Sept 1, 2012; Columbia, MO, USA; Missouri Tigers linebacker Zaviar Gooden (25) runs the ball during the first half at Faurot Field.The Missouri Tigers defeated the Southeastern Louisiana Lions 62-10. Mandatory Credit: Dak Dillon-USA TODAY Sports

Height: 6’1″

Weight: 234 pounds

Drafted By: Tennessee Titans (3rd round, 97th overall)

40 Yard Dash: 4.47

Bench Press: 27

Vertical Jump: 34″

Broad Jump: 131″

2012 Statistics

Career Highlights (via Missouri athletics site)

• 2012 – Team Captain

• 2012 – Mizzou Graduate (May)

• 2011 – Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 12)

• 2010 – Hon. Men. All-Big 12

• 2009 – 1st-Team Academic All-Big 12

2012 OUTLOOK

One of the more athletic specimens to ever play the linebacker position at Mizzou, who is poised for a big senior season in his 3rd year as a starter … Begins fall ball lined up atop the depth chart at the weakside spot, where he started all 13 games in 2011 … Earned his undergraduate degree from MU’s Trulaske College of Business this past May, meaning he’ll play the 2012 season as a graduate student.

2011 SEASON

Had a solid junior campaign at the WLB spot, starting all 13 games and ranking 3rd on the team with 80 tackles, including a team-best 54 solo stops … Led all Tigers with nine tackles against Arizona State in week two, all solo … recorded his first sack of the season, dropping Brock Osweiler for a loss of three yards in the final two minutes … blocked an Arizona State extra point in the second quarter … was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts against the Sun Devils … had eight tackles at Oklahoma, seven of which were solo with the other being assisted tackle for loss … also recorded a pass breakup against the Sooners … racked up six tackles, including an assisted tackle for loss against Kansas State … led all Tigers with nine tackles against Oklahoma State … had 1.5 tackles for loss against the Cowboys, totaling four yards, and also broke up a pass … had three solo and three assisted tackles against Texas A&M … had six total tackles at Baylor, including one for a six yard loss … had six tackles against Texas … broke up two passes against Texas Tech and had nine total tackles … finished tied for the team lead with seven tackles and also had an interception, picking off a pass batted at the line by teammate Dominique Hamilton early in the first quarter … Closed the season with a 6-tackle outing in the Independence Bowl, which included 1.5 TFLs, and an interception for the 2nd-straight game…

2010 SEASON

Emerged as one of the top playmakers for the Tiger defense, as he led the team with 85 tackles in his first year as a starter, playing on a unit which was one of the most improved defenses in the nation during 2010 … Was very consistent throughout the season, as he had no less than 5 tackles in every game against FBS competition, and he accounted for 5 turnovers in all, including 2 recovered fumbles, 2 interceptions and 1 forced fumble while notching 7.5 tackles for loss and 3 QB sacks in all … Tied for second on the team with eight tackles in the season opener against Illinois … Started at linebacker against UI, his first career start … Made five tackles in the win over San Diego State … Had seven stops against Miami (Ohio) … Also had a fumble recovery against the RedHawks … Made eight tackles against Colorado … Included in the eight tackles was two TFLs and one sack … Added a pass break-up against CU … Tied for the team lead with an eight-tackle performance against Texas A&M … Made his first career interception against Oklahoma … The INT came in the fourth quarter, helping MU put away the Sooners … Added five tackles against OU … Tied for second on the team with seven tackles against Nebraska … Had three TFLs against the Huskers, including two sacks … Made seven tackles, including one for a loss against Texas Tech … Picked off a pass and returned it 10 yards, for his second INT of 2010 … Also had three pass break-ups against the Red Raiders … Made nine tackles and had 1.5 TFLs against Kansas State.

2009 SEASON

Saw his first action as a Tiger after moving down to the linebackers over the summer, after spending the spring at his traditional safety position … Saw action in all 13 games and really started to hit his stride toward the latter part of the season, as he had three or more tackles in six of MU’s last seven ballgames … Finished with 30 tackles on the year, including three tackles for loss … Also did a great job in the classroom, as he earned First-Team Academic All-Big 12 honors for his efforts … Made three tackles against Furman, including one TFL … Had a then-career-best four tackles against Nevada and recorded two stops in the Oklahoma State game … Tied his career high with four tackles against Texas … Made three tackles (all solos) against Colorado on Oct. 31 … Also recovered a fumble in the win over CU … Had one pass-break-up against Baylor on Nov. 7 … Made five tackles against Kansas State to set a new career best … Also forced a key fumble on the one-yard line that went out of the endzone resulting in a touchback for Missouri … Had three tackles in both the Iowa State and Kansas games … Had three tackles in the spring game from the safety position.

