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Draft and Combine Chatter
Posted >Wed, February 17, 2010 03:40
by Nick Wagoner
- Sat in on a conference call with ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. this morning and took away some notes of interest. First, thanks to Kiper for doing it. He sat patiently for two hours taking a ton of questions and gave everyone a good, well thought out answer.
- Anyway, some news and notes from that conversation as well as just some general thoughts as we head toward next week. A little more than a week from today, the combine festivities begin in Indianapolis.
- News broke today that Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen will not be participating in combine drills because of lingering issues from the toe surgery he has in early January. Clausen will be in attendance and he will do the medical stuff and the team interviews (generally the most important part of the weekend anyway). He will throw at his pro day, scheduled for late March.
- Speaking of Clausen, he is gaining steam in the eyes of Kiper. Kiper has Clausen going fourth overall to Washington in his latest mock draft and when he talked about Clausen, he passionately defended him on today's conference call. Kiper's colleague Todd McShay doesn't even have a first round grade on Clausen, perhaps one of the sources of Kiper's ire. Nonetheless, Kiper says he has talked to everyone surrounding Clausen and they all speak highly of his skills and especially his leadership ability.
- Kiper still has the Rams taking Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh first overall though he says Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy is "right there." And Kiper says Suh, McCoy and Tennessee S Eric Berry are the clear cut top three players and that is "etched in stone" on his board.
- Because there has been much speculation about the quarterbacks and the Rams, I asked Kiper how big the drop off was between the two defensive tackles and the top two quarterbacks (Clausen and Oklahoma's Sam Bradford). Kiper said there isn't much of a drop off but apparently it's enough for him to remain convinced the Rams should take Suh.
- Remember, Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said Tuesday that he still believes in building a team from the "inside out." In other words, you start with the lines and work your way back.
- Some other tidbits from Kiper:
- Kiper believes Clemson's C.J. Spiller is clearly the class of the group at running backs and the only surefire first-round pick at the position.
- Of the offensive tackle prospects, Kiper said he believes Rutgers Anthony Davis has the most potential and that he was disappointed in how Oklahoma State's Russell Okung started the season.
- Florida CB Joe Haden has clearly made strides in the eyes of Kiper. At one point, he described Haden as a potential top five cornerback in the NFL. He believes Cleveland could be a match with the seventh pick.
- Kiper continues to insist that Florida QB Tim Tebow made a mistake by going to the Senior Bowl. According to Kiper, it would have been more prudent for Tebow to wait to do any throwing until his pro day in Gainesville. Then, he'd have a comfortable setting and the scrutiny would be one day and done. Hard to argue with Kiper's logic considering the way Tebow was picked apart for his performance in Mobile.
- That's it for today. Back tomorrow with some more draft discussion.
Posted >Wed, February 17, 2010 03:40
by Nick Wagoner
- Sat in on a conference call with ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. this morning and took away some notes of interest. First, thanks to Kiper for doing it. He sat patiently for two hours taking a ton of questions and gave everyone a good, well thought out answer.
- Anyway, some news and notes from that conversation as well as just some general thoughts as we head toward next week. A little more than a week from today, the combine festivities begin in Indianapolis.
- News broke today that Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen will not be participating in combine drills because of lingering issues from the toe surgery he has in early January. Clausen will be in attendance and he will do the medical stuff and the team interviews (generally the most important part of the weekend anyway). He will throw at his pro day, scheduled for late March.
- Speaking of Clausen, he is gaining steam in the eyes of Kiper. Kiper has Clausen going fourth overall to Washington in his latest mock draft and when he talked about Clausen, he passionately defended him on today's conference call. Kiper's colleague Todd McShay doesn't even have a first round grade on Clausen, perhaps one of the sources of Kiper's ire. Nonetheless, Kiper says he has talked to everyone surrounding Clausen and they all speak highly of his skills and especially his leadership ability.
- Kiper still has the Rams taking Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh first overall though he says Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy is "right there." And Kiper says Suh, McCoy and Tennessee S Eric Berry are the clear cut top three players and that is "etched in stone" on his board.
- Because there has been much speculation about the quarterbacks and the Rams, I asked Kiper how big the drop off was between the two defensive tackles and the top two quarterbacks (Clausen and Oklahoma's Sam Bradford). Kiper said there isn't much of a drop off but apparently it's enough for him to remain convinced the Rams should take Suh.
- Remember, Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said Tuesday that he still believes in building a team from the "inside out." In other words, you start with the lines and work your way back.
- Some other tidbits from Kiper:
- Kiper believes Clemson's C.J. Spiller is clearly the class of the group at running backs and the only surefire first-round pick at the position.
- Of the offensive tackle prospects, Kiper said he believes Rutgers Anthony Davis has the most potential and that he was disappointed in how Oklahoma State's Russell Okung started the season.
- Florida CB Joe Haden has clearly made strides in the eyes of Kiper. At one point, he described Haden as a potential top five cornerback in the NFL. He believes Cleveland could be a match with the seventh pick.
- Kiper continues to insist that Florida QB Tim Tebow made a mistake by going to the Senior Bowl. According to Kiper, it would have been more prudent for Tebow to wait to do any throwing until his pro day in Gainesville. Then, he'd have a comfortable setting and the scrutiny would be one day and done. Hard to argue with Kiper's logic considering the way Tebow was picked apart for his performance in Mobile.
- That's it for today. Back tomorrow with some more draft discussion.
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