Draft Sleepers

[Happy Days Lois & Clark]

http://www.gbnreport.com/sleeperfile.html

 

11. WR/PR Tim Toone, Weber State; 5-9, 175, 4.42 ... For the most part when looking for sleeper WRs we've focused on the search for the next Marques Colston, however, today we're looking for the next Wes Welker and may have found a clone at Weber State in WR Tim Toone who isn't all that big at just 5-9, 175, but he runs track for the school and has been timed in the 4.4 range for the 40. Toone is also very quick, runs precise routes and has excellent hands. Indeed, he caught 167 passes in the 2008-2009 seasons during which he averaged ove 15 yards per catch and scored 17 times as he showed the ability both to get deep as well as find the soft spots undereath as a third down possession receiver. For good measure Toone also emerged as a dangerous punt breturner last fall when he averaged almost 20 yards per return and returned 2 kicks for scores before teams started to punt away from him. Lack of prototype size will obviously be an issue for Toone along with the fact that he competed against lower level competition. Toone is also a little older than the average prospect as he did a two-year LDS mission and turned 25 this winter.

 

10. QBs Kurt Rocco, Mount Union and R.J. Archer, William&Mary… The position is so demanding that its hard enough for a D1A QB to get recognized by the NFL, but for lower-level players its even more demanding. That said, there are a couple of small-school QBs who have tweaked the interest of at least a few teams in Kurt Rocco of perennial DIII power Mount Union and athletic R.J. Archer of William&Mary. Rocco is lanky 6-5 pocket passer with a strong arm and nice touch. He also reads the field well and has a smooth delivery and high release point. He also has pretty good poise in the pocket and can slide away from trouble, but overall isn’t very fleet afoot. Overall, Rocco completed over 70% of his pass attempts during his Mount Union career during which he threw for almost 4,000 yards and 42 TDs - against just 8 picks - in 2009. To get more than a cup of coffee at the next level, though, Rocco needs to add some bulk; he’s only weighs about 215 pounds; he also needs to prove he can get the ball downfield on a consistent basis. Meanwhile, one has to wonder what they are putting in the water at William&Mary which has never been confused with a football power, even at the D1-AA level, but have a couple of legitimate NFL prospects in DE/OLB Adrian Tracy and DT Sean Lissimore, while QB R.J. Archer is getting some looks of his own. Archer is a long way from being a polished product as a passer but is an athletic 6-2, 220-pounder with sub-4.8 speed who was actually a WR his first two years in college before moving over to QB. Archer has a strong enough arm and is reasonably accurate underneath, but lacks touch downfield. Because of his athleticism, though, Archer has some potential as a west coast/spread offense type passer. He moves well, has a compact release and can throw on the run; he can also tuck the ball away and take off up field.

 

9. Danny Batten, DE/LB, South Dakota State, 6-3, 246, 4.75 … There are a number of smaller school prospects making late moves in the final weeks before the draft. South Dakota State tweener DE Danny Batten, for example, isn’t going to blow anyone away with his overall athleticism, but has caught the attention of pro scouts because of his intensity and high-energy motor. Batten was a 4-year starter at SDSU where he had almost 300 career tackles, including 25 sacks. Scouts also like the fact that Batten, who is known as a hard worker both on and off the field, got better each year in college culminating in a senior season last fall in which he had 9 sacks and 8 other tackles for loss. While he played as an undersized down DE in college, Batten will have to make find a niche as a 3-4 OLB. Indeed, he has pre-draft visits set up with Cincinnati, Miami and Green Bay, each of which runs a 3-4 scheme. Batten has average speed with a 40 time in the 4.70-4.75 range, but has a quick first step and battles to the whistle; and while he has never been asked to play in reverse Batten is an enthusiastic run defender who does a nice job avoiding blocks and takes good pursuit angles. Batten also has good weight room strength and managed a very respectable 30 reps pressing 225 pounds.

 

