SB Nation - Troy Nolan

My Calm and Level-Headed Thoughts About The Texans' Haul From The 2009 NFL Draft

Tim — Fri, 01 May 2009 22:20:37 -0000

Now that I've had a few days to digest what our beloved Houston Texans did in the 2009 NFL Draft, here are my quick, Friday afternoon thoughts on each draftee:

Brian Cushing--I hated this pick when it was made. HATED it. Now that I've had the benefit of a cooling-off period...I still hate it. The good news is that it seems like the vast majority of the the fan base (1) either loves the pick and has loved it since it was made or (2) has managed to rationalize the pick in the last few days. Thus, I recognize I'm in a very small minority of naysayers. And that's okay; I'm comfortable with that. And hey--I hope Cushing has a career that sees him enshrined in Canton one day. I really do. He's a Texan, and I want him to succeed. So I will root for him regardless.

That said, the only thing that gives me any optimism about the pick is that Smithiak made it. Rick Smith and Gary Kubiak have a stellar draft record, and they know infinitely more about football, personnel, and scheme than I ever will. They're the professionals; I'm just a fan. In Smithiak I trust. Here's hoping I'm every bit the idiot I pray I am for disagreeing with the selection.

Connor Barwin--Looks to be great value in the second round, and if his interview is any indication, he's only scratched the surface of what he can do. Like nearly every Texans fan, I'm very excited about Barwin.

Antoine Caldwell--Without a shadow of a doubt, my favorite pick of the entire draft. Caldwell may not be starting at the outset of training camp, but you have to like his chances of usurping the starting center gig from Chris Myers. That's no knock on Myers; his limitations are nearly entirely based on his size, and that's not something he can control. Three years from now, I reckon we're going to look back on Caldwell as the prize of the draft class.

Glover Quin--A head-scratcher. Is he a cornerback? Or a safety? I really preferred D.J. Moore here. That said, Smithiak found Fred Bennett in the fourth round with several better known players on the board, and Bennett was a revelation his rookie year. We shall not speak of Bennett's sophomore season, lest we get depressed.

So where does Quin fit in? I have no idea. Here's hoping he cracks the DB rotation somewhere in 2009. His development (or lack thereof) could play a large role in how management handles Dunta Robinson's situation in 2010.

Anthony Hill--The confusion I felt when the pick was made has dissipated. Hill's widely regarded as the best blocking TE in the draft. In my mind, this lowers his bust potential exponentially. We already have a stud pass-catching TE; if Hill's skills transform him into a pseudo offensive linemen, the dangerous Houston offense gets even more dangerous. His acquisition has grown on me. Big time.

James Casey--I dig this pick a whole lot. Although my initial reaction was, "Why didn't the Texans take him instead of Hill in the fourth round?", I can't argue with making the value pick of Casey in the fifth. Casey should serve as a utility back of sorts; if he becomes our Frank Wycheck, I'll be more than satisfied. Heck, even the thought of having plays designed that allow Casey to line up at WR, TE, FB, RB, and/or QB are enough to make me giddy.

Brice McCain--Jacoby Jones, you are officially on notice. McCain is here to take your job.

Troy Nolan--There seems to be potential here, and that's all you can ask from a seventh-round selection. Frankly, Nolan probably couldn't have asked for a better situation. Things are far from settled in the secondary, so if he excels on special teams, he might grab a roster spot.

Jeremiah Johnson/Arian Foster--Not technically draft picks, but their arrival makes me feel much better about the team's decision not to draft a RB. Much has been made of the Texans' need for a big back to relieve Steve Slaton. I originally subscribed to that train of thought, but now I'm of the mind that we don't necessarily need a big back. We just need a functional back; that is, someone of any size who can be counted on for 10 carries or so per game. If that's a bigger guy like Foster, great, but I don't think it necessarily means that a smaller, quicker back like Johnson can't fit the bill as well. Either way, I've come to grips with the fact that Gartrell Johnson won't be wearing the steel blue, and I'm okay with it.

The 2009 Houston Texans Draft: Hope You Like The Word Versatility

Jake — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 02:54:01 -0000

For four months, I’ve been counting down the days until the 2009 NFL Draft. I felt like a kid waiting for Christmas. Gary Kubiak and Rick Smith have steadily built the team almost exclusively through the draft, but that’s not the only reason I couldn’t wait; I’ve been having football withdrawals and I needed a fix. I even contemplated making one of those chains made of construction paper with a chain for each day until the big event, but then it dawned on me that my wife would see that as me taking a temporary vow of celibacy. Needless to say, I was a little more than excited on Saturday afternoon.

Then by the time Sunday night rolled around, my world felt like it had been turned upside down. It’s not that I hated the Texans' draft. I really didn’t even at the time, I was just caught off guard. In all my draft prognosticating, only two of the players were prospects that I thought were on the Texans’ radar, and I had stated publicly that I didn’t want one of them. Due to this utter confusion, I wasn’t able to fully grasp my feelings for the draft as a whole for a full 24 hours. Here it goes.

