Tuesday, March 31, 2015

2015 NFL Draft #54 - Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State


I have never been a scout or a NFL General Manager, but I am willing to watch a ton of football. By watching about 200 snaps of each prospect, we can really get a feel for a player and then know what we are talking about a bit better. It is no exact science, but the NFL hasn't quite figured out drafting either, so we are going to do the best we can.
Find all the profiles here.
Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State - 6'4, 227 - RS Sophomore - 4.97 40
Jameis Winston #5 of the Garnet team reacts to a pass against the Gold team during Florida State's Garnet and Gold spring game at Doak Campbell Stadium on April 12, 2014 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Jameis Winston #5 of the Garnet team reacts to a pass against the Gold team during Florida State's Garnet and Gold spring game at Doak Campbell Stadium on April 12, 2014 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Having written profiles for over 50 players so far, it is pretty easy to assume that many will vanish into thin air and never be referenced again.  But, this particular profile seems like it might be the type of thing that is put up to prove I have no idea what I am talking about 10 years from now.  For there is no more polarizing prospect in this draft than the controversial QB from Florida State, Famous Jameis Winston.
This sport starts and ends with the Quarterback position and franchises who do not have one of the Top dozen or so "QB1s" are bound by the reality that if they can't find their guy, they will continue to wander in the wilderness indefinitely.  They must find their next field general or nothing else matters.  This, of course, leads us to look at every draft from the standpoint of which QBs are available and which one is the best of the bunch.  With almost no exceptions, Winston has been placed at the top of the heap by the majority of experts who are ranking the prospects and will likely go in the first few picks at the end of the month in Chicago.  To break down his game, I studied his games against Notre Dame, NC State, Florida, and Oregon off his 2014 schedule.
What I liked:  Winston is a large QB who looks like the definition of today's QB who can stand tall, withstand pressure, and often shed off tacklers with great ease.  In a league where Ben Roethlisberger has succeeded, you can clearly see how that is an attribute that helps keep plays alive and where many big moments can occur.  His arm is big and confident with darts thrown all over the grid.  His fastball is clearly his favorite pitch and he guns the ball into traffic and gets away with it often enough.  His best attributes are those QB characteristics that are often used in profile pieces because he does seem to "rise to the occasion", "knows how to win", and get better as the game situation gets more vital.  He is as confident as it gets and wants the ball in his hands in the critical junctures of games.  He is capable of the back shoulder fades that are so key in the modern game with timing and velocity to beat most coverages.  His highlight tape demonstrates his quality and his ceiling that many seem focused on.
What I did not like:  Unfortunately, I am not the type to focus on the good when it comes to QB play, because I believe that the worst attribute a QB has is recklessness and the "rush of blood to the head" instinct throws into traffic that become turnovers and game killers.  Below are 2 plays - one in the first Quarter on 2nd down against Florida and the other on a 1st down in the 2nd Quarter against Notre Dame where his awareness is absolutely brutal.  He throws picks at a high rate and they are often nobody's fault but his own.  He will throw off his back foot into a crowd of defenders that make you think he is out to lunch at the most important position on the field for a guy who is always locked in.  They are rookie throws and he threw 18 interceptions this season which is way too high for a NFL prospect to ever throw (the game study shows you he could have thrown a dozen more, too) - only Matt Ryan and Colt McCoy have thrown 18 or more in this decade and gone on to play in the NFL for any amount of time.  His ability to read coverages that are meant to trick him seems very elementary at this point and this combined with his abundance of (irrational) confidence is another red flag that is difficult to project.  His accuracy is also frustrating for a guy who has had this much success.  Needless to say, on a player where people talk constantly about his off-field conduct, I have many concerns about what the game tape shows, despite the fact that he won almost every game he ever played in.

