GIANTS 101

The knowledgeable fans on this site are familiar with the players expected to be drafted in the early rounds of the NFL Draft.  However, where NFL GMs make decisions that keep their jobs down the road are finding solid players with their mid-late round picks.  These are some of the hidden gems on the offensive side of the ball in the 2010 NFL Draft, players I expect to go in the mid-late rounds that could be steals in the future.  Defensive sleepers coming next week.

• QB – Levi Brown, Troy - As we all know by now this is a weak quarterback class.  All of the talk about Sam Bradford, Jimmy Claussen and of course Tim Tebow.  Let me go on record as saying Levi Brown is as good as a developmental QB as I have seen in the last few drafts.  For a team with an established starter, he would be a great pick in the 5th round.  Has the size (6’4 229lbs), Athletic (4.93 40 yard dash), strong arm, great leader who may have been the best with the media at the combine.  He has a little Tony Romo to him.  He has problems with consistent accuracy and reading defenses right now, but he can learn that with a few years of seasoning.  I think he will be at worst a very good NFL backup in a few years.
• QB – Josh Skelton, Fordham - A hot name right now that is getting a little too much buzz is Skelton, a 6’6 243lb rocket armed quarterback out of Fordham.  Skelton ran a great 40 (4.85) but is nowhere as athletic as Levi Brown on the field of play.  I could see him coming off the board as early as the 5th round for a team that needs a developmental QB, because he can do one thing great, through the ball a mile.
• QB – Jarrett Brown, West Virginia - We had Pat White as the wildcat QB out of West Virginia who was over-drafted last season, and Jarrett Brown will do the same thing this season.  Brown is not as athletic as White was, but it a better pure quarterback. He has better size (6’3 224lbs) and a better arm than White did a season ago.  More of a quarterback coming out than White was and ran a 4.50 40 yard dash.  Probably a 5th round pick.
• RB – James Starks, Buffalo - A shoulder injury cost Starks his 2009 season and dropped his stock.  Starks has a nice combination of size (6’2 218lbs) and speed (4.50), and his college stats read like this: 2007 – 1103 yards, 12 TDs rushing 41 catches for 311 yards and 2 TDs receiving and 2008 – 1333 yards 16 TDs rushing and 52 catches 361 yards 1 TD).  I think he would be a steal in the 5th round, and is the kind of upside pick Jerry Reese always nails.
• RB – Anthony Dixon, Mississippi State - A big back (6’1 233lbs) who struggled at the combine (4.67 40 yard dash), Dixon would be a nice fit for a team like the Chargers that needs a bruising tailback.  He knows how to run downhill and was very productive in the SEC, gaining 1391 yards and scoring 12 TDs as a senior.  Over his career at Miss State, carried 910 times for 3994 yards and scored a whopping 42 TDs (10.5 per year average).  Also is solid in blitz pickup and a good receiver.  Probably a 4th round pick.
• RB – Lonyae Miller, Fresno State - Although his backfield-mate Ryan Matthews is getting all of the press right now, Miller also turned some heads at the combine.  He was nowhere near as productive as Matthews at Fresno, but did average 5.2 yards per carry as a senior.  He has good size (6′ 221lbs) and ran in the low 4.4s at the combine.  The tools are there, but the production was not because he just did not get the ball in 2009.  He could be a steal in the 6th round.
• WR – Chris McGaha, Arizona State - The best route runner in the draft with fantastic hands, McGaha is one of my favorite sleepers in the 2010 draft.  He is not a threat to score a lot of touchdowns, but he will get open and catch a ton of balls in the pros.  He was faster than expected at the combine (4.51) and has good enough size (6’1 200lbs).  He could be a steal in the 5th round.
• WR – Carlton Mitchell, South Florida - Great size (6’3 215lbs) and speed (4.46) combo.  Mitchell intended to stay at USF, but left when Head Coach Jim Leavitt was fired.  He was not extremely productive in college (only 105 catches for 1648 yards and 9 TDs over three seasons) but all of the tools are there.  I bet he is a third round pick based on his physical skills alone.
• WR – Andre Roberts, Citadel - A small (5’11 195lbs) and speedy (4.40) receiver who was extremely productive in college (286 catches for 3743 yards and 36 TDs over four seasons.  Compare those numbers to Mitchell, who will likely be drafted ahead of him in April.  Over the last three seasons, Roberts caught 78, 95 and 77 passes respectively and looks like a steal in the 3rd-4th round.
