TMCnet News
Ranking the players for NFL draft [Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.](Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Apr. 22--Quarterbacks Player School Ht Wt 40 TD-Int Matthew Stafford Georgia 6-2 225 4.81 25-10 Mark Sanchez USC 6-2 227 4.93 34-10 Josh Freeman Kansas St. 6-6 248 4.90 20-8 Rhett Bomar Sam Houston St. 6-2 225 4.70 27-13 Pat White WestVirginia 6-0 197 4.55 21-7 Hunter Cantwell Louisville 6-4 5.22 4.95 16-16 Stephen McGee Texas A&M 6-2 223 4.61 2-2 Graham Harrell Texas Tech 6-2 217 5.07 45-9 John Parker Wilson Alabama 6-2 219 4.75 10-8 OVERVIEW: Physically, Stafford has everything it takes to reprise Matt Ryan, last season's NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He is a fundamentally sound passer but has the skill to throw a rifle shot off his back foot if the need presents itself. The nagging problem among some scouts has been Stafford's habit of wilting in key conference games against Florida and Alabama, as well as a propensity to make an inexplicably bad decision. Sanchez hasn't played nearly as many college games -- he has 16 starts -- meaning he could be much better than Stafford or much worse. USC quarterbacks can be deceiving because they play with such a gifted supporting cast. Freeman's stock has gone up since the season ended to the point where he is expected to join Stafford and Sanchez in the first round. His height and arm strength are unquestioned, but he isn't likely to be ready to play in Year 1. Bomar is a fiery competitor who either will inspire his teammates or drive them crazy. He is the son of a coach and can complete high-velocity passes through tight windows. White is not a conventional NFL quarterback, but the rise of "Wildcat" formations and his penchant for being a winner could land him at least a part-time role with a creative coach. Cantwell started for only one year, and it showed. His size and arm strength will merit a look. McGee finally got a chance to run a pro-style offense and separated a shoulder in his first game. Has very good intangibles and a drive to succeed. Harrell is this year's Colt Brennan, with huge stats in a gimmick offense and suspect tools. Wilson has the look of a fringe quarterback and future offensive coordinator. Running backs Player School Ht Wt 40 YPC BP Chris Beanie" Wells Ohio St. 6-1 235 4.52 5.8 25 Knowshon Moreno Georgia 5-11 217 4.50 5.6 25 Donald Brown UConn 5-10 210 4.46 5.7 NA LeSean McCoy Pitt 5-10 204 4.5 NA NA Shonn Greene Iowa 5-11 227 4.62 6.0 19 Glen Coffee Alabama 6-0 209 4.50 5.9 24 Javon Ringer Michigan St. 5-9 205 4.55 4.2 23 Cedric Peerman Virginia 5-10 216 4.34 5.1 27 Andre Brown North Carolina St. 6-0 224 4.37 5.5 24 Mike Goodson Texas A&M 6-0 208 4.46 4.3 14 OVERVIEW: Over his last two seasons, Wells endured a concussion, a left ankle sprain, a right wrist sprain, a thumb fracture, a right foot sprain, turf toe and a hamstring injury. And he missed very little time, running with power and authority. Moreno projects as a run-and-catch back and should join Wells as perhaps the only two backs chosen in the first round. Donald Brown, the only other back who could sneak into the first, isn't a nifty runner but manages to gain positive yards (he led the nation in rushing at 160.23 yards per game) and is of impeccable character. McCoy's top trait is the ability to get in the end zone -- he's scored 36 touchdowns in 25 career games. Ball security is an issue. Few doubt Greene can make positive yards as a pro, but there are questions about his top-end speed, pass blocking skills and hands. Coffee prefers to take on tacklers rather than run around them, and there is some question as to how that will play at the next level. Ringer was spotted wearing Tennessee Titans gear at a recent appearance at school after a visit there. He had meniscus surgery after the season and is rehabbing. Peerman's speed impresses scouts, but his production doesn't match. Andre Brown shared the rushing load in college so he isn't used up, but he has yet to show durability, either. Goodson was a surprise entry into the draft process and could end up as a wide receiver. Fullbacks Player School Ht Wt 40 YPR BP James Casey Rice 6-3 246 4.66 11.4 28 Tony Fiametta Syracuse 6-0 245 4.60 7.9 30 BrannanSoutherland Georgia 6-0 242 4.69 8.0 28 Quinn Johnson