Seattle Seahawks Go For Beef In 2011 NFL Draft

New York, NY - After a largely successful 2010 NFL Draft, the first for new Seattle Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll, the Seahawks second campaign has the team adding more beef to the squad.

With the 25th pick in the 1st Round, the Hawks took Alabama offensive lineman James Carpenter, who some scouts say can start "immediately" at right tackle. Zennie62.com resident NFL draft expert Dr. Bill Chackhes says "He can play any position on the right side, tackle or guard, but has never played to his left. Seattle may want to convert him to left tackle, which may take time."

After Carpenter, the Seattle Seahawks added Wisconsin Guard John Moffitt, who will compete for a starting job at either right or left tackle. Both Moffitt and Carpenter are well over 300 pounds, and represent Coach Carroll's objective of improving the Seahawks's already punishing ground game.

In rounds Four and Five, the Hawks added a linebacker in Mississippi St.'s K.J. Wrights, and then the first skill position player, Georgia Wide Receiver Kris Durham. Defensive Backs Richard Sherman from Stanford and Mark Legree from Appalachian St. and the effective Nevade Wide Receiver Niles Paul round out the Seahawks's picks in Round Five.  

On Paul, Dr. Chachkes' friend Russ Landy of GM Junior, a scouting service (who's behind us on the NFL Draft Floor) says "Paul has good potential, but struggles to run routes, and is not a flexible as he could be."

No Quarterback?

Many Seattle Seahawks fans were looking for Coach Carroll to pick a quarterback to start their 2011 NFL Draft efforts. But the message sent appears to be that the organization likes it's current group of signal callers, even as veteran Matt Hasselbeck will not be returning to the team for the 2011 Season.

Stay tuned.

2011 NFL Draft - Ryan Mallett To Pats Is Talk Of Internet

As The 2011 NFL Draft comes to a close, (we're in Round Five as this blog post is written) the talk of the event is not Cam Newton to the Carolina Panthers, but former Arkansas Quarterback Ryan Mallett, as he was drafted by the New England Patriots.

Dr. Bill Chachkes, Zennie62.com and Football Reporters Online Editor says that Mallett "Still (has) a great deal of potential, but he's got to learn to be humble behind Tom Brady. The Patriots will have to deal with his character issues."

It's those "character issues" that have caused Ryan Mallett, called "Big Tex" and the holder of the Arkansas school record for completions in a game (87 percent), to fall to the Pats late in the 3rd Round, when many projections had him picked as high at the 1st Round.

Specifically, some have called him "arrogant" and was said to have tested positive for drugs. Moreover the whispers around the NFL Draft floor are that Mallett admitted to the problem. That information was as much confirmed in the Kansas City Star.

But, with all that, Ryan Mallett is confirmed as the Pats new quarterback.

What Mallett brings to the table that makes him a steal for the Pats is perhaps the best pocket-presence and pro-style experience of any  of the 2011 NFL Draft QB Prospects.  Plus, there are throws Mallett made in college that aren't typical at that level of play.   For example, Mallett routinely throws without a hitch-step off play action from the I Formation. And Mallett, who's father is a coach and comes from a football family, is adept at reading defensive coverages, perhaps the best at this in the 2011 NFL Draft.

What happens to Mallett from here is in the hands of the Pats. Indeed, Ryan looks like he's in the best place for his future.

2011 NFL Draft –A closer look at 3 small school prospects

A close up of 3 Small School Prospects-By Matt Elder-Special Contributor-Football Reporters Online

Matt takes a closer look at three prospects for this draft from smaller schools.

Every year scouts from all over the country fly into places like Columbus, South Bend, and Athens. They come looking for the next big thing, the next sure fire prospect, and the guy who’s going to take their team to that next level. However every year players emerge that are not from places like Madison, Tuscaloosa, or Eugene instead these players come from places like Hampton, Charleston, and Hillsdale. Every year players come from the lower levels of college football and leave draft fans asking “Who?” on draft weekend. This article is going to over three players who are looking to be the next small school prospect to leave their mark on the NFL. We’ll look at one prospect who will get drafted, one who should get drafted, and one who deserves to get drafted.

Who Will Get His Shot...

DT Kendrick Ellis-

A dancing bear out on the field, Ellis's combination of size and athleticism is frankly frightening to opposing offenses. Coming from a very tradition rich Hampton program, Ellis has seen his stock sky rocket since his year ended in November. Ellis has a terrific first step as he explodes across the line of scrimmage and often catches the opposing offensive lineman off guard and gets the immediate advantage. He plays with very good leverage, and knows how to get low and explode out of his stance. He is incredibly strong coming out of his stance often being able to overpower players at the point of attack. I would like to see Ellis work hard on the fundamentals. He needs to stay low throughout the play, Ellis has a tendency to get high after initial contact and this can cause him to lose leverage battles. It has gone unnoticed by many due to his level of competition, because of how strong Ellis is he has been able to blow through most of the interior lineman he faced regardless of his technique, so he has never had a need to perfect that. There are questions about Ellis's character and work ethic after his dismissal from South Carolina. Ellis was initially suspended for part of 2008 for an undisclosed violation of team rules over the summer, and right before SEC media day Ellis was dismissed from the team for yet another violation. What caused the violation has never been disclosed but one has to assume that this has to be more than simply missing a curfew or being late to a team meeting. That being said seeing how far Ellis has risen on most boards is a sign that he must be answering questions surrounding his dismissal the right way and convincing people that he is worth the risk that comes along with taking players with character concerns.