I’m not about to assign a grade because doing so before the end of the 2011 season would be incredibly asinine of me. In the end though, I like the draft. I love some of the personnel we got, but I can’t say the same for the draft class as a whole because I don’t know enough about some of the players we got, which is no reflection on them but rather an indication of how much more robust the reach and knowledge of the scouting department is than little ole me, but I was a little disappointed on some of the players we passed on. Lastly, I felt like a mistress who spends most of her time trying to convince herself that her man is going to leave his wife, because I was completely sure that the Texans would draft a RB in EVERY CONSECUTIVE ROUND after the third, which they obviously did not.

First Round

Brian Cushing/OLB/USC – Like I said before, I will not say anything negative about a Texan until they give me a reason to on an NFL field. I will say this though--all four people in the room watching the draft with me apologized to me immediately after the pick was announced. I’ve thought about it though, and I think the jury is still out on this one. Like Riott said, Frank Bush made me feel a lot better about Cushing. It’s not as if it was a spur of the moment, uninformed pick; Bush, Smith and Kubiak all admitted that they were targeting Cushing since the Combine. That’s three impressive votes of confidence in my book.

Cushing does play with a great deal of passion on the field, but doesn’t show a lot of emotion off of it, which explains why he didn’t pull a Tom Cruise in the green room of the draft. He started four years in a pro-style defense in which he showed a lot of intensity, a trait that the big three (Smithiakush) told the media was the deciding factor on Cushing. Despite claims that Cushing has “tight hips”, Bush is convinced that Cushing can play in the nickel, making him an every down LB. The accusation that Cushing couldn’t in fact play on third downs was one of my two biggest complaints with him in the first place, so if the closest thing that the Texans have to a LB subject matter expert says he can do it, very well.

The other huge complaint I have about Cushing is the steroids allegations. No, I don’t care about steroids on a moral basis. I care about them in the sense that they may have led to Cushing’s injuries while in college. To McClain’s credit (yes, I just said that… I’m as surprised as you), he asked Cushing point blank about the steroids issue during Cushing’s press conference, to which Brian replied that he will continue to take drug tests until it is not an issue any longer, and that the Texans believed him, which is what is important.

We’ll simply have to wait and see with Cushing, but I am starting to get excited. I think as long as he stays healthy, he’ll be an upgrade at the SLB position and therefore be a good pick. If he plays up to his potential, he’ll prove to be a great pick. (Authors Note: I know I’m a ridiculous homer, but I love the Texans and I didn’t start writing on BRB just to be negative about them. If they give me a blatant reason to pessimistic about them, I’ll do my honest duty, but I don’t think this falls in that category. Do with that as you see fit).

Second Round

Connor Barwin/DE/Cincinnati – I love this pick. Barwin stated that after his selection by the Texans that he was surprised because the Texans had shown basically no interest since the Combine. I think that Smithiak simply didn’t expect Barwin to be still left on the board at 46 and therefore had not spent a lot of time scouting or visiting the impressive TE turned DE. The reason that they probably didn’t expect to have a shot at him was with good reason, considering the interest that several teams that run a 3-4 defense had shown in Barwin as an outside rush LB.

From Day One, Barwin can step in and rush the QB on third downs, which he showed a talent for with 10 sacks in his senior year. Barwin is an amazing athlete and very well may be developed into an OLB with time. If you’re going to take a pick with injury concerns to play SLB in the first round, how intelligent is it to take a player that has shown the intelligence and versatility to potentially replace him if need be? Sounds pretty awesome to me. I’d like to write more on Barwin, but (spoiler alert) there will be more to follow later.

Third Round

Antoine Caldwell/G-C/Alabama – Yet another pick I am floored by. Caldwell not only played exceptionally well in college, but he has shown both the athletic ability and intelligence to play both guard and center in a zone-blocking scheme such as the one utilized by the Texans. All five starters on the Texans OL played all 16 games last year, which an extremely rare feat that will not happen two years in a row, so at the very least Caldwell is a great insurance policy. Even though Kyle Shanahan claims that Caldwell wasn’t drafted to replace Chris Myers, Myers weighs 275 pounds and was pushed around a lot by opposing DTs last year, so the writing might be on the wall.

Fourth Round

Glover Quin/CB-FS/New Mexico – I, like Riott, was not aware of this kid, which is not a great feeling to have about your fourth round draft pick. Quin is slated to be more of a FS than a CB, which I pray to Durga is where he plays for the Texans. This is something different than a flyer pick on a FS in the sixth or seventh. A fourth round pick should have a decent chance of getting on the field. Even if Quin doesn’t beat out Eugene Wilson, I think he’d be better suited backing him up than as the fourth or fifth CB on the roster.

Anthony Hill/TE/NC State – At first, I almost broke the TV after this selection because I was sure that we were going to draft a RB with this pick. It was good in retrospect that I didn’t go with my first instinct because upon further analysis, it is a great pick and I was watching the draft at my neighbor’s house, so he probably wouldn’t have appreciated that behavior.

Hill was rated the best blocking TE in the draft almost unanimously amongst the prominent draft analysts. Hill, a Houston native, is such a good blocker that he might be able to play T in the NFL. Does switching TEs to T ever work in the league? Just ask Jason Peters, who the Eagles just signed to a contract for more money than the GDP of Liberia. At the very least, Hill will hopefully negate the success that opposing SLB have had against the Texans in recent years.