LSU 6-1 246 4.82 16.2 16 Brian Toal Boston College 6-1 228 4.67 NA 15 OVERVIEW: Casey is a former Chicago White Sox farmhand and high school quarterback who played as a receiver at Rice but projects as a fullback or perhaps tight end. He lost his mother at a young age when the trailer he was living in caught fire. Fiametta is almost purely a blocker -- which is how NFL teams usually utilize fullbacks. He can circle out of the backfield for short receptions but do little else in the receiving game. Southerland was Knowshon Moreno's lead blocker and also converted 13 third downs and eight fourth downs on short-yardage runs. Johnson and Toal are conversion projects. Johnson played his first year at fullback as a senior, and Toal is an outside linebacker who will be switched to fullback. Both love to hit people. Wide receivers Player School Ht Wt 40 VJ Michael Crabtree Texas Tech 6-2 215 4.54 NA Jeremy Maclin Missouri 6-0 198 4.45 NA Darrius Heyward-Bey Maryland 6-2 210 4.25 38.5 Percy Harvin Florida 5-11 192 4.39 NA Brian Robiskie Ohio St. 6-3 209 4.46 37.5 Ramses Barden Cal Poly 6-6 229 4.55 33.5 Mike Wallace Mississippi 6-0 199 4.31 40.0 Kenny Britt Rutgers 6-3 218 4.50 37.0 Hakeem Nicks North Carolina 6-1 212 4.51 36.0 Johnny Knox Abilene Christian 6-0 185 4.29 35.0 OVERVIEW: Scouts don't seem all that concerned about Crabtree's foot surgery for a stress fracture. They saw all the separation and play-making they needed to see from the two-time Fred Biletnikoff Award winner. He is considered by most scouts apart from the crowd as a prospect at his position. Maclin lined up in the slot and split wide and returned kicks at Missouri with explosive production. He has the speed to get deep and the feel to convert third downs in traffic. Look no further than Heyward-Bey to find the best height-weight-speed prospect at his position. Whether his so-so production had to do with Maryland's subpar passing game remains to be seen. Harvin is not really a receiver or a running back but can help any team that can use him creatively to put him in isolated situations. Robiskie, son of longtime NFL assistant Terry Robiskie, has the pedigree and toughness to catch anything over the middle, although top-end speed is an issue. Barden was a big fish in a small pool but impressed at his pro day held at San Jose State. Wallace's speed is unquestioned -- he's been labeled a "track guy in pads." (Hey, Mike, it's Al Davis on Line 2.). He averaged 20.1 yards per catch as a senior. Britt and Nicks appear to have dropped in the eyes of scouts in recent weeks, while Knox is another who will get a look because of his speed. Tight ends OVERVIEW: Pettigrew isn't going to be splitting seams downfield, but he is a reliable medium-depth catcher and the best blocker at his position -- a true tight end rather than a hit-and-release receiver. Coffman broke his foot in the Alamo Bowl but is the best receiving tight end in the country. His father, Paul, was a tight end with Green Bay. Ingram missed the entire 2008 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, making him somewhat of a risk, but his combine numbers were stellar enough for him to be considered from the third round on. He is an outstanding athlete who was a high school quarterback and spent time on Florida's basketball team. Cook will be a vertical tight end with little blocking impact. Pascoe has a great name, intangibles and a zest for blocking. Nelson showed an ability to catch the ball in the end zone with 16 career touchdowns at Southern Miss. Hill is making up for lost time after missing four games with a chest injury as a senior. Purvis was a favorite of Matt Ryan's at Boston College and has a sense of how to get open. Morrah had great numbers at Cal's pro day and will get a look on the second day because of his skill set. Beckum is a former defensive end who overachieved throughout his college career. Offensive tackles Player School Ht Wt 40 VJ BP Eugene Monroe Virginia 6-5 309 5.18 28.5 23 JasonSmith Baylor 6-5 309 5.09 24.0 33 Michael Oher Mississippi 6-5 309 5.34 30.5 21 Andre Smith Alabama 6-4 332 5.28 NA 19 Eben Britton Arizona 6-6 309 5.14 28.5 24 William Beatty UConn 6-6 307 5.06 33.5 27 Troy Kropog Tulane 6-6 309 5.30 30.0 21 Phil Loadholt Oklahoma 6-8 332 5.49 29.0 24 Gerald Cadogan Penn St. 6-5 309 4.99 25.0 26 