A STAR IS BORN, Detroit's Jahvid Best

The Lion's running back Jahvid Best was the first rookie in NFL history to rush for 75 yards,have 150 yards in receiving and score three touchdowns in a game. He also scored five touchdowns in his first two games. What OURLADS' DRAFT GUIDE said about him: Jahvid Best California 5101 199 4.38
Junior entry. Two-year starter. An explosive and talented back with quick reactions. Smooth North/South runner that finishes his runs. Plays fast. Sudden into the hole and demonstrates unique running skills and instincts. Has a natural feel for running the ball. Good vision. Has the ability to create positive yardage on poorly blocked plays. Patient to the hole and lets the block set up. Gives the defender a leg then takes it away. Can plant and cut without the loss of speed. Can dip in and burst outside. Has a thick lower body and good contact balance. Good hit and spin move. Rare cut back ability and speed. Runs the zone read out of the I-formation. Also runs plays out of the spread formation. A difference maker that gets to the second level with instant acceleration. Good agility in traffic. Always going forward. Slippery. Not easy to tackle. Good hands to catch all pass routes. Good eye/hand coordination. Durability is a question mark because of an annual pattern of missing some games with injury. Led the country in rushing with 1580 yards in 2008. Career stats are 364 rushes for 2668 yards, 7.3 yards per carry, and 29 touchdowns. He also caught 62 passes for 533 yards and 6 touchdowns. OSR:3/28. First round. (A-31 3/4, H-9, BP-18, SS-4.16).

R.I.P Kenny McKinley,Denver Broncos

Kenny McKinley former South Carolina Gamecock's All-Time leading receiver died today of a reportedly self-inflicted gun shot in his Denver,Col. home. McKinley was on the reserve/injured list after his second knee surgery in two years. What OURLADS GUIDE said about his pro potential in 2009:

McKinley, Kenny; South Carolina 6003 189 4.42
Four-year starter. Deep threat that can make the over the shoulder catch. Closes the cushion quickly. Snatches the ball with his hands. Always seems to be behind the secondary. Elusive after catch. Can make the first defender miss in space. Courage to catch the ball over the middle. Slippery run after catch ability. Avoids traffic after catch. Good field awareness. Two of his best assets are his field vision and feet. Good quickness in and out of breaks. He waits on a lot of balls. Plays quicker than competition. Can separate and get open. Secures the ball after catch. Makes the off target reception. Plays fast. No hold up on release. Can control his body in the air. Drops his weight and comes out of cuts at hard angles. A willing blocker that can adjust on the move. OSR:9/38. Third round. (A-31 1/4, H-9, VJ-37, SS-4.10).

Our condolences to all his friends and family.

Darian Stewart,St. Louis Rams, Free Safety

Darian Stewart was signed as a free agent by the St. Louis Rams and made the 53 man roster. What Ourlads said about him in the 2010 Draft GUIDE:

Stewart, Darian South Carolina 5110 216 4.58
Three-year starter that is athletic and versatile. Has played three secondary positions. Looks as physical as he plays in run support. Effective on edge blitzes. Plays linebacker in nickel packages. Explosive in run support. Good ability to key and diagnose a play quickly. Competitive and intense in his play. Generally a solid tackler with good body control. Productive in his play. Can be beat in coverage with the wrong mismatches.Loose hips for a smooth turn. Good timing and leaping ability. Good body control and lateral movement. Good ball reactions to knock down or strip the ball. Closes quickly on the ball carrier in front of him. A good box run playing safety. Will contribute on all special teams coverage. Over his career he had 197 tackles, 20 passes broken up, 2 interceptions, and 6 forced fumbles. BTR:left 4.35, right 4.53. OSR:14/21. Fifth/sixth round. (A-32 1/8, H-9, VJ-37, SS-4.34).