Fifth Round

James Casey/TE-FB-LS/Rice – No, you didn’t misread that position breakdown. Casey is athletic enough to do a lot of things. He’s another pick that the Texans probably weren’t expecting to be around when they got him; rather, they probably had a third round grade assigned to him, which is why they couldn’t resist him in the fifth. At first I had mixed feelings because I knew he was a steal but he was also the second TE in a row, which is a lot in my opinion for a team that has a Pro Bowler at said position.

What’s that? Casey can play long snapper? That’s cool, I guess. He can play FB too? I have to say, that’s pretty cool to have a FB that can catch and run the way he can. If that’s not enough for you though, get this: He can also play QB. Apparently at Rice’s Pro Day, Casey wowed coaches by throwing the ball all over the field. For those of you that like that whole Wildcat thing, there you go. Overall, he seems to fit that whole versatility theme, which was apparently the topic of the Texans' offseason retreat.

Sixth Round

Brice McCain/CB/Utah – If you had told me a couple of days ago that we would come away from the draft with a CB from Utah, I probably would have kissed you. I would have demanded some sort of retribution when I learned it was McCain instead of Smith. McCain is probably too small to make the team as a CB considering how many we have already on the roster. I think his only chance is to play special teams, which he can do with his 4.3 speed. We’ll have to see.

Seventh Round

Troy Nolan/FS/Arizona State – Didn’t I mention something about flyers on safeties in the last two rounds? Nolan was pretty good in college, but as his drafted position suggests, he wasn’t great. We’ll just have to see how it goes, but if Nolan made the team even as a backup for Wilson, he’d be a steal in the seventh.

Anyway, like I said, I am now happy with our performance. I have no idea how all the major draft pundits graded our draft, and I don’t care. The Texans aren’t about sexy draft picks, but sexy picks usually put your team in the crapper, as evidenced by our performance under the Casserly regime. If Cushing stays healthy, Hill and Casey are as good as they seem, and one of the DBs makes a significant impact, this will be an amazing draft. Now we just have to wait four months to find out. Man, I hope it didn’t hurt you nearly as much to read that as it did me to write it.

The Newest Houston Texan is Troy Nolan

Jake — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:14:38 -0000

Welcome to Houston, Troy Nolan. Nolan is a FS from Arizona State who had a productive four-year career with the Sun Devils. The speculation on Nolan is that he might make a better SS than FS because he likes to hit and has good size but is lacking in coverage. Our draft is done. Our analysis of the complete draft will be out soon.

Looking seven rounds deep into the Rams draft

VanRam — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:04:09 -0000

More photos » by Jay LaPrete - AP

FILE - Ohio State's James Laurinaitis (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File)

Browse more photos »

The draft is so close you can smell it. Of course, it's hard to sense anything with all the talk and speculation in the air. At this point, predictions are difficult to impossible, but let's take one last look at a very informed mock draft for some insight into a legit scenario for the Rams this weekend.

Scouts, Inc. has a full seven-round mock draft posted over at ESPN. It's behind the subscription wall, but you can download an Excel file with the full results, courtesy of Mike Sando, self-certified Excel maniac. You really have to be hard core to predict the full seven rounds, since there are likely to be more trades and surprise picks, lots of both, this weekend. Here's their prediction for the Rams:

R1 - Jason Smith, OT

R2 - James Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio State

R3 - Brian Robiskie, WR. Ohio State

R4 - Mike Goodson, RB, Texas A&M

R5 - Louis Vasquez, G, Texas Tech

R6 - Troy Nolan, S, Arizona State

R7 - Brandon Long, DE, Michigan State

Nabbing Laurintaitis in the second round would be ideal for the Rams, and it seems like there's more and more chatter that he may be available there, though it's pure speculation. Robiskie might be exactly what the Rams need in a WR to pair with Donnie Avery - big, physical, plays in well in the middle. He might not make it the third round. As for the first three rounds, those picks address the Rams biggest needs, but leave the debate about how to address those needs with what player wide open.

If you have some insight on any of the guys from rounds 4-7, let's hear it. I think another OT might be a better pick for OL depth than another guard...depending on what they've got in mind for John Greco's future. What kind of RB is Goodson? Would he be a nice change of pace guy for the Rams? Adding a RB isn't a bad move at all. Depth at DB is a need, and, knowing nothing about Nolan, I suspect he could be a special teams contributor. Long seems like the kind of guy Spagnuolo could make into a rotation specialist.

The biggest need not included here, that I'd like to see is a run stuffing NT, a specialist for the DT rotation and depth at the position. Of course, this really isn't the year for DTs. Another LB would make me happy too, but the Spagnuolo regime might well be able to make solid contributors out of last year's LB picks Chris Chamberlain and David Vobora. Both of these position might be more easily address through street free agents and roster victims prior to the start of the season.

The Weekend Bears Den - 4/18/09

ChiFan13 — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 11:00:12 -0000

In The Den

Brian Robiskie would be a good fit for the Bears, or so Vaughn McClure thinks.