2008 SEASON

Worked hard as part of the Tiger defensive scout team … Twice was named the defense’s Back-Up Player of the Week – for his efforts in practice prior to Mizzou’s games against Oklahoma State and Kansas.

Career Stats

Scouting Report/Player Notes

Video Highlights (via YouTube)

September 22, 2012; Columbia, SC, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson (34) gets instruction from the sidelines in the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Height:  6’4″

Weight:  295 pounds

Position Rank:

Drafted By: New York Jets (1st round, 13th overall)

40 Yard Dash:  4.96

Bench Press:  30

Vertical Jump:  32″

Broad Jump:  9’8″

Career Stats

2012

2011

Scouting Report/Player Notes

• Strong, stout defensive tackle prospect
• Plays with a good center of gravity, doesn’t get too high very often
• Sometimes plays standing up, better utilizing his quickness
• Love his quickness off the ball, and his ability to penetrate
• Size indicates he could play end in a 3-4, but I think he best fits in a 4-3
• Does a good job of using his hands
• Could stand to add a bit of weight without losing quickness, probably finding a home in the 305-310 range.
• Does a good job getting under the pads of offensive linemen, causing the pocket to collapse quickly on quarterbacks
• Upper body strength allows him to push through the line with ease
• Good pursuit and hustle for a defensive tackle
• Does a good job of getting upfield on passing downs, and Missouri utilized him in creative ways (stunts, off the edge, standing up)

Bottom Line:

Richardson will be one of the first DTs selected in the 2013 NFL Draft. He has a very dynamic skill set for a 4-3 defensive tackle and could be an ideal fit for a 4-3 defensive scheme. He should be a lock for the top 32 picks unless off-field issues arise.

Video Highlights (via YouTube)

September 22, 2012; Columbia, SC, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver T.J. Moe (28) makes a reception against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Height:  6’1″

Weight:  200 pounds

Position Rank:

Drafted By:

40 Yard Dash:  N/A

Bench Press:  N/A

Vertical Jump:  N/A

Broad Jump:  N/A

20-Yard Shuttle: N/A

Career Stats

Scouting Report/Player Notes

Video Highlights (via YouTube)

September 22, 2012; Columbia, SC, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson (34) gets instruction from the sidelines in the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-US PRESSWIRE

After a stellar junior season, Missouri defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson is taking his game to the NFL. While Missouri didn’t fare well in their first season as members of the SEC, the Tigers’ top defender enjoyed a fantastic year that propelled his draft stock to a potential top 20 selection.

He led the SEC among defensive tackles with 75, and also finished the season with 10.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He added a blocked kick and three forced fumbles, and the 6’4″ 295 pound beast in the middle just knew that it was time to move on.

“This has been my dream ever since I was a little kid,” Richardson said in a statement released by Missouri. “It’s still not easy leaving Mizzou like this, but I know I’m ready. I really appreciate all of the support I got here at Mizzou, and I know that they will help me and my family with this next step. I’ll always be a Tiger,” he said.

Richardson’s been a bit controversial this season, missing a game against Syracuse for missing classes and failing to complete punishment for missing said classes.

Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel says that Richardson is ready to go to the big time.

“I’ve always said that when guys have opportunities like these, if they’re ready to go, then they should go,” coach Pinkel said in a statement. “I have no doubt that Sheldon is ready to play in the NFL, and while we’d love to have him for another year, the important thing is that this is the right decision. It will be fun watching him play on Sundays.”

Hopefully Richardson is more committed to his playbook in the NFL than he was to his school work this past year. If he is, he could be a force for whatever team chooses to pick him up.

ASU Quarterback Brock Osweiler is Turning Heads

I got to watch most of the Arizona State game last night, and one thing I kept on noticing was how sharp ASU quarterback (junior) Brock Osweiler was, especially in the early going. A little further research shows that the name of Osweiler’s game is not size (he’s 6’8″) but accuracy, precision, and fire.

Osweiler has completed 74.1 percent of his passes so far in two games this season with 615 yards and five touchdowns compared to only one interception. He had a fantastic game last night against 21st ranked Missouri with three touchdowns on 24 of 32 passing for 358 yards.

