The Nittany Turkey

Primarily about Penn State football, this is a tale told by idiots, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

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PSU Pro Prospects

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Now that the NFL Scouting Combine is over, we can take a look at 2010 NFL Draft eligible Nittany Lions who might be playing on Sundays.

This year’s crop is not particularly robust, so this won’t be a lengthy post. We’ll look at the Scouts, Inc. grades and the scouting comments associated with each Penn State player who has declared for the draft. There are 10 of them.

The grading system will give you an idea about where each prospect fits into the draft picture. Scores in the 90s mean first round; in the 80s mean second round; in the 70s, third round; 60s, fourth round; 50s, fifth round; 31-49, late rounds; 30, free agent prospect; and 20 – ain’t gonna make it at all.

The highest ranking Nittany Lion is defensive tackle Jared Odrick. With a grade of 91, he ranks 28th overall and 5th at his position. His best rating (above average) comes in the Height-Weight-Speed category: “wide frame, good bulk and above average top-end speed” and also in Strength/Toughness: “Stout and shows good strength at the point of attack. Extremely competitive and works hard to fight through blocks. However has some problems holding ground against double teams.” Scouts ranked him average in the remaining categories other than Intangibles, where he took a hit because of his disorderly conduct arrest in March 2008.

Next is Sean Lee, who scored an 87, ranking 44 overall and 3rd best at linebacker. His best score (exceptional) was in Intangibles: “Coaches rave about his hard work off the field and leadership skills. 2006: Academic All-Big Ten. 2005: Earned Dean’s List recognition during the fall semester.” He was rated above average in Production, Height-Weight-Speed, Strength/Toughness, and Tackling; just average in Range vs. Run and 3rd Down Capabilities. His worst rating (below average) was in Durability: “Tore ACL in his right knee during a non-contact drill in April of 2008 and underwent surgery later that month. Missed the 2008 season as a result.” We all know that story, but the NFL is particularly wary of gimpy knees. Whoever drafts Lee is going to want to go over him with a fine-toothed comb.

Navorro Bowman is right behind Lee in the 2010 linebackers’ crop, with a grade of 86. He ranks 48 overall and 4th among linebackers. His best rating (exceptional) was in Range vs. Run. He was above average in Durability, Instincts/Recognition, Tackling, and 3rd Down Capabilities; average in Production, Height-Weight-Speed, and Strength/Toughness. Below average Intangibles stem from incidents of which we are all aware.  Some sports journalists are picking Bowman to be a first-rounder, hard on the heels of Odrick.

Tight end Andrew Quarless had a great freshman year and then took a vacation. He seemed to come alive to some extent in his final season, but one has to wonder whether he did not hurt himself irreparably by being a dick. He’s got the size and the speed, but he has some attitude problems that will cause pro teams to shy away from him. Blocking is another weak area that will cause his draft position to drop. His best ratings (above average) are in Height-Weight-Speed: “Possesses prototypical size along with above-average top-end speed for the position”; Durability; and Separation Skills: “Soft hands and catches the ball naturally. Can open up hips and makes tough catch away from frame. Shows good focus and can come up with reception with defender hanging on him. However, could do a better job of tracking balls thrown over shoulder. ” Alas, he was rated below average in Production, Intangibles (“There were concerns about off-the-field work ethic early in career”), Competitiveness/Toughness, and Blocking. His grade was 58, meaning a solid fifth rounder.

Jeremy Boone was a sturdy, workmanlike punter at Penn State, who unfortunately couldn’t show off his best work because of the crappy punt coverage team he had to play with. The block for a TD against Iowa was sure as hell not his fail, and neither were most of the other notable screw-ups during 2009. Unfortunately, this all impacts his NFL viability. He rates an “average” in Production and Intangibles, and a “below-average” in Height-Weight-Speed, while his best category is Durability (exceptional). He missed no playing time. With a grade of 39, Boone is possibly looking at being drafter in one of the late rounds.

Linebacker Josh Hull actually did unexpectedly well in the cone drills at the Combine, but he nevertheless gets a grade of 39. He’s a bit undersized and a step too slow. His third down capabilities are suspect. Hull is a late-rounder or possibly, a free agent.

Quarterback Daryll Clark lacks the height, passing motion, footwork, and composure in the pocket to play the position in the NFL.  Scouts rated him above average in Durability, Intangibles, Arm Strength, and Mobility; average everywhere else. “Above-average pocket awareness. Side steps interior well and does a nice job of stepping up when senses pressure off the edge. Strength allows him to ward off would be sacks on occasion. Can break contain and create plays on his own. However, puts the ball on the ground too much. ” When I read that, I wondered which Clark they were talking about. I didn’t think he used the pocket well at all. His attitude is good, though, and some NFL team might want to take a chance with him as a late rounder, perhaps at running back. His height will not be looked upon favorably in the NFL at the QB position — there just aren’t any Doug Fluties out there anymore. Clark’s grade was 34, making him a potential candidate for “Mr. Irrelevant.”