Brad Biggs's draft need #9: Outside linebacker.

Brad Biggs's draft need #10:Guard.

Brad Biggs discusses the strength of schedule and whether it really matters.

Brad Biggs has two more safeties prospects: Glover Quin and Troy Nolan.

Bob LeGere has heard rumors that experts like Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi for the Bears.

Northwestern's former RB Tyrell Sutton believes he can be an NFL back.

Bob LeGere breaks down the QB's in the draft. He does a pretty good job, so check it out.

In The Vicinity of The Den

Josh McDaniels had a three-day minicamp starting on Friday. Why should anyone care? We should hear what McDaniels thinks of Orton soon.

Matthew Stafford was skeet shooting on Jimmy Fallon.

Nowhere Near The Den

After their major boo-boo, the NFL moved up the start time of the Jets - Patriots game on Yom Kippur to 1 PM.

FS, Troy Nolan, Arizona St.

Jeremy Bolander — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 06:56:06 -0000

FS, Troy Nolan, Arizona St.

At A Glance
Position 1: Free Safety	Height: 6-1
Position 2: Strong Safety	Weight: 206
Class: Senior	Age:
Projected Round: 6th	40time: 4.63

Combine/Proday Results
Bench Reps: 12	Vertical: 31.5
20yd Split: 2.68	Broad Jump: 9'9"
10yd Split: 1.59	20yd Shuttle: 4.3
3 Cone Drill: 7.06

Pros: Good size. ... Standout player both years of Pac-10 competition. ... Ball hawk at free safety. ... Willing to bait quarterbacks and can make the big play.

Cons: Has to prove the straight-line speed to be effective as a free safety in the NFL. ... Despite size, ducks his head too often when taking on blocks and can lose track of the ball.

Styg's Broncos Fit: Medical issues and concerns about his speed drive his stock down, but I think he has all the tools you look for in a game-changing free safety. The medical concern is an old knee injury that didn't seem to hamper his athleticism in two full years of action, although it does seem to have cost him some speed. Very aggressive and commits too early to the "big play" angle, leaving others to clean up the mess, but showed that he could respond to coaching by improving significantly in this area in 2008. His best characteristics are when he is in coverage, where he tracks the ball, intimidates anyone in his area with physical hits, and attacks routes and passes with great instincts and timing. Makes plays at the right times and often sets off a cascade effect on his team, with several examples of leading the charge in multiple-turnover games and multi-game turnover trends. He needs to improve his 40-time to go higher, but where he is could be a great spot for solid safety depth.

Around MHR:

Around SBNation:

From "Player Profile: Troy Nolan" at Phinsider:

I went to every ASU home football game this past season, and although we had a TERRIBLE season, Troy Nolan was a brightspot...he made some huge plays for us, coming up with key breakups and picks, and jacked some people up, i am remembering one hit against Stanford where he knocked the guy out.....he did overpursue at times, which led to big plays for the opposition, but if he comes to the Dolphins he will be learning from 2 vets that can teach him to read the plays better, and he will improve...he also did some punt and kick return for us and did a decent job.

Highlights:

Scouting Reports and Offsite Links:

A tall, well-built free safety who reads and reacts quickly and does a nice job jumping balls on all levels of the field. A real ball hawk who has a second gear to close on the play. Has been very productive over the past two seasons both in the pass and run game. Displays impressive lateral ability for his size and does a nice job slipping blocks and attacking the ball. Exhibits good instincts attacking downhill with the power and technique to consistently wrap up on contact. [see more...]

2009 Draft--Defensive Backs Rated for Denver Broncos

Jeremy Bolander — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:30:08 -0000

In trying to sort out which defensive backs to select for inclusion in the ranking chart, I have had to look at how McDaniels and Nolan are likely to use their DBs. To this end the focus here is on good to great tacklers, zone over man-coverage characteristics, and physical, intimidating presences.

There are a number of quality DBs in this draft of the more "finesse" variety, especially in the CB group. Though they are very talented, for the most part they aren't included here. Exceptions could be Malcolm Jenkins and Mike Mickens, who both have excellent man-coverage characteristics. However, they tend to execute with a more-physical attitude than is expected from man corners, much like our own Champ Bailey, and so I have happily included them in these rankings.

What do I mean by the characteristics I have outlined for these rankings above? Tackling should speak for itself, but I put a priority on powerful tacklers, guys with significant lower-body strength and the ability to dominate another player. For the Physical quality, I am looking for players who aren't afraid to get dirty, are willing and happy to get involved in run support and to battle at the line of scrimmage with WRs. DBs who can disrupt plays early by messing up receiver routes should hold more value for a D-Line and pass rush in progress, buying those parts of the team valuable seconds to establish trench superiority and get penetration. In turn, this should come back to the DBs in spades by creating up-front pressure to relieve the pressure in back. And when it comes to zone-over-man characteristics, we are looking at less athletic reliance and more instinctual or intellectual reliance, which should help drive costs down in the draft.