Barry Church, Dallas Cowboys, Strong Safety

Barry Church signed as a free agent with Dallas and made the 53 man Roster. What Ourlads said about him in the 2010 Draft GUIDE:

Church, Barry Toledo 6014 222 4.67
Four-year starter. Outstanding production over his career. Long arms and athletic. Good instincts. Closes quickly on the ball in front of him. Good zone awareness. Plays the run as good as any support player in this draft. Has size and loose hips to turn and run. Can cover slot receivers. Moved around for mismatches in the Rockets’ defensive scheme. He was put in a position to make plays by scouting report. Used as an edge pass rusher at times. Physical player that throws his body around. Nose for the ball. A hybrid linebacker in a 4-2-5 scheme. Can play coverage on wide receivers. Pressures the quarterback on safety blitzes. Active and a wrap tackler in the run game. Sheds blockers without holdup. Good agility getting through traffic in pursuit to make plays. Over his career he had 354 tackles, 18 passes broken up, 9 interceptions, and 6 forced fumbles. BTR:left 4.50, right 4.47. OSR:5/21. Fourth/fifth round. (A-33 1/4, H-9 3/8, VJ-36, SS-4.19).

OURLADS' HIGHEST GRADED NOT DRAFTED....BUT MADE A TEAM AS A FREE AGENT

The Arizona Cardinals signed A.J. Jefferson as a free agent and made the 53 man roster. What Ourlads said about him in the 2010 Draft GUIDE:

Jefferson, AJ Fresno State 6001 193 4.48
Two-year starter. Top rated defensive back athletic workout at the Combine. Outstanding kickoff return specialist averaging 32.2 yards per return in his career. Played only two years of high school football. Speed and athletic ability is his game. Still learning how to play corner. Needs technique work in both man to man and zone coverage concepts. Has short area and lateral quickness. Ball skills are off. Plays the receiver, not the ball. Can bend his knees and drop his butt in his backpedal. Some wasted motion and false steps in transition. However, has hip flexibility. A drag down type tackler. A developmental corner with raw tools. Productive with a 32.2 kickoff return average and 2 touchdowns in his career. Had 108 career tackles and broke up 12 passes. BTR:left 4.51, right 4.33. OSR:1/29. Fourth/fifth round. (A-32 1/2, H-9 1/4, VJ-44, SS-4.00).

ROOKIE SPOTLIGHT: DEXTER MC CLUSTER,KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Dexter McCluster set a Chiefs record with a 94-yard punt return for a touchdown in a win over San Diego. What OURLADS said about him in the 2010 GUIDE:


McCluster, Dexter Mississippi 5086 172 4.56
Started 29 games in his career. Ultra quick but undersized explosive back/receiver combination. Good route runner with dependable hands. Third down type back. Slippery. Can make the tackler miss in the open field with rare quickness. A small framed runner with a slender lower body that is dangerous and a threat to go the distance. Speed and quickness to turn the corner and shake a defensive back with his quick feet. A playmaker that is explosive into and out of the hole. Fearless to go after the ball in flight and lay out. Takes the direct snap in the Wildcat formation. Weaves and accelerates through traffic. Explosive on designed cut back plays. A tough kid with courage. Will try to block. Lacks bulk. Durability will always be a concern because of his build and running style. Electric out of Wildcat. Good contact balance. Quick stop and go moves. Can burst by the tacklers. Quickness and speed to outrun angles (see Tennessee game.) Good running skills, vision, and cutting ability. A darter. For his career he had 304 rushes for 1955 yards, 6.4 yards per carry, and 15 touchdowns. He also had 130 receptions for 1703 yards and 7 touchdowns. Has rare strength for his size. OSR:12/28. Second/third round. (A-29 1/4, H-8 3/8, BP-20, SS-4.05).