Summary:  Some years, there just isn't a superstar QB in a draft.  It happens.  When it comes to Jameis Winston I just do not see the quality that is being advertised for a superstar QB who can match what we have seen from other #1's overall in the last several years.  He has too many instinctive short-circuit moments that overshadow his great moments and sabotage them in a way that Eli Manning or Jay Cutler could tell you all about.  These are moments that are often not coached out of a guy as he develops unless he completely stops looking down the field.  Winston had great success with short throws to superior athletes and seam throws where he would fit it in tight windows.  But, as the defenses get more talented and more disguised, I am not confident that this QB is going to be able to engineer an offense that brings the league to its knees.  Even without the questions of his conduct off the field (which I am not evaluating on any level), I just don't care for the chances he takes as a QB and the arm ability to back those chances up with the precise execution required.  I completely understand that if you are a team without a QB, you are willing to take a chance and hope that you can coach his issues out of him and capitalize on the positives, but sitting here in March of 2015, I am just not seeing the "can't miss" attributes that many are selling by saying he is the clear best player in this draft.  With every back foot interception into traffic that he throws, I was less and less interested in handing the keys over to him for the next decade.  Consider me among his skeptics.
And, if you don't mind, please check out the Bob and Dan (BaD) Radio show in Dallas-Fort Worth, from 12p-3p, Monday-Friday, on Sportsradio 1310 and 96.7fm, The Ticket.  www.theticket.com 

Monday, March 30, 2015

2015 NFL Draft #53 - Xavier Cooper, DT, Washington State



I have never been a scout or a NFL General Manager, but I am willing to watch a ton of football. By watching about 200 snaps of each prospect, we can really get a feel for a player and then know what we are talking about a bit better. It is no exact science, but the NFL hasn't quite figured out drafting either, so we are going to do the best we can.
Find all the profiles here.
Xavier Cooper, DT, Washington State - 6'3, 296 - Junior - 4.86 40
Washington State defensive lineman Xavier Cooper speaks to the media at the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on Feb. 20, 2015. (Trevor Ruszkowski / USA TODAY Sports)
Washington State defensive lineman Xavier Cooper speaks to the media at the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on Feb. 20, 2015. (Trevor Ruszkowski / USA TODAY Sports)
When we discuss what sort of defensive linemen fits the profile for Rod Marinelli, maybe we don't spell out enough of the attributes.  So, here is a brief thumbnail description of that player:  Can move - needs solid times for his size group, high motor - never stop moving until the whistle, can win with his arms and quickness, and can penetrate - looking for guys who can get in the backfield.   He is looking for a pack of players who can rotate and offer versatility in where you line them up, and can wear down an offensive line with relentless battle and strength in numbers.
So, when you see a guy who checks all of the boxes, you know him when you see him from his college tape.  Xavier Cooper looks like that guy to me.  He runs as fast as any interior linemen in the draft, both in the 40, 10, or the cone drills.  He played on a  Washington State team that was often having a rough day, but he was winning his battles with consistency.  I looked at his games against Utah, Oregon, and Stanford to see what this guy is all about.
What I liked:  This guy is full of the attributes I look for in an interior defensive linemen.  He is in the backfield a ton and gets off the snap as quick as you would ever want.  He has a tremendous ability to stay after a play, even if he sees a double team in front of him (this is a true test of a player's motor as many will shut it down if they see they are facing a double).  He is bowling ball quick and just has a violent explosion right off the snap of the ball.  He is a relentless battler, and does not stop.  He has very impressive skills to penetrate and get into the backfield on a regular basis and is a nightmare at the 3-technique for opposing guards.  He is very good with slip moves and uses his short arms to his advantage in a phone booth.  He is also very aware of what is going on around him as he showed by sniffing out screens and counters, and also getting his hands up in passing lanes to knock down a few passes.

What I did not like:  If we are going to credit this player for having exceptional "move" measurables, then we better admit that he has other numbers from the combine that are troubling to some.  He has about the shortest arms and wingspan of any defensive linemen in this draft and will be amongst the shortest in the league.  This is not something that is a deal breaker, but just know that he must make up for that with his ability to move. He also had a noticeable drop off in energy late in a few games.  I rationalize this as a snap count that is too high for a player who plays with this energy, and in the NFL, his snap count will be kept down to make sure that when he is on the field he can go 100%, but it should be noted that he only has so much to give you on a given day if you want him maxed out each play.
Summary:  This is a position where the Cowboys could really use a disruptive player who will just keep battling and looking to make a difference inside.  Cooper fits this profile very well and even though I didn't know much about him before the combine, I will tell you that I never want to fall in love with a workout unless the player has the tape to back it up.  He is versatile and played all across the defensive line at every single spot - making plays at each along the way.  Washington State is off my radar, but after the work, I am satisfied that he is one of those players who is stuck in a situation where his team might not be ready to win, but he was more than pulling his own weight under the national radar.  There are quite a few defensive tackles that can help the Cowboys this spring in the crop, but the difference makers are all going to be snapped up pretty quickly.  This one, though, is one of my favorites and fits the Cowboys style perfectly.  I would be quite pleased to see this lightning-quick big guy end up in the fold on draft weekend.
And, if you don't mind, please check out the Bob and Dan (BaD) Radio show in Dallas-Fort Worth, from 12p-3p, Monday-Friday, on Sportsradio 1310 and 96.7fm, The Ticket.  www.theticket.com 