Let's check out the rankings:

CB--Malcolm Jenkins

1st

Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State: This guy has a little of everything. Where he matches up best for Denver is his physical style of play around the line. He is strong and able to dictate to receivers what kind of routes they can run, effectively dominating his side of the field. He has excellent range on top of this, which gives him the versatility needed to cover a deep third or half, just like a free safety, something he has experience doing. His versatility and toughness can't be beat amongst defensive backs in this year's draft, and his talent make him a rare find at any position.

CB--Vontae Davis

1st

Vontae Davis, Illinois: Ideal size for the position, Davis doesn't consistently add up to the sum of his parts. While he is an aggressive and physical tackler, he isn't nearly physical enough with receivers in their routes. Despite his ability to find the ball, he doesn't make nearly as many plays as he gets himself in position to make. He does have the versatility to be moved to a safety-type role, but despite his strength he isn't a sure tackler. While many will look at his tangibles and want to lay claim to his "upside" and potential, I say Denver should be wary of his under-production, and look elsewhere early.

SS--Patrick Chung

2nd

Patrick Chung, Oregon: If Denver is willing to overlook deep speed in a DB, Chung could be a tremendous value to them. With experience at corner, FS, SS and even returning kicks, he brings a consistent, well-rounded package to the table along with some of the best tackling in the nation. While he is a bit too aggressive to step immediately into a FS role in the NFL, he still has the range to eventually be a safe bet at the position, and could perform admirably as a SS. His sure tackling is complemented by his explosive power, which makes even solid, wrap-up tackles from him a pretty good hitting experience. Very aggressive in coverage, fights for the ball, but too willing to put his hands on the receiver, and may need to get more disciplined in that and other areas. Shows solid leadership characteristics and a love of the game. An excellent prospect.

CB--Coye Francies

2nd

Coye Francies, San Jose State: A very thin, quick player, he lacks any kind of lower-body power or explosiveness, but is still a very consistent tackler. He also has great vision and watches the field well, including as a kick returner, where he averaged over 22 yards per return. Good hands and understanding of when to time his jumps and breaks. Is successful when playing physical, tight coverages, which could make him an asset, but can't rely on getting his hands on receivers in the NFL. Very smart about taking proper angles and breaking down before a tackle, which helps him make stops. All in all a safe prospect who needs to add some bulk to take his game to the next level.

FS--Louis Delmas

2nd-3rd

Louis Delmas, Western Michigan: Not the best size, which shows up noticeably when he is taking on and avoiding blockers. Fails to get into blockers and discard them, and is often driven away from or out of the play in attempts to go around. Despite this he has somewhat of the reputation as a powerful hitter. He has leadership capability and is a very secure wrap-up tackler who knows how to take down bigger guys and smaller guys alike. He has good range and gets himself in a good position to make plays in coverage, but can be pulled up with a play-action. All in all a good prospect with a questionable level of competition and inconsistencies in his game.

FS--William Moore

2nd-3rd

William Moore, Missouri: Very athletic and physical, Moore's biggest question is whether he was a one-year-wonder. Despite having great range, he was brought up to the line a lot and took a pounding that will require his shoulder to check out medically before the draft. However, this does give him great experience with blitzing, and he times his moves well. A tough player, he played through a couple of injuries as a Junior and Senior. He is a solid tackler and has terrific lower-body strength that allows him to deliver a fair amount of pop in his hits. He has shown tremendous playmaking ability in the past with a knack for finding the ball, but recent poor showings have scouts wondering if a position switch to LB isn't in his best interests. Inexplicably, he doesn't seem to be able to backpedal anymore, and I have no clue why that is, whether unnamed injury or adding unneeded bulk, but it is an intriguing point that will get attention at the combine.

CB--Jairus Byrd

2nd-3rd

Jairus Byrd, Oregon: Another solid corner prospect who excels in being rough with receivers around the line and dictating how routes will be run. May bite on play action, and is sometimes too aggressive with the hands, but has the quickness to mirror and stay with receivers through double moves and quick routes. Probably doesn't have the speed to catch up consistently and will benefit from zone responsibilities, where he has demonstrated a good feel for his teammates. Solid tackler, but not much explosive power.

CB Mike Mickens

2nd-3rd

Mike Mickens, Cincinnatti: Has the quick feet and great hips to effectively mirror and play terrific man coverage, one of the few in the draft. Very good hands, and has a receiver's instincts for running when he has the ball in his hands. Has extensive experience in zone, where he played ball-hawk behind a great pass rush. Marginal upper-body power, but good explosiveness from the lower body. Has good tackling form and is willing to come up in run support and to lead vocally. A confident player who was a favorite of his coaches for his ethic and ability to learn.

FS--Rashad Johnson

3rd

Rashad Johnson, Alabama: An extremely smart player with an excellent first step and deep understanding of his role and the roles of others. I really like this kid and think he could step in as a starter right away. Working against him are his size and the type of frame he has, where it looks like he would be sacrificing some of his speed to get bigger. But as is, he still managed to produce, especially at critical times. As a last line of defense he needs to work on his tackling, but overall he is a secure tackler with good power and a great instinct for getting to the play. Not intimidating enough to warrant four stars, but if he could somehow get his strength up and become more of a hitter, he could push past three stars. Watch his pro day results to see if he added any bulk and maintained his quickness.