Ourlads Rehash 2009 GUIDE: ARIAN FOSTER, Houston Texans

Foster, Arian Tennessee 6006 226 4.60
Started 33 games over the past four years. Rotated with Montario Hardesty. Versatile back that can run and catch. Power runner that can turn the corner. Good balance. Effective on the inside zone running plays out of the one back set. Question ball security. Best running between the tackles. Lacks long finish speed. One speed downhill runner with limited burst. Ball control type back. Appeared to shut it down his senior year and was not nearly as productive as in previous years. Upright runner that lacks the power he showed previously. Lacked consistency and the ability to hold onto the ball. Lacked the confidence to be a playmaker at crunch time. Not dependable and reliable to make the plays when needed. Injury history is a concern. Question competitiveness. Long arms. Left the Senior Bowl with a hamstring injury after the first day. Did not workout at the Combine.Ourlads grade: Seventh round. (A-33 3/8, H-9 7/8, BP-23, SS-4.53). FOSTER HAD A BREAKOUT GAME AGAINST THE COLTS ON 9/12/10 WITH 231 YARDS. SECOND BEST OPENING DAY RUSHING PERFORMANCE IN NFL HISTORY. WAS SIGNED BY THE TEXANS AS A FREE AGENT. ELEVATED FROM THE PRACTICE SQUAD IN 2009.

2011 NFL Draft, Offensive Tackle, Nate Solder, Colorado

Three-year starter. Moved from tight end to tackle the spring of 2008. Long arms (34 ½”). A good athlete who can lock out and shock a defender in pass protection. Has a 32-inch vertical jump. Has quickness and functional strength. Easy light feet to slide laterally and adjust his block to a speed rusher. He can block the edge. Dominated Texas A&M pass rusher, Von Miller, in their head to head match up. Good body control and balance. Sudden to redirect. Knows how to use his long arms. Patient - lets the pass rusher come to him. Plays with natural knee bend. Can handle a defender’s spin move with foot quickness and balance. Uses good footwork to gain depth. Shows the ability to adjust and block different looks. Position wall off in the run game. Productive over career at left tackle.

2011 NFL Draft, Offensive Tackle, Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin

Four-year starter who plays on a team that wants to run the ball. Long arms (34 ½”) and big hands (10”). Plays in a pre-set stance when the team throws the ball. A long torso guy (good trait) who works to keep his hands inside. Will compete. Had a three hour battle with Eagle first round pick Brandon Graham last year. Effective as a run blocker and pass protector. Works to keep his knees bent. Has the ability to regain body control and balance. Mentally and physically tough player. Plays with attitude and aggression while maintaining a good power base. Stays square to shadow rusher and run them up the field past the quarterback. Gets depth quickly in pass pro. Will cut off defenders away from play. Maintains contact with target and works to finish. Better in close quarters than in space.

NFL 2011 Draft, Offensive Tackle, Anthony Castonzo, Boston College

Four-year starter. Has started 41 straight games heading into his senior year. First true freshman to start for Boston College in 10 years. Long arms (34 1/8”) and big hands (10 ¼”). Typical BC offensive tackle – tall, tough, and physical in his play. A mauler who is always looking to hit somebody. Plays left tackle, but is more of a right tackle type. Rangy but not smooth. Physically and mentally tough. A quick learner which is a definite requirement to start early in his NFL career. Has the ability to quick set and redirect with natural body control in his pass pro. He has the agility and balance to block good defensive ends. He wore out #94 Armond Armstead (USC’s end) in the Emerald Bowl. Has the ability to mirror, wall off, change direction, and recover. Does a good job downfield to keep his feet and stay up on his block. Demonstrates the quickness to get position in the run game and keep it. Sticks to his block.

2011 NFL Draft, Center, Kris O'Dowd, Southern Cal

Injuries have kept O’Dowd from being a four-year starter as he was nicked up parts of the past three seasons. Nevertheless, if he passes NFL physicals, he has the talent to start on Sundays. He demonstrates a good combination of foot quickness and ease of movement. Has quick initial contact as an inline blocker and is strong enough to tie up the down defender and get push. A natural knee bender, he reacts to different looks and plays with good instincts. Can run block and adjust on the move. Gives a good downfield effort and is proficient on combo blocks to the second level. Forces separation in pass protection. Good base and feet, balance, and use of hands.