Offensive guard Dennis Landolt, tight end Mickey Shuler, and cornerback A.J. Wallace all got grades of 30. They might be on the outside looking in, but they might stand a chance as undrafted free agents.

Lindy’s has Odrick going to New England at #22 and Bowman being snatched up by New Orleans at #30. Sean Lee might have to wait as long as the third round due to that unfortunate knee injury.

This Turkey will now start scouring the back pages of a veritable plethora of e-rags for any news about our other NFL aspirant, Anthony Morelli. As Morelli worked out in private for NFL scouts and coaches after the Combine last Friday, I’m don’t expect to find much—after all, Morelli sightings are not quite like Elvis sightings.

Annual NFL Draft Wrap-Up

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Our ex-Nittany Lions did reasonably well in the NFL Draft, with five former PSU players being drafted, including one in the first round.

As expected, defensive end Aaron Maybin was snapped up in the first round as #11 overall pick. The lucky NFL team is the Buffalo Bills, who will probably give him a lot of playing time in the forthcoming season. He joins another ex-Lion there, linebacker Paul Pozluszny, who will be entering his third year. Initially, the knock on Maybin was that he needed to bulk up to play in the NFL. Then, when he did, some pundits were heard to say that he bulked up too fast. However, all’s well that ends well, and #11 overall is a happy ending with a fat contract to sign.

Not so lucky was the other early entry from the Penn State defensive line, Maurice Evans. Undrafted, he might now want to question the advice given to him to come out early, although it is now too late. Some NFL team will probably take a chance on him as a free agent at a bargain price. Evans got himself in trouble during the past season at Penn State, and the NFL owners look unkindly at potential draftees with the “character flag” associated with their scouting reports. Thus, Evans might better have been served by playing another year and keeping his nose clean.

Two out of Penn State’s Big Three receivers entering the draft were snapped up in Round Three. Derrick Williams went to the Detroit Lions with the 82nd overall pick, while Deon Butler was picked 91st overall by the Seattle Seahawks. Williams will have a great opportunity with the formerly hapless Lions, who are now in an intensive rebuilding phase subsequent to the end of the disastrous Matt Millen era. Matt Stafford of Georgia, the #1 overall pick, will ultimately be the quarterback throwing to Williams. Meanwhile, Butler goes to another club that is doing some rebuilding. Butler can be expected to get some immediate reps not only at wide receiver, but also returning punts and kickoffs. As you might recall, Bobby Engram spent several years with the Seahawks. Too bad he won’t be there to mentor Butler. He was traded to Kansas City, where he can babysit with Larry Johnson for a while.

Two offensive linemen were chosen in later rounds. Rich Ohrnberger went to the New England Patriots in Round Four. Finally, A. Q. Shipley was chosen midway through the final round by this Turkey’s own favorite Pittsburgh Steelers, where he hopes to join a long line of Pro-Bowl and Hall of Fame centers.

Aside from Maurice Evans, Gerald Cadogan, Jordan Norwood, and Lydell Sargeant were not drafted. However, shortly after the conclusion of the draft, Norwood signed with the Cleveland Browns and Cadogan agreed to an offer made by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Internet rumors suggest that the New York Giants will pick up Evans, while the Bills will grab Sargeant.

Among other undrafted free agents who did not participate in the draft, Josh Gaines looks to be going to the Philadelphia Eagles, Mark Rubin to the St. Louis Rams, and Tony Davis to the Arizona Cardinals. There is no word as yet about Anthony Scirrotto and Tyrell Sales.

How did Penn State’s draft class compare with other schools? I’m glad you asked. In the Big Ten, Ohio State led with seven draftees, followed by Penn State with five, and Iowa and Wisconsin, tied with four each. The overall winner of the draft sweepstakes was USC, with 11 selected, including three first-rounders.

Thoughts on the 2008 NFL Draft

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Of five ex-Nittany Lions eligible for the draft, two were selected in middle rounds and three were undrafted. Dan Connor was 74th overall pick; he’ll be going to the Carolina Panthers. Justin King was 101th overall and he’ll become a St. Louis Ram.

Just about all the experts expected that Connor would go in the first or second round, and that King would be a second or third round pick. They were wrong. What happened?

I suppose for one thing, the pseudo-experts cannot possibly watch what happens in every player’s games during an entire season. Their assessments are based partially on scouting reports they read, partially on NFL Scouting Combine results, and partially on media hype.

