and pulls well, and has the speed and agility to locate and execute blocks at the second and even third levels. Has adequate strength, but shows flashes of a terrific hand-jolt that can hold up blitzing players on his outside shoulder, without losing leverage for his inside block. But these flashes of elite-level talents are inconsistent, and too often he can be beaten after that first move. He seems to lack the knowledge and understanding to properly readjust and reset, so he tends to be finished after that first move. Hopefully he can get the coaching he needs to address this, and if so, he has tremendous potential. As a final draft pick or UFA, he could be worth a shot.

C/G--Alex Fletcher

7th-FA

Alex Fletcher, Stanford: A smart player who has started at both center and at right guard. He was a team captain who knows how to anchor, and how to play with leverage. Cna hold his own versus strength and bull-rush oriented opponents and also has the lateral agility and speed to pull or trap effectively. Has great hand technique and can turn defenders and get his hands placed well, and can place and reset to maintain the line of scrimmage. Tough and thick like a burlwood knot in the middle of the line, he has only marginal lower body strength and struggles to get a push in short yardage and goalline situations. Overall a solid pickup as a late rounder who could provide solid depth or be a surprising earlier pick with potential to start.

Terps Headed to All-Star Bowls

Ben Broman — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:50:51 -0000

Five Terps are getting recognized for outstanding play this year by being invited to various college All-Star Bowls, and though they're not the five I would've chosen if I had to pick just five, I wish congratulations to all of them.

Edwin Williams, the most deserving of the bunch, is headed to the East-West Shrine Game, and he'll be joined by Jaimie Thomas on the offensive line. Moise Fokou and Jeremy Navarre will attend the Texas vs. The Nation game, in what will hopefully be an effort that will show Texas that no, they can't outplay 49 other states combined, and perhaps end this excuse for Texas to pat their ego. Meanwhile, Kevin Barnes will attend the Senior Bowl, but won't play due to the injury he suffered earlier in the year. The Barnes injury really is a shame; I think he would've been able to get a mid-round selection in the draft had he been healthy. Now, he'll have to make it in tryouts with some team. Very, very unlucky.

Anyway, congrats to all the Terps!

Season Ending Terperlatives

Ben Broman — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:21:22 -0000

It was quite a year for Maryland football. It was about as up-and-down as you could get, but then again, that's Ralph Friedgen for you. The year saw a loss to Middle Tennessee State (who ended up 5-7 in the Sun Belt), then a win against a California who had just blown out a Pac-10 opponent by 63 points (who ended up 8-4); it saw an incredible second half against Clemson in Death Valley, followed by one of the most embarrassing losses I can remember – a shutout against UVA – followed by a bounce-back shutout win against Wake Forest; it saw a 3 point win over North Carolina State on homecoming, a loss against Virginia Tech in which the defense gave up over 200 rushing yards; an emotional win over North Carolina in which the defense was impeccable, then an incredibly embarrassing loss to Florida State in prime time in a must-win game, and a disappointing loss to Boston College to round out the season. But this is Ralph Friedgen. His teams do this year in and year out. I'm not saying it's good or bad – just an observation.

For as many weird games there were, the players were just as memorable. The team relied on Chris Turner every game – some days he was great, some days he was terrible. The team leaned on Da'Rel Scott, maybe too much – he ended up getting hurt mid-way through the year. The defense was just about as inconsistent as possible. Darrius Heyward-Bey, despite having a huge amount of natural talent, was seemingly ignored. James Franklin did not bring about the awesome offensive changes we were all expecting.

But I still loved every minute of it (well, maybe not every minute). After a few votes via comment and few votes via email, here's the Terperlatives:

Offensive MVP

Voter's Choice: Da'Rel Scott

My Choice: Chris Turner

This was one of the harder choices for me to make. Da'Rel Scott certainly had times where I wouldn't dream of putting anyone else in this position, but I had trouble naming him MVP: it's most valuable, not best. And though I like Da'Rel, I can't help but think that every game hinged more on Chris Turner's performance than Da'Rel Scott's. For as many games as he lost, he won back more. The offensive MVP goes to Chris Turner.

