10 Under the Radar NFL Draft Prospects
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1. Ramon Harewood, OT, Morehouse College --
NFL personnel men love Harewood's massive 6-foot-7, 355-pound frame, and the native of Barbados is a physics and engineering major who wows scouts with his blend of intelligence and physicality. NFL types don't always make it to Morehouse's pro day, but almost 20 teams were represented this year, and they were all there to check out a prospect who projects to either the seventh round or priority free-agent.
2. David Nelson, WR, Florida --
He elevated his draft stock at the Gators pro day, running 4.57 in the 40, with a 38-inch vertical leap and a broad jump of 10 feet, four inches. Though Nelson got overshadowed at times among all of Florida's playmakers, scouts are enamored with his 6-5 height and ability to use his 217 pounds to block and give his quarterback a big target. "He's a tough kid and a competitive kid,'' one NFL scout told me. "He's got rare height and he catches the ball well. He runs good routes and he's just crafty. He'll make someone's team.''
3. Tim Hiller, QB, Western Michigan --
A four-year starter in college, Hiller didn't follow up his fantastic junior season with more of the same as a senior, and that has sent his stock plummeting since the fall. But he also wasn't playing with a lot of talent around him in 2009, and scouts do give him high marks for his size (6-4, 229), brains (4.0 GPA) and experience playing under center in a pro-style offense. Hiller was invited to and worked out at the combine, and played in the Texas versus the Nation all-star game.
4. David Howard, DT, Brown --
There's been a decent buzz surrounding this Ivy League star since he stood out at Brown's pro day, and scouts tell me NFL teams are starting to invite Howard for private visits, a sure-fire sign of draft interest. Howard has been a productive and steadily improving player throughout his college career, and he has good measurables at 6-3, 293 pounds. He ran well (5.03), had a quality 7.55 time in the three-cone drill, and displayed the kind of burst and athleticism that should make him a sixth- or seventh-round pick.
5. Andrew George, TE, Brigham Young --
He was the second tight end for the 11-2, nationally ranked Cougars last season, behind standout Dennis Pitta, an All-America pick who is projected to go in the third round. But George has sparked interest this spring as well, and some compare him favorably to former BYU and Philadelphia Eagles tight end Chad Lewis, who he has trained with this year. George is 6-4, 247 pounds, with good hands and athleticism, and scouts feel he'll grow into a decent blocker.
6. Danny Batten, DE-OLB, South Dakota State --
Batten has built momentum throughout the pre-draft scouting season, turning in a good week at the Texas versus the Nation all-star game in February and building on that with an impressive pro day workout for scouts last week. He projects to outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense, but at 6-3, 246, he has room to grow into a 4-3 edge-rushing defensive end role as well. The Bears are one defensive end-needy team that seems intrigued by Batten and his collegiate sack production.
7. Jameson Konz, TE, Kent State --
I've heard different assessments when it comes to Konz. Some feel he's the next in the line of unheralded Kent State prospects who succeed in the NFL (a'la Edelman), and others view him as a workout warrior whose measurables are better than his NFL potential. But Konz is intriguing, if only because he's a former outside linebacker who switched to receiver as a senior, having never played the position before. He projects to either an H-back or fullback role in the NFL, and the 6-3, 234-pound Konz has teams like the Saints and Raiders scheduling private workouts with him after he posted a 4.38 time in the 40, with a 46-inch vertical and a 10-foot, eight-inch broad jump on his pro day.
8. Reggie Stephens, G-C, Iowa State --
He played in the East-West Shrine Game, but didn't rate a combine invite despite being an All-Big 12 honorable mention pick as a senior. Stephens helped himself on the Cyclones' pro day, measuring in at 6-3, 314 pounds, with 31 bench press reps and a respectable 5.26 in the 40. His versatility and athleticism are pluses, and new Bears offensive line coach Mike Tice was reportedly at Iowa State's pro day just to assess Stephens's late-round viability.
