Stanford QB Andrew Luck-

Andrew Luck's game is ready for the next level and it has been for some time. Colts fans should be rejoicing and celebrating in the streets, they just landed the next Peyton Manning if their smart enough to pull the trigger and do the wise thing.
Let’s just go ahead and get this out of the way right now…Luck is the best overall prospect in this draft and is hand’s down the best quarterback prospect to come out since Peyton Manning and the Colts would be foolish not to draft him, period! He is nowhere near lacking NFL arm strength and for those who say they don’t see many “NFL caliber” throws, y’all need to go get your eyes checked or actually watch some film. There…that felt good to get out, now I can sleep at night and feel good about myself but not really because Luck is as close to a can’t miss quarterback prospect as your ever going to find and these are the reasons (facts) why. Andrew Luck is incredibly efficient and smart with the football, his football IQ is undeniably brilliant as he is more or less a coach on the field. He consistently puts his team in good situations by making pre/post snap reads, adjustments, and audibles to give his team a numbers/competitive advantage. Luck is so incredibly cerebral as a player his coaches actually allow him to make the calls…hell they barely need an offensive coordinator, Luck’s got it covered. When I talk about the type of player Andrew Luck is I like to say that his greatest strength or skill is his conceptual awareness as a passer. By this I mean he has an uncanny ability to take abstract and complex situations and break them down into individual pieces and make meaning out of them to solve the problem at hand. Luck’s ability to see how the pieces around him inter-relate with one another is very uncommon and something uniquely special to his ability as a football player. This speaks to his ability to process information quickly and make the correct decision consistently. He see’s the game in a different way and on a completely different level…if there were a test on being a great quarterback Andrew Luck would be the teacher. Off to a good start? Well that’s just one aspect of Luck’s overall game, we still got two more to go!
First he beats you with his smarts now he beats you with his…you guessed it, his legs. Watching Andrew Luck it is very easy to see that he possesses very good pocket presence and awareness. His internal clock of when the football needs to be delivered or when he needs to escape the pocket is almost second nature. His athleticism is undeniable and was on full display here. Look, I understand this highlight has almost nothing to do with his running ability but come on, that’s a great catch and a Heisman worthy moment if you ask me. If anything it speaks to just how athletic and coordinated Andrew Luck is and if he can do that I’m sure he can make plays outside the pocket to extend the play, plus his accuracy and ability to throw on the run is a thing of beauty. When outside the pocket Luck displays the ability to square his body to his target and deliver a clean and accurate pass with velocity. Luck is able to do this because of his extremely good footwork where he is able to get his body into position by squaring to his intended target. Ever heard the phrase…”it all starts from the ground up”? Well that is what Luck does better than anyone at his position. His footwork is incredibly smooth and he is able to navigate his way in and outside the pocket because of his feet. I’m not saying that Luck is the next Michael Vick or anything, he doesn’t possess that type of speed and athleticism but he has more than enough to pick up as many yards as possible when he can’t find a viable option down the field.
So now that’s two things Andrew Luck is extremely efficient at, now let’s look at what puts him on an entirely different level completely…his physical ability as a passer. Andrew Luck possesses a live arm capable of making all the throws to all levels of the field. He makes quick decisions and gets the ball out in a hurry, showing nice anticipation and timing on his throws. Luck can drop the ball in a bucket where he shows the ability to drop the pass over the top of the corner and before the safety was able to come over the top and jump the route or blow up his receiver. This throw takes an incredible amount of touch and timing and his deep ball is as good I have ever seen from a collegiate quarterback. What makes this so remarkable is that he makes this look so incredibly easy and that’s because it is to him, he was born to play quarterback. Luck also does a remarkable job of throwing his receivers open and allowing his receivers the ability to pick up extra yards by throwing away from defenders and coverage. His ball placement/location is superb and is one of the things that allows him to make everybody around him better, which is what a great quarterback can do. Andrew Luck is also a great leader who always seems to respond to adversity, showing poise and methodical execution. I have seen Andrew Luck time and time again put his team into position to win by executing the two-minute drill to perfection. Smart decisions and not trying to do too much while being in total control at all times is what Andrew Luck is all about. He’s not afraid of the big stage or moment and seems to thrive in clutch situations when his team needs him most. The fact is if it weren’t for a missed field goal at the end of regulation Andrew Luck would be being celebrated as a Fiesta Bowl champion and the best field/clock manager we have maybe ever seen at the collegiate level.
