Brooks Reed Scouting Report

The following scouting report by;

Guest Contributor and NFL Draft writer, Fernando Stepensky

Brooks Reed, 3-4 OLB/4-3 DE, Arizona, 6’3 257 lbs

SKILLS:

Strengths: The defensive linemen out of Arizona first burst onto the scene during the 2008-2009 season. He racked up 33 total tackles with 25 of them being solo in that season alone. The season after that (2009-2010), he went downhill, only racking up a total of 20 tackles. In fairness he was plagued with injury during that season and had trouble starting, let alone performing. Logically, he decided to return for his senior season and he made the most of it. He had 47 total tackles, 26 of them solo. The hard work he put in coming into the 2010 season showed, and resulted in another breakout year. He also had scouts everywhere buzzing.

One attribute to his breakout season was his quick explosiveness off the line. Reed posted a solid 1.54 10 yard split and 4.65 40 yard dash. Times snap well and doesn’t get caught offside’s very often. His quick agility off the line gave him time to whip out his favorite weapon, the bull rush!

Brooks' excellent bull rush was tough to contain for many offensive lineman. Even with that, the bull rush isn’t as easy to control as it seems. You need to have excellent positioning, get a great hit on the lineman, and have straight line speed in order to tackle the quarterback or running back. Brooks Reed's bull rush contributed a great deal to his seven sacks this past season.

You can bet that teams will be looking at Reed’s explosiveness and bull rush when deciding whether or not to select him on Draft Day. However, they will be weighing those strengths against the following weaknesses as well.

Weaknesses: Brooks' main weakness that scouts, coaches, and writers alike all agree on is his poor change of direction. The NFL thrives on great running backs who know how to change directions in the blink of an eye, and if Brooks doesn’t work on his change of direction, he is going to be fooled on those run plays. The problem with being weak in change of direction for a defensive lineman is that it contributes to ultimately everything they do. It affects his moves, his ability to fight off blocks, and mainly the ability to have sixty tackles in a season.

One of the main reasons he has a poor change of direction is because of his basic lineman footwork. When he needs to stutter step, he takes long strides, and vise versa. The thing that is effected most by his lack of direction is his ability to simply tackle on run plays. The main way that a runner gets away from you is faking one way and going the other. I feel as though the second Brooks is paired up against someone like Chris Johnson, it's going to result in a touchdown, untouched. One of the sure ways to have a successful career as a defensive lineman is to have a good change of direction, and I feel that if Brooks' works on his footwork, his change of direction will be heavily improved.

Brooks Reed needs to develop a wider arsenal of moves. At the moment, he really only has two: the bull rush and his spin move, which is over-used. Also, as I depicted above, a bull rush is much less effective in the NFL than in the NCAA. Along with his bull rush, his spin move needs to be paranormal to get him passed someone such as Michael Oher. The thing that would get Brooks more sacks and give him more total tackles is expanding his arsenal of moves. With a greater variety, you are less predictable and more likely to get into open space.

ANALYSIS:

Best Fit: The talk with most d-linemen coming out of college is, should they be in a 3-4 or a 4-3. I feel that Brooks Reed will fit better in a 3-4, playing linebacker, than in a 4-3 (which he played in college) at the outside linemen position. Brooks main problem is against bigger offensive linemen and you can bet that the ones in the NFL are much bigger than the ones in the NCAA. He will have much more trouble getting through these linemen unless he works on his weaknesses I depicted above. Changing all those things takes a long time and doesn’t happen overnight. I feel the coaches will see that and try him out at linebacker. Also, the coaches are well aware that he adjusts to a new position quickly, because he changed from full back to linemen in his Freshmen year. I feel the 49ers would be a great fit for the Senior out of Arizona.

X-Factor: Their will be three things that will make or break Brooks. One, his ability to adjust in the case that he is switched to a 3-4 and is put at linebacker. Two, can he improve on his change of direction? Three, will he add a wider arsenal of moves if he remains at the 4-3 outside linemen position? These things ultimately will decide his fate and how successful he will be in the NFL.

Where he will be drafted: Late 1^st to beginning fourth round.

Where he should be drafted: Truly depends on the defense that is being run on the team and whether they feel he can adjust to a new scheme. Not much has been said by the defensive coaches on whether they see him playing linebacker in a 3-4. He should be drafted in the late first purely because he can play more than one position and is a great leader.

NFL Comparison: Clay Matthews, Linebacker, Green Bay Packers. I am not saying he will turn out like him, but he plays very similar to how Clay played coming out of college.