9. Freddie Barnes, WR, Bowling Green --
Barnes is another prospect overlooked by those who determine the combine invite list, but he had a solid week at the East-West Shrine Game and was a proven collegiate performer, with a mind-boggling, NCAA-record setting 155 catches in 2009. But his issue is speed. He didn't run well at his pro day, posting times in the 4.6-4.7 range, and is more of a possession-type receiver than home run threat. "He hasn't run well, but he was so productive you can't ignore him,'' one scout said. "He's very instinctive, and even at the tail end of the draft, I can see him doing something in the league.''
10. Levi Brown, QB, Troy --
Higher profile quarterbacks like Fordham's John Skelton and Tennessee's Jonathan Crompton have been garnering attention with their workouts this spring, but both could climb into the draft's middle rounds, which is why they don't fit our Welker Watch List parameters. In Brown, you have a small-school prospect whom several NFL teams seem to like as either a seventh-round pick or priority free agent. He has already met with the Saints, Bills and Panthers, and is scheduled to visit Tennessee on Friday and the Chargers next week. "He would fit into an NFL training camp,'' one scout said. "I could see a team keeping him around next year as its third guy and then developing him.''
All overrated: Mays, Tebow, Gerhart, Rolle part of class
Pete Prisco www.cbssportsline.com
We're two weeks away from the NFL Draft and the hype is flowing faster than a rumor linked to Sandra Bullock's husband.
This player is the greatest leader. This one is a can't-miss kid. Another has all the numbers that make him a great prospect.
On and on it goes.
So in my usual raining-on-the-parade style, I thought it time to take a look at some of the players I think are getting too much hype, too much credit.
These are the players I think are the overrated bunch of this year's NFL Draft.
When two or three of them become Pro Bowl players, remind me of my stupidity in a couple of years.
I'm sure you will. No, I know you will.
Taylor Mays, S, USC
He looks the part. He is fast, big for a safety, strong and he hits.
But he isn't a great cover player.
Fifteen years ago, he would have been an ideal safety prospect. But with the way the game is played now, he isn't anymore. The bigger, run-support safeties are being replaced by the cover players with range.
Mays isn't as good in coverage as you would like. He doesn't react well enough when the ball is in the air.
Some team will over-draft him based on his numbers. But I think there's a chance he could be another Roy Williams, who flopped with the Dallas Cowboys when the game evolved and he couldn't cover well enough.
Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
I've banged this overrated drum as loud as anybody not named Todd McShay. What is there to like about his game?
Tim Tebow is dazzling coaches in interviews, leading some scouts -- who try to show coaches Tebow's flawed film -- frustrated with how quickly and high the former
Arm? So-so.
Feel in the pocket? Awful.
Reading coverage? Stunted.
So we're left with competitor and hard worker. Well, I'm both of those. Does that mean I can play quarterback in the NFL?
Don't you get tired of hearing how hard a worker he is and how it will make him a better player? That's an insult to a lot of other players in this draft. Don't they work hard, too?
Either you can play or you can't. The work will help make a good quarterback a great one. But it won't make this kid an NFL starter for the long run.
He's a fifth-round pick in my book, which is better than at least one NFL coach thinks. "Eighth or ninth round," the coach said.
That means he's not draft material.
I won't go that far, but what I saw on tape isn't pretty.
Bryan Bulaga, T, Iowa
I know he is likely go in the top-10, but when I watched Michigan outside linebacker Brandon Graham eat him alive, it was cause for concern.
"He ran over him, around him, beat him all day," one NFC personnel director said.
Bulaga was well coached at Iowa by Kirk Ferentz, a former NFL line coach. So he has the techniques down, but I think he's limited athletically.
He had real problems with Graham's quickness. There are a lot of Grahams in the NFL. Most teams have him pegged as a left tackle but he might be better suited on the right side.
Remember what happened to Robert Gallery when he was a hyped-up tackle coming out of Iowa?
He's now a guard for the Oakland Raiders.
Anthony Davis, T, Rutgers
He was out of shape early in 2009 and it showed -- he didn't play that well. Watch his opener against Cincinnati.
As the season moved on, and he was in better shape, his play improved. He is a big, strong kid, but his body looked soft at Rutgers.
