Rose Bowl: Draft Watch

Here are the following players to keep your eye for the 2010 NFL Draft in the ROSE BOWL.

Oregon Ducks:

TE Ed Dickson - Dickson is a big receiving tight end at 6'5" and 243 pounds. The Duck has good hands and is a talented overall athlete. He needs to working on his blocking ability to become more of a complete tight end, but he possesses the potential to do that as he matures. He has a 2nd round grade.

RB LeGarrette Blount – Blount was (temporarily) kicked off the team because of his actions in Oregon's first game this season and it is unclear how much he will play. In his junior season he averaged 7.3 yards a carry and had 17 rushing touchdowns. He is a big back at 6'2" and 240 pounds, with good enough speed. Blount has better straight ahead speed, but needs to work on his quickness, so he can get in and out of holes at the next level. He isn’t a complete running back yet, and he needs to work on catching the ball. Because of his actions, he has a 6th round grade.

S T.J. Ward - Ward has only played in 7 games this season so far because of injuries. He has decent size at 5'11" and 208 pounds and is a good overall athlete. He has the ability to cover and played some cornerback earlier in his career. His ability to cover the slot in the nickel like a cornerback increases his value. He has a 4th round grade.

DT Blake Ferras, Oregon - Ferras has great size at 6'6" and 290 pounds. The interior linemen is a hard worker and a physical presence on the defensive line. He has a free-agent grade right now.

Ohio State Buckeyes:

TE Jake Ballard – Ballard is a 6'6" and 256 pound blocking tight end that has a free-agent grade.

C Jim Cordle – Cordle is a good all around football player who is smart and doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. He isn’t a great athlete, which is why he a likely candidate to be a priority free-agent.

DE Doug Worthington - Worthington is over shadowed by both Cameron Heyward and Thaddeus Gibson but he is a good football player that can make plays. He is 6'5" and 276 pounds with the ability to play defensive end or tackle in either the 3-4 or 4-3 defense. Right now has a 6th round grade.

DE Cameron Heyward (JR) – Heyward is a dominating defensive linemen that can play end and also tackle and there are thought that he will declare early. Right now if he does declare he could be a 1st round pick.

DE Thaddeus Gibson (JR) – Gibson plays defensive end, but many think he will play outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense because he is a very good pass rusher. He could come out early, but might want to return for his senior season to improve his stock. He has a 3rd round grade if he does declare for the 2010 NFL Draft.

CB Chimdi Chekwa (JR) – Chekwa is thinking about declaring early, but should come back to work on his game. He is a good athlete, but needs to become a better overall football player. If he does declare would be a 3rd round pick.

S Kurt Coleman – Coleman is a solid football player who is a sound tackler who can cover as well. He is on the short side for a safety but is a playmaker in the secondary. Right now he has a 4th round grade.

S Jermale Hines (JR) – Hines has come on this season and there are thoughts that he will declare early. He should stay for his senior season and get more experience.

For more NFL, NFL Draft news, you can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jvanfulpen

Photos Courtesy of John Giustina/Oregon, The Ohio State Department of Athletics

Draft Watch: Iowa @ Ohio State

1) In the Trenches: Iowa’s top two prospects on the offensive side of the ball are their tackles, junior Bryan Bulaga (25 career starts) and senior Kyle Calloway (34 career starts). Bulaga is the crown jewel and could be next in the line of Big Ten top-ten picks at offensive tackle. The conference has produced three in the last three years—Wisconsin’s Joe Thomas (third pick in 2007), Penn State’s Levi Brown (fifth pick in 2007) and Michigan’s Jake Long (first pick in 2008). Iowa is no stranger to the top of the draft—Robert Gallery was the second overall pick in 2004. Heading into the season Bulaga appeared well on his way, coming off an outstanding sophomore campaign which he capped off with a dominant performance against South Carolina in the Outback Bowl. However, his junior season did not start off the way he expected as he missed significant time early on with an undisclosed illness. Still, no one doubts his first round talent—at 6’ 6” and 315 pounds he has the size, feet and athleticism to man the all-important left tackle position. On the right side, Calloway has started the last nine games and has improved his stock this season. Not as talented as Bulaga, Calloway has proved more agile than many expected and at 6’ 7” and 315 pounds, size is not an issue. Taking on the stellar Buckeye defense is an opportunity for both of these big uglies to make an impression in front of the talent scouts in attendance.