2011 NFL Draft, Guard, Rodney Hudson, Florida State

Four-year starter at left guard. Awarded the Jacobs’ Blocking Trophy in 2009 as the best offensive lineman in the conference. May project to center for some teams because of size. Hudson is the classic “don’t look at the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.” Plays with the speed and agility to pull and be effective on the second level. Possesses rare foot quickness to execute a variety of blocks in run blocking and pass protection. Plays with functional strength and leverage to handle larger defensive linemen. Athletic enough to zone block, double team, combo, trap, and log as well as lead through the hole and around the edge. If production is based on consistency for an offensive lineman, Hudson has only been penalized three times in three years and averages one missed assignment for every 112 plays. String of 28 straight starts was ended by missing the final two games of 2009 with a knee strain. Everything about his game is sudden – weight transfer and change of direction, space adjustment, body control and balance recovery, set quickness, base and reach blocks, and punch and use of hands. Active downfield.Gets push in the run game. Drives his feet on contact. A three for one player, however he did start one game as a freshman at left tackle. Potential Pro Bowl center.

2011 NFL Draft, Guard, Mike Pouncey, Florida

Three-year starter. Twin brother of Steelers’ first round draft choice Maurkice Pouncey. Projects to play offensive guard on the next level, but is versatile enough to back up every position on the offensive line. May be too tall to play with leverage at center. Feisty and competitive. Plays with an ornery streak. Relishes contact. A mauler on down blocks. Good hip and knee flexibility at guard where he can change direction and move in on a moving target and finish his block. Good effort to seal on the second level and block downfield. Good lateral agility and quickness versus a slant move. Explosive punch and use of hands. Gains control and locks out. Has the ability to create separation. Plays on his feet. In pass protection he plays in a pre-set stance with a good base and balance. Can slide, mirror, and adjust his feet. As a freshman he moved from the offensive line to the defensive line because of injuries and played in every game.

2011 NFL Draft, Center, Stefen Wisniewski, Penn State

Three-year starter who may be the best center or guard in the 2011 draft. Has starting experience at both center and guard. Consistent in his overall play. Experience at both the shotgun and conventional snap. Explosive. A knee bender who can roll his hips, shock, control, and drive a defender with leverage and strength. Stays balanced when blocking on the move. In pass pro he controls his opponent with hand quickness, stab, punch, and placement on the breast plate. Mentally tough in both the run game and pass protection. Maintains and sustains pass protection and run block with good base and position. Gains an advantage with his quickness on the snap. Plays with attitude and aggression. Can quick position a defender and run his feet on contact. Good lateral agility. Has the strength to anchor versus power. Father Leo and uncle Steve starred at Penn State d played in the NFL.

2011 NFL Draft, Tight End, DJ Williams, Arkansas

Three-year starter. Not your old school NFL prototype tight end, but another of the new wave offensive utility specialists. Williams’ specialty is catching the ball. As a sophomore he was a Mackey Award finalist as he led the team with 61 catches for 723 yards and 3 touchdowns. Nearly half of his catches were for first downs. As a junior he snatched 32 passes for 411 yards. Can pluck the ball with his nimble hands. Can make the tough catch and hold the ball on contact. Athletic after catch. Good open field instincts. Good stop and go quickness. Can turn a short reception into a long gain. Has the ability to quick set with body quickness, change of direction, and redirect in pass pro. Can improve his run blocking technique, but lacks size and strength to be a dominant edge blocker. He does give effort to tie up defender. Good combo blocks to the second level. As a receiver he has good body control to come out of his cuts smoothly with a burst to separate. Fluid, not stiff or mechanical in movements. Can get vertical and horizontal separation depending on his match-ups. Has the speed to get deep. Gets open versus man to man and zone coverage. Plays tackle on the punt coverage team.

2011 NFL Draft, Tight End, Luke Stocker, Tennessee

Three years starting experience. The Vols rotated several tight ends over the past three years and Stocker benefited as the pass receiver in most formations. Caught 29 passes for 389 yards and five touchdowns in 2009. Caught five passes for 78 yards and a touchdown against Kentucky in the season finale. Plays in the classic tight end position and slot, but also aligns as an H-back and fullback where he motions and blocks on the run. Athletic and competitive in his play. Works hard in his role as a blocker. Sticks his man and sustains as an inline blocker. Bends his knees and plays low. Works to get his body in position on the second level to block linebackers. Breaks down well to slide and shadow. Can get his target turned. Aggressive and productive. Plays with a good base. Can adjust on the move. Works to finish. Catches the ball in his hands. Good concentration. Finds the open area and turns his numbers to the quarterback. Good speed in the crossing routes. Big target. Demonstrates good body control and cutting ability when running the hide routes. Quick in and out of pattern.