Defensive MVP

Voter's Choice: Moise Fokou

My Choice: Terrell Skinner

This one was almost harder than Offensive MVP, mainly because no player stood out on the defense. Moise Fokou made a few big plays, and might've been the most consistent player. Then there's Alex Wujciak, who had the second most tackles in the ACC. Then there's Dave Philistin, a senior leader at linebacker. I ended up choosing Terrell Skinner, though. The secondary (especially after the injury to Kevin Barnes) was pretty weak. Skinner, though, rarely missed an assignment, and kept the passing game from running over Maryland's defense every week. Most other players did their job admirably, but none as well as Skinner did.

Special Teams MVP

Voter's Choice: Travis Baltz

My Choice: Travis Baltz

This one was an easy choice – there were only two candidates, really. Baltz was the first option, and Torrey Smith the second. Torrey Smith did a lot to deserve consideration, but Baltz was phenomenal all year long. He actually earned a lot of consideration for overall MVP. I shudder to think of what would've happened to the team if Baltz wasn't there to bail them out of the field position war every single possession.

Overall MVP

Voter's Choice: Offensive Line

My Choice: Chris Turner

The voter's choice was confusing here, seeing how abysmal the offensive line was at times this year (see: Florida State). But I guess my choice is equally confusing, seeing how bad Turner could be at times, too. I suppose my line of thinking is the same as the one for Offensive MVP: no player had a bigger impact on whether Maryland won or lost a game.

Best Freshman

Voter's Choice: Davin Meggett

My Choice: Davin Meggett

Really, this choice was pretty easy. Torrey Smith came in second, but Meggett was simply phenomenal when given the chance to be. I look forward to the next three years of Maryland football if Davin Meggett is a part of it. He reminds me a lot of Ray Rice – small, tough, doesn't go down easy. He did wonders as a freshman – I can't wait to see him as a sophomore, junior, and senior.

Best Coach

Voter's Choice: Lee Hull

My Choice: Lee Hull

I have no idea how much Lee Hull actually had to do with the performance of the wide receivers this year. I assume it's a decent amount, seeing as how he's the wide receiver coach, though he is a first year coach. Bo position stood out more this year than wide receiver. Darrius Heyward-Bey, Danny Oquendo, the emergence of Torrey Smith and Ronnie Tyler – there were some serious players at WR, and it's a shame they weren't utilized more.

Senior Who'll Be Most Missed:

Voter's Choice: Kevin Barnes

My Choice: Edwin Williams

Kevin Barnes' departure is huge, don't get me wrong. But I have trouble picking him as the senior most missed when the team's already missed him for half a year. No, instead, I'm picking Edwin Williams. He's a team leader, and the anchor of (and only consistent player on) an offensive line that was inconsistent at best and bad at worst. Someone's going to have to step up to fill his size 14 shoes.

Biggest Disappointment

Voter's Choice: James Franklin

My Choice: James Franklin

I think everyone had big expectations for the new offense that was supposed to be installed by former Marylander James Franklin. Franklin was coming in as the offensive coordinator after serving there at Kansas State and leading them to relatively good offensive statistics. No one could really grasp why KSU fans were happy at his departure, but I think we found out – he's not exactly an offensive genius. It's not like he's on a Cosh level of bad play calling, but he's certainly not what anyone expected. His playcalls were often head-scratchers, especially relative to when he took chances on big plays.

Best Incoming Freshman

Voter's Choice: Travis Hawkins

My Choice: Caleb Porzel

A lot of people say think Travis Hawkins is the next big thing, and I agree to an extent – he should be starting for Maryland next year at CB. But Maryland's class is absolutely loaded this year, and I could've gone any one way of several. DJ Adams? DeOnte Arnett? Hawkins? Even Darrin Drakeford? All were possibilities. But I can't stop thinking about Caleb Porzel. Besides having an awesome name (doesn't it just sound cool?) he's absolutely blown away my expectations. I was expecting a 3 star, undersized running back. What Maryland's getting is something else entirely – he scored three TDs in the Crab Bowl, while Tavon Austin, a similar, more coveted back, only had one TD from scrimmage (he also had a KR TD). Running back is loaded the next few years.

Injury Which Hurt the Team Most

Voter's Choice: Kevin Barnes

My Choice: Kevin Barnes

The injury to Barnes was a big one, as he was really the only All-ACC caliber player on Maryland's defense. I think Nolan Carroll filled in valiantly, but Barnes is very talented and would've been a huge boon to stopping the passing game late in the year.