You have to question the desire. Several scouts I've talked to say his laziness is something that turns them off in a big way. He didn't come across great in player interviews either, scouts said.
Some team will still take him in the first round, and if he decides to work at it, they might hit big. If not, he might be a major bust.
Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri
He's a run-and-chase linebacker who scouts think will go in the first round.
But did he ever dominate a game? He's a good player who will be over-drafted based on his athletic ability.
He isn't a pass-rushing linebacker, which will drop his stock down some. He will be a starter in the NFL, but I'm not sure he will ever be a star, even though he'll likely be a first-round pick.
Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida
Did you ever watch a Florida game and come away raving about Dunlap?
Didn't think so.
He has the tools, but he never was truly a dominant player at Florida. The scary thing is that there have been some dominant Florida ends who haven't lived up to the expectations on the next level, players like Jarvis Moss and Derrick Harvey.
What's that mean for Dunlap, who didn't even dominate at the college level? He is a specimen at nearly 6-foot-6 and 280 pounds and runs a 4.61 in the 40. Those are hard numbers to ignore, but where is the production?
You also have to wonder about a kid who gets a DUI the week of the team's biggest game, which he did. He had seven sacks in the regular season -- that's not good enough.
Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Georgia Tech
The concern with Dwyer is that he took most of his carries from the lead back in the triple-option offense. That makes him a tough evaluation.
That means the quarterback made the option read, either gave it to him or didn't based on the defense crashing down on him, making it easy for the back. There were few handoffs in a conventional style.
That has many wondering if Dwyer can make anybody miss. It's easy to rip of big runs when the hole is wide open based on the read.
Dwyer also had a disappointing combine workout, but did post decent times at his Georgia Tech Pro Day.
Even so, there are concerns about the way he was used at Tech and whether he can adjust.
Javier Arenas, CB, Alabama
He received a ton of attention at Alabama, but Kareem Jackson was the better corner.
Arenas was a nice college player, but he's short at just under 5-9 and he doesn't run all that well. He couldn't run at the combine because of a hamstring injury and didn't run at Alabama's Pro Day.
Most scouts think he's a 4.6 guy. Being small with that speed is a bad combination. He is a good return man, but I see him as a nickel corner at best on the next level.
Arenas is considered a third-round pick by some, but that's too high.
Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford
He's a tough kid who plays hard and put up some big numbers at Stanford.
But I don't see the elusiveness you need in a back on the next level. He isn't running over people either like he did for the Cardinal.
He is supposed to be a really good kid. And you get the feeling people are rooting for him to succeed. But I see him as more of a fullback than a feature back. You must make people miss on the big-boy level as a starting runner and I don't think he can do that on a consistent basis.
Myron Rolle, S, Florida State
How do you say this nicely: Myron, go become a neurosurgeon. Really.
That's his post-football plan, and based on watching him at Florida State, he should get to it.
He's a Rhodes Scholar who came to Florida State as a hyped-up, high-school All-American who never lived up to the hype.
After a year studying at Oxford, he's ready to give the NFL a chance. It's a great story, but it's too bad he isn't worth drafting until late, if at all.
He never made a lot of plays for the Seminoles, so why think he will in the NFL?
You have a great life in front of you, Myron. It just won't be on an NFL field.
Cleveland Browns
Mike Holmgren is the new man calling the shots in Cleveland.
His first big ones -- bringing in quarterbacks Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace and getting rid of Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson -- are questionable moves at best.
Delhomme will likely be the Week 1 starter. Did Holmgren fail to watch his Carolina tape last season? Delhomme was dreadful.
The Browns will likely grab a quarterback at some point in the draft, but it's
unlikely they will do so with the seventh overall pick. That means Browns fans better get used to Delhomme taking snaps behind center.
Make no mistake about it, Holmgren has a ton of work to improve this team. But none of his moves will matter if he doesn't fix the quarterback situation.
QB: If they really think Delhomme and Wallace are the long-term answers, they're nuts. Delhomme is done and Wallace hasn't done anything. Brett Ratliff is the No. 3 quarterback. The Browns need to address this position early in the draft. They need a franchise passer. One has to wonder this: Are they better off with Delhomme and Wallace than with Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson? It's close.