Combine Results:

6'4, 346 lbs., 35” Arms, 10.5” Hands, 5.28 40, 26 Bench Press Reps (225 lbs.)

Stats:

2010-94 Tackles, 15 TFL's, 2 Sacks, 2 FF, and 5 QB Hurries

2009-51 Tackles, 15 TFL's, 1.5 Sacks, 1 FF, and 2 QB Hurries

Who Should Get His Shot...

CB Cortez Allen

The Citadel is known as a military college with a renowned Corps of Cadets program. Not much is made of or even thought of about their football team...until this year. This year everybody is buzzing about the tall and athletic CB in Cortez Allen. He is the type of prospect that scouts drool over and that can drive a coach to pull their hair out. The issue with Allen has always been his inconsistent technique and playmaking ability. He seems to lack the instincts you want in a lock down CB despite his measurables. His 5 career INT's over 41 games played give people plenty to wonder about. However keep in mind that Allen was unquestionably the top player at Citadel and was purposely avoided by some teams in an effort to minimize his impact on the game. However when he was thrown at he didn’t always show the skills needed to go after the ball and make a play on it. This is concerning because when watching him on tape you fall in love with everything he does prior to the pass getting there. He has the speed to stay with almost all of the WR's he will be matched up against, he showed the hip fluidity to transition from his backpedal to his sprint with little loss of momentum, and he did a great job of understanding his zone coverage responsibilities. The questions surrounding Allen are all about can you get him to take that next step in his development and go from good cover corner to a true lock down man to man cover corner? If he can do that, somebody is going to have a late round steal on their hands in a relatively weak DB class.

Combine Results:

6'1, 197 lbs, 32” Arms, 8.5” Hands, 4.51 40, 4.01 Shuttle, 6.76 3 Cone, 35” Vertical, 10'09” Broad

Stats:

2010-22 Tackles, 1 TFL, 2 INT's, 5 PBU's, 1 TD

2009-57 Tackles, 3 INT's, 5 PBU's, 1 TD

Who Deserves His Shot...

WR Andre Holmes-Hillsdale

Never heard of him? Doesn’t worry neither have many other people who are just now reading his name for the first time. Let me tell you why you'll want to know his name as we draw closer to the 2011 NFL Draft. Holmes hails from DII Hillsdale College which plays in the powerful GLIAC conference which is one of the stronger football conferences in DII. He has put up back to back 1,000 yard receiving seasons and really became a more consistent big play receiver in 2010. The 6'4 WR has made a habit of towering over most CB's and that was also the case at this year's NFLPA Texas v. The Nation game where he showed off good body control, and a willingness to fight through tackles and pick up extra YAC yards. The athleticism that Holmes showed off during the NFLPA game is reinforced by the fact that he was the 2010 Triple Jump Champion from the GLIAC conference. Holmes had questions remaining about his overall speed and ability to possibly separate at the next level as he headed to Indianapolis for this year’s combine. At the combine he proceeded to answer those questions laying down an impressive 4.53 40 yard dash to go along with an even more impressive 6.69 3 cone drill which shows off his quickness and ability to change directions. Moving up a level Holmes needs to show more explosiveness off the line. He's going to face more consistent and effective jams in the NFL in an effort to neutralize his down the field size advantage. He needs to show more urgency in trying to get into his routes and must learn to fire off the line to try and beat the jam. Should be an effective red zone weapon early on in his career but I think he has Marques Colston type potential as a big WR who if he learns to be just a little more physical could become dominant in time.

Combine Results:

6'4, 210lbs., 34” Arms, 8.5” Hands, 4.53 40, 4.31 Shuttle, 6.69 3 Cone 35” Vertical, 10'10” Broad

Stats:

2010-104 Receptions, 1,368 Yards, 11 TD's

2009-77 Receptions, 1,076 Yards, 6 TD's

*this piece is even more timely now thta Mr. Ellis is a member of the NY Jets-The Eds*

Randall Cobb Green Bay Packers 2011 NFL Draft Pick

A man this blogger interviewed at NFL Play 60, Kentucky Wide Receiver Randall Cobb, was selected as the 64th pick overall and the 34th pick in the 2nd round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers.

Cobb was the last NFL Draft Prospect in the Green Room at Radio City Music Hall. A record 25 players were invited, and most were interviewed by the media. (Except for Akeem Ayers, who was so disappointed that he wasn't picked in the 1st round on Thursday, he reportedly left New York City.)

Randall Cobb's an interesting combination of size, speed, and versatility, who played as a hybrid wide receiver-slash-running back at Kentucky in an offense some called "WildCobb." (Like the "Wildcat" offense.)