Justin King hurt himself by coming out early. This whole thing about potentially getting injured in one’s final year of eligibility makes it all seem a little too mercenary; yet it is a valid concern for one who would otherwise have to make his living selling insurance. There’s a lot of money to be made in the NFL and you ain’t worth a dime if you’re hurt. However, King’s on-field performance in his last campaign was anything but impressive. The pseudo-experts of ESPN, etc., saw stuff like Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. They apparently did not get the opportunity to see King (PSU’s supposed shut-down corner) being buried by wide receivers throughout the season and, particularly at the end, picked on by opposing quarterbacks. If they saw that, they would have ranked King lower.

Connor to a lesser extent exhibits some deficiencies that might impede his NFL potential. NFL scouts and coaches see these things. Media hypists ignore them. Connor’s lower body strength is somewhat deficient by NFL standards, as is his speed. He is much better at stopping the run that in peeling off in pass coverage. Another issue that might have caused NFL clubs to look past Connor is the character flag on his scouting sheet. Phonegate could have come back to haunt him. Nevertheless, his motivation and work ethic count for a lot. He has matured considerably since he made those harassing calls.

A couple other overall issues might have caused the Nittany Lions to drop down in the draft. This was the Year of the Offensive Tackle—seven OTs were selected in the first round alone. Good wide receivers are always in demand in the NFL, and there were several on the board, yet none at all were selected in the first round. This had to produce a ripple effect that moved all the other positions down.

I also have to believe that Penn State is losing credibility with the NFL due to several busts and injuries in recent years. Elsewhere I’ve mentioned my concerns about the strength and conditioning program’s efficacy (or lack of same), seeing that an inordinate number of Penn State alumni seem to be injured soon after entering the NFL. The only real Penn State success in recent history has been Larry Johnson.

Why should an NFL team take a chance on Justin King when Penn State’s previous so-called shut-down cornerback, Alan Zemaitis, bombed out in two years with the Tampa Bay Bucs? The Sandusky-Bradley soft zone has very little in common with how pass defense is played in the NFL, where cornerbacks jam receivers at the line of scrimmage and play bump-and-run. King has the speed to keep up with NFL receivers, but can he? There is nothing in his history at Penn State to suggest one way or the other whether he can or he cannot. King’s performance in Penn State’s loosey-goosey pass defense does not prove anything.

On the other hand, David Macklin is an example of a Penn State cornerback who adapted to the pros quite well, enjoying a lengthy pro career. What did Macklin have that Zemaitis did not have? Whatever it was, apparently pro scouts did not see it.

It is for lack of validation such as this that I have to wonder why so many people are all gung-ho on sliding Tom Bradley into the head coaching position that ultimately will be vacated by the venerable Joe Paterno. If you’ve read any of my tripe in the past, you’ll know how much I’ve disdained that crappy soft zone pass coverage, formerly entitled the BBDB (bend but don’t break). There’s far too much damn bending going on. It is predictable, and Big Ten coaches do not let nuances like that go unexploited. It bothers the hell out of me that it goes on and on, year after year. NCAA Division I-A (yeah, I know we’re supposed to call it some politically correct NCAA bullshit moniker now, but I’ll reserve the right to eschew that proscribed nonsense)—where was I?—oh yeah, Division I-A football is not played the same way now as it was in 1994, in Jerry Sandusky’s heyday, but Bradley does not seem capable of updating the damn defense to 2008 standards.

I haven’t said much about Kinlaw, Scott, and good ol’ Anthony Morelli. I did not really expect much from any of the three in the NFL Draft, and I got less than what I expected. Kinlaw was a fair-to-middling running back who stepped in and did a manly job of replacing Austin Scott after Scott was kicked off the team. Scott, of course, had that dancing problem that would cause NFL organizations to avoid him like the plague. Things happen fast in the NFL. There is no time to stand around behind the line waiting for holes. Scott, of course, had the all-important character flag on his scouting record, giving him the double-whammy. Morelli not only had the character flag, for all the effort he put into taunting Michigan fans, but also the “mental” flag, which essentially brands him as too stupid to learn a playbook, and the “speed” flag, which rates him as slow for his position. With all that going for him, NFL scouts didn’t have to see much more. However, if they did, they would have confirmed their negative assessment. You know all his flaws at this point; to reiterate them serves none of us.

Other Big 10 notables in the draft, guys you know and love (with overall pick number in parentheses): Adrian Arrington, WR, Michigan (237); Shawn Crable, LB, Michigan (78); Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State (6); James Hardy, WR, Indiana (41); Mike Hart, RB, Michigan (202); Chad Henne, QB, Michigan (57); Jack Ickegwuono, CB, Wisconsin (131); Jake Long, OT, Michigan (1); Mario Manningham, WR, Michigan (95); Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois (23); and Tracy Porter, CB, Indiana (40).

The undrafted Nittany Lions will obviously still have a chance to sign with NFL teams via free agency. My bet is that someone will pick up Morelli as a scout team project quarterback.

On the whole, this has been a pretty blah year for Penn State NFL placements.