NFL Draft Q and A Could Nic Perry Have a Tyson Alualu Kind of Rise?

Every week Dan Kadar and I have a little Question and Answering session about the N.F.L. draft. This week we talked about USC DE Nic Perry, Boston College Linebacker Luke Kuechly, and some of the bowl games upcoming.

1) From a scouting perspective which bowl game are you most excited to watch?
The obvious answer here is the national title game between Alabaman and LSU, so lets forget that one for a second. Among the non-BCS games, I’m really looking forward to Iowa/Oklahoma in the Insight Bowl. There should be some really good individual matchups in that one. You have Iowa offensive tackle Reilly Reiff against Oklahoma defensive end Frank Alexander. Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones, who needs a big game, against a talented Iowa defensive secondary. I’m interested to see Oklahoma cornerback Jamell Fleming against Iowa’s Marvin McNutt as well. Of the BCS games not including the national title game, Stanford/Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl should be great. There are just so many prospects on the field. That game could be huge for Cowboys safety Markelle Martin.

2). There has been only one day of bowl games (when I asked this question last Monday morning) so far who stood out for you on the opening day of bowl games?
I was impressed by Derek Dennis of Temple. He’s looked really good when he’s played guard. Temple has a great running game in part because of Dennis. He’ll get a bigger audience during Shrine Game practices.
3). Clearly the biggest surprise of your most recent mock draft is Nic Perry going 12th overall to the Buffalo Bills (your 52nd overall rated prospect). What is about Perry that you think some team could fall in love with to draft so high?
Perry is much more athletic than he’s given credit. I’ve been watching some USC games of late – namely, Oregon and Washington – and Perry stood out on the defense. He has good pass rush moves and hustles. When I put the mock together, I knew that would be a pick of contention. It is early for Perry. But given Buffalo’s extreme need for pass rushers, that was the choice.
4). Who are some other players (than Perry) you think are poised for breakout bowl-games or in the pre-draft process?
Florida State’s Zebrie Sanders could break out. They play Notre Dame, in the Champs Sports Bowl next Thursday. Sanders is proven as a tackle with quickness, but there are some questions about his ability to handle power rushers, which is what Notre Dame has. If Sanders holds up on the left side, his draft stock could really pick up.
5). Luke Kuechly is an interesting prospect to me, do you think he’s better than players like James Lauriantis and Paul Posluzny were who fell to the second round because of “lack of athleticism”? Or do you see a similar kind of fall for him when the draft rolls around?
Kuechly is probably in the same tier as them as prospects. But what you’ve seen with Laurinaitis and Posluszny is that they probably should have been first-round picks – especially in the case of Laurinaitis. Given how they’ve played, it should help Kuechly. It will also help him that Manti Te’o didn’t go pro and Vontaze Burfict has struggled. Kuechly also benefits in that he probably has the same athletic skill set as Dont’a Hightower of Alabama. So given the needs at the position and the other players at the position, Kuechly should end up in the first round.

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