Russ Lande offers up his first Mock Draft since the Combine.
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NFP Mock Draft – Version 7.0 – 1st Since The Combine (National Football Post)
Russ Lande offers up his first Mock Draft since the Combine.
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NFP Mock Draft – Version 7.0 (National Football Post)
Denver Broncos Mike Klis of the Denver Post examines a list of the Broncos’ most undervalued and overvalued players put together by Pro Football Focu…
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AFC West links: Do Raiders want Geno?
With the 2012 NFL season in the books, and the scouting combine in the rear-view, it’s time to take a closer look at the 50 players we think will be the biggest difference-makers at the next level from this draft class. To that end, we’re happy to start this year’s Shutdown 50 scouting reports (Hint: There may actually be more than 50). You can read last year’s group here . The final 50 players listed were chosen and ranked based on game tape, combine results, overall positional value, and attributes and liabilities on and off the field. We begin this year’s group with Oregon State receiver Markus Wheaton. In Mike Reilly’s high-falutin’ offense (and without a top-tier quarterback throwing him passes), Wheaton made his name as one of the most productive FCS receivers in the last two seasons. After a 2011 campaign in which he caught 73 balls for 986 yards and only one touchdown (shades of Keyshawn Johnson!), Wheaton blew it up in 2012, getting a little closer to the goal line and grabbing 91 balls for 1,244 yards and 11 scores. After a very impressive week at the Senior Bowl ( ask Desmond Trufant about that ), Wheaton started to establish himself as the kind of player who could possibly find his way to “1A” status on an NFL team. The question is, in what systems can a route-savvy, 5-foot-11, 190-pound player with a good sense of the game take it over the top? Pros: Slightly-built receiver who gets off press coverage more with adept foot-fakes and jukes than hand-fighting, but does so very well. Extremely savvy in traffic; Wheaton knows how to get open in small spaces. Natural and trained yards-after-catch receiver — once Wheaton gets himself righted, he immediately faces his defender and looks to break free. Doesn’t need a straight line to gain extra yards. Very good route-runner, especially in the short-to-intermediate game. Conversant with slants, drags, slants, crosses, and quick outs, but isn’t as dependent on Oregon State’s quick passing game as some would have you believe — he’ll get open downfield off coverage. Beats trail corners down the sideline with good hand movements, and isn’t afraid to sell his body out by jumping for a catch. Very quick at breaking into cuts, making single coverage harder when he’s your assignment. Not an overtly physical receiver, but will play that way when necessary. Tracks the ball into his hands on deeper passes. Fast player off the line who has an extra gear downfield. Familiar with route combinations and has a great sense of timing when creating openings with other receivers. Gets downfield very quickly from screens and quick passes behind the line of scrimmage. Good runner on sweeps. Can play outside, in the middle in trips packages, and in slot, though his skill set seems best attuned for an outside role. Would seem a natural to run option routes because of route awareness and quickness in short areas. Skinny legs, but could probably put on 10 pounds of muscle without losing too much functional speed. Cons: Most of Wheaton’s yards after catch come before contact; he’s simply not big enough to break tackles on a regular basis. That issue will most likely become more prominent in the NFL.
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The Shutdown 50 — #50: Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State (Shutdown Corner)
After taking a few days to focus on the 2013 NFL scouting combine, “Shutdown Corner” resumes our TPS reports (Office Space), where we take a look back at each team’s 2012 season and a look at what lies ahead for the 2013 offseason. We finish our spin around the league with the San Francisco 49ers. 2012 record : 11-4-1 What went wrong : Very little went wrong for the NFC champs, but they surely would have like to have done a better job taking care of business against the St. Louis Rams in 2012. The 49ers and Rams played for 75 minutes in a 24-24 tie at Candlestick Park on Nov. 11 and then nearly played another 75 minutes in a 16-13 overtime win for the Rams at the Edwards Jones Dome on Dec. 2. “Shutdown Corner” noted on Feb. 4 how those two games might have saved linebacker Ahmad Brooks $1.6 million in base salary in 2013. During the regular season, the 49ers got very little from first-round wide receiver A.J. Jenkins and second-round running back LaMichael James, the team’s first two picks in the 2012 NFL Draft. Jenkins was inactive for 11 games, logged just 35 snaps over the other five, and did not catch the one pass thrown his way. James was inactive for the first 12 games of the season, but gained 125 yards on 27 carries, caught three passes for 29 yards and averaged 29.8 yards on 14 kick returns on 76 total snaps over the final four weeks of the season. James scored his first NFL touchdown in the NFC championship game win over the Atlanta Falcons, while Jenkins did not play in the postseason. The 49ers thought Brandon Jacobs could be the big-bodied complement to Frank Gore, but Jacobs struggled to get a jersey (inactive for 10 games) and had just five carries for seven yards before he was suspended by the team for three games and waived on Dec. 31. After being one of the NFL’s top special teams units in 2011, the 49ers backslid in 2012, finishing 20th in Football Outsiders’ opponent-adjusted special teams DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average). A large part of that was due to the struggles of kicker David Akers, who was just 29-of-42 on field goal attempts. Nine of Akers’ 13 misses were on attempts from inside 49 yards and the 49ers could look for a new kicker this offseason. What went right : Head coach Jim Harbaugh’s somewhat controversial decision to stick with Colin Kaepernick at quarterback after Alex Smith was concussed midway through the season turned out to be the right move. With the 6-foot-5, 233-pound Kaepernick under center, or in the pistol formation, the 49ers were a more dynamic offense, capable of giving opposing defensive coordinator fits preparing for the run-pass threat the 2011 second-round pick out of Nevada presents. The 49ers had the NFL’s fourth-ranked rushing offense, averaging 155.7 yards per game on the ground. Kaepernick (415 yards, five touchdowns) certainly played a part in that, but the workhorse on the ground was Gore, who ran for 1,214 yards and eight touchdowns, finishing fourth among NFL running backs in Football Outsiders’ rushing DYAR (Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement) metric. With a potent rushing attack, the 49ers were just 23rd in passing yards per game, but were third in the league in passing yards play as Michael Crabtree emerged as a big-play threat, catching 85 passes for 1,105 yards and nine touchdowns in the regular season before catching another 20 balls for 285 yards and three touchdowns in the playoffs. San Francisco’s offensive line was first in Football Outsiders’ “Adjusted Line Yards” metric and had two players – left tackle Joe Staley and left guard Mike Iupati – selected to start the Pro Bowl. Defensively, the 49ers ranked third in total defense, second in scoring defense and ranked in the Top 5 against the run, the pass and on third downs. Over half of the 49ers were selected for the Pro Bowl, including starters defensive end Justin Smith, linebackers Aldon Smith and Patrick Willis and safeties Donte Whitner and Dashon Goldson, while inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman was a reserve. Coaching/front office changes : Vice president of player personnel Tom Gamble was a candidate for GM openings this offseason before leaving the team to become the vice president of player personnel with the Philadelphia Eagles. Estimated 2013 cap space : Around $850,000.
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‘Shutdown Corner’ offseason TPS report: San Francisco 49ers (Shutdown Corner)