Brooks Reed highlights

Robert Quinn Scouting Report

DE/OLB Robert Quinn, North Carolina, 6'4" 265 lbs.

Positives:

Unreal Athlete... Tons of potential may have one of the highest ceilings in the draft... Excellent size, speed and quickness...Dynamic pass rusher who notched 11 sacks and 19 TFL in his junior season...seems to always find away to get the edge when pass rushing... Great balance.

Negatives: Suspended his whole senior season because he took money from an agent... Does not excel against the run...Still very raw... Relies a little to much on quickness when rushing the passer and does not have a variety of moves...Too aggressive at times and will take himself out of the run game... Benefited from a great defense and defensive line.

Best Fit: Because Quinn is more of an athlete and a pass-rusher I think he would excel at OLB in the 3-4. He posses the size to play DE in the 4-3, but I think his skill set makes him a perfect match for a team looking for a guy that can get after the quarterback and roam around the field at linebacker.

X-Factor: How he did in the team interviews and workouts. No one wants to be the team that drafts the next WR Mike Williams or RB Maurice Clarett. Guys that missed a season in college and then ended up not being ready physically or mentally to play at the next level. I don't think Quinn will have the same problem as those guys, but I am sure everyone did their a lot of homework on Quinn.

Where will he be picked: Top 10. Quinn has slowly been creeping up draft boards. He came into the season as a top 3 pick, but was forgotten after missing the year. His combine performance was huge. He came out and impressed at the combine and reminded people that he is 6'4" 265 pounds can run a 4.7 in the 40 and was almost ACC Defensive Player of the Year as a junior.

Where he should be picked: Top 15. There are a lot of proven guys out their at defensive end that have done it multiple years. Quinn essentially is a one year wonder that missed all of last year. Don't get me wrong, it would be hard for me to pass him up if I needed a pass-rusher, but I would still rather have a guy that played last year and has produced multiple years.

NFL Comparison: John Abraham

Video:

Anthony Castonzo Scouting Report

OT Anthony Castonzo, Boston College, 6'7" 311 lbs.

Positives: Prototypical size, weight and height... Long arms...A good athlete who has quick feet and could move inside to guard if needed... Tons of experience started all four years never missing a game... Smart, tough blue-collar type mentality... Team captain... All the intangibles you look for in an offensive lineman... Comes from a school with a track record of producing top talent at the offensive line.

Negatives: Not a dominate run blocker... Started out playing at 250-260 pounds and put weight on every year but can still stand to add some more weight and strength... Not a flashy guy... May end up being better suited for right tackle.

Best Fit: I think he is smart enough and a good enough player to play for any team in any system. Any team would love to have a guy like Castonzo. But he may be a better fit at right tackle.

X-Factor: When will the tackles start being drafted. Generally when one tackle is drafted there is a run on tackles after that. This year there is no real elite prospects at the tackle position but a team reaching for a Castonzo or Tyson Smith early could set off a run of picks and be good news for Castonzo and company.

Where will he be picked: Top 15 -20. Castonzo maybe one of the safest picks in the draft. No red flags in terms of character. Plenty of time to analyze what he has done on the field as a four year starter, and he comes from a system known for producing NFL talent. He will probably end up in the 15-20 range depending on teams needs.

Where he should be picked: Top 15-20. Castonzo may not have the physical talents of some tackles in past drafts but you know that your going to get a starter from day one, and a guy that will probably come in and be a productive offensive lineman for 10+ years.

NFL Comparison: Bryan Bulaga (Green Bay Packers)

Video:

Marcell Dareus Scouting Report

Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama, 6'3 319 lbs

SKILLS

Marcell Dareus, The 3-4's Top D-Lineman in the 2011 NFL draft

Strengths: One of the most complete prospects heading into the 2011 draft, Dareus provides schematic versatility, elite physical attributes, refined technique, and exceptional intangibles. A 2 year starter and 3 year contributor at Alabama, Dareus began his college career playing mainly nose tackle on third down situations. It was this season in which Dareus developed a solid pass rush ability from the interior defensive line position, as he was counted upon to pressure the quarterback. 

His sophomore season in 2009, Dareus really burst onto the national scene with 33 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 9 tackles for loss, and 7 quarterback hurries. Dareus showcased an ability to not only rush the quarterback, but also hold the point of attack effectively and anchor versus the run. Dareus' emergence as a dominating d-lineman helped propel the Alabama Crimson Tide to a BCS National Championship victory over Texas. In the game, Marcell Dareus knocked star quarterback Colt Mccoy out for the entirety of the game on the first drive, and went on to win defensive MVP honors for his dominating play. The most memorable moment of the game was Dareus' interception return for a touchdown that displayed a powerful stiff arm and a slick spin move. 