CB--Cary Harris

3rd

Cary Harris, USC: An often-overlooked component of the USC defense, Harris may turn out to be one of its safest bets. A great team player, with attitude in run support and the feet and range to dominate his coverage zone. A smart player who trusts the play of those around him, and is willing to make the secure play over the spectacular play. Unfortunately doesn't seem to have the versatility to play any significant amount of man coverage, but has enough range and athleticism to play coverage zones as a corner or safety. A sound and consistent performer.

FS--Derek Pegues

3rd-4th

Derek Pegues, Mississippi State: One of the few versatile "tweeners" at the DB position who has only limited upside for Denver. While most of the tweeners are solid tacklers or powerful hitters, Derek is a secure tackler but lacks the power to drive opponents down, usually relying on a drag-down style. He is tenacious though, and is excellent at finding and attacking the ball and reading receivers in his zone. What hurts him is that he isn't physical enough around the line to effectively and consistently cover larger receivers, and would be outclassed on deep balls despite his speed. If he were to add some upper-body strength for jamming receivers and some lower-body strength to bring some explosion to his hits, he may be able to provide some great help to a team in a zone-coverage scheme.

SS--Emanuel Cook

3rd-4th

Emanuel Cook, South Carolina: A terrific zone player with very good tackling, good power, great instincts and the kind of body control needed to capitalize on the above. Not very fast, so his value around the line of scrimmage could be had cheaply.

SS--Kevin Ellison

4th

Kevin Ellison, USC: High-character player with injury issues but consistent production and steady growth. Exceptionally physical and can intimidate players over the middle, and is a sure-handed tackler who is impressive in run support. No straight speed to speak of, but adequate quickness. Has a safety's attitude and is willing to sacrifice himself to make the stop. Doesn't allow many big plays to get past him, part of playing for a defense good enough to recover and get 3-and-outs. May be undervalued because of the players he was around. Could possibly move to LB.

FS--Troy Nolan

5th

Troy Nolan, Arizona State: Medical issues and concerns about his speed drive his stock down, but I think he has all the tools you look for in a game-changing free safety. The medical concern is an old knee injury that didn't seem to hamper his athleticism in two full years of action, although it does seem to have cost him some speed. Very aggressive and commits too early to the "big play" angle, leaving others to clean up the mess, but showed that he could respond to coaching by improving significantly in this area in 2008. His best characteristics are when he is in coverage, where he tracks the ball, intimidates anyone in his area with physical hits, and attacks routes and passes with great instincts and timing. Makes plays at the right times and often sets off a cascade effect on his team, with several examples of leading the charge in multiple-turnover games and multi-game turnover trends. He needs to improve his 40-time to go higher, but where he is could be a great spot for solid safety depth.

FS--Chris Clemons

6th

Chris Clemons, Clemson: A solid tackler with a good feel for his responsibilities and his teammates. Was allowed to pick his spots on the field and was reliable in coverage. Unfortunately, not overly athletic and doesn't seem to be able to push his game to the next level. He can add size however, which could give him some much-needed power and explosiveness.

SS--Keith Fitzhugh

6th

Keith Fitzhugh, Mississippi State: Another versatile tweener limited by tight hips and marginal feet. Not quite enough range to be a lone threat in the backfield, but is a solid line of defense and a secure tackler. His explosiveness is good, but his athleticism should limit him to a strong-safety role in run support. His experience at corner and a solid zone background could make him a great depth target.

SS--Kevin Akins

6th-7th

Kevin Akins, Boston College: Takes versatility to a whole new level, with kick returning, offensive rushing carries, rush LB duties and standard safety/corner coverage duties in his arsenal. His tremendous agility is at the heart of that, and as a late-round pick he is destined to be an underrated but consistently-productive player. He is able to effectively tap into his skills, and was called on often to bring an unusual spark to games. However, he doesn't have the overall talent to be asked to do any one thing consistently and productively. A smart player who needs a smart coach to take advantage of him.

FS--Lendy Holmes

7th

Lendy Holmes, Oklahoma: Some concerns with long-range ability to pick up defensive schemes effectively, he could be a solid fill-in and safe depth player. He is a sure tackler who understands lanes and is very disciplined, and can disrupt receivers around the line. Has the potential to be added as an extra dime back.

SS--Terrence Moore

7th-FA

Terrence Moore, Troy: Strong, explosive player who excels at getting off blocks, is very physical at the line of scrimmage and dictates routes to receivers. Unfortunately, not quick or fast enough to stay very long with receivers, so must rely on good initial technique and solid zone reads. Has a good feel for the edges of his zones, and rarely over-commits to the wrong receiver.

Pac-10 Referees Are Absurd; Other Insights From Arizona State @ Oregon State

Cory Williams — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 06:35:04 -0000

Okay.

We lost. That much is clear, and we had an excellent chance to tie it at the end on our 2-point conversion attempt. So, I can't complain; our defense was excellent and our offense did its part by actually putting 12 points on the board.

But why do we keep having to discuss Pac-10 officials? It seems like never a week goes by where there isn't some complaint about lackluster officiating, from missed calls to inconsistencies in the treatment of each scenario.