Need meter: Biggest need
RB: Jamal Lewis was let go, which means Jerome Harrison is the man. Harrison was sensational late last season, but can he continue that? It's one thing to do it as a backup, but another as the every-down back. I think he can. The Browns got Peyton Hillis in the Quinn trade to back Harrison up. Young player Chris Jennings flashed some last season, and I would expect he'd get some carries. James Davis is also in the mix. Lawrence Vickers is one of the best fullbacks in the NFL.
Need meter: Needs depth
WR: The Browns traded Braylon Edwards last season with the idea their young players would step up. They didn't. Brian Robiskie was a disappointment as a rookie. Mohamad Massaquoi played better, but he isn't a game-breaker. Josh Cribbs, the Browns' do-all player, also was a factor at receiver. Chansi Stuckey is also in the mix. They have issues here. But if Robiskie and Massaquoi take the next step, which young receivers do in their second seasons, this won't be as much of an issue.
Need meter: Needs starter
Five possibilities: Browns
Eric Berry, S, Tennessee: They need a rangy player in the back end and Berry can provide that.
Joe Haden, CB, Florida: Even with Brown on the roster, they could use a young cover player.
Brandon Graham, OLB, Michigan: This is the perfect player for their 3-4 scheme. He would be a great edge rusher.
Tim Tebow, QB, Florida: They might take him if he's available in the second round.
Brandon Lang, OLB, Troy: He played end in college, but can move to rush linebacker.
TE: Kellen Winslow was shipped to Tampa Bay, leaving a major hole at tight end. That's why the Browns went out and signed Ben Watson as a free agent. He isn't in the same class with Winslow, but he is a capable starter. The backups are Robert Royal, a good blocker, and Evan Moore, a young player who showed well late last season as a receiver. There is no star here but it's good enough.
Need meter: Needs depth
OL: Left tackle Joe Thomas is one of the best in the NFL. He is a good pass blocker and does a nice job in the run game. Right tackle was a problem spot last season, but the Browns think they fixed it by signing Tony Pashos. He is a mauler in the run game who can struggle in pass protection. Pork Chop Womack and Eric Steinbach are the guards. They're more than capable. Center Alex Mack started as a rookie in 2009. He played well and should be even better. The top backup at tackle is John St. Clair with Scott Kooistra and Billy Yates the backups inside.
Need meter: Needs depth
DL: They use a three-man line and it's pretty good when Shaun Rogers is on the nose. He missed time with an injury last year and he now has some legal issues off the field. But when he's playing -- and motivated -- he's a heck of a player. Defensive ends Kenyon Coleman and Robaire Smith are perfect for this 3-4 scheme. Smith played especially well last season. The top backups at end are C.J. Mosley and Brian Schaefering and Ahtyba Rubin at nose tackle.
Need meter: Needs depth
LB: D'Qwell Jackson is the unit's best player, but he is coming off season-ending shoulder surgery. He will start inside next to Eric Barton, a solid player who will be pushed by Chris Gocong, who came over in a trade from the Eagles. The outside linebackers will be Scott Fujita, signed as a free agent from New Orleans, and Matt Roth, whom they picked up late last season. They are both good, physical players, but the speed factor isn't there. David Bowens, Marcus Bernard and Jason Trusnik are the top backups outside.
Need meter: Needs starter (ILB)
DB: The Browns like their cornerbacks now that they've acquired Sheldon Brown in a trade from the Eagles. He is an upgrade over Brandon McDonald, last year's starter. Eric Wright will be the starter on the other side. He is a capable man cover player who is just entering his prime. The top backups are McDonald, Gerard Lawson and Ramzee Robinson. They need help there. The safeties will be Abram Elam and Mike Adams. That's a decent duo, but they could use an upgrade. The top backups are Nick Sorensen is the top backup, but he's more of a special-teams player. Ray Ventrone is also in the mix.
Need meter: Needs starter (CB)
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