SprungOnSports Draft Spectacular

Player quotes assembled by yours truly, some inside scoop with Matt Williamson of Scouts' INC, and then my first round mock.


Player Quotes
-Purdue WR Dorien Bryant (5'9, 174) on how he'll make up for his lack of size in the pro's, and what current wideout he compares himself to:
"More or less with my speed and quickess, and my ability to think on my feet. I think I am pretty smart and that should help me. Plus I have played against a lot of zones, and I have had to read defenses since my freshman year, so I feel like I am good at finding space...There are alot of guys I have been compared to, from Steve Smith to Moss...but I think I am more like a Antoine Randle-El, minus the QB arm. I keep my eye on him. "
Bryant is a projected late 6th round pick.
-Cal WR and projected 5th round pick Lavelle Hawkins (5'11, 187) on how he separates himself from corners:
"Like I always do, I can get off the press coverage, and I will be fine."
-Top Delaware QB prospect Joe Flacco on the accuracy that goes with his cannon arm:
"You always want to be more accurate. But I do pride myself on my accuracy. I throw the ball a lot to get to the point of very being accurate, but you can always improve."
-UCLA OLB Bruce Davis (6'2 252) on his strengths and weaknesses:
"My greatest strength is speed and playnmaking ability. For weakeness, that is tough, I could always get stronger."
Davis is a projected 3rd rounder.
-Projected 3rd round Georgia Tech LB Phillip Wheeler (6'1, 248) defending his "tweener" label:
"I am very versatile, and with my speed, strength, and quickness that I am probably athletic enough to cover TE, RB, at any linebacking position."
-Projected 2nd round CB Patrick Lee of Auburn (6'0, 200, 4.41) talks about how the SEC prepared him well for the next level:
"They are the best of the best, so it really helped me. "
-Projected 4th round TE Martin Rucker (6'4, 250) of Missouri discusses his potential adjustment to the NFL:
"I will have to adapt like I have had to at all levels, such as the transition from high school to college. And once again focusing on in-line blocking."
-Arkansas' projected 6th round pick Robert Felton talked about taking the next step from the SEC to the NFL:
"I think it will help a lot. It is the SEC, and I have been told it is the nest step in the NFL, so it is great practice for the next level."
-LB Ali Highsmith of LSU (5'11, 230) is a projected 4th round pick who talked to SOS about his strengths and weaknesses:
"My greatets strength is my quickness and my speed, getting from one place to another. I need to work on getting off blocks better."
-Projected 3rd rounder LB Xavier Adibi (6'1, 232) of VaTech told me what maked him stand out from other college LB's:
"My constant motor. I am always going to get to the ball no matter where it is at. So my speed sets me apart."
-7th round CB prospect Justin Tryon (5'9, 190, 4.41) of Arizona State on what he can bring to the table:
"I guess what I can do is I can play nickel and I can play corner as well. And, if you really want me to, I can play safety like a Bob Sanders kind of guy. That's what I bring to the table. I do all of the special teams. It's fun for me to be out on the field."
-2nd round DE prospect Calais Campbell of Miami (6'7, 290) talked about how he can use his size to his advantage:
"Having the height, if you can stay low, it gives you great leverage against tackles. My long arms can keep offensive linemen off of me. And I can also bat down passes. I can cover a lot of ground with my long arms."
-Hampton DE Marcus Dixon is a 7th round prospect who told SOS what he'd be able to do if he got drafted:
"I would definitely be one of those players you can count on, a team guy. I'd put pressure on the back field. I would get free to make the tackle. I would be that guy that stays in the scheme. I wouldn't be that guy that is out there selfishly. In short, I guess you could say I'd be the dependable guy."
-3rd round QB prospect John David Booty talked with me about him being labeled as a west coast QB and perhaps some advice given by some of the former SC signal callers:
"Everybody has the right to their own opinion. But I do not think that is the case. I feel by knowing the West Coast offenswe that I can learn any other offense that may be different...Yes, me and Matt Leinart talk quite often. And the one piece of advice he has given me is just to enjoy it all and not get caught up in what round you may go, or to which team."


Draft Dish With Matt Williamson

-Miami is now interested in dealing DE Jason Taylor, and Williamson said that the Jaguars may be the only option:
"I do think there will be a market and I would give up my first rounder for JT if I were in charge of Jax. Outside of the Jags though, I doubt they can get a first rounder for him at his age. Still a force though."
-Williamson also said that the Jets are in a pretty good position at 6:
"While NYJ have drastically improved since the season ended, they still have their share of needs. I wouldn't trade down and would be quite happy with Gholston, McFadden or Ryan at #6. One will be there for sure."
-What are the chances that 2 QB's get selected in the first round?
"Very good. To whom and at what pick? I have no idea. But ATL has to be excited to come up to grab one. Several teams will make the move for one of the big 4. Just think, there are certainly more than 4 teams out there who would like a potential starting QB. More demand than supply."


SprungOnSports' First Round Mock

1- MIA- Jake Long- OT- Mich
2- STL- Glenn Dorsey- DT- LSU
3- ATL- Matt Ryan- QB- BC
4- OAK- Chris Long- DT- UVA
5- KC- Brandon Albert- OL- UVA
6- NYJ- Darren McFadden- RB- Arky
7- NE- Vernon Gholston- DE- OSU
8- BAL- Keith Rivers- LB- USC
9- CIN- Sedrick Ellis- DT- USC
10- NO- Leodis McKelvin- CB- Troy
11- BUF- Devin Thomas- WR- Mich St.
12- DEN- Chris Williams- OT- Vandy
13- CAR- Derrick Harvey- DE- Fla
14- CHI- Ryan Clady- OT- Boise St
15- DET- Rashard Mendenhall- RB- Illinois
16- ARZ- Mike Jenkins- CB- USF
17- KC- Jeff Otah- OT- Pitt
18- HOU- Johnathan Stewart- RB- Oregon
19- PHI- Aqib Talib- CB- KU
20- TB- Malcom Kelly- WR- OU
21- WSH- Phillip Merling- DE- Clemson
22- DAL- Felix Jones- RB- Arky
23- PIT- Gosder Cherilus- OT- BC
24- TEN- James Hardy- WR- IU
25- SEA- Limas Sweed- WR- Texas
26- JAX- Calais Campbell- DE- Miami
27- SDG- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie- CB- Tenn St
28- DAL- DeSean Jackson- WR- Cal
29- SF- Jerod Mayo- LB- Tenn
30- GB- Antoine Cason- CB- Arizona
31- NYG- Tyrell Johnson- S- Ark St.