That's a stiff arm if I ever saw one

In 2010, Dareus' junior year, Marcell maintained nearly identical numbers production wise with 33 tackles, 5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and 10 quarterback hurries. This comes despite being suspended for the first two games of the season, and dealing with a nagging high ankle sprain. Albeit the Crimson Tide did not win the National Championship as the year before, Marcell Dareus showed all the tools necessary to be successful at the NFL level. 

For a 6'3 319 lbs man, Dareus has good explosion off the line of scrimmage and tremendous athleticism. A high intensity player, Dareus can get out in the open field and chase down ball carriers. Plays with a fighter mentality and has heavy hands at the point of attack. Powerful arms provide for an effective swim or rip move off the edge. Has variety of pass rush moves because of his arm and hand usage. Added with his low pad level and leg drive, the skill set of Marcell Dareus will intrigue talent evaluators looking for 3-4 DEs (1 gap and 2 gap), as well as 4-3 teams looking for a 3 technique.

His ability to bend on the edge, combined with his speed and explosiveness, makes Dareus an effective speed rusher as well. When placed in a wide 7 technique in Nick Saban's 3-4 defense, Dareus showed an impressive ability to disrupt the backfield. The short area explosiveness, quick feet, athleticism, and hand usage allow Dareus to beat his man easily and continuously. Placing Marcell Dareus into a 1 gap, 3-4 scheme, an NFL team will fully utilize his athletic and physical attributes. Dareus adds a pass rushing threat from the 5 tech position, and can kick inside on nickel or third down situations as well. Although he does not stunt effectively, Dareus is best matched up on his own (1 on 1), on the outside at DE or on the inside at DT.

As a 2-gap defensive end, Dareus has the ability to hold edge, read, and react to the play. His excellent hand placement helps him shed blocks consistently. Active hands and a strong anchor, afford Dareus time to read and react to the flow of the play. Stout at the point of attack, Dareus even showed a willingness to simply eat up blocks in order to free up other teammates. Rather than running himself out of plays, Dareus maintains gap discipline. Another subtle improvement from his sophomore to junior year, Dareus seemed to "grow up" in terms of football character. By that I mean that Dareus hardly took any plays off, played through injuries, and understood his role and the concepts of Nick Saban's intricate defensive scheme.

Dareus is finally, an impressive specimen at the 3 tech position in a 4-3 defense. With the formerly stated abilities of reading and reacting to flow, active and heavy hands, strong anchor and powerful arms, quick feet and athleticism, followed by short area burst and speed, Dareus makes a compelling case to be the most well rounded player at not only defensive line, but at any position in the 2011 draft. As a 3 technique, Dareus provides a formidable interior pass rushing foe, whose quickness is a matchup problem with guards and centers. He has the size and strength to hold his own inside, but also has the quickness and explosion to take it to a whole new level. Dareus experienced great success in high school likely as a 4-3 DT his senior season, racking up 110 tackles and 20 sacks, so it may not be too far fetched to see him most successful as a 4-3 3 tech. His skill set suggest the ability to kick inside and dominate, and his high school production backs up that claim. 

However violent a player Dareus may be, he is characterized by those around him as a humble, nice guy. Marcell told Pro Football Talk at NBC, "I would describe myself as a nice guy." Nick Saban said on College Football Live on ESPN that as good a player as Dareus is, he's an even better person. Saban's solid resume of producing successful NFL players goes back to how he prepares them mentally on and off the field. Saban stresses the importance of how you need to carry yourself around your peers, but also teaches a complex NFL styled defensive scheme that truly develops young college players' football IQ and knowledge of the game. Dareus' growth on and off the field, as well as understanding of NFL schemes, makes for a smooth transition to the next level.

Weaknesses: Not many holes to Dareus' game, but there are a few concerns I will nitpick at. One, he has a tendency to disappear in games, and two, he lacks the in game stamina you would like out of a game changing defensive lineman. 

The two issues run hand in hand, as his disappearance could be literal (as he played in a rotational defensive front his entire career at Alabama) or just a result of tiring out during the game. At any rate, Dareus needs to show improved stamina or else he could be nothing more than a glorified third down weapon. That would be the worst case scenario and I just cannot imagine that happening. 

A slight worry would be the involvement with an agent during the offseason following Alabama's national championship run, however I feel that Dareus has learned from the mistake and will be much more careful with who he trusts in the future.  