8. E. J. Morton-Green, WR, Morgan State, 6-3.5, 208, 4.48 … A number of NFL teams looking for the next Marques Colston, the one-time obscure 7th round pick by New Orleans who has gone on to become one of the most productive wideouts in the game these days, have been giving Morgan State WR E.J. Morgan-Green an extra look or two in the weeks leading up to the draft. Morton-Green certainly looks the part. He's a physical 6-3.5, 208-pounder who registered some very athletic numbers at the team's pro day last month. For example, Morton-Green ran a sub-4.5 40 at the Bears' workout. Morton-Green, though, wasn't quite as quick in the agility drills where he posted a 4.30 time in the short shuttle which would have put him about a tenth of a second off a top 10 time at the combine. Morton-Green, though, also had a pretty good 37.5-inch vertical leap which suggests he has some potential as a red-zone target at the next level. And potential is the operative word for Morton-Green who was never able to translate his athletic skills into dominating productivity on the field. Morton-Green was actually originally recruited by Miami of Ohio, but never played much at the MAC school before transferring to D1AA Morgan State. In fact, Morton-Green has never played much period as he sat out the 2007 and 2008 seasons and then was slowed the first half of the 2009 season with a leg injury. Indeed, it was only in the final 4 games last season that Morton-Green finally found his stride as he caught 16 passes, while averaging just under 15 yards per catch. And that was enough to catch the attention of several teams including Cincinnati, Baltimore and Philadelphia who will have him in for pre-draft visits.

 

7. Michael Greco, S, Central Florida, 6-3, 217, 4.40 … The NFL has had several former college QBs make the shift to another position and go on to stellar pro careers in the past. And the league could ultimately have yet another possibility in Central Florida safety Michael Greco. Indeed, Greco had never played much defense until last year, but made a nice transition to after playing QB almost his entire high school and college careers. Greco actually originally was recruited to play at North Caroline State and only ended up at UCF after transferring from the junior college ranks. Greco then started on and off for a couple of years for the Knights before making the move to defense full-time prior to the start of the 2009 season. Greco ended up starting 7 games at safety last fall and finished with 45 tackles and alos broke up 4 passes including two against nationally ranked Texas. While Greco still has a way to go to fully grasp the nuances of playing safety, its is exceptional physical attributes that could earn him a long look at the next level this coming summer. Greco is a solid 6-3, 217-pounder who reportedly ran under 4.40 seconds in the 40 at his pro day while posting a very athletic 41.5-inch vertical and 22 reps in the bench press. And while he’s new to the position, as a former QB, Greco does have a headstart in understanding what the offense is trying to do.

 

6. Dane Fletcher, OLB, Montana State DE/OLB; 6-2.5, 250, 4.62 … Continuing yesterday’s theme regarding prospects for 3-4 teams, Montana State OLB Dane Fletcher is an emerging small-school pass rush specialist who is getting some extra looks from teams around the league running that scheme. Fletcher, the Big Sky Conference defensive player of the year, is something of a tweener at around 6-2, 250, but he has a very quick first step, excellent closing speed and a non-stop motor. At his pro day, Fletcher ran a couple of 40s in the low 4.6 range and showed plenty of explosion and athleticism as he posted a 36-inch vertical leap, while recording times of 4.35 in the short shuttle and 6.93 in the 3-cone drill. In fact, Fletcher would have been among the leaders at the position at the combine in both the 40 and 3-cone agility drill. Fletcher also managed a very respectable 29 reps in the bench. Fletcher was able to transition that athletic to the field where he had 7 sacks and 10.5 other tackles for loss in 2009 despite missing two full games with a non-football illness, while being slowed in several others with nagging injuries early in the season. For good measure, Fletcher also blocked a couple of kicks during the year. Fletcher played mostly as down-DE in college so is still very raw around the edges when it comes to playing LB, especially in coverage where he does cover a fair amount of ground but isn‘t that instinctive or fluid when the ball is in the air. Fletcher will also need to add to his arsenal of pass-rush moves as he will get hung up at the line of scrimmage if he doesn’t beat his man with the initial step, however, the athletic talent is clearly there for him to become a solid outside rusher in the pros.

 

5. Sean Lissemore, DT, William&Mary, 6-3.5, 298, 4.75 ... It may be a bit of an oxymoron to describe an emerging 3-4 defensive lineman, most of whom are pretty big guys, as sleepers, but one worth a mention is D1A William & Mary DT Sean Lissemore. An unusually large number of NFL personnel people went to the school's pro day earlier this month mostly with the intention of checking out tweener DE Adrian Tracy, but couldn't help but notice Lissemore, a near 300-pounder with uncommon quickness and athleticism for such a big man. Indeed, Lissemore reportedly ran the 40 in close to 4.70 seconds, while recording times of 4.55 in the short shuttle and 7.60 in the three-cone drill, both of which would have been among the top ten for defensive linemen at the combine. In fact, Lissemore is a good athlete who was actually a sprinter in hig school as well as a state-ranked wrestler. Lissemore is coming off a solid season at William & Mary where he had 66 tackles including 6.5 sacks and 7.5 other tackles for loss; and just to show his athleticism he also picked off a couple of passes and blocked a kick. And the NFL is starting to notice as he has received a number of invitations to visit pro teams in the coming weeks including Arizona, Atlanta, Seattle and Jacksonville, as well as both the Giants and Jets. Lissemore is also getting attention as both a 4-3 DT, as well as 3-4 DE where his size and athleticsm would make a very nice match.

