A great Piece by Paul Attner from the Sportingnews


Scouting the NFL draft
By Paul Attner - SportingNews



It has been difficult to write much positive lately about Al Davis. But here's an attempt: He still recognizes that, if at all possible, you really should select the best available player on your draft board.

A cliche, yes, but there is truth within the bromide. Davis knows in his heart of football hearts that Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson, not LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell, should be the Raiders' choice as the No. 1 pick in this year's draft. Davis just needs to figure out how to clear up his horrid quarterback situation before the draft. If he can do that, then there's no question he will pounce on Johnson, easily the top player in this draft and one of the clearest "sure thing" prospects to come along in the last 10 years.

"He's a no-brainer, the cleanest, no flaws," says Dolphins general manager Randy Mueller. "Just because he is a receiver, I wouldn't be scared to take him that high because I don't think he will fail." That's the kind of praise you receive when you are 6-5, weigh 239, have game-breaking 4.35 speed and terrific hands and easily pass the character test.

Yet Russell still looms as the first choice because, even with a player of Johnson's ability available, you won't win without a good quarterback. "If you have a conviction on a quarterback and you have that need, you have to take him," says former Texans general manager Charley Casserly. "If the quarterback is among your top five guys, you can justify pushing him to No. 1."

Russell is one of those unpolished physical wonders who creates the most angst for scouts. He's really unlike anyone who has played the position in the NFL. He is athletic and huge -- a sculpted 6-5 3/8, 256 -- and can easily flick a pass 70 yards. His upside is enormous. But he has been out of shape during the offseason and his lower-body mechanics need work. There are questions about how quickly he will grasp a pro-style offense and whether his feet are nifty enough -- he's not Vince Young -- to avoid an overabundance of punishment. He could be a good player or a potential superstar, or he might be overwhelmed in the NFL. Too bad Johnson is not a quarterback.

And what about Brady Quinn?

Brady Quinn is this year's Matt Leinart. He'll probably come out of the draft process with the same view Leinart expressed last June. "These (scouts) look to drag you down," Leinart said with disgust. Quinn has gone through a similar dissection the past few months.

Unlike Russell, Quinn doesn't have much room for growth. So he doesn't excite anyone, much like Leinart, who slipped to Arizona at No. 10 last April. "Quinn is a solid player and you know what you are getting, and there is something to be said for that," says Scot McCloughan, 49ers vice president of player personnel.

Quinn has been groomed for much of his life to play quarterback in the NFL. He comes from a complex offense at Notre Dame, he has impressive work habits, his mechanics are flawless, and he is tough. And NFL folks aren't as hung up as you might expect on the "Can he win big games?" question attached to his resume. But sometimes he is inexplicably inaccurate, and he'll have to prove he can make consistently good decisions under pressure. At best, he is a second-level pro quarterback, below the Peyton Mannings and Carson Palmers.

But the Bears got to a Super Bowl with Rex Grossman, much less talented than Quinn. One scout compares Quinn to Eli Manning coming out of college. Based on Eli's play so far, that might be one comparison Quinn would want to avoid.

Character better count

Commissioner Roger Goodell certainly has grabbed the attention of teams for this draft. Background checks on prospects are being ramped up, and it's a good bet that some players with character issues who might have been chosen fairly high in previous drafts either will not be picked or will slip to later rounds.

After all, the Titans inexplicably wasted a first-round choice in 2005 on Pacman Jones, who had been removed from many draft boards because of his multiple behavior issues. Jones was such a problem at West Virginia that its coaching staff told some NFL teams the school did not want him to return for his senior year. Chris Henry also had a bunch of red flags at West Virginia, yet the Bengals still took him in the third round of the same draft. Now, no club wants to be the next Tennessee or Cincinnati.

In discussions with NFL scouts and coaches, the first reason they give as grounds to take a prospect off the board is violence against a woman. Other major reasons cited include repeated drug violations more serious than using marijuana; a pattern of other problems with the law, including DUIs and firearm possession; and a relatively new one, past involvement with gangs. Some teams also will downgrade or eliminate a player based on his immaturity or bad work habits.