Saturday, March 28, 2015

2015 NFL Draft #52 - Frank Clark, DE, Michigan



I have never been a scout or a NFL General Manager, but I am willing to watch a ton of football. By watching about 200 snaps of each prospect, we can really get a feel for a player and then know what we are talking about a bit better. It is no exact science, but the NFL hasn't quite figured out drafting either, so we are going to do the best we can.
Find all the profiles here.
Frank Clark, DE, Michigan - 6'3, 271 - Junior - 4.79 40
Michigan defensive end Frank Clark is seen before the first half of an NCAA college football game against Utah in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014.  (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Michigan defensive end Frank Clark is seen before the first half of an NCAA college football game against Utah in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
There are players in every draft that are stories that can often take on a life of their own.  That is because they are stories that involve things that have nothing to do with football and often times the legal problems that have taken over the lives of some of these prospects.  As I have said a number of times, I have no desire to marginalize these offenses and the type of human beings some of these prospects are, but that is not really what this study is all about.  I am not able to investigate their stories thoroughly and a google search is not the basis for quality reporting, anyway.  All we can do here is study their on-field abilities and how they could help their team as football player.  What kind of man they are and whether or not you would like them to be part of their organization is the type of investigative work any team needs to do when there are that many red flags around somebody like Frank Clark.  If you wish to catch up on what I am talking about, you should read this story from last fall when he was dismissed from the Michigan team for a domestic violence arrest situation.
That said, we know he fits the player profile for Dallas and many other organizations, so we attempted to size up his work by looking at the Northwestern, Notre Dame, and UConn (2013) games.
What I liked:  He is a high energy edge rusher who has caused a lot of havoc in the offensive backfield over the years and has a real interesting combination of skills.  On one hand, he has one of the best bull rushes for a man in his weight class that you will see.  He really doesn't have many pass moves, but you see him routinely get both hands inside the shoulders of tackles and jack them right back into their QB pretty often (See above).  But, then, he also has absurd quickness for a man his size and a few times goes around the tackle completely and circles to make a tackle.  He also can play with his hand in the dirt and then play as a stand-up linebacker and actually chase in pass coverage with reasonably capable hips.  He is a very impressive athlete that looks like a fluid player of 250 pounds, even though he is over 270.  He also plays with very good energy and motor.    His hands are quite active on his pass rush and with his very long arms, he deflects more than his share of passes.

What I did not like:  The biggest question I have when watching him play is where his production was overall.  If he has this many skills and talents, why are his sack totals never above 5 in a season in 4 years at Michigan?  Clearly, I am watching the games where he is getting his production because he seems like a dominant player in spurts, but did not achieve dominance very often given a 4.5 and 5 sack season in the last 2 years.  9.5 sacks in 23 games is just not extraordinary.  Beyond that, it will be interesting if teams see him as a LB or a DE.  If he is a DE, then, he will need to continue to work on anchoring against run plays right at him.  But, he is a very impressive player for sure.
Summary:  Frank Clark is a real interesting study.  Without the elephant in the room, he is going in the Top 2 rounds for sure.  With the elephant in the room, he may not get drafted at all.  It is not something I want to cover at great length, but it is worth suggesting the news cycle of adding Greg Hardy and Frank Clark in a one-month or so span would be too much for the area to handle.  That said, he would fit the profile perfectly for the type of player that Rod Marinelli is seeking and has some arguing on his behalf at Valley Ranch in the front office - an active, athletic, versatile, and disruptive player who can be another difficult assignment to block as you attempt to collapse the pocket.  He is a very rare athlete who can vertically leap 38.5" despite being a defensive linemen, and with his motor and his bullrush strength, some team is going to be willing to deal with the media uproar to get a piece that might really come at a bargain due to the baggage.
And, if you don't mind, please check out the Bob and Dan (BaD) Radio show in Dallas-Fort Worth, from 12p-3p, Monday-Friday, on Sportsradio 1310 and 96.7fm, The Ticket.  www.theticket.com 