• WR – Freddie Barnes, Bowling Green - This man set an NCAA record by catching 155 passes LAST SEASON.  His numbers for 2009 – 155 receptions, 1770 yards, 19 TDs.  His career was nowhere near as good, with totals of 298 catches 3,299 yards and 30 TDs, so the bulk of his production came in 2009.  He did not measure (6′ 212lbs) or run (4.65) well at all, but he has to be doing something right.  Could be a nice pick in the 5th or 6th round.
• WR – Marcus Easley, UConn - Another player who has consistently been on the rise due to a size (6’3 210lbs) and speed (4.39) combo.  A former walk-on, Easley did not see the field as a freshman and caught a combined 5 passes for 104 yards as a sophomore and junior combined.  He burst onto the scene as a senior, catching 43 passes for 893 yards and 8 touchdowns, then had a great combine.  So he is a one year wonder, but the size and the speed is there, and someone could find themselves a nice steal in the 5th round.
• TE – Andrew Quarless, Penn State - A nice all around tight end, he has the combo of size (6’5 254lbs) speed (a surprising 4.68) and production (41 receptions for 583 yards and 3 TDs in 2009) that teams will look for in a second tight end.  Very good blocker too and could be a nice player in the red zone due to his deceptive athleticism.  Probably a 4th-5th round pick in a deep tight end class.
• TE – Colin Peek, Alabama - The tight end of the National Champion Crimson Tide, Peek is never going to be starting in the NFL, but he is the kind of player that every team has.  A big (6’5 253lb) tight end, who is an excellent blocker, and always sneaks a few touchdowns a year in goal line packages.  He will probably be an 8-year pro when all is said and done as a second or third tight end and a 6th round pick.
• TE – Jimmy Graham, Miami - Probably a name that anyone following this draft should know by now, the former basketball player is a freakish athlete at 6’6 260lbs.  He only played one season of college football and only caught 17 passes for 213 yards and 5 TDs as a Red Zone target for the most part.  One of those players that jumps out at workouts (4.54 40 yard dash, 38.5″ vertical) and coaches think they can mold him into the next Antonio Gates.  This alone makes him a 3rd rounder.
• OT – Kyle Calloway, Iowa - A sleeper that I really like, Calloway has great size (6’7 323 lbs) and will be a starting right tackle in the NFL before long.  A battle tested player, he is a great run blocker should be a long time NFL player who will be off the board late round 3 or early round 4.
• OT – Sam Young, Notre Dame - Once the top offensive line prospect in the country, Young never put it together and became a dominant collegiate tackle.  He has slow feet, is not aggressive enough and plays too high.  He has great size (6’8 316lbs) and is strong enough that with the right coaching he could become a starting right tackle one day, and could be a steal in the 6th round.
• OT – Jared Veldheer, Hillsdale - A player currently on the rise, Veldheer has great size 6’8 312lbs and athleticism for his build.  He is a project who needs to add some strength to his towering frame, and he is probably at least a year away from having an impact on the field, but he is going to be a steal for someone in the 3rd round.
• OG – Marshall Newhouse, TCU - One prospect that is flying way under the radar and who will be a steal, Newhouse is 6’4 319lbs and has great athleticism, running a 4.99 40 yard dash while getting 25 reps on the bench.  I see him as a long time starter in this league, who is likely a 4th round pick.
• OG – Zane Beadles, Utah - Another guard who could be a steal in the 4th-5th round, Beadles is 6’5 310lbs and could play a little tackle in the NFL.  He has quick feet and a lean frame, which he could easily pack some more weight on.  Some scouts believe he can also play tackle, even on the left side, down the road.
• OG – Mitch Petrus, Arkansas - Benched 225lbs 45 times at the combine and measured in at 6’3 310lbs on top of being a pretty good player, Petrus is a 5th rounder who could crack the starting lineup quickly in the NFL after facing tough competition in the SEC.
• OC – J.D. Walton, Baylor - My favorite center after Markuice Pouncey in this draft, Walton is tough as nails at 6’3 300lbs and could play guard if needed.  He is a leader who plays with a mean streak and will likely be a starter within a year.  He will be off the board in the 4th round area.  I like him a little more than Matt Tennant, but he will be drafted after him.
• OC – Ted Larsen, NC State - A player gaining momentum right now, Larsen has good size at 6’3 305lbs and plenty of athleticism and strength.  Probably a 6th rounder who will stick on an NFL roster.

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