Look..I don’t like to normally crown a player before the fact unless I know and am confident that player is uniquely special and elite, which Andrew Luck is. His game is so incredibly balanced/polished he is ready to suit up right now and compete on a high level. There aren’t enough good things to say about the type of player Andrew Luck is and I could go on and on but that would be a waste. His game is as close to compete as it possibly can be and the whole “Suck for Luck” motto/phrase is completely true and warranted. Congratulations Indianapolis Colts, you just ensured your team the ability to compete for the next 10-15 years, just don’t screw it up by getting cute!
Stanford TE Coby Fleener-

Coby Fleener's size and versatility is an enticing option for team's looking to add another wrinkle to their offense and create mis-matches all over the field.
Coby Fleener possesses great height and overall size for the tight end position and has consistently been a threat to stretch the field vertically, evidenced by his astounding 19.6 yards per reception this season. Fleener had what would be considered a quiet day and had to leave the game early because of a leg injury, finishing the game with just two catches for 19 yards. What I really appreciate about Fleener is that he is essentially a wide receiver in a tight end body. The Cardinals love to use Fleener split out wide as another wide receiver. This ability gives his offense another added dimension and all sorts of versatility to create-mis matches in the pass game. The NFL is quickly becoming a passing league and player’s with Fleener’s skill-set and ability is in high demand, which should make him a premier target in the 2nd round for a team looking to add another dimension/wrinkle to their aerial attack. While Fleener isn’t the most physically gifted blocker, capable of sustaining blocks for a long period of time and over-powering his opponent he has steadily shown improvement in this department. Fleener shows enough strength to hold up at the point of attack and gets good arm extension upon contact, although I would like to see him fire out of his stance with a little more authority. Nevertheless, Fleener has proven capable of executing seal blocks and took a very good angle and put his body in position to set the edge and create a massive running lane for his running back in this game. I really love Fleener’s ability to create separation as he shows the ability to get into and out of his breaks cleanly and efficiently using nice body control/positioning. Fleener isn’t extremely physical, capable of out-muscling defenders for the ball like a Rob Gronkrowski or Jimmy Graham but he isn’t afraid to mix it up and use his body to create space for himself to work. Fleener also does a nice job of squaring himself to the football, getting his head around quickly and giving his quarterback a nice target to throw the football. Coby Fleener strikes me as the type of player who can open up your offense because of his ability to stretch the field vertically and open up holes underneath the coverage. He may never be an elite tight end or even good one for that matter but his versatility gives your offense another added dimension to open up your playbook and create opportunities for other players to make a play. His skill-set and ability reminds me some of current Detroit Lions tight end Tony Sheffler, whose ability to work/stretch the seam allows players like Brandon Pettigrew and Nate Burleson to work the underneath routes and is a big reason why the Lions have enjoyed such a balanced offensive attack this season.
Stanford OT Jonathon Martin-

Jonathon Martin has a lot to offer in the run game and should be an above average right tackle in the NFL. I just don't see him becoming a franchise Left Tackle because of my concern for him to handle speed rushers at the next level.