2011 NFL Draft,Wide Receiver, Niles Paul,Nebraska

Two-and-a-half year starter who was very productive in the run oriented Husker offense. Caught 40 passes, averaging 19.9 yards per catch. The big play receiver had nine catches for 35 yards or longer. He was second in the Big-12 in kickoff returns averaging 27.9 yards and punt returns averaging 10.7 yards. A big receiver with explosive speed (ran down a defender from behind who intercepted a pass.) Plays with average quarterbacks and is accustomed to making off-target catches. Runs like a running back after he catches the ball. Makes the catch, secures the ball, and can break a tackle or make the defender miss. Good running instincts. Will lay out for the ball. Competes for the ball in tight quarters. Good blocking effort on the perimeter. Tough and willing to go over the middle and catch a square-in route in traffic. West Coast type receiver who can catch the inside breaking routes. Comes back to the ball. Runs routes off motion. Athletic in his movement. Can create separation with double moves.

2011 NFL Draft, Wide Receiver, Greg Little, North Carolina

Three-year starter. Talented and athletic as any wide receiver in the 2011 draft, including projected juniors. The sticky wicket in Little’s production lies in the quarterback position where TJ Yates threw more interceptions than touchdown passes and consistently missed open receivers. The upside for the big receiver was that almost every catch he made was spectacular and magical. Has started at both running back and wide receiver during his career. Does it all – blocks, catches, and runs strong after catch. Slashes through arm tackles and finishes the play. Goes up after the ball at the high point with his strong hands and positions his body between the ball and defender. An impact player with long arms and big hands. Possesses natural ball skills. Plucks the ball away from his body. Has the foot quickness to beat press coverage. Can avoid and shows a burst to get upfield and separate. Big and strong enough for inside breaking routes. Good hip flexibility and knee bend. Adjusts to the flight of the ball and competes to catch it. Produced against good competition. Caught 62 passes for 724 yards and had 5 touchdowns. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry as a running back. According to the University of North Carolina, Little will not travel to play in season opener versus LSU. As many as 12 players may not participate in the game. Defensive tackle Marvin Austin is suspended indefinately.

2011 NFL Draft, Fullback, Stanley Havili, Southern California

Four-year starter who is versatile and productive. The true fullback position on most NFL teams is going by the wayside with leather helmets and button under crotch jerseys. Ball clubs are using tight ends, defensive linemen, or linebackers as lead blockers. Every year there is at least one true short-necked fullback that grew into playing the position. This year it is Havili. He is the total package of good blocking skills, hands to catch all the pass routes, and productivity as a runner. The former running back brings good running skills to the table along with the above mentioned attributes. He has good vision, feet, strength, and power between the tackles and in short yardage situations. Finishes his runs with effort and authority. A good athlete who flashes a burst around the corner. Not easy to tackle in the open field on screen passes. Can kick out or seal the edge force defender. A willing lead blocker who is explosive. Physical in his overall play.

2011 NFL Draft, Runningback, DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma

A four-year starter who has rotated with other backs over his career. A versatile athlete who plays in a spread offense. Has experience at wide receiver, in the slot, and takes the direct snap in the Wildcat along with his running back duties. As a freshman he averaged 29.3 yards per kickoff return. Solid overall run skills, inside and outside. Natural instincts and feel for running the ball. Quick reactions, vision, and has the ability to find and hit a crease with body lean. Runs with a low pad level and has good contact balance. Uses a strong stiff arm to ward off tacklers. A pick and slide type runner who is talented and can sidestep a tackler. Displays good hands to catch all the pass routes with good eye/hand coordination. Productive as a receiver with 86 catches for 977 yards in his career. Dependable and reliable to make plays as needed. A clutch player at crunch time. Productive over his career with 2471 yards rushing, averaging 5.2 yards per carry. Fifth in career touchdowns with 41 and fourth in all purpose yards. Three time first team All Big-12 Academic. In 2007 he suffered a hamstring injury on the opening kickoff in the Big-12 Championship and missed the BCS Championship game. Dislocated a knee cap in 2007 in the eleventh game.