"If he's a bad apple and you have him in the first round, he's just going to be a less expensive bad apple" if you draft him in a later round, Saints coach Sean Payton says. "But you still have a responsibility to the current roster to bring in that right person. Those guys are counting on that."

Here are five players whose draft status could be most affected by off-field issues:

UNLV cornerback Eric Wright (left USC because of drug issues).
Florida defensive tackle Marcus Thomas (failed two drug tests and was kicked off the team in November).
Syracuse cornerback Tanard Jackson (two positive drug tests).
Ole Miss outside linebacker Rory Johnson (immaturity, academic issues).
Texas cornerback Tarell Brown (two drug arrests in the past eight months).
This draft has wideouts aplenty

Even though there's just one Calvin Johnson in this draft, that doesn't mean your favorite team will be denied if it needs to grow stronger at receiver. There is an abundance of talent, which means a club could find a productive player as late as the fourth round.

"Calvin Johnson alone elevates the receiver group," says the 49ers' McCloughan. "But this is a really good bunch of guys, with a lot of potential. They all aren't the same as far as strengths and weaknesses, but there is a lot of athletic talent spread among them."

This depth is one reason some teams give for not wanting to move up to draft Johnson if Oakland fails to make him the first choice. Their thinking goes like this: Why give up draft picks and/or veteran players, even for someone as gifted as Johnson, if you have so many other quality receivers available?

"I could see six receivers drafted by the middle of the second round," John Dorsey, the Packers' director of college scouting says. "If that happens, you might even see a bigger run on the position."

That means LSU's Dwayne Bowe, USC's Dwayne Jarrett, Tennessee's Robert Meachem, Ohio State's Ted Ginn and either Ohio State's Anthony Gonzalez or LSU's Craig Davis -- or both -- might not last until Round 3. That still leaves the possibility of some intriguing prospects on the board: South Carolina's Sidney Rice, Fresno State's Paul Williams and USC's Steve Smith, among others.

And the weakest position? Tight end, where Miami's Greg Olsen is a shaky first-rounder. Colleges are running so much spread offense these days that they simply don't need tight ends, even though that position has taken on more importance lately on the pro level.

Hits and misses

When Ron Wolf, the former Packers general manager, studied past drafts to find some common denominators that characterized successful picks, he could find only one that stood out. More than not, the best players attended schools in the major conferences. It was not a perfect standard, but when it came down to choosing between two players in drafts, he consistently went with the guy from the big-name university.

I asked other scouts what they thought was the one characteristic of successful players from the drafts in which they had participated. Almost unanimously, they came up with one answer: effort.

"You want a guy who wants to show up every day and work," says the Dolphins' Mueller. "Does he want to punch a clock every day? If a guy works hard enough, he doesn't have to be physically perfect. His desire can make up for a lot of sins."

"They have had a burning desire to succeed," says Casserly. "Now, you are not sure how that will be affected once he is in the NFL and his life changes. Sometimes money will make a difference in how they work. But I think a guy who really wants to be good has less chance of letting money change him."

And those common traits that have led to misses?

"You fall in love with what guys do at the Combine and other workouts," says the Packers' Dorsey. "Or you fall in love with a guy's personality. He dazzles you, but he still can't play."

Forgetting production also leads to bad picks. Players who consistently produced good statistics, even if they don't have all the measurables, prove more reliable than the physical specimen who has no football instincts. "Tape doesn't lie," says Wolf. "If the guy keeps making plays on tape, you sit up and take note."

Here are four risky first-round prospects in this draft:

Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams (could wind up being only a situational player because of problems against the run).
Jarrett (lack of speed presents huge downside).
Olsen (lacks developed blocking skills).
Michigan defensive tackle Alan Branch (lack of consistency in games scares some scouts).
Where are the small-school players?

When the late Eddie Robinson had his best teams at Grambling, the NFL happily was finding gems at his and other so-called small schools. But what once was fertile ground for the pros has now dried up noticeably.

One NFL personnel man stared a few minutes at his preliminary board for this year's draft before finding any names of players from small schools. He finally identified two prospects he might pick, both in the late rounds. Other scouts say it's not quite that bad, but even they agree that predominantly black colleges and schools below Division I-AA no longer are developing as many top NFL players as they once did.