Jonathon Martin has enjoyed a very solid season and recently announced his intentions to enter the 2012 NFL Draft. Martin stands a solid 6-6 305 lbs. and has always been highlighted as being one of the better run blocking tackles in the entire country. Jonathon Martin is a very agile athlete with good overall footwork, allowing him to seek out and destroy blockers at the 2nd level. Watching Martin run block it is very easy to see that he understands the importance of playing with leverage as well as the low man principles, especially in short yardage situations. Here Martin shows solid technique in getting good pop off the line of scrimmage while keeping his pad level low and driving his feet upon contact. This allows Martin to consistently win his individual battles and knock his man off the ball to create running room for his back. Jonathon Martin also shows very good movement skills for a man his size and makes a seamless transition at getting to the 2nd level and executing blocks on moving targets. This ability to make combination blocks and find defenders to pick up speaks to his ability to make a solid impact in the running game and make big time blocks at the 2nd level to spring his back for the big gain. In pass protection Martin does a very good job of staying balanced and playing with sound technique. Martin’s mirroring skills are good as he follows and reads his opponent’s movements very soundly, knocking his man down to the ground on multiple ocassions after waiting for his opportunity to strike while he had his man off balanced and beat. Jonathon is also very patient and shows good to great hand to hand combat skills. Martin does an excellent job of keeping his elbows in close to his body before delivering a punch move to jolt his defender and knock them off-balance and keep his defender away/off his body. The biggest issue I have with Martin comes with his ability to handle players that possess a combination of power and quickness. I worry about his ability to ride speed rushers around the edge due to his shorter than ideal arms (assumption) from what I have noticed when watching film. It seems Martin could do a better job getting better arm extension and playing with greater leverage to ride these defenders behind the quarterback to give his man a clean pocket to work with. Part of this has to do with his inability to gain much depth on his initial kick out when setting into pass pro. I have noticed that he tends to take shorter more choppy drop steps, allowing defenders that possess speed and quickness off the line to gain an initial advantage on the edge. Never was this more apparent when Oklahoma State lined up a standing linebacker to blitz on third down. Knowing a blitz was coming and his kick out would not be enough to cover the jump his man would get off the line, Martin began to slowly lean back out of his stance before the snap. Although he got away with what should have been a false start this spoke to Martin’s confidence in his ability to hang with speed rushers who can threaten the edge with their initial quickness off the line. From what I have gathered I could see Martin struggling not only with these type of players, but also players who possess the ability to turn speed into power as I am not quite sold on Martin’s ability to anchor quite yet either. Players like Brooks Reed exposed this weakness in Martin’s game last year and is the biggest reason I don’t see him playing Left Tackle in the NFL, at least initially if ever. For this reason it’s hard for me to give Jonathon Martin a Top 10 grade like many other NFL Draft pundits have. I can see him becoming a solid Right Tackle, however it’s hard for me to justify a Top 10 pick on a player I do not see becoming a team’s future franchise Left Tackle. There’s no doubting Jonathon Martin is talented and will go high but in my opinion he should not be a Top 10 pick because of this inability to handle elite speed rushers.
Stanford OG David DeCastro-

David DeCastro is an extremely gifted run blocker who possesses elite quickness, hand placement, and leg drive which should put him in high demand come April
David DeCastro has absolutely flown up NFL Draft Boards everywhere due to his stellar play and impressive ability as a run blocker. DeCastro (6-5 310 lbs.) possesses NFL measurables for the position and absolutely flies out of his stance, giving him a natural advantage to gain inside position and control his man from the on-set. DeCastro plays with great pad level and his leg drive is what allows him to consistently move his opponent off the football. Pair this with the fact that David DeCastro gets very good hand placement when engaging his man at the point of attack and it is easy to see why he enjoys so much success. DeCastro also shows natural athleticism and overall fluidity in pulling and picking up the first defender while showing the ability to hit moving targets consistently. This natural athleticism allows DeCastro to attack the 2nd level very effortlessly as he is very gifted in moving in space while showing the agility to move to his left or right to get up into the hole and make a block. Stanford loves to get DeCastro out in front by pulling him and allowing him to execute reach or kick out blocks, which he has proved to be extremely effective at doing while at Stanford. In pass protection DeCastro shows above average to good skills overall, however I would like to see him play a little more balanced and sink his butt by bending more at the knees to gain leverage and hold up against the bull rush better. Nevertheless, DeCastro shows more than enough ability to hold up in the pass game and should do just fine at the next level in this area. DeCastro is very aware at picking up delayed blitzes/stunts/twists and seems to play with his head on a swivel at all times. David DeCastro is the ideal guard to line up and run behind in short yardage/goal-line situations due to his impressive run blocking ability and quickness off the snap. DeCastro will be the first player to come off the board from his position in the 2012 NFL Draft and could go potentially as high as the Top 15 overall, he’s that gifted and good at what he does and should be in high demand come April.
Stanford LB Chase Thomas-

Chase Thomas offers some pass rush ability and shows great effort and hustle on nearly every play. However, he could refine his tackling technique and continue to develop making it a wise decision for him to return next season.