Friday, March 27, 2015

2015 NFL Draft #51 - DJ Humphries, T, Florida


I have never been a scout or a NFL General Manager, but I am willing to watch a ton of football. By watching about 200 snaps of each prospect, we can really get a feel for a player and then know what we are talking about a bit better. It is no exact science, but the NFL hasn't quite figured out drafting either, so we are going to do the best we can.
Find all the profiles here.
D.J. Humphries, T, Florida - 6'5, 307 - Junior - 5.12 40
Florida offensive linesman D.J. Humphries, front, prepares to take the field with teammates against Eastern Michigan in an NCAA college football game in Gainesville, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Florida offensive linesman D.J. Humphries, front, prepares to take the field with teammates against Eastern Michigan in an NCAA college football game in Gainesville, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
D.J. is a young, true junior from Florida who has been on the national scene for a while as he was also a very highly touted recruit back in 2011.  But, he has been an extremely fast riser in the last few months after really not being on the radar for the 2015 draft for most of the fall - mostly because it seems that the consensus was that he would stay in school for another year until December.
Young players, of course, are a far more difficult evaluation due to the fact that they have just not put in as much time against elite competition, and with Humphries, we also have the added issue of missed time due to injuries where he has played a total of less than 30 college games and less than 20 college starts.  Also, having just turned 21 years old, there are projections about what he will be at age 24 as much or more than there are conclusions drawn from his Age-20 season in Gainesville.  As I have said over these reports, this is easily the most difficult thing for many of us in the media to do, because I have been told to "trust my eyes" when looking at players by the scouts who have helped me along.  Unfortunately, for projects, "trusting your eyes" can be deceiving because they are a work in progress - hopefully to a greater version of what they currently are.  To examine DJ, we looked closely at his work against LSU, Florida State, and Missouri.
He wears #70 and plays left tackle for the Gators in all of these clips:
What I liked:  I like what everyone seems to like about Humphries, which is his agility and his feet.  He looks like a player who was successful in other sports - in his case, basketball - and moves very well, which means he is able to mirror the pass rusher and stay centered on the sternum of his man so that there is never an edge being presented to the attacker.  In run blocking, he gets on the move well and is down to the middle linebacker before he is required and this gives him more time to do what he needs to do to clean up the middle on those zone plays where he is asked to get to the 2nd level.  He gets a good push on the run and throws all of his energy into those blocks to attempt to cause a fair amount of havoc.  He was undersized, but all reports indicate that what was 280 back in October is now nearly 310.  These same reports indicate that he still has his quickness.  This explains why scouts are looking at his college tape, but are more interested in his future than his past.
What I did not like:  He is a leaner.  This means that he puts so much into his upper body that he falls over when the chair is moved.  That is a balance issue that is somewhat instinct-based, and therefore might be tough for him to take out of his game.  Hypothetically, the bigger he gets, the less he should need to be such a leaner when moving forward.  He also has the dreaded issue of being too slow out of his stance on rare occasions.  Unfortunately, when this happens, if you are facing a speed rusher like Shane Ray (below), you will give up the edge and not be able to beat him to the corner.  This didn't happen a lot, but as you can see, it doesn't need to happen a lot.  Defensive linemen only have to win once out of 50 plays to have a successful day sometimes.  Offensive linemen only have to lose once out of 50 plays to scare everyone.  He also is on the ground a bit much, but all of this happened at about 280 pounds.
Summary:  This player is very much a projection.  I can tell you in his present tense, he is not as polished or as competent as many others in this group.  But, when you consider his tools, his potential, and his overall ceiling, there are many scouts who have indicated this player might be the best candidate to be a "franchise left tackle" in this entire group.  Personally, I am the type of guy to go with what I know more, and therefore like Iowa's Brandon Schreff and Miami's Ereck Flowers more.  That said, there are some real interesting possibilities for Humphries which might require the franchise to bring him along slowly and carefully.  But, in 3 years, you can definitely see that with size, technique, and experience, he could be a big boom or bust player where you might uncover a diamond a bit later down the line, unless someone wants to go all-in with him early.  If they do, I would wish them well and update my board.
And, if you don't mind, please check out the Bob and Dan (BaD) Radio show in Dallas-Fort Worth, from 12p-3p, Monday-Friday, on Sportsradio 1310 and 96.7fm, The Ticket.  www.theticket.com 