"It's dried up beyond dry," says Casserly. "We all have our theories as to why. But we met as a league 10 years ago about player development because we were concerned that as academic requirements rose in colleges, it would affect the talent coming into the NFL. And that is what is happening right now."

In addition, with more colleges recruiting nationally and with more Internet recruiting services increasing the scrutiny of prospects, it's now more unlikely that a really good high school player will escape big-school notice.

The best small-school player in this draft is Jacoby Jones, a receiver from Lane College, who's likely a fourth-round pick at best. Other small-school guys who could be drafted include Michael Allan, a tight end from Whitworth; Allen Barbre, a tackle from Missouri Southern; Kevin Boss, a tight end from West-ern Oregon; and Zak DeOssie, a linebacker from Brown.

ONE, MAYBE DONE

Timmons could be lone first-rounder from FSU

By BOB THOMAS, The Times-Union

TALLAHASSEE - Since 1994, the NFL Draft has been a time of celebration for Florida State.

Eighty-six former Seminoles players have been picked since the NFL adopted its current seven-round format, more than powerhouses Ohio State (83), Tennessee (81), Miami (78), Nebraska (70) and Florida (67).

But as encore performances go, FSU's current draft-eligible crop won't be able to match the results of their former teammates in next weekend's draft. Four Seminoles were selected among the first 19 players in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft, with four others later picked.

Outside linebacker Lawrence Timmons, who passed on his senior season of eligibility to enter the draft, likely will be the only Seminole selected in the first round this year. A rare physical talent, Timmons has been pegged as a top prospect since he announced he was signing with agent Drew Rosenhaus after FSU's Emerald Bowl victory over UCLA last December.

It proved to be a fitting college sendoff for Timmons, who scored his third touchdown of the season by returning a blocked field-goal attempt. Timmons also returned an interception and a fumble for a score during his junior season, when he compiled 79 tackles, with five sacks among his 18 tackles for loss.

Timmons' stock has dipped slightly since the NFL Combine in February, when he came up two inches shorter than his listed height of 6-foot-3 and managed only a 4.66 40-yard-dash time. Still, most mock drafts have Timmons slotted as a mid- to late-first-round pick, no doubt based on a brief but productive career.

In 38 games, Timmons made 126 tackles (70 solos) and logged eight sacks among 221/2 tackles for loss. Aside from his defensive scores, Timmons also blocked four kicks in his FSU career.

Beyond Timmons, the Seminoles' draft picture becomes a bit cloudy.

Tailback Lorenzo Booker, whose speed, elusiveness and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield are premium commodities, could suffer a similar fate to his former teammate, Leon Washington.

"I feel like I'm the most versatile back in the draft," Booker said. "You can put me in the backfield, I can line up in the slot, I can return kicks. That was something I wanted to show because I know in the league, it's all about versatility. Leon proved that last year."

Washington, the one-time Jackson High School star, wasn't selected until the fourth round by the New York Jets in 2006, despite skills than enabled him to be a productive NFL rookie.

Like Washington, Booker was the victim of an offense that ranked among the nation's worst when it came to running the football. Although he gained 616 rushing yards as a senior, he piled up 2,389 on the ground over the course of his career at an average of 4.8 yards per carry and never lost a fumble. Booker also amassed 114 receptions for 995 yards.

Combine and FSU pro day workouts aside, Booker made his strongest case for early inclusion in the draft when he rushed for 91 yards, caught five passes for 117 and scored two touchdowns in his Emerald Bowl MVP performance.

Diminutive inside linebacker Buster Davis, last season's team leader in tackles (109) and a first-team All-ACC performer, likely will go late Saturday or early Sunday.

Offensive tackle Mario Henderson, whose physical measurables compare favorably to former FSU All-American Alex Barron, could be the wild card among potential draftees. Henderson has tested well, and the potential of his 6-61/2, 302-pound frame could be tempting for second-day draft shoppers.

Wide receiver Chris Davis is the only other former Seminole likely to have his name called, although he could end up going the invited free-agent route. Davis, a St. Petersburg native, worked out for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier this week.

bob.thomas@jacksonville.com, (850) 224-7515

He's 6-3 and ran a 4.11 40-yard-dash, which would have made him the fastest player at the NFL Draft Combine. If what you're about to read is 100 percent true, and the Vikings do make him a project, watch out.