ANALYSIS

Best fit: As stated earlier, I feel he is best suited in a 4-3 scheme as a movable 3 technique. This way you utilize all facets of Dareus' game.

The top 2 teams drafting will both be running 4-3 schemes in 2011 (if there is a season) and the Bills who are drafting third overall, will be running a 4-3/3-4 hybrid scheme. Dareus fits well with the Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills who pick 1, 2, and 3; more importantly I would be hard pressed to see him fall out of the top 5. Best fit would be Carolina, who had the speed at defensive end, but lacked the girth inside last season. 

X-Factor: How much of a factor will the character and work ethic issues surrounding Nick Fairley be? Fairley, who was much more dominant on tape than Dareus, has the NFL buzzing in a bady way after having missed team meetings, his flight to the NFL combine, and a dinner with the Miami Dolphins. Will a team still gamble early on Fairley and pass up on Dareus? Or will these concerns push Fairley down the board and move Dareus up to the top?

Where will he be drafted: Top 5

Where should he be drafted: Top 3; There are only 3 players I see with #1 overall pick grades- Patrick Peterson of LSU, A.J. Green of Georgia, and Marcell Dareus. Each 3 players would be great fits in Carolina.

NFL Comparison: Warren Sapp (retired), DT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders

Marcell Dareus highlights

Marcell Dareus highlights

Could Indy Be looking for a Successor?

Article courtesy of Guest Contributor and NFL Draft 101 Writer: Jared Counterman

Peyton Manning and the Colts

The 1998 draft didn't know it at the time, but it would go on to change the NFL for the next decade and a half. General manager, Bill Polian, selected Peyton Manning over future bust Ryan Leaf with the first overall selection. Over the time that has passed since, Manning has won an un-parralled 4 MVP awards and has carried an Indianapolis team to 8 straight 10+ win seasons. Polian has enjoyed the luxury of having a HOF player behind center over his time in Indianapolis, which allowed him to habitually hit his first round picks. The selection of Manning was the beginning of an era of consistency for Polian's organization.

The Reality and Future Strategy

Aaron Rodgers after 2005 NFL Draft

As every football fan knows, you can't have your HOF QB forever. Eventually, he is going to hang up the cleats and at 35 years old, Manning hasn't exactly found the fountain of youth. Recent rumors have been swirling around that Mr. Polian may be interested in following the new found blueprint Green Bay Packer general manager Ted Thompson laid  by drafting Aaron Rodgers in the 2005 NFL draft. Rodgers rode the pine for three seasons, holding a clipboard behind Packer great Brett Favre. In his time on the bench, Rodgers was able to develope a deep relationship with HC Mike McCarthy and the offense he deploys. Only a couple seasons into the experiment, Green Bay has already topped the NFL once and seems poised to make frequent runs at the Lombardi trophy. Professional football has been buzzing. Developing a franchise guy over multiple seasons is a trending way to manage the most important position in pro sports; the quarterback.

This is the section of the article where I'm going to blindly make an attempt at cracking into the mind of draft genius, Bill Polian. Polian has been known to be completely unpredictable in April, but there are some constants in his draft strategy. Always look for Bill to get high character guys, Indianapolis has built a special environment around their facilities and they rarely have to deal with off the feild issues. Media clouding has stayed out of Polian's locker rooms and I expect that to stay that way. 


That puts guys like Nevada's Colin Kaepernick, TCU's Andy Dalton, and Washington's Jake Locker into the conversation. Polian's draft history also hints that production is a very important factor when being ranked among Indy's board. So that keeps all three in the coversation, considering all of them have started three or more seasons. Polian has been a frequenter shopper with Big-10 players, but doesn't mind taking guys from smaller schools. Look at it this way, only he knows, but we can use that history to make stabs at it.

The Contenders: Andy Dalton, Colin Kaepernick, and Jake Locker

Andy Dalton, Colin Kaepernick, Jake Locker

Now that i've got it down to three guys, this process becomes more of a guess. All three guys are going to go through a learning curve, as does every rookie regardless of position, but I'm going to take Dalton off this list for a few reasons. First being I think his upside is the least out of all three guys I've been rambling about and upside is a big element when developing a guy. Secondly I think Polian likes guys that have distinct skill sets (Dwight Freeney, Bob Sanders, Dallas Clark). Dalton, in my opinion, doesn't have any "wow" abilities. 