Tonight, Omar Bolden was flagged for pass interference on a play that Jason Sehorn found to be nothing more than a well defended pass deflection. As a matter of fact, I nearly jumped out of my chair when I saw the flag come in out of the corner of the screen.

What exactly did he do wrong, sir official, sir? Was his form too pristine? His deflection too overwhelming? Did he really impede the receiver's ability to catch the ball? Absolutely, because he jumped and smacked it away. This wasn't pass interference, it was excellent pass defense.

On the ensuing drive by Arizona State, Chris McGaha was whacked right before the ball got to him on a long distance throw from Rudy Carpenter. Expecting a reciprocal call, I quickly realized that no flag was coming. It's funny listening to Sehorn blow up on air; his reaction along the lines of "this is difficult to watch" really resonates with me and bothers me at the same time.

As the Pac-10, Tom Hansen and his cronies have the obligation to provide us with superior officials. If these are the best we can do, ASU is at a constant disadvantage. It's embarrassing to watch these referees ruin the integrity of our sport.

Another thing I couldn't help but notice was the clock management. Every time we got a first down on our march late in the 4th quarter, the clock seemed to run 3-4 seconds longer than it should have, after the whistle blew. I don't want to go out on too big of a limb and call shenanigans on the time keeper, but come on. This is your job, you should be able to do it correctly. If you can't flick a switch when you hear a whistle, you are in dire need of some help.

But anyway, let me quickly talk about the game itself.

Troy Nolan came up huge with that INT returned for a TD; he is a workhorse that I am truly proud to have on our team.
The offensive line was a leaky faucet again tonight.
Carpenter needs protection, but he also needs to look a little harder for open men. This is a problem that is not a recent development.
I dislike Pac-10 officials. Oh, I already mentioned that.
Jacquizz Rodgers is impossible to bring down; it's downright ridiculous to see 5 defensive Sun Devils fall down when they try to tackle him. Terrell Carr should be ashamed of that tackle attempt he had; he was made to look plain silly by a 5'7" running back.
The Sun Devils are now 2-6, and the Beavers are in control of their own destiny to go to the Rose Bowl. Does anyone remember 2007 anymore? I sure seem to have forgotten that magical season.

Building the Dam Skull Forks Sun Devils

CV3000 — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 01:12:38 -0000

Another week, another Pac-10 foe to dominate. We got together with C.W. of House of Sparky fame for his take on just how badly The Beavers are going to crush ASU this Saturday.

In an uncharacteristic display of mercy, CV3000 saves this Sun Devils fan from having to watch his team for the rest of the season. via farm1.static.flickr.com

1. Do you think the Devils have any chance of winning in Reser?

I would like to think the Sun Devils can go into Reser and pull out a hard-earned victory. Of course, they have a chance. We wouldn't even show up if we didn't, and we wouldn't be in the Pac-10 either. Heck, Wazzu can beat someone .... okay sorry, my mother told me not to lie.

ASU is playing very poorly, and has not been the same since the UNLV loss. With our Lou Groza-winning kicker Thomas Weber playing the worst we've ever seen, we have no leg to stand on in Reser(oh my god, that is horrible). Regardless, if Carpenter can get some time and go through the progressions, our wide receivers are fairly solid and can find the seams in the OSU defense.

But legitimately, do I think ASU will win? Probably not. But I will be cheering them on the whole way. Orange Hell, be damned.

Only, in Reser, it's way Oranger. via babypoobarellah.files.wordpress.com

Continue reading our condescending interview...

2. Did you know the last time that Erickson coached against the Beavers in Reser it was 38-0? You can change your answer to the first question if you want to.

Dennis Erickson is a mastermind. An old man, to be certain, but a creative genius who is capable of exacting his revenge on the Beavers.

Heh. No, this could be ugly.

3. Rudy Carpenter. That guy plays for you. Is he pretty good or what?

He is good, but he's been getting a lot of heat from the local media. They want him benched in favor of Danny Sullivan. I can't agree with this, especially after seeing Sullivan play in person, but Carpenter looks mediocre at best with his bum ankle.

I always supported Rudy, but his attitude is very, shall we say, controversial. Opponents hate him; our fans seem to feel the same way when he isn't performing up to his potential. His job is thankless, but he has done it well for 3 years. He shouldn't be punished now.

Given that, you all saw what happened in 2007 in Tempe, when the Beavers were up 19-0. That turned out well for the Devils.

4. When Erickson was at OSU an opposing coach said that his offense was "spread 'em out wide and then hand it off up the middle to Simonton." Is it pretty much the same thing now, just with Keegan Herring instead? That guy's pretty good, isn't he?

It would be that type of game plan, if the offensive line didn't leak like a sieve. It doesn't help that Herring's hamstring has been problematic for the entire season, and Dimitri Nance has been incapable of gaining any useful yards in the running game.

I really wish injuries had not derailed his season. He is a decent back with speed and a nose for the end zone. Had he been around all year, I think ASU's record would be 4-3 or 5-2, rather than 2-5.

5. Honestly, I can't name a single player from your defense. Should I know about someone, or am I better off not knowing?

