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NFL Draft 2010 – Round 5 #14- Miami- CB Nolan Carroll

A cornerback? Miami drafter two CB in the 2009 NFL Draft. Both are starters. Unless Carroll can play safety also, I don’t understand this pick.

NFL.com writes- Carroll is a big, strong athlete with great intangibles. He has a good combination of size, strength and athleticism for the position. Nolan is a tough, hardnosed competitor who needs to refine his secondary techniques. He is best in press man coverage, where he can jam and re-route receivers. Carroll is an intelligent player to grasp football concepts but lacks great natural instincts. He is a willing run support player but can be inconsistent making the sure open-field tackle. He possesses average ball skills and has missed several opportunities to make the interception. Carroll has tools to develop but needs time to improve his overall reactions in combination coverages.

 

NFL Draft 2010 – Round 4 #21- Miami- LB A.J. Edds

The Dolphins pick another linebacker. I wonder how much this move was forced by their Jerry selection. Other needs, Tight End and Safety, got postponed too long.

NFL.com writes- Pick analysis- The Dolphins add A.J Edds to provide depth to their linebacker corps and special teams units. Though he isn’t regarded as a great athlete, Edds is a high-motor player with the toughness and competitiveness to excel as a back up.

Edds has been a productive three year starter for the Hawkeye defense. He wins with intelligence, toughness, instincts and technique rather than elite athleticism. Edds has decent range in pursuit and is aggressive to the pile. He is effective leveraging tight ends but needs added strength and power to set the edge versus larger offensive lineman. Edds needs to react quicker as route progressions unfold but has enough athleticism and instincts to be an effective zone coverage defender. He may be a liability in man schemes versus athletic tight ends and backs. Edds is a reliable open field tackler but not explosive on contact. Edds is a good football player that will likely contribute on special teams as well as giving valuable depth in his rookie season.

 

NFL Draft 2010 – Round 4 #16- Baltimore- TE Dennis Pitta

The only reason I’m commenting on this pick is that this is second Tight End has taken in the 2010 Draft. At one of ESPN’s analysts liked the selections, stating that Baltimore’s GM was taking the best player available and that is why the Ravens are consistently good. The Ravens have been good, but over drafting at one position isn’t the way to stay there IMHO.

Also I want to make note how dumb the Dolphins are looking now. The Ravens have two tight ends selected, Miami is still looking for one. Depth on the offense line, aka the John Jerry, pick could have waited.

NFL.com writes on Pitta- Pitta is an older senior in that he has five years of football at BYU plus a two year mission which will put him at 25 during his rookie season. He is more of a receiving tight end than a blocking or dual purpose one and will need some time to get used to lining up in a three point stance as BYU generally flexes their tight ends out in a two point stance. He is not real explosive on his release and will need some work on escaping the press at the next level.

 

NFL Draft 2010 – Round 3 #25- Carolina- QB Armanti Edwards

Are the Panthers out of their mind? First they draft Jimmy Clausen, a quarterback that doesn’t have the tools to be a top line NFL quarterback, next they use a draft pick on someone to run the Wildcat offense. The Wildcat is a gimmick which the NFL is rapidly catching on to. A player selected just based on that is going to fail unless they have some other skills to play in the NFL. The Miami Dolphins selected Pat White in the 2009 Draft and I was critical of it at the time and we know how that worked out last year.

NFL.com writes- Pick Analysis: The Panthers pick up a wild card athlete in Armanti Edwards. The small-school standout was an outstanding quarterback during his time at Appalachian State, but could be in line for a move to wide receiver in the pros. Given his versatile skills and playmaking ability, the Panthers could use Edwards as a “Wildcat” option.

Overview

Edwards is a four-year starter that led his team to two national titles as well as a playoff run in the other two seasons. He is an undersized quarterback that will need to be projected to another position to take advantage of his speed, quickness and athleticism. He has had some durability issues and will need to bulk up if he wants to play at the next level. He is explosive and can force defenders to grab nothing but air with his elusiveness and cutting ability. He will require some time to learn how to run routes and to control his speed so he can give defenders different looks as he runs his routes.

 

NFL Draft 2010 – Round 3 #9- Miami- OT John Jerry

I’m surprised by this pick. Johns is versatile but offensive line help rated lower to me than picking a safety or Tight End. Especially when one of the later, Jimmy Graham of the Miami Hurricanes, was still out there waiting to be picked.

NFL.com writes- The Dolphins opt for a developmental offensive tackle to bolster their depth along the line. Jerry has good size and strength, while possessing the ideal skill set to move inside to guard. With his versatility and talent, Jerry could develop into a solid contributor in time.