 

4. Callahan Bright, DT, Shaw; 6-2, 315, 5.10 … If the football gods believe in second chances; actually if they believe in 4th or 5th chances, then Shaw DT Callahan Bright may be their man this year. Callahan was a legitimate five-star prospect coming out of high school in 2004 when he was considered to be one of the top 5-10 recruits in the country. Bright originally signed with Florida State but never played a down with the Seminoles. In fact, he never qualified academically and spent the next several years wandering from prep school to junior college to working on a garbage before finding a home this past season at DII Shaw. In between he fathered a child and spent some time in jail. Finally back on the field this past season, Bright had a decent season by DII DT standards, posting 48 tackles including 7.5 for loss, but hardly dominated the way scouts would have liked to see from a prospect playing at a lower level. Bright, though, remains an intriguing physical specimen. He‘s a 62, 315-pounder who has reportedly run under 4.95 seconds for the 40; he’s also as strong as a horse in the weight room and has an explosive first step and the strength to maintain leverage when he gets penetration. And while he’s a real longshot to be drafted, Bright could draw some free agent from teams hoping that they might get the light to finally go on with this guy who really is down to his final chance.

 

3. Scott Sicko, TE, New Hampshire, 6-4.5, 250, 4.55 … In what is a pretty good draft year for the position, Sicko is a very good lower-level receiving TE. In fact, the sure-handed Sicko had 160 career receptions at UNH for over 2,000 yards; that included career highs of 57 catches in 2009. Sicko has soft hands, the ability to get open underneath and the speed to stretch defenses; he‘s also a solid red-zone target who had 9 TDs last fall. Sicko is also a very good athlete who ran the 40 in a quick 4.55 at the team‘s pro day, while he posted times of 4.55 in the short shuttle and just under 7.00 seconds in the 3-cone drill, the latter which would have been among the better figures at the combine. Even though Sicko has bulked up to just over 250 pounds, he still isn’t going to get much of a push drive blocking,a lthough he will put a hat on people.

 

2. Pat Simonds, WR, Colgate; 6-5.5, 225; 4.55 … It seems each draft year just about every team in the NFL, or at least their fans, are looking for the next Marques Colston, the one-time obscure 7th round pick by New Orleans who has gone on to become one of the most productive wideouts in the game these days. And the 2010 draft is no exception where the answer to the question ‘who is this year’s Marques Colston?’ could be Colgate University WR Pat Simonds. Simonds with the size - he’s a rangy 6-5-plus, 225-pounder - to be something of a match-up problem at the next level. In particular, Simonds has the ability to use his frame to shied smaller DBs off the ball; he also has excellent hands and can go up and get the ball in traffic. Indeed, Simonds was a very good red-zone target, albeit at a lower where he had 28 career TD receptions including 14 in 2009. And while thought of as more of a possession-type receiver prospect, Simonds is a better than average athlete who ran in the mid-4.5 range for the 40 at his pro day and posted a 36-inch vertical. Plus, for a taller receiver, Simonds showed good agility in both the short and 3-cone drills where he had times of 4.20 and 6.70 seconds respectively, both of which would have been among the best times for receivers at the combine. Despite the fact that Simonds is a pretty good athlete, he still lacks real explosion off the line of scrimmage as well as that extra gear when the ball is in the air. For the record, Simonds had 170 careers receptions at Colgate on which he averaged ober 15 yards per catch, although he isn’t particularly dangerous with the ball in his hands after the catch.

 