Dexter Davis is a beast on the line, and he is capable of attacking Lyle Moevao all game long. Sophomore Omar Bolden, our #1 corner, has looked much better in recent weeks, shutting down Oregon's Jaison Williams last Saturday, and showing some more promise than he did against Georgia freshman A.J. Green.

6. We heard there's killer bees in Arizona. What are your thoughts? Can you promise to not bring them with you to Oregon? Thanks.

Killer bees are scary. I am putting them in the checked baggage of the Sun Devil charter. Feel free to do with them what you wish, whether you release them en masse on UO's campus, or whatever it is you Beavers do.

7. Who is your most impressive player on either side of the ball?

Easy... No wait, it isn't. Since we are just plain awful, this will take more effort.

Offensively, I want to say Kyle Williams. He is short for his position (WR), but that doesn't prevent him from being a great threat. He has oodles of speed and runs routes quite efficiently.

On the defensive side, safety Troy Nolan is a ballhawk who never gives up on any play. Even when we were down 28-0 against USC with only a few minutes left, he was still playing as hard as he can, which is a great sign for prospective employers at the next level.

8. When I look at the games that the Devils have played, the only conclusion that I can come up with is that the Sun Devils definitely are not a great team, but there's still a chance that they might not be that bad. They probably have one or two good games left in the tank. What do you think?

I won't disagree. Put the game plan together correctly, and this team is capable of scoring 40 points. Will that happen? I can't be sure. It seems more likely that we will score in the range of 13-27 points, but it wouldn't hurt me at all if the defense can shut down the Beavers, and Carpenter can put up some big numbers.

9. Who is your best young player that we might look forward to terrorizing us for many years in the future for writing this?

Interesting. No one has really stepped up this year, and we don't have any "explosive" players like Orange Jesus in the pipeline. I am excited for Ryan Bass and Gerell Robinson, though. RB and WR, respectively, they are both true freshmen playing real minutes for the Devils.

For our sake, they will step up by the time we go down to Tucson, and we can show the Wildcats what they have to look forward to for the next 3 years. Will they make a huge difference in Corvallis? Probably not... but a guy can dream.

10. The Beavers have no known weaknesses on offense, but if there is a weakness on the defense, Washington showed that they could throw it deep 9 times and have 4 long completions and also earn a couple pass interference calls to complement their pathetic offensive output. Do you anticipate that your offense will rely heavily upon drawing penalties to sustain drives like Washington was forced to do or are the personnel and coaches talented enough to gain yards through actual football skill?

Please don't compare us to that mess that is the Washington football team. We will try our best to beat you with the talent, not the refs. Besides, chances are that the Pac-10 officials wouldn't get the calls right anyway. We might air it out, but the offensive line might not be able to give adequate time for such an activity to even take place. In the end, I'm just like Dennis Erickson: I don't have the answer.

11. When your practice facility blew away in a storm earlier in the year, was that pretty much just a really obvious metaphor?

Yes. It is inflated now for insurance purposes... I wonder if the ASU team has that same policy? Can they be artificially inflated for a few weeks to save the season?

The search party seen above is on the lookout for signs of life in ASU's football season. via www.eastvalleytribune.com

-CV3000

Poll

Do you expect the Beavers to cover the 14.5 point spread this week against ASU as they muscle their way to the Rose Bowl?

Beavs cover the spread and DOMINATE

78 votes

Devils keep it close and/or win?

21 votes

99 votes | Poll has closed

SB Nation - Troy Nolan

My Calm and Level-Headed Thoughts About The Texans' Haul From The 2009 NFL Draft

The 2009 Houston Texans Draft: Hope You Like The Word Versatility

The Newest Houston Texan is Troy Nolan

Looking seven rounds deep into the Rams draft

The Weekend Bears Den - 4/18/09

FS, Troy Nolan, Arizona St.

FS, Troy Nolan, Arizona St.

Around MHR:

Around SBNation:

Highlights:

Scouting Reports and Offsite Links:

2009 Draft--Defensive Backs Rated for Denver Broncos

2009 NFL Draft Coverage-Merry Draftivus!!

CB--Malcolm Jenkins

1st

CB--Vontae Davis

1st

SS--Patrick Chung

2nd

CB--Coye Francies

2nd

FS--Louis Delmas

2nd-3rd

FS--William Moore

2nd-3rd

CB--Jairus Byrd

2nd-3rd

CB Mike Mickens

2nd-3rd

FS--Rashad Johnson

3rd

CB--Cary Harris

3rd

FS--Derek Pegues

3rd-4th

SS--Emanuel Cook

3rd-4th

SS--Kevin Ellison

4th

FS--Troy Nolan

5th

FS--Chris Clemons

6th

SS--Keith Fitzhugh

6th

SS--Kevin Akins

6th-7th

FS--Lendy Holmes

7th

SS--Terrence Moore

7th-FA

Pac-10 Referees Are Absurd; Other Insights From Arizona State @ Oregon State

Building the Dam Skull Forks Sun Devils

Do you expect the Beavers to cover the 14.5 point spread this week against ASU as they muscle their way to the Rose Bowl?

Beavs cover the spread and DOMINATE

Devils keep it close and/or win?