NFL Draft News and Notes: Eric Page Declares, Nick Toon Suffers big injury?
First up some more declarations. Toledo WR Eric Page has declared for the N.F.L. draft Page has been one of the most productive wide receivers in NCAA history who had a shot at breaking Ryan Broyles receiving records, but has decided to enter the draft. He’s a smaller, versatile WR who brings a dimension to the return game. He isn’t big, but he plays bigger than his size and racks up yards after the catch a late day two early day three kind of pick.
Georgia Tight End Orson Charles is also entering the draft. Charles has a (very outside) shot of ending up in late round one, but is a round two to three type player. He’s a Dustin Keller type. An excellent receiving option, needs to get bigger and strong to win consistently in blocking.
With the first pick takes a look at the early preseason top 10 college football teams for the 2012 season and also has a scouting report for LSU DL Barkevious Mingo
At what position in the NFL will he make plays, and will he have an opportunity to make enough of them, to justify selecting him as anything but perhaps a high middle-round choice? A few scouts told The Sports Xchange that James might be able to make a transition to slot receiver because he is so good in space, but the consensus is that he hasn’t yet demonstrated enough skills as an up-the-field receiver. “He’s going to have to show (at the combine) that he can catch the ball as more than a back,” said one AFC area scout. “Anyone that tells you he can do it just doesn’t know yet.”
Rob Rang takes a look at Ten players who have a lot on the line during the pre-draft process
Including one player who has a chance to still be drafted in the first round:
9. Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State: One of three Buckeyes playing in the Senior Bowl despite serving suspensions at Ohio State, Adams can expect straightforward questions from scouts. Even more importantly than what he tells them in interviews, Adams needs a strong week of practice in Mobile to resurrect his falling draft stock. The 6-6, 320-pound Adams flashes the agility to remain at left tackle in the NFL but struggled at times facing pass rushers with speed, including in several late-season matchups to end his Buckeyes career. With one last game wearing the familiar gray helmet, Adams has a chance to recoup his status as the top senior offensive tackle in the country.
Rang’s number one player is Kellen Moore. I don’t think Kellen Moore is a great QB prospect in my humble opinion and I wouldn’t draft him before the 5th round, and maybe not at all.
Two interesting tidbits from draftinsider.net
– Sources alerted me that Wisconsin receiver Nick Toon suffered a significant foot injury while he was training in Carson, California. According to those who witnessed the injury, Toon was participating in a running drill when a “pop” was heard from his foot.
– We were told last week to keep an eye on defensive lineman Armond Armstead, whose on story was written about in yesterday’s edition of the LA Times. Armstead is expected to try and transfer out of USC as he’s not happy the way the program handled the illness (evidently a virus) which sidelined him all of 2011. We hear he’d like to play with his brother Arik, a highly rated high senior line prospect who de-committed from USC, but declaring for the draft is also an option. Remember, Armstead enter the season with mid-round consideration from scouts.
Draftinsider also talks about the possibility of Ryan Tannehilll ending up in the top 15 picks, but if you’ve been reading NFLmocks you’ve known that for awhile. He has high upside and teams reach for quarterbacks, it’s just the way it is. Seattle seems like a potential destination as of today.
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