2015 NFL Draft #55 - Alex Carter, CB, Stanford

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 Carter compares with the top CBs of the draft.

Alex Carter, CB, Stanford - 6'0, 196 - Junior - 4.51 40

So, when is a good year to get a corner back?  All of them.  Now, more than ever, the NFL is a league where you better have more corners than you have ever needed.  First, there are now essentially 3 starting corners per team, so when you discuss how you allocate your funds when setting up your team, you should understand that many teams had 3 corners play at least 800 snaps last season.  The two starters might play over 1,000, but now the nickel corner - against 11 personnel in so many situations (3 WR) - is well over 800 snaps.  800 snaps is 50 snaps per game (out of about an average of 65).  So, yes, you have 3 starting corners.

This makes you look at your roster differently when you start prioritizing where to allocate your resources - money and picks - and that is why many of us say you take a corner every single year.  Sometimes it might be late in the draft to just fill in the gaps, but other times, the value is right at a certain point.  For this year, Dallas has Orlando Scandrick entrenched, Brandon Carr with a huge cap hit, and Morris Claiborne playing out his rookie deal and trying to salvage his value before he needs another contract.  Beyond that, Tyler Patmon and Corey White might be depth, but the Cowboys should absolutely consider a corner on Day 1 or Day 2.  And this is why the buzz about Alex Carter is growing.  Alex is the son of NFL veteran and 1st round pick (Washington '93) Tom Carter, and is another 6-foot tall Stanford corner.  He had a fine NFL Combine and to examine his work, I grabbed Notre Dame, Arizona State, and Oregon State from 2014.

Carter is #25 in these videos:

What I liked:  Alex Carter is large enough to press cover and get physical with his long arms and also fast enough to run with most receivers.  He has a fantastic vertical leap that allows him to really be a tough player to attack in the red zone with his ability to high-point the ball.  He is a willing and able tackler who moves well north to go get a bubble screen or a run to the edge and not only gets the guy down, but also can do so with some level of force.  He plays the outside WR and generally looks like he is composed and aware of the scheme around him and able to peek at the QB while keeping his man in check.  If you are looking for a solid zone corner who plays off and then goes up and corrals the man, Carter can fit the bill.  I have heard it said and I agree - he doesn't do anything amazing, but does everything well.  Very solid.

What I did not like:  As you may surmise from reading my reports on corners, I am not a huge fan of the "off and soft" corner, and much prefer the aggressive and antagonistic corner, which is not Carter's forte.  He is not going to get the ball very often as in over 30 games for the Cardinal, he totaled just 2 interceptions.  His change of direction is also not the quick-twitch that I look for as well.  This allows him to occasionally get beaten on a slant to the inside when he doesn't secure that inside leverage, the broken off route was one where Arizona State was able to attack him on.  He plays a rather conservative, safe corner spot for Stanford and while that is often the way the Cowboys want their scheme to look as well, it is tough to say that he could run a tight press-man if you ever wanted to ask him to do that.

Summary:  Corner is a spot where you need to get guys who fit your style, and it does seem that Carter fits what Dallas does.  He is big and physical and able to win in the red zone.  He also seems ready to compete against the big receivers who are all over the league and can battle for the ball.  He is a "high makeup" player as well where teams that meet him and look in his eye can't wait to get him into their room as he certainly interviews and tests very well.  He is good, not great, but you need good corners now more than ever.  He is not the type of guy to push himself into the top round (I don't believe) and he might never be your #1 corner.  But, When you need 3 solid corners, he fits the bill of adding quality to your secondary at the right spot and at the right price.  Also, it seems he could be a fine candidate to convert to free safety, which I believe was his original position at Stanford out of high school.  That might actually be his best fit.   If he is there late in the 2nd, don't be shocked if this guy is the play for the Cowboys.

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 #30 - Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska

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 Abdullah compares with the top RBs of the draft.

Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah (8) carries the ball in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Minnesota in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Nov. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska - 5'9, 205 - Senior

As I have said all week, this is a deep RB draft in quality.  Many believe there are between 6-10 runners who could all be starting RB caliber players in the NFL.  Now, surely, that is generous and in 5 years we might actually have a nice laugh at those stories about the 2015 draft, but today I offer up another prospect that gives you plenty to like.

Ameer Abdullah does not fit your mode of today's RB who is 6'0 or 6'1.  Like Duke Johnson, we have to go back a decade to remember a time where short running backs were not taboo, and you could invest in a player that is 5'8 without getting people questioning whether you were nuts.  Abdullah has played in 53 games and has touched the ball 886 times at Nebraska on offense, with even more touches in the return game.  Just to clarify what that means, nobody has touched the ball more at a major conference school in the last 4 years than Abdullah.  So, if you think he isn't durable, you might want to keep that in mind.  For his report, we examined the Michigan State, Illinois, and USC games.

What I liked:  The play above is not from any of the games we broke down, but rather that moment in the early season where he won the McNeese State game by himself and saved his coach's job for about 3 more months.  It demonstrates where we should begin. In the open field, he is as quick and slippery as they come with hips and feet that leave defenders grasping at air.  He is so quick and can turn on the jets in tight spaces and slam on the brakes in a way that will make you see some of his predecessors in the league that also may have been smaller types.  But, he is not just an edge changeup guy.  He runs the ball hard between the tackles and never looks hesitant.  Keep in mind that he had very little help at QB while in Lincoln, so stacked boxes and teams trying to eliminate his threat were routine, but he just kept racking up production of the highest order.  He pass protects quite well for a smaller guy and he takes guys on whether he has the ball or not.  He totally grasps the zone blocking concepts and what an effective zone runner must do well.  He was a total workhorse and a team leader.  He also is known as one of the best kids in college football.

What I did not like:  There is a reason he is not considered at the top of this RB class and that will always go back to his ball security.  With 24 fumbles in 4 seasons (but nearly 900 touches), this is something that is going to be a major concern, especially for the team in Dallas who has dealt with fumbles recently.  It seems that he has improved in this regard, but just know that this will be his most major knock.  His hand size is certainly an issue here, as well (small hands, more fumbles).  Otherwise, it is tough to say he is as effective between the tackles as some of the others - but part of that is watching his OL try to get things done against Michigan State and USC while they stacked the box.  He is never going to be the world's best pass protector, but he seems willing to try it with all of his might.

Summary:  When I see him, I see plenty of Warrick Dunn.  Dunn was almost 20 pounds lighter, but a 1st round pick who was small and tough to catch and ran for over 10,000 yards in the NFL.  An all-purpose threat who gives you everything he has to help you win.  I love his spirit and his determination and the fact that he told Auburn and Alabama that he wasn't a defensive back.  He dominated at the NFL Combine - which demonstrates his superior athletic traits - but, I am much more worried about what he did on Saturdays for the last 4 seasons.  And when you measure that, you come away thinking that he will be a real player at the next level.  I know he does not fit all of the molds that we make for these guys and I know he has to protect the football, but I am a huge believer in trusting your eyes, and when it comes to guys who go between the mid-2nd and 3rd rounds, I will happily pound the table for Abdullah if I need a RB.

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