Overview

Jerry is a massive lineman that moved to tackle for his senior year at “Ole Miss” but will need to move back inside to guard for the next level. He can engulf and overpower opponents once he gets his hands on them but can also struggle against speed when playing on the edge. He is not a natural knee bender and tends to let his pad level get too high on a lot of blocks. He is more of a mauler and brawler than an explosive blocker and knocks opponents off the ball. He could stand to lose some weight if he wants to become a full-time player at the next level.

 

NFL Draft 2010 – Round 3 #11- Chicago- S Major Wright

The first selection of the draft for Bears.

NFL.com writes- Pick Analysis: The Bears have struggled at safety over the past few years, and the selection of Major Wright is an attempt to finally shore up the spot. He has solid overall skills, and gives Chicago a steady presence in the middle of the field. Given the team’s preference for playing two-deep coverage, Wright’s consistent play is a welcome addition.

Overview

Wright has good size, strength and toughness for the safety position. He is an instinctive defender that fills the alley quickly versus the run. He is a good open field tackler and can be physical to deliver a big hit. Wright reads route progressions well and is solid leveraging the ball in zone coverage’s. He can be inconsistent to shed blockers and will need to improve in this phase of his game at the next level. Wright doesn’t have great speed or agility which may limit his ability to be effective in zone coverage. Wright is a good football player that wins with toughness, instincts and technique but may lack the pure athleticism to break into a starting roll at the next level.

 

NFL Draft 2010 – Round 2 #16- Carolina- QB Jimmy Clausen

The first pick of the draft for the Panthers and they go for rapidly dropping Jimmy Clausen. Clausen doesn’t have the arm strength to be a top NFL Quarterback. He also sidearms the ball. Not a good combo for the pros. Carolina is going to regret this pick.

NFL.com writes- The Panthers surprisingly land a franchise quarterback in the second round with the selection of Jimmy Clausen. The former Notre Dame star was expected to come off the boards in the early part of the first round, but questions about his leadership skills and personality led to a dramatic slide down the charts. Although the free fall has surely dampened Clausen’s spirits, the opportunity to go to a franchise without an established starter could lead to early playing time, if he performs to his potential during the preseason.

Overview

Clausen has been the face of the Notre Dame program for the past three years and has shown improvement in virtually every aspect of his game each year. He lacks a cannon for an arm but he does have a live arm and a quick delivery that allows him to get the ball out quickly. He has close to a ¾-arm delivery which coupled with his lack of top height can cause some of his passes to get knocked down or tipped by pass rushers. He has been well coached and understands a pro style offense, so he is apt to come to camp better prepared than most. He is recovering from toe surgery and will not participate in combine drills.

 

NFL Draft 2010 – Round 2 #43- Baltimore(From Miami through Denver) – DE Sergio Kindle

Knee issues caused this player to drop from a mid 1st round selection to mid 2nd round.

NFL.com writes- Kindle is a two-year starter for the Longhorns as a defensive end but many will try and project him to outside linebacker in the NFL. He has a good combination of length and athleticism but lacks the bulk needs to be an effective run defender at the next level. He has been a disruptive force penetrating the line of scrimmage in the Longhorns 4-3 front. Kindle runs well but doesn’t have elite speed or range for a stand up player and will need lots of work developing his coverage techniques and awareness. He is inconsistent using his hands to maintain leverage on his opponent and will need to improve in this area both as a pass rusher as well as run defender. Kindle does play hard and has a frame to add at least 20 pounds, which bodes well for his potential as a special team’s contributor as well being utilized as a backup linebacker or edge rusher in sub packages.

 

NFL Draft 2010 – Round 2 #42- New England(From Chicago through Tampa Bay and Oakland)- TE Rob Gronkowski

From NFL.com- Gronkowski made an immediate impact when he arrived at the University of Arizona and has been a standout tight end when he has been healthy enough to stay on the field. Unfortunately he has missed a total of 16 games over the past two years due to injuries or illness. He has an elite combination of size, speed and athleticism for the position and while he lacks great downfield speed he can be an effective receiver at virtually all levels of the passing tree. He is a tough, no nonsense type of blocker but still needs some work on his blocking techniques. If he can stay healthy he could provide a team with a quality starting tight end.

 

NFL Draft 2010 – Round 2 #41- Buffalo- DT Terell Troup DT

The third South Florida player taken in the first 41 selections.

From NFL.com- Troup was a productive three-year starter for the Central Florida defense. He is a short, bulky interior defender who flashes initial quickness in the middle. He shows natural power to hold the point versus the run as well as push the pocket as a pass rusher. He needs to expand his pass-rush package with more counter moves. He lacks range outside the tackle box and can be inconsistent to shed blockers quickly. Troup will fit best as a nose tackle in a 3-4 defensive scheme with enough tools to develop.

 
 


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