Andy Dalton, Colin Kaepernick, Jake Locker

Both Kaepernick and Locker bring attributes to the table that aren't seen every day in scouting. The spread that Dalton orchestrated at TCU doesn't translate to the pros at all. With this being said, I'm going to take Dalton out of my speculative running for the Indianapolis throne. Kaepernick is going to need to longest transition time as any QB coming into the NFL in 2011. At Nevada, Colin played in the "pistol" offense, an offense that doesn't deploy any NFL principles. Regardless of the system, Kaepernick is a supreme talent and has a promising career ahead of him. I just don't see Polian shying away from a pro-style guy and going with a wildcard in Kaepernick. 

Andy Dalton, Colin Kaepernick, Jake Locker

Jake Locker, the longtime Huskie hero, is the only guy I'm going to put money on if Polian is convinced its time to grab a student. Over Locker's time in college his stock has been bipolar to say it nicely. In early 2010, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper touted Locker as the "future number one selection in the draft". Locker opted to not compete with Sam Bradford and stay at Washington for his senior season. Only a year later, Locker's draft stock varies from team to team, I've heard third round at best and "a sure fire top-10 talent". With Locker's leadership abilities and loyalty, I think Polian would be crazy not to go with him, once again if this is the true thought process.

Who Knows Really?

Theres' truly only one way to find out what the genius is going to do with his QB situation, and that way is to glue yourself to the television from the 28th-30th of April. This could turn out to be an elaborate peice of trade bait, or what most people have grown to call a "smoke screen". Whatever the situation may be, Bill's got it covered and if your a true Indianapolis Colts fan, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

My Top Cornerbacks in 2011 NFL Draft

Patrick Peterson, top CB in 2011 NFL Draft

Top 10 corners

1) Patrick Peterson, LSU

2) Prince Amukamara, Nebraska

3) Jimmy Smith, Colorado

4) Brandon Harris, Miami (Fl)

5) Aaron Williams, Texas

6) Davon House, New Mexico State

7) Ras-I Dowling, Virginia

8) Curtis Brown, Texas
9) Brandon Burton, Utah

10) Johnny Patrick, Louisville

11) Marcus Gilchrist

Chykie Brown is tired of hearing about being the "other cornerback"

12) Jalil Brown, Colorado

13) Rashad Carmichael, Virginia Tech

14) Demarcus Van Dyke, Miami (Fl)

15) Richard Sherman, Stanford

16) Curtis Marsh, Utah State

17) Kendric Burney, North Carolina

18) Chimdi Chekwa, Ohio State

19) Buster Skrine, UT-Chattanooga

20) Justin Rogers, Richmond

21) Chykie Brown, Texas

1-3) are consensus in my mind, and the only corners that should be taken in round 1. Only corners 4) and 5) could sneak into the late 1st round range.

Davon House, CB high on my radar

6) Davon House is a wild card I really like; size/speed combo is hard to come by; some of best ball skills in draft, great closing burst, good instincts, no injury history, and only started playing football as a junior in high school so high ceiling. Solid man 2 man corner> would love for him to go to the Cowboys, because his ball skills, overall speed, and man 2 man stick ability fits our scheme well.

Brandon Harris to the Steelers?

4) Brandon Harris could go round 1 to Pitt, as they struggled to cover Green Bay's slot receivers in the last Super Bowl. Adding Harris gives the Steelers an immediate impact as a starting nickel corner. With a pass happy league, nickel formations are so vital in any defense's success and Dick Lebeau knows this better than anybody. Any team needing a strong nickel back to guard slot would jump at the bits. Deion Sanders raved on him at the combine.

5) Aaron Williams would be solid in the right system, needing to be in a cover 2 scheme that utilizes his size and physicality. 

7) Ras-I Dowling KNOWS the position. One of the more polished corners who hardly gets fooled by a double move. Injury questions are huge concern, he slides but if healthy, could be one of better corners in draft.

Johnny Patrick

8) Curtis Brown looks good, plays bigger than his size indicates, and has excellent foot quickness and hip movements. Has the skill set to be a productive corner in a number of systems. 

10) Love Johnny Patrick, lockdown man coverage corner, who is great with getting his hands on receivers, redirecting routes, and bumping his man downfield. Physical in coverage, but also provides a spark in the return game.

17) Kendric Burney is the draft's most underrated cornerback. Evaluators need to realize what he is; which is a cover 2 corner exclusively. Plays with an aggression and instinctive nature required in that cover 2 scheme, reads the quarterback well, and is very physical at the line of scrimmage.

Other notes:

Justin Rogers, small school CB with impressive skills

Marcus Gilchrist, Rashad Carmichael, Demarcus Van Dyke, Chimdi Chekwa, Buster Skrine, and Justin Rogers are just as physically gifted as anybody in the draft, however they all show inconsistency on tape all too often. All these players have ability to outshine a number of other corners in the draft, and all should warrant late day 2 thru day 3 consideration.