Now we're in the Third Round of the 2011 NFL Draft with a total of seven rounds, stretching into Saturday. 

2011 NFL Draft - In Colin Kaepernick San Francisco 49ers Get Best QBNFL Draft - In Colin Kaepernick San Francisco 49ers Get Best QB

Radio City Music Hall, NY - The San Francisco 49ers just drafted the best quarterback in the 2011 NFL Draft in Nevada's Colin Kaepernick. Other than Florida State and now Minnesota Vikings Quarterback Christian Ponder, Kaepernick was the best overall performer in the 2011 Senior Bowl, and showed a great ability to do what some observers said he could not do: run a pro-style offense.

And at Nevada, Kaepernick (who did not make the trip to New York City for the NFL's production), lit up the field with passes. In 2010, Colin threw 359 times, completing 233 for 64 percent and 3,022 yards, ringing up a passer rating of 150.46.

Here's Colin talking about his time at Nevada:

But with all of this, why Kaepernick fell to the second round is as much a story of how some NFL scouts dislike the offense he played in, more than any question about his talent. The "Pistol Offense," which is best described as a combination of shotgun and cock-eyed I Formation, has only caught on as the offense of choice for big name schools - it's not used at all in the NFL.

Moreover, Kaepernick's fall also says a lot about how some NFL scouts may not like the new, more "street" kind of white player (correction, he's a mix of white and black, which buttresses my point). Colin's not the visually polished, fair-haired quarterback like Blaine Gabbert, and there seems to be a tendency to downgrade quarterbacks who has that image.

But all of that masks the fact that Kaepernick can play. Thankfully, Kaepernick's talent didn't escape the watchful eye of the San Francisco 49ers personnel execs, who traded up to get him.

Will Challenge Alex Smith

Interestingly Kaepernick's a lot like current 49er Alex Smith in his collegiate playing style, so it's ironic that he's in a place where he will push Smith for the starting job. Some say Kaepernick's a project; don't be surprised to see him take some snaps this NFL season.

If we have one.

Cameron Newton Interview - 2011 NFL Draft New York City

After finding the right chair to sit in, Cameron Newton, the 1st pick in the First Round of The 2011 NFL Draft, seemed relieved, but then weighted by the new burden of being the first pick and all the expectations that go with it. But, finally, he sat down with the media, after days of ducking and escaping writers and bloggers.

But with all that out of the way, Newton, the Heisman Trophy winner and Auburn National Champion, and College Park, Georgia native, did have that giant weight he was carrying off his shoulders, saying "I feel terrific."

Newton says he's "ready to get the show on the road," and understands what the process is about. After all kinds of character assassinations by the media, and constant mentions of his past, including the famous "hot laptop" incident, and the matter of his dad allegedly taking payments for him to attend Auburn, not proven, Newton's ready for this new chapter of his life, but is ready to prove that he's the one for the Panthers.

He says all the right words, "I'm ready to go to an excellent city in Charlotte." More on Newton in another post later today.

Aldon Smith Interview - San Francisco 49ers 2011 NFL Draft Pick

Aldon Smith, LB / DE SF 49ers , a photo by zennie62 on Flickr.

Aldon Smith is the San Francisco 49ers 2011 NFL Draft Pick, and this blogger interviewed the Missouri standout defensive end and linebacker last night from Radio City Music Hall. This is the first of several posts on Mr. Smith, and 10 other NFL Draft selections, from Cam Newton, who went to the Carolina Panthers to Mark Ingram, who went to The New Orleans Saints.

(Sorry for the delay, but the wifi at Radio City Music Hall was jammed this year, whereas last year, the 2010 NFL Draft, it worked well. One problem was that more players on hand equals more demand for content, and the wifi system wasn't up to the task. But that's a digression.)

The 6-5, 260 lbs of Aldon Smith, is a smiling big kid who's easy-going demeanor belies his aggressive play on the field. Last year, he recorded 48 tackles and six sacks. Smith skipped his remaining two years of NCAA eligibility to enter the 2010 NFL Draft.

Smith is a physical freak, who compares himself to another physical freak, NFL Defensive End Jevon Kearse. The Niners are getting a sure play-maker. But when did Smith know he was a Niner?

"They called me five minutes before anyone else knew," he said. But Smith also said he "kinda ignored" the call in the Green Room at Radio City because he wasn't sure if it was for him. But then he said "that's my phone. And now I'm here."

Smith said he's excited to start "with everything" and be a part of the NFL and the 49ers, especially new Head Coach Jim Harbaugh, who he had a great visit with before being drafted.

He's says the Niners will play him "all around" and even drop back into coverage at times. Aldon says his game is like Kearse, as well as Green Bay Packers Linebacker Clay Matthews.

He's never been to San Francisco, other than the one time he visited Palo Alto. Smith needs a proper introduction to the City, so he knows that it's a far cry from Palo Alto. I told him to visit The Balboa Cafe in The Marina District for a proper baptism.

Stay tuned.