Thursday, March 26, 2015

2015 NFL Draft #50 - Jake Fisher, T, Oregon


I have never been a scout or a NFL General Manager, but I am willing to watch a ton of football. By watching about 200 snaps of each prospect, we can really get a feel for a player and then know what we are talking about a bit better. It is no exact science, but the NFL hasn't quite figured out drafting either, so we are going to do the best we can.
Find all the profiles here.
Jake Fisher, T, Oregon - 6'6, 300 - Senior - 5.01 40
Oregon defensive lineman Jake Fisher talks to reporters during a news conference in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014. Oregon is scheduled to play Florida State in the Rose Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal on New Year's Day. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
Oregon defensive lineman Jake Fisher talks to reporters during a news conference in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014. Oregon is scheduled to play Florida State in the Rose Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal on New Year's Day. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
Football keeps evolving, and as it does, the profile for players at a given position evolves with it.  Sometimes, we get carried away with the type of profile we anticipate, however, and I wonder about that with offensive tackles.  For the last several years, we have continued to lower our expectations for strength and bully-demeanor, while increasing our expectations for athleticism and agility.  Now, don't get me wrong, there is nothing worse than a tackle that can't move, but the league seems intent on making sure we make our offensive tackles out of tight ends more and more each year.  They get lighter, they get faster, but do they get better?
Consider the case of Jake Fisher.  He is athletic an offensive linemen as there is in the 2015 NFL draft with a 40 at 5-flat, an amazing 20-yard shuttle, 3-cone drill, vertical jump, and everything you would want for a tackle on the move.  Conversely, he fails all of the previous benchmarks for weight, arm length, and his bench press is poor for someone with short arms.  It is highly possible he will play guard at the next level, but as a tackle, he is a real risk in the mold moving too far prior to an over-correction in the market.  Is Fisher one of the top tackles in the draft?  To find out, we looked at Florida State, Ohio State, and Arizona.
What I liked:  As his testing at the combine revealed, his best attribute is his ability to move well and that starts with the pass protection on the edge where he is generally perfectly centered with his rush-man, which means he is never giving a corner for the man to work around.  He sets very well with his kick-steps and beats his guy to the corner constantly.  That is a wonderful attribute that should not be over-looked.  He clearly can get out in space well and find his guy and in zone blocking, there are many situations where he looks comfortable and in his element.  Additionally, unlike many players of his type (finesse, smallish, tight-end bodies), he demonstrates an element of nastiness and attitude, which I consider a mandatory component of any elite offensive lineman.
What I did not like:  I just don't like the idea that he appears to be straining to physically hold off his man so often and his strength situation just does not appear to be as functional as you would like.  You often catch him almost Greco-Roman wrestling, with all upper body twisting and turning when he gets in the trenches and of course, leverage is everything in there so he loses quite a bit.  Below, in a stretch of the Rose Bowl, Mario Edwards (admittedly a rather strong defensive end) was tossing him to and fro with relative ease for an entire sequence that showed you the disadvantage Fisher plays with when it comes to brute strength.  He was the victim of several push/pull moves where he was left on all-fours.  He doesn't pack much punch in the trenches and that makes me wonder if I can run behind him in short yardage.  I assume he will be fine in most zone schemes, but when it comes time to move his guy to get that short yard, I didn't see much success.  Also, he is on the ground quite a bit after losing balances in these upper-body twisting matches.  I think he can grow into more strength, but when you are 6'6, 300, you just don't have a real stout base to work with against the bigger players you face.  The good news is that the 245-pound edge rusher is not going to scare him with the quicks.
Summary:  I get the interest from the zone-spread types who want 11 athletes, but I will always want more of a physical presence from my offensive linemen and perhaps try to find a better balance between speed and strength.  I want to know, if I am going to spend a 1st on him, that I can count on him to help get me a yard when I need to extend a drive or even a game.  Fisher is interesting for sure and he could be Anthony Castonzo - which would be a wonderful find for someone.  But, he could also be Lane Johnson - drafted by Philadelphia at #4 of the 1st round 2 seasons ago largely because of his amazing agility skills and has underwhelmed on the field at times, and been clipped for a P.E.D. suspension already.  It is interesting that Philadelphia is said to be strongly considering him (Oregon!), despite the Johnson pick.  Fisher should be very solid as a NFL player and may continue to develop, but his ultimate upside is highly debated, and for me, I see him below the top tier of prospects for many of these questions.  In the end, I just don't believe that linemen who look uncomfortable in tests of functional football strength are worthy of high investments.  I could see late 2nd or 3rd round.
And, if you don't mind, please check out the Bob and Dan (BaD) Radio show in Dallas-Fort Worth, from 12p-3p, Monday-Friday, on Sportsradio 1310 and 96.7fm, The Ticket.  www.theticket.com 