Chykie Brown is a player to watch, as he will enter the NFL with a chip on his shoulder. Flashes ability to be best UT corner on tape, but doesn't have same focus from start to finish in games and is very inexperienced. High ceiling with the motivation factor and skill level.

Vincent Brown Scouting Report

The following scouting report by;
Guest Contributor and NFL Draft writer, Fernando Stepensky

Vincent Brown, WR, San Diego State, 5’11 187 lbs

SKILLS

Strengths: Vincent Brown is by far the most underrated player in the draft. Whether it is because of his average size (6’0 195 lbs) or because he doesn’t attend a National Championship winning school (SDSU), the receiver just isn’t getting as much attention as he should.

It is no coincidence that he had 69 receptions in his senior year—this guy definitely knows how to get open and catch the ball. Nonetheless, his best attribute is getting the ball. It starts with his burst off the line; once that gunslinger says, “hike” Vincent goes 100% and gets off the line as if it were on fire. Sometimes his excellent bursts catch DBs off guard, which gives him the separation he needs to catch the ball right from the start.

The thing that is so shocking about him is his intelligence in route running. Earlier this year, in a game against TCU, he had a 50 plus yard TD reception. He ran an out and up route to perfection. This is a good sign because double moves are used often in the NFL. Also, usually wide receivers who have mastered the double move are very successful against the leagues top DBs. The quick difference in his speed caught the DB napping and created separation for the senior. He managed to get the diving reception for a touchdown. The one play embodies what Vincent Brown is all about.

The way he creates separation on a regular basis is depicted above with his off the line burst. Brown also changes speeds so quickly and he has this break/juke in the middle of his routes that absolutely baffle opposing cornerbacks; his footwork plays a large role in this.  His footwork helps him get in and out of his cuts quickly and swiftly. Which is common characteristic in good route runners like him.

Sometimes he does alter his route, because he reads the defense so well. His route running intelligence must be emphasized. He just knows where to go and when to go. His instinct gives him a feel of where to go and the majority of the time, his instinct is right. That is also another aspect of his game that deserves praise, his catch in traffic. It is complicated to explain it in its entirety. It is just that his ability to adjust to the ball in traffic is truly impressive. The overlying point is he is tough and he doesn’t care if there is one defender or if there are 11, around him, he will still catch it.

Vincent Brown’s incredible hands and superb footwork combine to create a great sideline receiver. He showed off his great sideline receiving at his pro day (which I attended) and especially in his games like the one against TCU. His specialty route is the slant and the out/in route. When he does a deep out route to the sideline, it is an almost guaranteed catch.

Combining Vincent’s footwork, intelligence, route running, breaks, big reliable hands, and great toughness make him one of the most prolific receivers in the draft. Although, their has never been a prospect without his share of flaws and weaknesses.

Weaknesses: Vincent has very few flaws when it comes to before the catch. Although, after it gets to 0.2 seconds before the catch and after the catch, the flaws begin to show. His running motion is by all means “awkward”. I was at his pro day and was told by a coach and a scout that his running motion is in fact awkward. They told me, “it doesn’t look natural when he is pumping his arms”. This is something that is of concern because it could greatly affect his already weak speed.

He ran a 4.68 at the combine, which is bad for a receiver, and he ran a 4.53 at his pro day, which is average, nothing too impressive.  An NFL free agent that was scheduled to work out at the pro day (didn’t because of the CBA) told me, “It is all his straight line speed, it just isn’t there.” He quite frankly is right and his coaches knew that coming in to his senior year. Very few times did you see him run a pure streak route. Normally he is given a double move route. That gives him time for separation on his excellent breaks and then, sadly, gives the DB time to catch back up once the streak starts. In the game against Utah this year he created separation just like I depicted and once he caught the ball and had 7 yards of separation, the DB started coming up toward him.

Vincent Brown’s run after the catch ability is another concern talent evaluators have to deal with. As I said his straight line speed and his running motion are awkward, but I am talking about his ball carrier vision. Throughout the tapes I have studied on him, I can always see a better opening than the one he decides to take. In the game against Navy this year he was given a screen, there were three defenders on both sides of him and a hole right between them that was quickly closing. I noticed that without having to pause the tape, he noticed it about 10 yards late when the gap was long gone and he was already on the ground. This continues in many of his games. The NFL is becoming very caught up with YAC (yards after catch) and if he doesn’t improve that aspect of his game he will not have much luck in the NFL.