Delran's Todd Lowber signs with the Minnesota Vikings despite never playing football

By JEFF OFFORD
Burlington County Times

A football player usually begins his career in grade school, on a small field in front of a few parents. Not at age 25 in front of 63,000 screaming fans in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis.

Todd Lowber has never played a down in his life, yet there's a chance the former Delran High School track and basketball star could be on the Minnesota Vikings' roster next September.

Lowber recently signed a three-year deal with the Vikes after impressing team scouts during a workout. The deal — like most contracts in the NFL — isn't guaranteed, meaning Lowber's dream is a long way from becoming reality. Yet, considering his height (6-foot-3) and speed (he's run several sub 4.4 40-yard dashes), all the natural tools are in place.

All Lowber really has to do now is learn the playbook.

And prove he can take a hit.

“I know I've taken the long road,'' Lowber said. “But I'm not shocked that I've made it this far. I don't want to come off as cocky but I'm confident I can do this. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time.''

Lowber first considered playing professional football about 10 months ago. He had always participated in basketball and track and field, in both high school and college but never gave football much thought.

Last August, Lowber decided to make the switch. It wasn't as if Lowber wasn't having much success at his other two sports. He won the NCAA Division 3 high jump title by clearing seven feet for Ramapo College last spring — and that's after not having high jumped since high school. And he averaged 12 points a game in 45 games for the Ramapo men's basketball team and was playing professionally in Germany last summer.

Yet, over the last eight months of running and jumping and catching passes, Lowber has learned to love a game he barely knows.

“When it came to football I always had tunnel vision,'' said Lowber, who now lives in Riverside. “I guess I just didn't want to get hurt. I was concentrating on the other two sports and wanted to keep it that way. Who knows where I'd be right now if I had gotten involved in football at an earlier age? Then again, everything happens for a reason.''

Lowber has been working five days a week since January with Jim Garrett, who has been involved with the NFL for 40 years as a player, assistant coach and scout.

Garrett, who also was a head coach on the collegiate level, last worked as a scout for Cowboys in 2003.
click here

Garrett, retired now, helps develop football hopefuls at GoodSports USA in Wall Township. Over the years Garrett has seen a lot of talented players come and go, but few better than Lowber.

“The kid is really fast and he can jump,'' Garrett said. “We had a workout for six NFL teams and he ran a 4.11, a 4.21, a 4.28 and a 4.3 40-yard dash. And he had a 421/2 vertical leap.

“Plus, he's such a nice kid. In all my years, he's the nicest kid I've ever been around. So polite and so respectful of his elders.

“With Todd, I didn't want to get involved in a bunch of technical stuff with him because I didn't want to confuse him. I mean, the kid's never worn a helmet before. So I just told him to watch the other kids and do what they do. He's a quick learner.

“I don't want to burden him with expectations. But I can see him making the (Vikings) final roster. But they have to take him from Point A. They have to bring him along from the beginning because he never played the game before. But he has the talent.”

Lowber has worked out for several NFL teams since March 29. According to his agent, Jim Ulrich, a Mount Laurel resident who works for Atlanta-based Enter-Sports Management, the Eagles were one of those teams who came to see Lowber. The Eagles liked what they saw but wanted to wait until after next weekend's NFL Draft to make a decision on signing him.

Lowber and Ulrich didn't want to wait that long. Neither did the Vikings.

“I wanted to get him into a situation where he could get some one-on-one instruction before the minicamps begin,'' Ulrich said. “I would have loved him to sign with the Eagles but they just couldn't pull the trigger.

“Minnesota is a good situation for him. They actually have a bigger need at wide receiver than the Eagles do and they have some great coaches to work with.''

Ulrich, like Garrett, doesn't want to make any hasty predictions right now but thinks Lowber has a legitimate chance to make the Vikes' final roster.

“One of the scouts on the Vikes asked me how I thought he would do, and really, I told him I have no idea,'' Ulrich said. “He's never played football before. But he's got incredible talent and a huge heart. He wants to do this.''