2017 Draft Profile - Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina

Mitchell Trubisky

QB - North Caroline - #10 - RS Junior

6-2 - 222 - 4.67 speed

Two-year stats: 13 starts - 344 of 493 for 4,273 yards - 69.7 percent - 36 TD/6 INT - 409 yards rushing - 5 rushing TDs

Trubisky burst on to the scene for only one season, but it turned plenty of heads and may put him in the first hour of the draft.

POSITIVES:  For a guy who waited 3 years for his chance, he was pretty polished when he got his chance.  He has good size and movement in the pocket and can roll out and throw on the run with accuracy.  He gets the ball out quick where it needs to go in today's quick RPO offensive structures.  He seems content in marching a team by taking what is given by coverages and seeing the field.  He is calm in intense situations and led his team to late drives on several occasions and in hostile settings.  He can throw off balance with tremendous velocity and can make all of the NFL throws that you wish for.  He seems to be comfortable in the face of blitzes and can make quick reads to get the ball out.

CONCERNS:  The biggest concern is not having just a whole lot to go on before 2016, so you are curious how a guy performs when a book is out on him.  The book is really small at this point and there is a sample size issue in his evaluation.  That said, he threw 446 passes this season and put a nice reel together.  He will sometimes lock on to one guy which can be dangerous.  He will often times neglect his mechanics to throw off balance which certainly doesn't help the ball placement.  His game against Virginia Tech was in the rain and it looked uncomfortable all day throwing the wet ball.  That day included some poor body language which you prefer to not see from your QB.  Like so many prospects, he has almost no under-center snaps.  

Overall, in a season without any top-tier QBs, I can see why many have him listed as QB1 or close to it.  He seems to be able to do what is needed on Sundays.

2015 NFL Draft #64 - Kevin White, WR, West Virginia

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.

Click here to see an interactive of how White compares with the top WRs of the draft.

Kevin White, WR, West Virginia - 6'3, 215 - Senior - 4.35 40

Here is the thing - if you are going to spend a top pick on a player, you would prefer that he is obviously a special player to any one who observes his work.  It doesn't take a degree in Advanced Football Sciences to see what makes him special.  You would prefer he is just a freak of nature - a guy who does things that are marvelous to behold.  There are a couple such specimens in this draft, but you don't have to go very far down that list before you get a look at West Virginia's Kevin White.  He is truly a sight.

Now, let's be clear here.  Calvin Johnson is in his own world.  Calvin ran a 4.35 at 6'5, 239, with a 42.5 inch vertical leap.  He broke the mold for what is possible for a wide receiver and nobody knows if we will ever see another like him.  But, in this class, the guy capable of freakish feats is White.  White is bigger than his contemporaries (although DeVante Parker is close) and faster.  He can jump higher and when you watch him play, he is capable of some circus catches.  He is a junior college transfer who only played 2 years of major college ball, but in 2014 had 109 catches for 1447 yards and 10 Touchdowns.  He dominated his conference and his position and then dazzled in the spring combine.  To examine just how good he is on the field in full pads, I grabbed 4 games: Texas A&M, Texas, Baylor, and Oklahoma.

What I liked:  One look at the fade above - against Baylor's 6'2 corner Xavien Howard - tells you quite a bit how he wins with speed, strength, and hands.  He is impossible to press cover and even more impossible to man-on-an-island cover.  If you aren't going to give safety help, he will take very good college corners apart.  Below, witness his barbecue of Oklahoma's exceptional corner Zac Sanchez.  Sanchez tried tight coverage, but could not really slow down White and then certainly could not run with him as he just ran a simple go over his head.  Then, a few minutes later, Sanchez is sitting on the go, White stops, and then spins so fast that Sanchez cannot even pull his flag - let alone tackle him. He is as fast as it gets for a big receiver and therefore you cannot lose that leverage.  But, then he batters you with a number of curls and stops to make sure you play honest.  He is solid in the WR Screen game, too.  He blocks willingly and has very natural and impressive hands to the ball.