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

GBL Teams

Team Bob Jake TC

Lori Petty - Point Break    
3-24-15    Irv Cross                           
3-25-15  Cousin Sal    
Mr. T                                        
Uzo Aduba-Crazy eyes OITNB      
Amy Schumer – comedian                                       
Jesse Plemmons – actor Breaking Bad and Friday Night Lights     
Hannibal Burress – comedian       
Jack Huston – actor, Richard Harrow     
Jack Handy – Deep Thoughts     
3-11-15 Will Leitch - Founder, Deadspin       
Jason Williams – white chocolate, NBA player  
Mike Judge - Creator, Beavis and Butthead     
Golden Tate - Best person ever      
Michael Schur - Creator, Parks 

Team Dan Don Mino

Avon Barksdale - Wood Harris  
Erik Estrada      
John Stamos   
Ben Stein    
Ron Hassey   
Joan from Mad Men
Donald Ray Pollock
Weird Al    
David Alan Grier-in Living Color    
Ted Lange-Issac from the Love Boat
Tisha Campbell-Gina from Martin 
Kel Mitchell – actor Keenan and Kel 
Milana Vayntrub
Lawrence Wright – author

BaD Radio Sports Movie Of the Month Audio

Sports Movie Of The Month

2015
Jan - Bye Month - No Movie
Feb - Terminator 2 - Audio Here
Mar - Youngblood

2014

Jan - Big Fan - Audio Here
Feb - Cool Runnings - Audio Here 
Mar - Glory Road - Audio Here 
Apr - Bad News Bears - Audio Here
May - Mommie Dearest - Audio Here
June - Victory - Audio Here
July - A League Of Their Own - Audio Here
Aug - Mrs Doubtfire - Audio Here
Sept - The Replacements - Audio Here
Oct - Heaven Can Wait - Audio Here
Nov - Wildcats - Audio Here
Dec - A Christmas Story - Audio Here

2013

Jan - The Waterboy - Audio Here
Feb - Die Hard - Audio Here
Mar - Teen Wolf - Audio Here
Apr - Eddie - Audio Here
May - The Sandlot - Audio Here
June - Bye month - no movie reviewed
July - The Natural - Audio Here
Aug - Remember the Titans - Audio Here
Sept - The Program - Audio Here
Oct - Varsity Blues - Audio Here
Nov - JFK - Audio Here
Dec - Christmas Vacation - Audio Here


2012

Jan - Blue Chips - Audio Here
Feb - Any Given Sunday - Audio Here
Mar - Goon - Audio Here
April - Days of Thunder - Audio Here
May - Major League - Audio Here
June - Rocky - Audio Here
July -  Bye month - no movie reviewed
August - North Dallas 40 - Audio Here
September - Brian's Song - Audio Here
October -  Point Break - Audio Here
November - Necessary Roughness - Audio Here
December - Rudy - Audio Here