Voter's Choice

Voter's Choice: Danny Oquendo

My Choice: Torrey Smith

Regular readers know how much I like Torrey Smith. Besides being from my hometown, he plays football the way it's supposed to be played. He hustles on every play. He was one of the best kick returners in the nation, and was able to consistently give Maryland great field position. He fought to get open, and was fearless on punts – both blocking and tackling. I expect him to take over the punt return job next year, and I'm excited to see what he can do with it.

There you have it – those are the best players of the year. Let me know what you think in the comments or with a fanpost.

All-ACC Team Announced; Scott, Williams, Wujciak, Baltz Make Appearances

Ben Broman — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:16:44 -0000

Congrats to Scott, Williams, Wujciak, and Baltz!

OFFENSE
FIRST TEAM
QB_Russell Wilson, N.C. State (106)
RB_Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech (134)*
RB_Da'Rel Scott, Maryland (76)
WR_Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina (130)
WR_D.J. Boldin, Wake Forest (76)
TE_John Phillips, Virginia (88)
OT_Eugene Monroe, Virginia (117)
OT_Andrew Gardner, Georgia Tech (107)
OG_Rodney Hudson, Florida State (99)
OG_Cliff Ramsey, Boston College (78)
C_Edwin Williams, Maryland (62)
SECOND TEAM
QB_Thaddeus Lewis, Duke (28)
RB_Darren Evans, Virginia Tech (58)
RB_C.J. Spiller, Clemson (50)
WR_Eron Riley, Duke (57)
WR_Aaron Kelly, Clemson (56)
TE_Ryan Purvis, Boston College (45)
OT_Garrett Reynolds, North Carolina (42)
OT_Anthony Castonzo, Boston College (41)
OG_Sergio Render, Virginia Tech (48)
OG_Cord Howard, Georgia Tech (45)
C_Thomas Austin, Clemson (48)

DEFENSE
FIRST TEAM
DE_Everette Brown, Florida State (131)
DE_Michael Johnson, Georgia Tech (99)
DT_B.J. Raji, Boston College (103)
DT_Vance Walker, Georgia Tech (62)
LB_Mark Herzlich, Boston College (118)
LB_Michael Tauiliili, Duke (110)
LB_Aaron Curry, Wake Forest (106)
CB_Alphonso Smith, Wake Forest (134)*
CB_Victor Harris, Virginia Tech (125)
S_Trimane Goddard, North Carolina (105)
S_Michael Hamlin, Clemson (89)
SECOND TEAM
DE_Orion Martin, Virginia Tech (61)
DE_Jason Worilds, Virginia Tech (39)
DT_Ron Brace, Boston College (52)
DT_Darryl Richard, Georgia Tech (50)
LB_Clint Sintim, Virginia (79)
LB_Alex Wujciak, Maryland (43)
LB_Mark Paschal, North Carolina (40)
CB_Ras-I Dowling, Virginia (49)
CB_Tony Carter, Florida State (34)
CB_Kendric Burney, North Carolina (34)
S_Morgan Burnett, Georgia Tech (85)
S_Myron Rolle, Florida State (55)

SPECIAL TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
K_Graham Gano, Florida State (127)
P_Travis Baltz, Maryland (105)
Specialist_C.J. Spiller, Clemson (66)
SECOND TEAM
K_Matt Bosher, Miami (34)
P_Matt Bosher, Miami (60)
Specialist_Michael Ray Garvin, Florida State (41)

DHB was on the third team, as was Navarre, Gronkowski, Scott Burley, and Jamie Thomas.

My initial reaction: No DHB? Really? There was also some surprise regarding Wujciak on the second team, and Scott on the first team.

After some thought, all of them make sense. DHB was all-but-ignored by the offense - other teams focused the offense on their wideouts, and got far more touches than Hey-Bey. It's not entirely his own fault, but it's not like Franklin or Fridge can blamed either.

As for Wujciak - he was second in tackles in the ACC. I suppose that's enough to get one on the team - I was expecting honorable mention at best. I was expecting second team for Scott, but looking at the alternatives, I don't think I'd trade Scott for any of them, so this makes sense.

Who do you think will get POY? My guess is Dwyer, simply because no one really distanced themselves from the pack, and he appears to have a lot of support already.