1. Cory Greenwood, LB, Concordia (Canada); 6-2, 236; 4.50 … Canadian universities have never been particularly fertile grounds for NFL teams looking for pro prospects, however, that may be changing ever so slowly. Last year, for example, former Western Ontario DT Vaughn Martin was a surprise 4th round pick by San Diego, while Bishop’s RB Jamall Lee also drew some interest and eventually signed as a free agent with Carolina. And earlier this month, the CIS got some attention from the NFL when Bishop’s WR Steven Turner blitzed a 4.31 40 clocking at the CFL’s draft evaluation camp. While some NFL teams could be attracted by Turner’s speed, he’s actually not all polished a receiver; in fact, the best prospect in Canadian college football this year is Concordia LB Cory Greenwood. Greenwood, the CIS defensive player of the year is a 6-2, 236-pound specimen who is an outstanding athlete. Indeed, Greenwood put up numbers at the CFL camp that would have put him among the top LBs at the combine. Greenwood, for example, ran a 4.50 40 which would have been the fastest time among players at the position; he also clocked a 4.22 short shuttle, which would have been the second best time among LBs at the combine, while posting a 40-inch vertical leap which also would have been #2 at the combine. For good measure, Greenwood also managed a more than adequate 24 reps in the bench press. While he is a workout warrior who is also known for the time he spends in the film room, Greenwood is a tough, physical player with sideline-to-sideline range and decent instincts in coverage. Overall, Greenwood had 72 tackles in 2009nwood, including a couple of sacks and three other tackles for loss in the short Canadian college 8-game schedule. Greenwood also held up reasnably well as one of the two Canadians invited to this year's Shrine game. The issue though for Greenwood is that while he is a good athlete, he is very raw and will clearly need some developmental time to make it at the next level. There is also a question whether he is better suited to play inside or outside. Greenwood has mostly played ILB in Canada, but may be atd undersized for that slot in the NFL, while he is not necessarily a natural pass rusher off the edge.

[HooperBills]

the thing with any 'sleeper' pick is WHEN you pick them, I think that this will be the proving ground for the FO, when they pick guys like these, the FO of the last 7-8 years would reach way to high to get them. What Nix and CO do with when they pick players will determine weather or not we are going to have more of the same or not. I think Sicko would be a great LATE round pickup for the bills.

[agardin]

some more names per Banks of SI

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writ...list/index.html

 

Check out #7 Konz, as I have posted before, when I read his stats I had to look him because I thought it was a type O

[gizmo6824]

when i look at players like this, i think they will all get picked up by teams after the draft. very few scouts will get the time to scout these players. they usually refer guys that play in larger confrences and div. a club my reach ocasionally, but its so much easier to sign them after the draft and not lose a pick on a project.

[sllib olaffub]

It would be nice to know how many 6th, 7th, and college free agents have made it in the NFL over the last five years or so. I'd guess there are players at each position that end up being solid starters - if not pro-bowlers, from those spots. So, if our guys could identify that talent and take them a round earlier than anyone else, then we'd be getting steals, if they could perform. I know what people mean when they say our previous GM's would more or less waste the picks after round 4 or 5. Well, this last year we got 5 potential starters. If we could get 5-6 good starters this year, then we will be in good shape - because as I see it we are a NT, OLB, LT, QB, and WR away from fielding a competitive team. If we could get LT, NT, and QB in our first 4 rounds, I don't see why we couldn't find a decent OLB, WR, and maybe a RT in the last 3-4 rounds and free agency.

If the Marshawn trade goes through, as rumored, for a player, we might be one less need away from filling our roster, too.

[JohnC]

It would be nice to know how many 6th, 7th, and college free agents have made it in the NFL over the last five years or so. I'd guess there are players at each position that end up being solid starters - if not pro-bowlers, from those spots. So, if our guys could identify that talent and take them a round earlier than anyone else, then we'd be getting steals, if they could perform. I know what people mean when they say our previous GM's would more or less waste the picks after round 4 or 5. Well, this last year we got 5 potential starters. If we could get 5-6 good starters this year, then we will be in good shape - because as I see it we are a NT, OLB, LT, QB, and WR away from fielding a competitive team. If we could get LT, NT, and QB in our first 4 rounds, I don't see why we couldn't find a decent OLB, WR, and maybe a RT in the last 3-4 rounds and free agency.

If the Marshawn trade goes through, as rumored, for a player, we might be one less need away from filling our roster, too.

 

Jason Peters and Pat Williams were both undrafted free agents who we developed and let go because of contract considerations.

[Lurker]

http://www.gbnreport.com/sleeperfile.html

 

3. Scott Sicko, TE, New Hampshire, 6-4.5, 250, 4.55 …

Just think of the jersey sales this kid could generate if he makes it. Get 'er done (as an UDFA), Russ...

[JimBob2232]

Just think of the jersey sales this kid could generate if he makes it. Get 'er done (as an UDFA), Russ...

 

Draft Sleeper....Marv Levy?

 

(sorry...had to)

[Happy Days Lois & Clark]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/290417-...-draft-sleepers

[Steely Dan]

Thanks for the info. Superhero. Gotta love a player named Sicko!

[PromoTheRobot]

Just think of the jersey sales this kid could generate if he makes it. Get 'er done (as an UDFA), Russ...

 

 

Thanks for the info. Superhero. Gotta love a player named Sicko!

 

I got to watch him a few times living in NH. The kid dominated 1AA competition.

 

PTR