Jamon Meredith South Carolina 6-5 304 4.99 28.0 31 OVERVIEW: Monroe gets the nod here as the top prospect because of his light feet and remarkable pass blocking skills -- the life blood of any left tackle. He was credited with having 16 "touchdown-resulting" blocks for a team that scored 23 touchdowns but didn't blossom until his senior year. Jason Smith allowed only three quarterback pressures and 41/2 sacks in 1,147 plays as Baylor's left tackle and may be the safest pick in the draft. Oher was a two-time All-American and allowed only one sack as a senior. With three line coaches in four years, he could use some stability in terms of system and approach. Andre Smith seems to have alleviated concerns over his erratic combine departure, in part because college coach Nick Saban speaks so highly of him and because he is the biggest, most talented tackle in the draft. Britton falls just behind the Big Four and could also get into the first round. A 37-game starter at Arizona, he played on the left for the first time in 2008 and was whistled for just four penalties in 2,461 career snaps. Beatty has packed on 40-plus pounds of muscle since joining UConn, and his stock rose because of his combine numbers. There is concern over Kropog's flexibility and that he may be close to his peak. Loadholt is the biggest tackle in the draft and also one of the slowest in terms of 40 time. Cadogan and Meredith, on the other hand, posted sub-.5.0 second times in the 40-yard dash. Offensive guards Player School Ht Wt Shuttle VJ BP Duke Robinson Oklahoma 6-5 329 NA NA AndyLevitre Oregon St. 6-3 305 4.52 30.5 23 Herman Johnson LSU 6-7 356 5.50 NA 21 Kraig Urbik Wisconsin 6-5 328 4.89 24 29 T.J. Lang Eastern Michigan 6-4 316 NA NA NA Louis Vasquez Texas Tech 6-5 330 NA NA 39 Trevor Canfield Cincinnati 6-5 307 NA NA 29 Jaimie Thomas Maryland 6-4 323 NA NA 20 OVERVIEW: Robinson's great uncle is Motown legend Smokey Robinson, and he was a polished run and pass blocker for the Sooners. The only guard with first-round potential, he'll likely go in the second, however. Levitre was a tackle at Oregon State but will be an NFL guard. He played every position on the line except center with the Beavers -- and distinguished himself across the board. Johnson may be the most massive player in college football and is strictly a power blocker, engulfing foes with his sheer size. Urbik missed five games with a knee injury but returned to play well and re-establish himself as a possible second- or third-round pick. Lang has hit the travel circuit after not being invited to the combine and might be picked as early as the fourth round. Vasquez was one of the reasons Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell stayed relatively clean despite passing on nearly every down. He must convert from a wide-split scheme to an NFL-style scheme. Scouts like Canfield's size, strength and disposition -- he's nasty. Thomas is considered a solid drive-blocker but not a fit for a zone blocking scheme. Centers Player School Ht Wt Shuttle VJ BP Alex Mack Cal 6-4 307 4.75 28.5 20 Max Unger Oregon 6-5 309 4.50 NA 22 Eric Wood Louisville 6-4 310 4.51 30.5 30 Jonathan Luigs Arkansas 6-4 301 4.79 31.0 26 Alex Fletcher Stanford 6-3 302 4.65 28.0 32 OVERVIEW: Mack is smart, tough, active and absolutely loves to play and practice -- he was depressed because he couldn't participate in spring football. He could be an instant starter at either center or guard. Unger has been Mack's virtual equal at Oregon and is proficient in the shotgun snap, having played in a spread formations with the Ducks. The only difference of opinion on Wood is whether he'll play guard, center or right tackle. Luigs is another quick and explosive player who may have issues against the NFL's bigger defensive tackles. Fletcher would fit in nicely with a zone blocking scheme and was a key cog in a strong Stanford running game. Defensive ends Player School Ht Wt Shuttle VJ BP Everette Brown Florida St. 6-2 256 4.53 31.5 26 Aaron Maybin Penn St. 6-4 249 4.38 38.0 22 Tyson Jackson LSU 6-4 296 4.80 28.5 NA Brian Orakpo Texas 6-3 263 NA 39.5 31 Connor Barwin Cincinnati 6-4 256 4.18 40.5 21 Robert Ayers Tennessee 6-3 272 4.51 29.5 18 Michael Johnson Georgia Tech 6-7 266 4.37 38.5 28 Larry English Northern Illinois 6-2 255 4.38 36.0 24 Lawrence Sidbury Richmond 