Putting the Iowa blocking bookends to the test will be one of the fiercest defensive end duos in the nation—Ohio State juniors Thaddeus Gibson and Cameron Heyward. While they are equally dangerous, their styles of play are very distinct, as are their dimensions. Heyward, the son of Ironhead, checks in at 6’ 6” and 287 pounds, while Gibson is 6’ 2” and 240 pounds. When speaking to College Football Insiders Radio in an interview earlier this season, Heyward discussed his attributes, “I have a lot of power. It works to my advantage. I can play defensive end and it gives us a chance to be versatile. We have guys like Thad [Gibson]…we can be strong sometimes and we can be quick.” Gibson will likely shift to outside linebacker at the next level—and hopefully achieve better results than former Buckeye Vernon Gholston—while Heyward will continue to play with his hand on the ground. That is not to say the powerful Heyward lacks explosiveness, just ask Penn State. The junior is coming off his top game of the season against the Nittany Lions: 11 tackles, three tackles for a loss and two sacks. Heyward now leads the team with his five sacks and tops the defensive line with 36 tackles. Gibson (33 tackles) has four sacks among his team-high 10.5 tackles for loss. “He’s one of the best pass-rushers on the team and he’s so versatile—he can go up and under, come off the edge…but he also has a lot of power. Thad’s one of the strongest guys on our team,” Heyward said of his fellow end. It will be fun to watch how these two disruptive ends fare against the blocking duo of Bulaga and Calloway.

2) Pryor Progress: If the play in the trenches isn’t sexy enough for you, let’s talk some TP. When he arrived at Ohio State, Terrelle Pryor brought with him the reputation as a can’t-miss prospect—he’s 6’ 6”, 235 pounds and runs like the wind. He is physically gifted, but his development at quarterback hasn’t been as smooth of a ride as anticipated. Pryor is getting opportunities to air it out—averaging 22.4 pass attempts per game—but those chances have yielded inconsistent results. His completion percentage is down from 60.6 percent as a freshman to 54 percent this season and while his touchdowns are up from 12 to 15, so are his interceptions from four to nine. Pryor still struggles to read defenses, find the open receivers, and connect with them even when he makes the right decision. He has thrown three touchdowns with no interceptions in the Buckeyes’ last two games, but he also failed to complete half of his passes against both New Mexico State and Penn State. Pryor is still a long way from being a pro passer, but has two years of eligibility remaining after this season to make some progress.

3) Iowa Defense: While most people have focused on Iowa’s lack of an explosive offense, the Hawkeyes have won so many close games because their defense has been so stout. They are in every game because of that defense and that should be no different this week. Iowa is ranked third in scoring defense (15.9 points per game), pass defense (173 yards per game) and total defense (291.7 yards per game), while leading the conference in pass efficiency defense and turnovers created with 26.