Some Random Football Related Notes

Ben Broman — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:49:55 -0000

File this under things I didn't really know existed: Edwin Williams earned ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week. (I knew about Edwin, not the OLOTW). I give him major props, he earned it. Edwin is one of the most overlooked centers in the ACC - maybe even the ACC. He's a team leader and a great blocker to boot.

Everybody probably knows by now that Myron Rolle, FSU's All-American safety, will miss the start of the game because he's interviewing for the Rhodes scholarship. FSU's other safety, senior Darius McClure, is also hurt:

After senior S Darius McClure came up with his first career interception early in the fourth quarter, he and LB Toddrick Verdell celebrated with a chest bump.

But McClure landed awkwardly and injured his left knee, perhaps tearing his ACL. A MRI exam is planned for today, but the worst diagnosis is feared by his teammates.

If McClure is out as it seems, FSU will be without its starting safeties, at least for the kickoff, on Saturday. Junior Myron Rolle will be in Birmingham, Ala., that day competing for a Rhodes Scholarship and will then jet to College Park, Md., for some of the game.

Terrible way to get hurt. However, it appears that the middle of the field may be open early - if Da'Rel or Davin can get to the second level, the secondary will be weak. I also expect lots of post routes to DHB.

Another note from the same article: it appears the five (yes, five) FSU wideouts who were suspended for getting into a brawl (one that Bobby Bowden called "unavoidable" - yeah, right) will be back against Maryland. There may be a sliver of hope, though:

Although Reed and Surrency have been suspended for other reasons this season (Reed twice), Bowden said if it's up to him, he'll have the players back as the Seminoles prepare for Saturday's game at No. 22 Maryland.

"To me it makes a lot of difference of who attacked who," he said. "I hope they're back. I guess it's all according to how they come out in that (police) report."

Police are expected to be done sifting through more than two dozen conflicting statements and make arrests if appropriate. (A female bystander was struck by a chair and whoever threw it could face a felony charge, not just a misdemeanor for fighting.) Bowden, who has in the past been criticized for not acting swiftly or harshly enough to off-the-field problems, said his players should understand the repercussions of such an incident.

There's a chance that a few of the players may be arrested, but it's slightly infuriating that Bowden refuses to keep players suspended for more than a week. Generally, the third time a player does something wrong, it's time to suspend him for more than a week.

Lastly, a quick weather update for Saturday: according to the Weather Channel, it's looking like it'll be partly cloudy with lows around 30. Not bad. I'd actually prefer more cold, wind, and generally crappy weather for this game - bring on the snow. It's time for some real football.

SB Nation - Edwin Williams

Maryland Minute 11.23.09 - Terps See Jump in Rankings

Scouting the 2009 Football Opponents

07.27.09 Massive Update

Miami (FL)

@ Brigham Young University (BYU)

South Florida (USF)

@ Boston College

Georgia Tech

@ UNC

NC State

@ Clemson

@ Wake

Maryland

@ UF

I plan to update this page throughout the offseason and during the season. Anything you find, put it in this comment section. Help the cause, and in turn, we'll write better previews for our games.

Redskins Minicamp Starts Today: Meet 3 Local Players

C, Edwin Williams, Maryland

C, Edwin Williams, Maryland

Around MHR:

Around SBNation:

Highlights:

Scouting Reports and Offsite Links:

2009 NFL Draft -- Point of Attack - Centers/Guards Ranked for Denver

2009 NFL Draft Coverage-Merry Draftivus!!

C--Alex Mack

1st-2nd

C--Max Unger

2nd

G--Duke Robinson

2nd

C--Eric Wood

2nd

G--Kraig Urbik

2nd-3rd

C--Jonathon Luigs

3rd

C--Antoine Caldwell

3rd-4th

G--Tyronne Green

4th

C--A.Q. Shipley

5th

G--T.J. Lang

5th-6th

C--Edwin Williams

6th

C--Jon Cooper

7th-FA

C--Brett Helms

7th-FA

G--Roger Allen

7th-FA

G--Matt Slauson

7th-FA

C/G--Alex Fletcher

7th-FA

Terps Headed to All-Star Bowls

Season Ending Terperlatives

All-ACC Team Announced; Scott, Williams, Wujciak, Baltz Make Appearances

Some Random Football Related Notes