FS Prospects

isuarch80 — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:51:34 -0000

According to CollegeFootballNews.com, a Scout affiliate, there are several top FS prospects that went undrafted. I don't know if we're done calling around with the list that was posted earlier, but it would be smart to grab one or two of these guys, just to see...

http://cfn.scout.com/2/860536.html

2. Otis Wiley, FS Michigan State 6-2, 210 Put him at strong safety and he’ll be a disaster. Put him at free safety and he could be a Pro Bowl performer with a little bit of time. Great in run support and tough enough to be like an extra linebacker, he sniffs out running plays and always makes the stop. However, he’s not known for being a tough player and has had injury issues. With his size and his range, he could be all over the field making plays if he’s given the chance, but he’ll likely be used early on in nickel and dime packages. If he can stay healthy, he could be a late steal.

CFN Value Rank: Fifth Round CFN Position Rank: 9

7. C.J. Spillman, FS Marshall 6-0, 195Fast, fast, fast. He makes up for a lack of bulk with blazing 4.45 speed and 41.5" vertical leaping ability. He’s not going to tackle anyone and he has a problem staying healthy, but he’s a willing run supporter who’ll give it a shot when he has to step up and make a stop. As athletic as he is, he doesn’t always play like it and will get beaten against the pass. His money will be made early on as a special teamer. He’ll be a star gunner.

CFN Value Rank: Fifth Round CFN Position Rank: 15

10. Emmanuel Cook, FS South Carolina 5-10, 205 (Jr.) Very athletic with good quickness and nice range, he has the basic skills to be an NFL free safety. A more than willing tackler, he’ll do whatever is necessary to get into the mix to bring a player down and he doesn’t miss any stops. Unfortunately, he’s not a strong safety and he’s a liability against the pass. He doesn’t make things happen when the ball is in the air and struggled to stay with the most marginal of receivers. If he’s used as a run stopper, he’ll fight his way onto a team, but he’ll strictly be a situational defender who could be picked apart in passing situations.

CFN Value Rank: Fifth Round CFN Position Rank: 16

My Pre-4/25 Wish List

isuarch80 — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:13:57 -0000

These days everyone is copying the Patriots as an organization. They've had more front office and coaching personnel hired away from them in the last 10 years it's ridiculous.

They have some of the best talent evaluators, don't overspend on talent yet still pull in their share of free agents to fill holes and be leaders on the team, and then the coaching staff knows how to develop the guys they draft and manage the veterans they pull in and create a 53 person unit that is always better than the individual pieces.

I think the way they handle their roster is what every team's fans wants out of their club - just a dedication to be competitive every year, to be mentioned as a contender for a title, and to always be fighting for a playoff spot. So why can't we get there with Scrooge,er, Angelo and Co.?

If we were to follow some of the same principles the Pats do, here is my Pre Draft Wish List:

- Brian Waters, Left Guard = Give up our highest 3rd Rd Pick this year, as well as a 6th or 7th and get Brian Waters, OG, from KC. He's 32, so he only has about 3 more pro bowl type years left, plus maybe another 1 or two seasons of ball after that, he wants out of KC, and KC adds more picks (Pioli loves picks - see NE). He gives us a road grader to put next to Chris Williams for the start of his young career, a leader on the line with Kruetz, and we really can focus on the power running game we're built to have.

- DJ Hackett, WR = Try to sign DJ Hackett, WR, Unrestricted FA from Car. He was released by Carolina. He has a lot of talent that hasn't had a chance to be let out. He's only 27 but hasn't had a full season yet because of injuries. He's big 6'3" and 205, has GREAT hands, as well as better than average at route running. I'm thinking something around 3 yr/$9 mil with a club option for a 4th year and incentives for each season for performance and games played would get the trick done (he had a 2 yr/$4 mil contract). Lance Moore and Mark Clayton are options, but both are RFAs, and their teams can match. Both are smaller WRs as well.

- QB = Why haven't we looked at some sort of 2 yr deals with a Charlie Batch or Patrick Ramsey. Two veterans that can support a team and win a ball game or two if needed to if Orton were to get injured. Didn't the Cowboys learn with Romo's injury that not having an adequate backup will cost you the playoffs? We can't think our backup QB situation is adequate if Orton were to get hurt (and yes, I do believe Orton is more than adequate to play QB in the NFL - just trying to beat you to some of your comments :))

- Safety = another position I know they won't look at any more in FA, but I wish we had looked at what was needed to pry Jarrad Page or Dawan Landry (Both RFA's) from the respective teams. That would be adding better than average players and adding talent to compete for starting positions. But those two will never happen.

If I were running the team, I'd do what I could to get both Waters and Hackett, and help my QB situation with a short term veteran, and then I could go into the draft truly looking to add best available and depth across the board. I'd try to trade down to late in the first round or beginning of the second and add a couple more middle rounds picks to help depth, and focus on a raw/talent QB, OL depth, another WR (who would be #4 on this team with time to learn), DL depth and competition for the secondary. All of that is available in this draft.

Some players I'd focus on (these are who I think would be around in the 2nd round and later on):

Earlier Rounds (2-4) =

Josh Freeman, QB

Darius Butler, Sean Smith, Rashad Johnson, DB

Kenny Britt, Juaquin Iglesias, Brian Robiskie, WR

Phil Loadholt, Eben Britton, Duke Robinson, OL

Everette Brown, Connor Barwin, Robert Ayers, Paul Kreuger, DE

Later Rounds (5-7) =

Rhett Bomar (my personal sleeper fav), Cullen Harper, Hunter Cantwell, QB

Brandon Underwood, Victor Harris, DB

Louis Murphy, Mike Thomas, Kenny McKinley, Patrick Turner, WR

Herman Johnson, Alex Boone, Antoine Caldwell, OL

As you can see from the players and such - I think DL, OL, DB and WR should be the focus right away, in any order, and focus on depth at all positions in the later half. Again, this is my wish list if I were running the team.

SB Nation User Blog: isuarch80

FS Prospects

My Pre-4/25 Wish List