2011 NFL Draft, Running back, Daniel Thomas, Kansas State.

Two-year starter. Junior college transfer. Big-12 Newcomer of the Year in 2009 when he led the league in rushing with 1265 yards. A physical runner who runs with his eyes. Excellent vision. A slasher who can make the defender miss in the open field. A versatile athlete who played quarterback in high school and junior college. Bounces the ball outside quickly and instinctively if there is no hole. He will also make the tough one and two yard runs with his strong leg drive. An intelligent runner who can break tackles after initial contact. Has a burst through the hole. A natural downhill north/south runner. Keeps his shoulders square. Not easy to tackle. An offensive weapon with good running skills and patience. Plays out at wide receiver, in the slot, I-formation tailback, and takes the direct snap in the Wildcat from the center. Has receiver type soft hands. Can adjust to a poor pass and pluck the ball. A hand catcher. He needs technique work on his route running and blocking, but displays effort. He can take punishment as a runner and play with pain. Good contact balance and athletic speed. More of an upright runner. Was recruited to Florida as a quarterback out of high school but spent two years at NW Mississippi Junior College after not qualifying. Spent 2008 at Butler (KS) Junior College and Manhattan (KS) Christian working on academics. Enrolled at Kansas State in July 2009.

2011 NFL Draft, Quarterback, Christian Ponder, Florida State

Will be a three year starter. Graduated in 2 ½ years and has been working on his MBA for the past year and a half. Learning complex NFL offenses will not be a problem. Has Kurt Warner type accuracy. Consistent ability to keep receivers on their routes with few adjustments. Throws a catchable ball with timing, touch, and rare ball placement to his receivers. Completed 68.8 percent of his passes. Patient passing the ball. Lets the play develop while reading coverages, then delivers ball. Equally skilled at throwing horizontal or vertical passes with accuracy. Quick release. Always ready to throw, keeps the ball up at shoulder level or above. No wasted motion. Tight spiral with velocity. Quick feet. Gets to throwing point quickly in conventional or shotgun alignments. Good mechanics. Can scramble out, gather himself, and throw accurately.Quick and fluid. A poised leader who doesn’t get rattled. Features the arm strength to fit the ball into tight spots in the “red zone.” Quick twitch from vision to launch point. He sees it, he hits it. Makes plays left or right on the move. Accurate on bootlegs and waggles. Played in nine games in 2009 before he had surgery on his right shoulder after being injured in the Clemson game. He is expected to be full go when the season starts September 4th.

2011 Draft,Quarterback, John Locker, Washington

Three-year starter who is a dynamic playmaker. Possesses all the tools and athletic ability to succeed on the next level. Broke his thumb in game four against Stanford in 2008 which slowed his progress. Played in 2009 with a group of young receivers that dropped several passes early in the year but proved to be talented skill players by season’s end. Returned to the Huskies in 2010 to continue his development under quarterback guru and head coach Steve Sarkisian. Fundamentally, Locker is an ascending player who can throw from the pocket or on the move from a variety of deliveries. Plays in both a spread offense where he takes shotgun snaps and a pro style where he accepts the ball from under center. His arm is strong enough to throw deep and all the sideline passes. He can zip the tough deep comeback route. Has the innate ability to speed up his delivery under a heavy rush and gets the ball out of his hand quickly and on time. Can hit a moving target in stride on vertical patterns down the field. Particularly dangerous on play action, bootlegs, and waggle plays because of his movement skills. Rare foot quickness to make plays on the move. Explosive burst upfield when he pulls the ball down if receivers are covered, or when he runs the quarterback draw. Led the PAC-10 in total offense averaging 265.7 yards per game, including 2800 yards passing. He threw for 21 touchdowns and had 11 interceptions. Has good accuracy, decision making skills, poise, and leadership qualities.