Speaking of important aspects one must perfect at the wide receiver position before going to the NFL, blocking is key.  A trend you are have been exposed to in recent years is multi versatile players. Basically, the more things that you can do, the more likely you are of succeeding. Something that Vincent needs to work on is his blocking. He blocks pretty well for the first half of the play, but once the running back gets close to him he almost always lets his defender get loose and tackle him. I just don’t see the effort there on his blocks. That is definitely something he needs to improve for two reasons. One, to show me he is committed and gives it 100% on every play(counting running plays). Second, it shows the coaches that they can use him every down either as a receiver or an excellent blocker 

ANALYSIS

Best Fit: He would definitely be best suited on a pass first team, at least for the time being.  Due to his poor blocking on run players, he wouldn’t fit very well on a run first team. Although, that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be drafted for one. The chances are high that he will go to a run first or balanced team and then he will be expected to learn blocking well!

Personally, I can see him potentially going to the Bengals, the Vikings, but the best fit could be the Arizona Cardinals.

Either the Cardinals could trade back in the third or draft him in the fourth. However, he seems to fit the team perfectly. They ran the ball a great deal last year (due to terrible quarterbacks), but this year they should have a clear-cut starter that would fit right in with Vincent Brown.

X-Factor: His X-Factor will be his blocking and his route running. That is ultimately going to make or break him. If he is on a team and he resembles his great route running and starts working on his blocking, he could be a great receiver. Blocking and route running will ultimately make or break Vincent Brown.

Where he will be drafted: Middle fourth to late fifth. People are saying that it could be in the sixth or even later, but I feel teams will realize his potential and draft him somewhere in the fourth or fifth. He will be one of those “risers” come draft day.

Where he should be drafted: He should be drafted right where I put he will be drafted. Fourth or fifth round is perfect for him. People do notice his tremendous upside, but the worry of his speed and blocking demotes him to these later rounds. 

NFL Comparison: Derrick Mason, WR, Baltimore Ravens

Vincent Brown vs. TCU 

Vincent Brown Draft Preview

Ricky Stanzi Scouting Report

Ricky Stanzi, QB, Iowa, 6'4 223 lbs

SKILLS

Strengths: Ricky Stanzi is a well built quarterback with ideal size for the NFL. With his big frame, Stanzi shows the ability to slide step pressure within the pocket. His ability to move from within the pocket consistently stood out to me. While avoiding sacks, Stanzi also does a good job of keeping his eye level downfield, continuing to follow through with his pass progression. He has a good feel in the pocket and understands when to tuck the ball and run. He will check all options before giving up on a play. 

Stanzi is proficient and technically sound in his pass drops, looking comfortable in each of his 3 step, 5 step, and 7 step drops (albeit 7 step drops at Iowa are hard to come by). Does a good job of setting his base wide enough to avoid over striding, and transfers his weight in a smooth manner. Nice over the top delivery with good arm action and a quick enough release, the ball looks good coming out of his hand. Release point is what you want to see, and never has trouble seeing coverages or getting passes defensed at the line of scrimmage. Has adequate anticipation of coverage's and passing lanes. 

Accuracy in the short to intermediate passing game is excellent. An efficient passer who sticks the football on his receivers' numbers. Consistently puts the ball in a position where his receiver can pick up yards after the catch (YAC). His timing on these routes, similarly to Andy Dalton, is able to recompense for Stanzi's lack of arm strength and velocity. Generally does a strong job on pre-snap reads, adjusting to the defense's coverage and knowing where he wants to go with the football. Picks up most of his completions in short passing situations. 

Stanzi's strong mental makeup and short term memory are his biggest strengths. A student of the game, Stanzi a senior QB, played in a pro-style offense at Iowa dropping back from center a majority of the time. Matt Bowen of the National Football Post said Stanzi, "[I]s widely regarded by league personnel as a dedicated student of the game in the film room." Stnazi devotes nearly 20 hours of each game week studying for his next opponent. Coach Kirk Ferentz says about Stanzi, "Nobody is more committed than him, and I’m saying that with all due respect to a lot of good guys. But he’s right at the top of the list.”

Early in his career at Iowa, Stanzi struggled mightily with interceptions and slow starts. Heading into his senior 2010 season, he had a TD/INT ratio of 31/25; hardly spectacular and evidence of his inconsistent decision making. The positive spin off is that although he started games slowly and struggled with turnovers, Stanzi would never let previous mistakes cloud his confidence. Stanzi is quick to forget his interceptions and immediately readies himself to make the correct pass on the next series. His body language is always motivating and positive, and his teammates seem to feed off of that. 

