2012 NFL Draft Question and Answer with Sideline Scouting

I wanted to give you, the reader, a different perspective of the draft so I reached out to some other draft analysts around the web to do a little Q and A session. Our first guess is Ian Kenyon of sidelinescouting.com. For this Question and Answer session we chatted the draft as a whole, but focused a bit on linebackers.

1). To you what’s the most interesting storyline in the 2012 N.F.L. draft?

Similar to last year I think where the quarterbacks end up is going to be an interesting story line in the draft. After Luck and Robert Griffin there are a few prospects who can be starters down the road in the NFL and I could see four or five going off the board by the end of round two. Where the quarterbacks end up changes a lot of things for next season.

2). Are you an RGIII guy over Andrew Luck, or should the Colts just stick with drafting Luck?

I’m definitely and Andrew Luck guy. I think Robert Griffin is an excellent prospect and the second best player in this draft but Luck is on a whole other level. I think sometimes we get too caught up in trying to find that “next” great player and since Luck has been hyped for so long, people are starting to nitpick some of his game and trying to find a person who could possibly unseat him. Griffin has sky high potential, but I have never seen a prospect like Luck since I started doing this, so I’m going to stick with my initial evaluations throughout the past year and say that the Colts should take Andrew Luck.

3). What do you think overall is the best position in the 2012 N.F.L. Draft?

I think the wide receiver grouping is the strongest we’ve had in years and is the deepest position in this draft. There isn’t a Calvin Johnson or even an AJ Green in this class, but it is just packed with guys who look like number two or three receivers in the NFL. There’s 25-30 wide outs that I believe can make an impact at the next level; that’s rare depth at a single position in the NFL draft.

4). Likewise what do you think is the worst position in the 2012 N.F.L. draft?

The tight ends in this draft after the top four are just pitiful. I can see four tight ends going in the first three rounds, Egnew in the fourth
and then after that it’s just a list of special teamers and reserves.

5). all the buzz is that the running back position is devalued in the league, but quietly it has become equally as true that linebackers who don’t rush the passer fall far in the draft. Would you draft a non-pass rushing LB in the first round?

I would as long as that player has other special qualities that make him a stand-out performer. Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly comes to mind. He’s not a pass rusher, but he’s such a fundamental and high volume tackler with great instincts and leadership ability that I wouldn’t blink twice about taking him in the first round. I wouldn’t take a guy like that in the top five, because that’s not the type of player that changes the win column, but I certainly wouldn’t mind taking a player like that once you get to the middle of the first round.

6). Sticking with linebacker for 43 teams look for a SAM linebacker who do you think are some guys who could be good 43 SAM linebackers?

I think the best SAM linebacker in this draft is Alabama ILB Dont’a Hightower. He played as a middle linebacker in Alabama’s 3-4 defense, but he’d likely play the strong side if drafted by a 4-3 team. He’s a strong player who can shed blocks and make plays in coverage. Nigel Robinson, Demario Davis, and Keenan Robinson are other strong side options in the middle rounds.

7). Do you have some players that you think are underrated?

Although draft pundits have heard of him, many casual fans probably have not followed the rise of Utah State running back Michael Smith. He’s a short, compact speed back who ran behind the more highly touted Robert Turbin, but could see himself having a better NFL career than his collegiate teammate. I also think that the defensive tackle position has a lot of depth so there’s going to be players who get underrated and teams will be able to find good value with middle round selections the same way
that they will with the wide receivers in this class. Guys like Derek Wolfe or Mike Martin who are likely to go in the third round are guys who can develop into legit NFL starters so with the depth at those positions I think you’re going to see some guys get overlooked.

8). Are there some players out there you think are really over-rated?

I don’t necessarily consider him overrated because most people admit his deficiencies, but Ryan Tannehill is a guy who is likely to be over drafted. In our most recent Top 100 board, Tannehill came in at #14, but he, but he may go as high as number four to the Cleveland Browns. The player that I think is getting far too much hype and won’t live up to it is Dontari Poe. His package of size, athletic ability and skills is rather amazing, but it didn’t translate while he was at Memphis so there’s no reason to think that it all of a sudden will at the NFL level. It’s not often that you see a guy who looks like a fourth rounder on tape move into the top ten discussion. He’s a guy who will be drafted solely based on his potential, and he may reach it, but he was a non-factor in college. Teams didn’t even have to game plan around him, he struggled to get off single blocks against Conference-USA linemen, I can’t imagine he’ll suddenly develop the ability to dominate NFL level blockers.

9). Last year Prince Amukamara fell further than anyone expected, who do you think that player might be this year?

This year I see that player being Luke Kuechly. Fans love him and his production makes him appealing, but inside linebackers who don’t blitz, as we touched on earlier, just aren’t worth a top selection. I think he’s worth a mid-first round pick but it wouldn’t surprise me if he went towards the latter portion of the first round. Middle linebackers without elite cover or pass rush skills aren’t high priority players in the NFL, that’s why it took a while for middle linebackers to sign in free agency.

10). Anything else to add about this draft?

I just want to add that I think the greatest value in this draft is between picks 25 and 55. There are a lot of players in those areas that
could go 26th or they could go 55th, a lot of interchangeable parts in that range and so when we get into the 50s there will be some great value picks.

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