6-3 266 4.43 35.0 28 Paul Kruger Utah 6-4 263 4.47 32.5 24 OVERVIEW: Brown's production can't be overlooked. He had 23 sacks in 25 starts and could be either a 4-3 end or an outside linebacker in the mold of DeMarcus Ware. Maybin is a hybrid of similar skill, with 12 sacks and 20 stops behind the line of scrimmage in his redshirt sophomore year. At 296 pounds, Jackson would be an end in a 3-4, rather than an outside linebacker, and could project to defensive tackle in a 4-3. Had 18 sacks in 38 starts and 53 games but more often than not won his battle at the line of scrimmage. Orakpo entered Texas as a basketball player and could be a rush end in the Leonard Little mold. But beware: Texas products have underachieved, and Orakpo has vanished for long stretches at a time. Barwin did it all for Cincinnati, catching passes in spot duty as a tight end, rushing the passer and blocking kicks. He's projected as an outside linebacker but could also be a Jared Allen-type force as a 4-3 end. Ayers was an All-SEC end who played well against Michael Oher during Senior Bowl workouts, which helped overshadow a decent but not sensational senior year. Johnson has top 10 talent but may last late into the second round because film evidence suggests he's not instinctive enough or intense enough to match his physical gifts. English is another tweener with explosive pass rush skills (32 sacks in 47 games) who could player either as a rush end or a 3-4 outside linebacker. Sidbury rushed the passer for Richmond and also competed on the track team, running the 100 meters. Kruger lost a kidney as a child, came to Utah as a quarterback and emerged as a defensive lineman after a two-year Mormon mission. Defensive tackles Player School Ht Wt Shuttle VJ BP B.J. Raji Boston College 6-2 337 4.69 32.0 33 Peria Jerry Mississippi 6-2 299 4.64 31.0 28 Jarron Gilbert San Jose St. 6-5 288 4.56 35.5 28 Evander Hood Missouri 6-3 300 4.55 33.0 34 Ron Brace Boston College 6-3 330 4.73 28.0 32 Alex Magee Purdue 6-3 298 4.55 29.5 30 Fili Moala USC 6-4 305 NA 30.5 25 Sen'DerrickMarks Auburn 6-2 306 4.76 33.0 16 Corvey Irvin Georgia 6-3 301 4.66 24.5 24 Ricky Jean-Francois LSU 6-3 295 NA 27.5 25 OVERVIEW: Raji missed all of 2007 because of grades but was an anchor for the ACC's top rushing defense and led the team with eight sacks. Considerably quicker and more agile than his build would suggest, Raji is a potential top-10 pick. Jerry is smaller, quicker and has a sub-5.0 second 40-yard dash time. He had 18 stops behind the line of scrimmage and can play any technique. Gilbert projects as either a tackle or end and is the son former Saints offensive tackle Darren Gilbert. Hood had 12 quarterback pressures, five sacks and teams gained 2.43 yards per carry when running his way. He had eight third-down stops. Brace teamed with Raji for a monstrous Boston College interior. With Brace inside and Raji out because of grades in 2007, the Eagles were better against the run than they were with both men in the lineup. Magee is a high-character player who volunteered to move to end from the more familiar tackle position because of injuries. Experience on the edge could prove beneficial to rounding out his skill set. Cousin to Ravens tackle Haloti Ngata, Moala won enough battles at the line of scrimmage to allow USC's celebrated linebackers to clean up. Marks came out early despite having his junior season slowed by foot, hamstring and shoulder injuries. Irvin was a JC transfer who started one season at Georgia and is a project, while Jean-Francois never became the player he was expected to be after being a celebrated recruit. Outside linebackers Player School Ht Wt 40 VJ BP Aaron Curry Wake Forest 6-2 254 4.51 37.0 25 Brian Cushing USC 6-3 243 4.64 35.0 30 Clay Matthews USC 6-3 240 4.62 35.5 23 Clint Sintim Virginia 6-3 256 4.75 34.5 NA Marcus Freeman Ohio St. 6-1 239 4.65 37.0 30 Zack Follett Cal 6-2 236 4.69 37.0 21 Kaluka Maiava USC 6-0 229 4.70 NA 30 Ashlee Palmer Mississippi 6-2 223 4.59 NA NA Jonathan Casillas Wisconsin 6-1 228 4.50 NA 24 DeAndre Levy Wisconsin 6-2 236 4.56 NA 19 OVERVIEW: Curry was impressive enough as the Butkus Award winner that Dick Butkus arrived on campus unannounced to personally hand him his prize. Stout against the run, a superior pass defender with three TD returns, he was not utilized