Coming into the season everyone knew about senior MIKE Pat Angerer and he has done nothing to hurt his draft stock. Angerer, whose name suits a middle linebacker perfectly, is second in the Big Ten with his 106 stops. He is a bit undersized at 6’ 1” and 235 pounds, but has underrated game speed and is a very instinctive defender. In addition to being a fierce hitter, Angerer is also solid in coverage, which makes him a three-down player. Senior SAM A.J. Edds is solid linebacking prospect in his own right, bringing more in terms of size at 6’ 4” and 244 pounds. Edds is not the tackling the machine that Angerer is, but is a good athlete with three interceptions to his credit. Neither gets after the quarterback, which has a lot to do with Iowa’s scheme—they don’t blitz very often. Their leading sacker is junior end Adrian Clayborn who, at 6’ 3” and 282 pounds, has both the size and athleticism to be an impact player. He leads Iowa with his 7.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. Coming off the edge on the other side is sophomore Broderick Binns (five sacks) who is even more athletic and ready to blossom as a pass rusher. On the inside, juniors Karl Klug (6’ 4”/258 pounds) and Christian Ballard (6’ 5”/285 pounds) make things happen with their quickness. Each has three sacks, with Klug second on the team with his 10 tackles for loss. Ballard can also play defensive end. Their top defensive back is junior Amari Spievey (6’ 0”/190 pounds), who is among the top cover men in the nation. Spievey is not a risk taker, as he plays with sound technique and rarely gives up the big play. Look for him to match-up with Ohio State’s big play wide out, sophomore DeVier Posey (45 receptions, 672 yards, 7 touchdowns), often on Saturday.

Photos Courtesy of Iowa Sports Information, The Ohio State Department of Athletics

CFI Countdown: #5 Ohio St. Buckeyes

2008 Record: 10-3 (Big Ten 7-1)
Bowl Game: Lost Fiesta Bowl to Texas 24-21
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Stadium: Ohio Stadium (102,329)
Head Coach: Jim Tressel
Overall: 216-74-2 (24th season)
@ Ohio St.: 83-19 (9th season)
Link to OSU Football Page

Jim Tressel has led the Buckeyes to 43 wins over the last four seasons. Those wins took Ohio St. to three Big Ten titles, four BCS Bowl games, and two BCS Championship game appearances. Nevertheless, Ohio St. has almost become a dirty word in some parts as a couple of poor performances against premiere competition have overshadowed their otherwise impressive record of consistency. They will look to improve those big-game performances in 2009.

When the Buckeyes Have the Ball

Offensive Coordinator: Jim Bollman (9th season)
Scheme: Two-Back/Spread Offense
Starters Returning: Four
Key Losses: RB Beanie Wells, OT Alex Boone, WR Brian Robiskie, WR Brian Hartline

Terrelle Pryor ended up playing a lot more than originally planned as a true freshman, which should pay dividends in 2009. No one is saying Pryor is a finished product by any means, but the sophomore has incredible physical skills. He has prototypical size and often is the best athlete on the field, creating mismatches whenever he gets out of the pocket. Because he is so dangerous with his legs, it opens up passing lanes—defenses must always account for Pryor as a runner. Even with Chris “Beanie” Wells leaving early for the NFL, the running game should be just fine with sophomore Dan “Boom” Herron taking over the starting role. Herron sees the field well and is a hard runner. Brandon Saine will come off the bench with his excellent ball skills as a receiver, but the back with the most potential might be true freshman Jaamal Berry. That trio gives the Buckeyes one of the deepest backfields in the conference. Up front, sophomore Mike Brewster anchors the offensive line from his center position and is already one of the best at his craft. Also returning are tackle Jim Cordle and guard Bryant Browning, with former Michigan man Justin Boren, a nasty blocker, taking over at the other guard spot. When they do throw the pigskin there will be no shortage of weapons. Junior Dane Sanzenbacher gives Pryor a reliable target, while sophomore DeVier Posey brings superstar potential—he’s a big play waiting to happen. Also keep an eye on freshman Duron Carter—the son of Cris—and sophomore Lamaar Thomas as the season progresses.