2011

March - Hoosiers - Audio Here

2015 NFL Draft #49 - Cedric Ogbuehi - T - Texas A&M



I have never been a scout or a NFL General Manager, but I am willing to watch a ton of football. By watching about 200 snaps of each prospect, we can really get a feel for a player and then know what we are talking about a bit better. It is no exact science, but the NFL hasn't quite figured out drafting either, so we are going to do the best we can.
Find all the profiles here.
Cedric Ogbuehi, T, Texas A&M - 6'5, 305 - RS Senior - No 40
Former Texas A&M offensive lineman Cedric Ogbuehi watches as teammates prepare to run drills during Texas A&M Pro Day at the NCAA football team's indoor training facility, Wednesday, March 4, 2015, in College Station, Texas. The event is to showcase players for the upcoming NFL football draft. Ogbuehi did not participate due to an injury. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Former Texas A&M offensive lineman Cedric Ogbuehi watches as teammates prepare to run drills during Texas A&M Pro Day at the NCAA football team's indoor training facility, Wednesday, March 4, 2015, in College Station, Texas. The event is to showcase players for the upcoming NFL football draft. Ogbuehi did not participate due to an injury. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Just as every draft season brings us stories of those who have emerged from anonymity to a potential fortune in just a few months, there must also be counter-weight stories in the opposite direction.  In June of 2014, Sports Illustrated released their first mock draft and placed this tackle from Allen High School and College Station as their projected #1 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.  After all, Luke Joeckel, the Aggies left tackle in 2012 was the 2nd overall pick in '13 and Jake Matthews, the Aggies left tackle in 2013 was the 6th overall pick in '14.  That put the weight on Ogbuehi to dazzle in his first year at left tackle - he played 2011 and 2012 as a guard and 2013 as a right tackle - under the bright lights of scrutiny.  In fact, he had been given a 1st round grade a year ago, but elected to come back and play a year at LT to improve on that more.
Unfortunately, things went in the other direction.  He played poorly at times, looked out of place, and was ultimately moved back to right tackle (with his coaches disingenuously insisting it had nothing to do with his performance).  Then, his offensive line coach was dismissed, followed by the most damaging incident to his draft prospects - a blown ACL to his left knee in the Aggies' bowl game.  During that process, he has dropped from that perch high above the draft all the way now to where some thing he will be available on Day 3 (Rounds 4-7).  To see if we concur with those conclusions, we grabbed 3 games from 2014: South Carolina, Arkansas, and Mississippi State. He wears #70 at left tackle in the clips below: What I liked:  Cedric has certainly impressed enough at other spots on the offensive line to know he can play and play well.  He is a very athletic and agile tackle that is what the league is looking for these days - a guy with the feet and build to mirror an edge rusher when he tries to out-flank his man and then dip below to get to the QB.  Cedric's feet are generally in the right place and his arms are amazingly long and another attribute that scouts salivate over.  Long arms give you the opportunity to recover by reaching out and maintaining your leverage on a man trying to blow by your shoulder.  It seems that run blocking comes pretty easy to him as a zone-trained tackle who knows how to head downfield on zones away from his post and go fill in linebackers and safeties with a running start.  He is agile and able to pick up his moving targets.  He has ability and tools for sure. What I did not like:  Unfortunately, this list is a bit longer than I had hoped.  First, he is a bit undersized, so the thing that jumps out quickly is that he appears to not have a significant strength edge over his opponents.  This means that he is getting pushed back into the QB too often - Trey Flowers and Preston Smith both had moments where they were definitely able to get below his pads and send him back on roller skates.  In his pass-pro drops, he can get back on his heels which also get him leaning.  These are hopefully things that can get cleaned up with coaching and weight lifting, but you have to be concerned because he doesn't seem like an ideal guard candidate due to these strength concerns.  I wish he did not appear to be a finesse linemen, but from the games I watched, he is not looking to punish, and frankly looks a bit unsure of himself.  Now, this happens when a guy switches spots so many times, but I am just going on what my eyes are seeing and it looks like he is thinking through every step as he plays sometimes.  I don't see a nasty demeanor, either, but that might be tied into his lack of confidence in his role.  Check the clip below and tell me he looks sure of what his role is: Summary:  This is going to be a very interesting draft day situation, because he clearly has tools and at some point will be too good a value to not take and try to turn into a 1st round caliber product again.  But, I must tell you at this point - with the performance on tape, the injury, and the lack of being able to show his wares on the spring - he might be falling a ways.  I like that arm length and those feet and there are tapes where he is fine for 50 snaps in a row, but when you are looking for a tackle, you can be picky for those who have warts and see if they are still there in the 3rd or 4th round.  I don't think he is in the Top 50 anymore, but I have to believe that there will be someone with an interest in forgetting about the 2014 tape at left tackle and just fixing him for their franchise as a rookie 3rd "swing" tackle. If they can, then he may be a starter before you know it and return to his spot when this year began.You can view plenty of his tape here at Draftbreakdown.com.
And, if you don't mind, please check out the Bob and Dan (BaD) Radio show in Dallas-Fort Worth, from 12p-3p, Monday-Friday, on Sportsradio 1310 and 96.7fm, The Ticket.  www.theticket.com 