much as a pass rusher. Considered by some the best all-round player in the draft. Cushing, a strong sideline linebacker, gets the slight nod over teammate Matthews because of his all-around play. Matthews' grandfather, father and uncle were all NFL veterans. A former walk-on who didn't start until his senior year gives some cause for pause. Sintim is an outside pass rusher in a 3-4 defense and is schooled in an NFL-style system by Al Groh. Freeman graded out as one of the fastest, most agile, athletic outside linebackers at the combine and has performed in an elite unit since starting as a sophomore at Ohio State. Follett, as a strong-side linebacker, was considered one of the hardest hitters in the Pac-10 and the best linebacker in the conference who didn't attend USC. Speaking of USC, Maiava will join Cushing, Matthews and Rey Maualuga as a draft pick, although not in the first round. He played all linebacker spots as well as on special teams. Palmer regressed as a senior but was considered strong at the point of attack against tight ends. Casillas compensates for his lack of size with quickness and explosion, but he may be neither linebacker nor safety. Levy's strength would be as blitzer in a 3-4 defense. Inside linebackers Player School Ht Wt 40 VJ BP Rey Maualuga USC 6-2 249 4.78 NA 23 James Laurinaitis Ohio St. 6-2 244 4.76 33.0 22 Jasper Brinkley South Carolina 6-2 252 4.67 35.5 26 Darry Beckwith LSU 6-1 234 4.75 26.4 23 Jason Phillips TCU 6-1 239 4.60 34.0 20 Dannell Ellerbe Georgia 6-1 236 4.63 35.0 NA Gerald McRath Southern Miss 6-3 231 4.49 34.0 19 Scott McKillop Pitt 6-1 244 4.70 35.5 27 Worrell Williams Cal 5-11 240 4.83 35 23 Stanley Arnoux Wake Forest 6-0 232 4.56 31.5 19 OVERVIEW: Maualuga was the Pac-10's biggest hitter, the enforcer for a dominant USC defense and the only sure first-round pick at inside linebacker. The only question is whether he will be a three-down player in the NFL. Laurinaitis is not particularly explosive and does not leap off the screen during film work, but he is involved in a lot of tackles and rarely makes mistakes. Two years removed from knee surgery, Brinkley erased concerns over his health with an All-SEC season and solid pro day workouts. Beckwith reportedly ran a 4.65 40-yard dash at his recent pro day (unconfirmed), underscoring his status as one of the fastest inside 'backers in the draft. It remains to seen where meniscus surgery will leave Phillips, the top player on one of the best defenses in college football. Ellerbe seemed to find a home in the middle, only to have his season derailed by a knee sprain. McRath was an undersized middle linebacker in a 4-3 who compensated with quickness and sharp tackling. McKillop was the Big East defensive player of the week three times and has former NFL defensive coordinator and current Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt singing his praises to scouts. Williams, brother of Denver linebacker and De La Salle High product D.J. Williams, is enough of an athlete to merit a shot but did not play up to that skill set at Cal. Arnoux was unnoticed playing alongside Aaron Curry but was a four-year starter and reliable tackler with 251 stops. Cornerbacks Player School Ht Wt 40 VJ BP Malcolm Jenkins Ohio St. 6-0 204 4.51 33.0 15 Vontae Davis Illinois 5-11 203 4.40 36.0 25 Darius Butler UConn 5-11 183 4.41 43.0 NA AlphonsoSmith Wake Forest 5-9 193 4.47 34.0 13 Sean Smith Utah 6-4 214 4.50 34.0 10 Kevin Barnes Maryland 6-0 187 4.45 38.5 NA Sherrod Martin Troy 6-1 198 4.43 36.0 12 Donald Washington Ohio St. 6-0 197 4.50 45.0 9 Mike Mickens Cincinnati 6-0 186 4.53 NA NA Jarius Byrd Oregon 5-10 207 4.67 NA NA OVERVIEW: Jenkins had a 4.51 40-yard dash time at the combine, which would eliminate him from first-round contention by a handful of teams, but those that weighed his production and playmaking skills still are plentiful. The Thorpe Award winner will be the first corner selected. Jenkins can jam receivers at the line and is physical against the run. Davis, the brother of 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, is similar to his sibling in that there are concerns about his attitude but not his skill. Butler was good enough on balls in flight that he played some receiver as a senior to utilize his playmaking skills. Alphonso Smith is short, and his 