In his senior season, Stanzi finally put it all together in terms of consistently making sound decisions with the football. From the 2009 to 2010 seasons, Ricky Stanzi increased his touchdowns by 8 and reduced his interceptions by 9 (TD/INT ratio 2009: 17-15 . 2010: 25-6). Stanzi's completion percentage skyrocketed from 56% to 64%, and he improved his QB passer rating by 26 points (131 in '09 to 157).Stanzi eclipsed 220 completions (221 to be exact) and threw for more than 3,000 yards (3,004). 

The improved decision making is evident when you take a look at his game logs from 2009 to 2010. In '09, Stanzi threw 2 or more interceptions (5 versus Indiana in week 9) in 5 games. Moving forward to 2010, Stanzi threw 2 interceptions just one game, being in his final collegiate game versus Missouri in the Insight Bowl. 

Ricky Stanzi after beating Missouri and QB Blaine Gabbert

Weaknesses: With all of the positive attributes listed above, Stanzi still has very average arm strength, lacks zip or velocity, and is inconsistent when throwing intermediate to deep passing routes. Very spotty accuracy and ball placement on deep throws over the middle, this is where he gets into trouble with interceptions. Whenever he gets a late read or progression response, he lacks the throwing velocity to fit the ball into tightly contested windows. Has to be spot on with his timing in order to complete NFL caliber throws.

Doesn't have excellent anticipation and will aim the ball to his receivers at times, thus removing needed velocity and often resulting in INTs. Will lock on to one receiver because of something he sees in his pre snap read and ultimately forces bad throws as a result. Much of his mistakes come from pressing; nothing is open and he tries to complete a pass in tight coverage. The lack of elite arm strength is intensified when the pocket collapses and he tries to force the ball downfield without setting his feet. 

Wasn't asked to make a whole lot of difficult throws and has limited tape of such throws. In its simplest form, the Iowa Hawkeyes offense is tailored to make easy throws for quarterback Ricky Stanzi, and provide running lanes for star running backs Adam Robinson and Jewell Hampton to run behind a stout, senior filled offensive line.

ANALYSIS

Best fit: Overall, Stanzi is an intriguing evaluation for the fact that many of his negative aspects spill over into his positive attributes, as well as positives flowing into negatives. To me, Stanzi is best suited to go to a team with a strong running game, solid offensive line, and athletic receivers that can pick up yards after the catch. He needs to be in an offensive scheme that utilizes slant-stick routes, utilizing a variety of short to intermediate timing routes. In this way Stanzi's film room devotion and work ethic, short to intermediate passing accuracy, and sound footwork can be best utilized.

Jay Gruden and Cincinnati might be interested in the 3rd round should they pass on a QB at picks 4 and 35. The Bengals need a spark of leadership for not only their offense, but their franchise as a whole. The expected release of Terrell Owens, expiring timeline for Chad Ochocinco (soon to be Johnson again), and new young receiving options drafted over the past several years, suggests that the Bengals are turning a new page in their organization. The laughing stock of the league in terms of character issues, the Bengals have more arrests over the last 10 years than any other team in the NFL (might even have more than all other 31 teams combined?). Stanzi could be developed and groomed here as a starter, and with time could have a nice NFL career.

That being said, the best fit would be an NFL team that is already established with a signal caller and strong offense. Stanzi could be given a flyer by a team like New England or Indianapolis, as both teams lack solid depth behind their star QBs Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. 

Stanzi could very well become a solid starter in a few years and go on to enjoy a nice career in the league, and he could just as easily bounce from team to team as a stop gap quarterback and career backup QB if not placed in the correct offensive system. 

Mel Kiper Jr. from ESPN is convinced Cleveland is the best fit. Coach Mike Holmgren has stated that the team will in fact draft a quarterback after the 2nd round. 

X-Factor: How will teams view his arm strength and velocity? Due to necessity at the position, will a team over draft Ricky Stanzi and expect too much from him too early? The later Stanzi gets drafted, the better in my mind. He will have less pressure, and will be even more motivated to prove others wrong for passing on him.

Where will he be drafted: 3rd to 4th Round

Where should he be drafted: Depending on the team drafting: 3rd if I have an open competition for my starter, Anywhere 4th or later if I have a veteran in place and Stanzi is still available.

NFL Comparison: John David Booty, QB, Houston Texans

2009 Ricky Stanzi highlights "Love it or Leave it" haha, Stanzi is a "real American"

2010-2011 Ricky Stanzi highlights