The 6-foot-8 Osweiler is surprisingly athletic for his lanky size, which should come as no surprise as he was a basketball player in high school (and probably could be right now). He has a similar throwing style to that of Philip Rivers, where it seems like he almost shot-puts the ball or looks like he is maybe keeping his elbow in on his oblique when he throws–regardless of what it is, it looks a little odd but he has surprisingly good arm strength and very good zip behind his passes, as well as very good accuracy.

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Just How Good is Blaine Gabbert?

Blaine Gabbert is one of the most overrated prospects of this entire draft class (editors note, overrated does not mean good, it just means will be over-drafted). From what I have seen, I doubt he will have geat success in the N.F.L.

I’ll cut right to the chase; Gabbert is overrated due to his poor production in a system lesser talented players have produced well in, like Chase Daniels. One of the most common criticisms of Gabbert is that he is a system quarterback; this isn’t true. To be a system quarterback or a quarterback should be limited to one system, or be a perfect fit and dominate in a system. Does this describe Gabbert? No, it does not.  With the 69th ranked quarterback rating in the FBS (there are 120 teams), Gabbert had very little success in Missouri’s spread offense. Now I will explain why.

Gabbert has average accuracy. It’s truly nothing special, but it’s not a real are of weakness for him. He does hit his receivers in stride, and most of his throws are pretty accurate. However, he really lacks accuracy when he is throwing on the run, and he throws an extremely inconsistent deep ball.  He clearly isn’t comfortable outside of a pocket environment.

Not everything about Gabbert is less than ideal, however.

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Here we are again gearing up for another very exciting weekend in College Football. Below is a link to a Podcast put together by NFL Mocks writer Jason Madson and features NFL Mock’s Jon Dove and In the Bleachers Michael Felder.  The podcast touches on several hot topics in every conference in College Football.  This week topics include a discussion about Reggie Bush and his Heisman and affects of Concussions.  We also to a quick look at the hot topics in each conference and a break down of this week’s top games.  Feel free to click the link below and take a listen.  This podcast will be available every Friday morning and a weekend wrap up will be out on Sundays.

This week we spend a lot of time talking about big games and news in each conference, especially the ACC and SEC.  We also make our picks in the Pregame Warm-Up Pick ‘Em segment and break down a handful of potential pro prospects for the NFL Draft in the “World Famous” Prospect Quick Fire.  Enjoy!

Click Here to Listen

Here we are again gearing up for another very exciting weekend in College Football. Below is a link to a Podcast put together by NFL Mocks writer Jason Madson and features NFL Mock’s Jon Dove and In the Bleachers Michael Felder.  The podcast touches on several hot topics in every conference in College Football.  This week we discuss the legal troubles at Florida, talk about the big stories in each conference in The Breakdown, make our selections in the PGWU Pick’Em segment and finish the show off with the World Famous Prospect Quick Fire.

Pregame Warm-Up Podcast

6-5 235lbs Junior

Stats:

2009-  262-445  58.9%  3593 Yards 24 TD/9 INT 204 Rush Yards 3 Rush TD

2010- 60-79 75.9% 501 Yards 3TD/0 INT

Pros:

Blaine Gabbert is every scouts dream when it comes to tools.  His size is what you want in the NFL, 6-5 235 lbs. he can see the whole field.  He has a very strong arm, has the ability to throw the ball on the run very accurately.  His mobility is very underrated, can escape may a situation with his legs.  He is a great leader, proven by the fact that he played 4 games last year on a severely sprained ankle.  Looks the part, very well spoken during interviews.

Cons:

Blaine Gabbert has the tendency to throw the ball up for grabs when he feels pressure.  He might lock on to one receiver for periods of time as well.  Should avoid trying to fit the ball in to tight coverage. If it’s not there tuck and run or throw the ball away.

Thoughts:

Everything an NFL team could want in a quarterback.  Mizzou didn’t really have another option at the qb position when he hurt his ankle, so he played through that stretch, even if it wasn’t the best situation for him.  You have to respect him putting the team before anything else.

Projected Round:

If Blaine Gabbert decides to forego his Senior season at Mizzou, I could see him being a late 1st to mid 2nd round pick.

Jason Madson runs the Pregame Warm-Up website  http://thepregamewarmup.wordpress.com/ and also hosts the podcast that features Jon Dove and Michael Felder.  Follow him on twitter @isbnJMAD  @PregameWarmUp