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

2015 NFL Draft #48 - TJ Clemmings, T, Pitt


I have never been a scout or a NFL General Manager, but I am willing to watch a ton of football. By watching about 200 snaps of each prospect, we can really get a feel for a player and then know what we are talking about a bit better. It is no exact science, but the NFL hasn't quite figured out drafting either, so we are going to do the best we can. Find all the profiles here.
T.J. Clemmings, T, Pittsburgh - 6'5, 309 - RS Senior - 5.14 40
Pittsburgh offensive lineman T.J. Clemming talks with reporters during a news conference at the NFL football scouting combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 20, 2015. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Pittsburgh offensive lineman T.J. Clemming talks with reporters during a news conference at the NFL football scouting combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 20, 2015. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
This is a very interesting prospect that was not on my radar until late in the college football season.  He is a right tackle at the college level which makes him a bit less common amongst "Top 100" prospects, and he also played 3 years of defense (including his redshirt year) before coming over to the offensive side of the ball at Pitt for 2013 and 2014.
Clemmings is one of the athletic stars of the combine, with scores in the 90-percentile for the vertical and broad jumps, the 80-percentile for the 20-yard and his arm length, and then ran the 40-yard dash for a very solid time, too.  So, athletically, he really fits the part, despite being undersized - as goofy as it is to call 6'5, 309 is under-sized - and now we have to crack open his college work and see if he has top level quality.  To examine Clemmings, I watched Duke, Virginia, and Virginia Tech.
Clemmings is playing right tackle and wears #68 in the videos below:
What I liked:  Overall, Clemmings looks like exactly the type of tackle I am seeking.  Quick feet, really long arms, aggressive, and a very athletic build.  He has it all going for him, so finding his spot at tackle has made all sorts of sense.  He is best in show in the open field where he stalks down defenders and will not let them out of his arm radius.  The clip below shows him as the only blocker on a WR screen and it is an athletic show that can't be pulled off by just anyone.  He is a very good leverage player who also seems to have a nasty streak about him where he appears to place a premium on slamming a player when given the opportunity.  Off the snap, his run blocks are done with conviction and effectiveness, and he generally looks in control in pass protection.  There is plenty here to like and without throwing too many roses at his feet, there is a fair amount of Tyron Smith similarities in this prospect.

What I did not like:  When you watch 200 snaps, you are going to find a few that need cleaning up, and the one below is the best example where he gets knocked off balance and never recovers as he is destroyed on a corner rush where he sat too far outside and paid for it.  This, actually, is something Tyron had happen to him in 2011, and I do believe that it is all based on maintaining your stance and balance more consistency to where your man cannot knock you off your stance that comes with technique development.  Again, he has played offensive tackle for about 24 months - despite being nearly 24 years old, he is going to need a bit more work.  That might cause some to move him down their board, but he is not full of flaws at all.  The other small aspect is that I did wonder about was whether that game was in his head for a bit after that sack he allowed, because he had a few poor plays grouped together, then snapped out of it and was great again.


Summary:  I realize there are some things to slow our roll about and that his Senior Bowl was not the greatest showing ever, but despite that, I think Clemmings is very impressive and a player I would have no problem tabbing for the Top 32 picks.  He has all of the tools you want in a tackle and although he still needs to learn as he goes, all of the tools are there in his toolbox.  He shows below that with those arms, sometimes he can hold off an edge rusher just by pushing 1 giant hand into the shoulder of that guy and stopping things right there.  He looks like he will be very good for a very long time with those gifts and skills that he possesses.  I would place him up there with the top tackles, perhaps slightly down based on being a exclusive right tackle.
And, if you don't mind, please check out the Bob and Dan (BaD) Radio show in Dallas-Fort Worth, from 12p-3p, Monday-Friday, on Sportsradio 1310 and 96.7fm, The Ticket.  www.theticket.com