Top Pro Prospects: 1) QB Terrelle Pryor (SO), 2) C Mike Brewster (SO), 3) DeVier Posey (SO)

When the Other Team Has the Ball

Defensive Coordinator: Jim Heacock (5th season)/Luke Fickell (5th season)
Scheme: Multiple 4-3
Starters Returning: Seven
Key Losses: CB Malcolm Jenkins, LB James Laurinaitis, LB Marcus Freeman, DT Nader Abdallah, LB Larry Grant, CB Donald Washington

Last season it was about the linebackers. This year, with all three backers gone, the defensive line will lead the way. Defensive ends Cameron Heyward and Thaddeus Gibson complement each other perfectly. Heyward is a load at almost 290 pounds, and not many college linemen are as strong and stout at the point of attack. Meanwhile, the 240-pound Gibson uses his athleticism and quickness to beat blockers off the edge. Look for Gibson to have a breakout season as a pass rusher. Clogging up the middle are Doug Worthington and Dexter Larimore, a pair of workman-like defenders. Seniors Rob Rose, Todd Denlinger, and Lawrence Wilson, as well as sophomore Nathan Williams provide depth. Williams is the next in line, while Wilson is former starter working his way back to health. At linebacker, junior Ross Homan looked good in a backup role last season and should be a leader this season. Joining Homan will be senior Austin Spitler and hard-hitting junior Brain Rolle. Pushing for playing time will be talented sophomore Etienne Sabino. The last line of defense is secure with one of the nation’s best safety tandems in seniors Kurt Coleman and Anderson Russell. The top coverman is junior Chimdi Chekwa, with Andre Amos and Devon Torrence competing for playing time. True freshman Travis Howard has the ability to make an impact this season.

Top Pro Prospects: 1) DE Cameron Heyward (JR), 2) CB Chimdi Chekwa (JR), 3) DE Thaddeus Gibson (JR)

The Schedule

Do you think any team wants to win an out of conference game more than Ohio St. does when the Trojans roll into Columbus? It’s nothing personal with the Men of Troy, but that is the only way the Buckeyes can silence the growing wave of somewhat deserved criticism. It’s kind of a big game in the polls too—a win and suddenly the Buckeyes would leapfrog USC in the national title picture. They also play Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin at the Horseshoe with Michigan St. off the schedule. Road games at Indiana and Purdue are essentially open-book tests, but a trip to Happy Valley will not be an easy final exam—expect a whiteout waiting for the Pennsylvania native Pryor. They also travel to that school up north to the Big House for extra credit in what could be a tougher game than it looks heading into the season.

Pivotal Point

“Step up” should be the theme for the 2009 Buckeyes. Pryor needs to step up as a superstar and carry the offense. Herron needs to step up and replace Wells. Posey and Sanzenbacher need to step up and replace the Brians (Robiskie and Hartline). On defense, Homan needs to step up as the leader of the linebacking corps. Chekwa needs to step up as a lockdown corner. And Coach Tressel needs to step up in big spots—they all do. That means no more blowouts (see 35-3 to USC) or blowing fourth quarter leads (up 6-3 heading into the fourth quarter versus Penn St. & took 21-17 lead with just over two minutes remaining in their bowl loss to Texas). They faced three top-ten teams and went 0-3…it’s time to step up!

CFI Final Analysis

Outside of their stinker at the Coliseum—and there is no other way to categorize their performance against USC—the Buckeyes played some darn good football in 2008. They went toe-to-toe with the third ranked team in the country—twice—before falling 13-6 to Penn St. and 24-21 to Texas. Did you know they had a true freshman playing quarterback? TP is a freshman no more and it’s time for the Buckeyes to win some of those spotlight games and what better place to start than on national television versus the Trojans?

College Football Insiders Top 25 Countdown:
The Next 25 (26-50) Plus 18 Bowl Teams
#25 West Virginia Mounainteers
#24 Tennessee Volunteers
#23 Clemson Tigers
#22 Pittsburgh Panthers
#21 Michigan St. Spartans
#20 Utah Utes
#19 Oregon Ducks
#18 Florida St. Seminoles
#17 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
#16 Boise St. Broncos
#15 North Carolina Tar Heels
#14 Penn St. Nittany Lions
#13 Mississippi Rebels
#12 Oklahoma St. Cowboys
#11 California Golden Bears
#10 Iowa Hawkeyes
#9 Virginia Tech Hokies
#8 Georgia Bulldogs
#7 USC Trojans
#6 LSU Tigers

Photos Courtesy of The Ohio State Department of Athletics