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Measurables and Draft Opinions

Looking around the web, I can't help but see who's improving his stock and who isn't, in some cases the attention is warranted in others it isn't, the idea is finding who deserves it and who doesn't. If you find a way, please, don't post it on the web, send it to me... Making money out of it would be sweet!

We have seen it, among Lineman it's the explosion measurables (vertical, 10 yard split, short shuttle and bench presses), among skill position players (the 40, 10 yard split, vertical and short shuttle) and in some cases, depending on the team requirements for the position (for example, one-cut scheme RBs don't need this), the 3-cone drill has some importance. As a prospect, if you can get yourself some good numbers in those, you're going to make some money, even if you don't perform up to it.

And that's one of the purposes of this post, sometimes as opinionated fans we take our opinions too seriously, so seriously that at times we look disrespectful and hard headed... I know, I've been there... J. J. Watt made me feel human again... A minute later I was over it (wink-wink).

So, in the first part of the post, let's talk about measurables, college performance and the actual NFL

Whac-a-Prospect:

Following, we have a list of measurables from 7 current 5-techinque prospects and their production in College:

Measurable
Player A
Player B
Player C
Player D
Player E
Player F
Player G
Height: 6-2 6-5 6-5 6-4 6-7 6-2 6-5
Weight: 300 290 288 296 290 295 304
40-Yard time: 4.83 4.81 4.75 4.94 5.00 4.87 4.95
10-Yard split: 1.62 1.64 1.59 1.68 1.72 1.67 1.72
Short Shuttle: 4.45 4.21 4.22 4.80 4.63 4.28 4.44
3-Cone Drill: 7.32 6.88 6.88 7.64 7.19 7.15 7.22
Vertical: 34.5 37 32.5 28.5 34.5 35.5 29
Broad Jump: 9'08'' 10'00'' 9'8'' 8'06'' 9'03'' 9'08'' 8'10''
Bench Presses: 36 34 22 20 16 24 26
Career Stats







Tackles: 170 106
127
122
169
195 104
TFLs: 22.5 36.5
32 27
38.5
26 25.5
Sacks: 15.5 11.5
17.5
18.5
19 16 14.5
QBH: 22 14.5
35
30
30 11 5
FF: 5 3
2
2 6 4 1
PD: 8 14
8
18
14 7 5

Now, without cheating, pick the extremes, who by now has played at a higher level and who at the lowest, tomorrow I'll post their names.

If you can do it, you're a better man than me.

Combine - Pro Day. Finding the sense of such a difference.

Or such is the case of several performers that managed much better numbers in the controlled situation back home. And that's the main ingredient of such a difference, a controlled situation.

In the Combine players go through a process, first of medicals, then interviews in which they're engaged by taxing sessions of Q&As and then the physical process per se, in which they have to wait their turn to perform, having to keep themselves warm by bouncing around while keeping themselves small.

In their Pro Days, they're supposed to be ready at a certain time and they go at it. It's pretty much the perfect situation to show what they're capable of doing, and they're also helped by performing in a turf in which they have trained for years.

One example of the difference, Player E above had his combine and Pro Day in the same month and improved drastically in his 3-Cone Drill and Vertical, going from 7.45 - 7.19 and 29.5 - 34.5.

He didn't had time to train himself and improve as much on those measurables, a controlled situation is the only explanation.

Draft: 3 players that I'm looking for in the first 3 Rounds.

  • Round 1:

David DeCastro, G: Decent arms for a Guard (33''). Superb footwork. Showed more strength in the Combine (34 bench reps) than what film shows as he isn't known as a mauler, more of a technician. Reminds me of Kyle Kosier on the move, but this guy is bigger. Probably can't add more weight without hurting his mobility, but at 316 he's plenty big. In pass protection he redirects DLineman away from the QB with consistency. As safe a prospect as you're going to see. I'm fairly sure that we're going to see Jerry, Garrett and Callahan in attendance at Stanford's Pro Day, reminding us of Tyron Smith's Pro Day.

Fletcher Cox, DE: Long arms (34.5''). Among his measurables his vertical is a little worrying, only 26, but his 10-yard split speaks volumes of his explosion (1.63) and his film shows him being the first Lineman (as in OLineman and DLineman) on the move with consistency, so I think that he's going to improve upon it in his Pro Day, very much like prospect E above. Played all over the field for Mississippy St., 1-Tech, 3-Tech and 5-Tech. One-gapper. Has a couple of good moves, the bull rush and the spin. Keeps his motor running until the whistle sounds. Locates and pursues the ball.

Melvin Ingram, OLB: Short arms for the position (31.5''), but compensates for that with explosion and suddeness (34.5 Vertical, 4.18 SS, 6.83 3-Cone and 1.72 10-Yard). Looks smooth and bends well when turning the corner. Keeps his motor running and has decent ball awareness, following the ball if it moves away from him. Versatile, has a nice repertoire of moves, bull, quickness, counter and club.

  • Round 2:

Ben Jones, C: OK arms for a Center (32.5''). Average athlete that understands his limitations and plays at his best all the time. Good vision to locate defenders in the 2nd level. In pass protection holds his ground well and can redirect pass rushers away from the ball. Smart, made the line calls. More of a quick hands technician than strong at this point. Nasty side, enjoys pancaking opponents.

Shea McClellin, OLB: Good arm length (almost 33''). Versatile DE/OLB prospect, played DE with his hand on the ground and LB in a 2-point stance all over the field. Opposing QBs knew were he was and prefered to move away from him, because his best attribute is locating the ball and going for it. Motor is always running high. Good athlete (1.59 10-Yard, 31.5 Vertical, 4.33 SS).

Harrison Smith, SS/FS: Rob Ryan's approved kind of Safety. Whatever Ryan's Safeties have played in Dallas and Cleveland, Smith has played and well. Deep Centerfielder, Deep Qtrs, Deep halves, close to the LOS, 3rd Safety (in a LB position) in Nickel and Dime situations, one-on-one with TEs, some slot and blitzing. Tries to keep the play in front of him. Reads the QB and is quick to react. Not a flashy kind of Safety, he rarely jumps up when watching the Defense, in good or bad ways, which is for the most part good. Tries to keep the play in front of him.

  • Round 3:

Jamell Fleming, CB: Not the biggest CB, but plays bigger than his size. Ryan's approved kind of CB, experienced in man coverage and press, and has the skill set for zones. Not the fastest CB, but he has quick feet and fluid hips (3.97 SS and 6.71 3-Cone). Good effort in run support, takes good angles and wraps up. Tracks the ball well and gets his hands on a lot of them, but doesn't have the best set for the interception.

Amini Silatolu, G: Average athlete with decent arms for a Guard (32''). Has a low center of gravity and takes advantage of it in pass protection and run blocking. Limited effective range on the move, but he can pull and trap. Powerful and explosive at the snap. Dominating force in Division II.

Aaron Henry, FS: Raw Safety prospect with only one year of experience playing the position, previously being a CB. And still they used him everywhere, in the slot, one-on-one with TEs, deep halves and deep quarters. Reacts quickly as the play develops and gets his hands on many balls and tackles. More of a read and react player than instinctive, which burned him some.

If they're all aound at the time of the picks, give me this for the 3 Rounds:

1. DeCastro.

2. McClellin.

3. Fleming.

Another user-created commentary provided by a BTB reader.