40 times have been less than mercurial, but he's willing to mix it up -- as evidenced by 231/2 stops behind the line of scrimmage for his career. Chilling thought on Sean Smith -- "Nobody knows if he'll be the next Nnamdi Asomugha or Mike Rumph," said scout Chad Reuter of The SportsXchange. Barnes has good height and long arms but seems faster in workouts than he does on the field. Martin shook off injuries as a senior and had three interceptions in a single quarter (a third of his career total of nine). Washington didn't make a lot of big plays but generally held up well as opponents stayed away from Jenkins at Ohio State. Mickens was considered a top-five prospect until a knee injury, which forced him to miss the Senior Bowl and prevented him from working out at the combine. Byrd is good at jamming receivers at the line but can be prone to penalties for being too physical. He is the son of former San Jose State corner and first-round draft pick Gill Byrd. Safeties Player School Ht Wt 40 VJ BP Louis Delmas (FS) Western Michigan 6-0 202 4.52 37.0 12 Patrick Chung (SS) Oregon 5-11 212 4.49 34.0 25 Rashad Johnson (FS) Alabama 5-11 203 4.49 37 15 Chip Vaughn (SS) Wake Forest 6-2 221 4.42 37.0 21 William Moore (SS) Missouri 6-0 221 4.56 37.0 16 Darcel McBath (FS) Texas Tech 6-0 198 4.58 38.0 14 Chris Clemons (FS) Clemson 6-0 208 4.33 37.5 19 Michael Hamlin (SS) Clemson 6-2 214 4.57 37.5 17 Mike Mitchell (SS) Ohio 6-1 221 4.32 37.5 21 David Bruton (FS) Notre Dame 6-2 219 4.40 37.5 19 OVERVIEW: Delmas is the only safety with a chance to be a first-round pick, based on his aggressiveness and run support. He can be overaggressive and his instincts have been questioned, but his coverage skills enabled him to play 11 games at cornerback. Chung is better as an enforcer than in pass coverage. He's a four-year starter who also averaged 25.6 yards as an occasional kickoff return man. Johnson knows his way to the ball, with 11 interceptions and 19 pass breakups over the past two seasons. He is predicting a starting role as a rookie. Vaughn has the big body to be an in-the-box hitter and isn't afraid to use it, as he is more of a factor in run defense than pass defense. Moore may have hurt himself at the Senior Bowl, where his coverage skills were suspect. McBath honed his skills daily against a passing attack featuring Michael Crabtree, and it paid off. He intercepted seven passes and had six third-down breakups. Clemons and Hamlin were the ACC's most feared safety combo, with Hamlin getting more ink and Clemons being his equal as a prospect. Mitchell was not invited to the combine but has been touring facilities of late, and it's possible he could have his name called early on Day 2. Bruton's range in the secondary and special teams skills should land him on someone's 53-man roster. Kickers Player School Ht Wt FG% Long Louie Sakoda Utah 5-9 176 .917 53 Graham Gano Florida St. 6-1 192 .923 53 David Buehler USC 6-2 227 .692 43 Pat McAfee West Virginia 6-0 228 .850 52 OVERVIEW: Sakoda converted 57 of 66 career field goal attempts and averaged 42.7 yards as a two-step punter, but he's more of a prospect scoring points. A finalist for the Lou Groza and Ray Guy awards, Sakoda missed only two field goal attempts as a senior. Gano, the Groza award winner, was 24-for-26 and was 5-of-7 on kicks 50 yards or longer. Buehler, nephew of former Raiders guard George Buehler, seldom kicked under pressure at USC and is an unknown in that regard. McAfee is also a pro wrestler who won an impromptu match recently over "War Pig." Punters Player School Ht Wt Avg Long Thomas Morstead SMU 6-4 225 41.8 67 Kevin Huber Cincinnati 6-1 220 45.0 64 Justin Brantley Texas A&M 6-4 249 45.7 63 OVERVIEW: Morstead had a strong Senior Bowl, had one punt of 50 or more yards in 33 of 36 games and finished his career with a 43.4 average. Huber had a 45.5 average and provides a different spin for return specialists. His three-step delivery is considered slow. Brantley has been A&M's punter since his freshman year. He's no Shane Lechler but had 18 kicks inside the 20 and only three touchbacks. Legend: VJ -- vertical jump in inches; BP -- number of bench press reps of 225 pounds; Shuttle -- 20-yard shuttle (measures change of direction speed); YPC -- yards per carry; YPR -- yards per reception; NA -- no data available |