What I did not like:   A few things here:  1) I did not care for what you see below where on a couple of occasions (also with Diggs at Texas) he ran some inside routes and the corners actually beat him to the ball.  When you are that big, you must wall out the corner like you are boxing out for a rebound and stay between him and the ball because the QB is throwing it in a vulnerable lane if you get beat.  I think that is caused by 2) where he seems to have a very limited route tree.  I figure this is the West Virginia offense, but if you are going to run 3 routes the whole game, we shouldn't be shocked if corners are going to sit on them and jump a route.  Will this happen as much in the NFL?  I doubt it, but it is something to at least have on your radar.  He also seems to get frustrated when a corner gives him back the physical play, but the good news there is there are very few who will risk that because he is fast enough to blow by you if you miss.  Texas did a nice job of zoning him up and limiting the punishment and TCU also had a scheme that slowed him down.

Summary:  I would not say he is the best receiver in the draft, but he is absolutely the most jaw dropping and perhaps the one with the highest ceiling.  If one of this group turned into a superstar in 3 years, you would be wise to consider White for that job.  He is really special in terms of doing what football is all about - changing the game in one second with a move that leads to a wide open speedster running into the end zone.  He is very good, but you do wonder if he is as versatile at all aspects of his game as Parker or Cooper.  That said, he is also working from behind in terms of major college instruction and might continue to develop with physical gifts that are unfair.  You always want players who defy the Xs and Os by just doing something amazing and Kevin White can do a lot of that.  The question for teams making that decision is whether they believe he can be consistent at all of the little things to invest a Top 10 pick in him.  But, somebody is going to think that he is worth that, I assume.

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 

2015 NFL Draft #11 - Eddie Goldman, DT, 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.

Florida State defensive tackle Eddie Goldman (90) celebrates after Florida place kicker Austin Hardin (16) missed a field goal attempt during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game in Tallahassee, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Florida State won 24-19. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State - 6'4, 320 - Junior

With almost all of the premium defensive linemen now profiled, let's move on to the 11th player on our list (if you wish to look at all of them, check out this link).  Goldman is part of a Florida State team that tried to defend its national title in 2013 and came close before bowing out to Oregon in Pasadena on New Year's Day.  He is a strong, prototypical defensive tackle that took over full time duty with the drafting of Timmy Jernigan (Baltimore Ravens) last spring in this same process.  In his high school recruiting class of 2011, he was the 2nd ranked defensive linemen in the country, behind Mario Edwards, who also has lined up next to him for the Seminoles the last several years.  He played 3 years at Florida State before declaring for the draft this month and amassed 4 sacks and 8 tackles for loss in 2014. I watched the games versus Louisville, Clemson, Notre Dame, and Oregon to review his work.

What I liked: With Jernigan's review in my memory from last draft season, I can compare the two by saying they share a trait of being stout in the middle and standing his ground quite well against the run.  What makes Goldman a much better prospect for me than Jernigan is the way that Goldman is able to get upfield and make things happen behind the line of scrimmage.  He possesses a real push on his pass rush and can get north to collapse the pocket from the middle.  He is very good with his arms and hands in that when he is able to get them on the chest of his blocker, he is able to easily control them with his strength and move them where he wishes.  He is very good with leverage and with  a body that is built for this position is a load to deal with all afternoon.  Which leads me to maybe his most appealing attribute from a Dallas standpoint, which is his battle.  I really liked his motor in these games both from a consistency level and from a standpoint of not giving up on any play.  He fights and moves as a play develops and stays after it which leads him into many opportunities because he is staying active and energetic.  He reminds me quite a bit of Nick Fairley.

What I did not like:  Like Jordan Phillips, it is fair to ask him why we did not see more devastating statistics than we did.  If the average top prospect at this position is making 20-25 explosive plays (Sacks + Tackles For Loss) in 2014, why is Goldman at 12?  There is a very deep rotation at Florida State that kept his snaps down and energy up, but still, you would prefer to have more than 1 play a game that gets recorded.  I would say that Goldman was on the scene a lot and drawing all sorts of opportunities for his mates, as well, but that is a question.  Also, it would be nice if he was a bit more difficult to move when he gets double teamed, but now we are nitpicking.  He is not moving when single-blocked very often.

Summary:  He is very young and medically fit.  He has high energy and is ready to compete in all situations and he has some real gifts as a 1-gap penetrator and a middle patrolman that makes him a very appealing option at DT if he were to be available at the pick.  You are looking for someone with a full skill set, room to grow, and a fire in his belly to make a difference and I think I see all of that with Eddie Goldman.  He is absolutely a 1st round caliber football player that would answer a lot of concerns in the middle if he were available.

You can view plenty of his tape here at Draftbreakdown.com.