Stanford Linebacker Chase Thomas enjoyed a successful season in Palo Alto finishing fourth on the team with 51 tackles, while going on to register 8.5 sacks. Thomas has good size at 6-4 240 lbs and projects nicely as a 3-4 OLB. Stanford likes to use Chase Thomas all over as a blitzing linebacker or defensive end with his hand in the dirt. Thomas is a high motor player who shows great effort in pursuing to the football even when the play is occurring away from his current position. His effort on the backside to pursue to the football is a very encouraging sign and something that will earn him extra points when scouts and personnel men break down his film. Thomas shows above average athleticism and his ability to change directions is also pretty good. Thomas also offers some pass rush ability and executed a nice swim move to beat an offensive tackle outside and nearly make a sack. His overall speed and quickness is nothing to get too excited about but it is his hustle and effort that allow him to make so many impact type plays. Thomas needs to improve on his tackling as he was largely absent from this game and struggled to wrap up on a couple of occasions. I believe it would be a wise move for Thomas to come back for his Senior season to better his overall game and work on his tackling technique/pass rush moves.
Oklahoma State QB Brandon Weeden-

Brandon Weeden's age is a huge concern for me as is his inability to go through his reads and progressions. His tendency to stare down his receivers and get happy feet in the face of pressure makes Weeden a player that I cannot and will not give a high grade.
Brandon Weeden has enjoyed one of the better season’s we have ever seen from the quarterback position at Oklahoma State. Weeden possesses NFL measurables for the position at 6-4 220 lbs. but that is not quite the issue with Weeden. The biggest knock against Weeden is that he will be nearly 29 years old by the time training camp opens up next season, making him a very old rookie. This will likely leave 6-8 years at best for him to be a starting quarterback in the NFL and that will all depend on how advanced he is and how quickly he can pick up a new playbook and system. To me this has to be a big concern for everyone and is something that should knock him down come draft time in April. Putting the age issue aside here are my instant impressions from the Fiesta Bowl on Weeden. We will start with arm strength where Weeden appears to have enough zip on the ball and would seem to be above average to good in this particular area, although I would say it’s closer to just above average at this point. Weeden’s accuracy is also pretty good and I love his ability to hit on seam routes with proper touch and accuracy. Dropping the ball over top of the linebacker and underneath the safety is something that Brandon Weeden is extremely good at, which speaks volumes about his ability as a touch thrower who can place the ball in a basket down the middle of the field. Weeden also shows pretty good poise and comfortability in the pocket and stands tall before delivering a catchable pass. When the play breaks down, Weeden shows enough escapability as a thrower but I would not say this is his strong suit as he isn’t the most fleet of foot. Due to this Weeden can be chased down with relative ease, although he does keep his eyes downfield when escaping the pocket and shows the ability to extend the play to a certain degree…I would say he’s just good enough but not really a threat with his feet.
The issues I have with Weeden come somewhat from the offense he plays in but also his decision-making and inability to go through his progressions that well. On the first play of this game Weeden dropped back to pass and immediately stared down his extremely gifted wide receiver Justin Blackmon who was running a corner route trying to settle between his corner and a dropping linebacker. Weeden was telegraphing this throw from the get go and seemed to be making his decision pre-snap about where he was going with the football. This lead to an extremely easy interception for the dropping linebacker, who simply read Weeden’s eyes and body language and settled underneath the coverage, creating instant momentum for Stanford. One of the other big issues I have with Weeden is his tendency to wait for his man to come open before delivering a pass. This lack of anticipation is a concern because it displays a lack of processing information at a high level and I am not sold on Weeden’s ability to improvise when his first read is covered and he has to create on his own. Playing with Justin Blackmon these past two years have done wonders for Weeden’s overall stats but his game is just not that refined, especially for a older than average college quarterback. The system he plays in at Oklahoma State and under coach Mike Gundy doesn’t require or ask him to make many reads and his throws seem to be on the easier side. Weeden did make some nice pre-snap reads seeing Blackmon singled up on the outside without inside help, resulting in an easy slant route that went for a first down and big gain. However, all three of Weeden’s TD’s on the night were relatively easy throws to make. Another issue I have with Weeden comes with his tendency to fall away from his throws when faced with pressure. On a couple of occasions Weeden seemed to be bracing himself for the hit and even flinched, resulting in errant throws and noticeably affecting his throwing motion and accuracy. Weeden also displays a bad habit of patting the ball before he makes a throw, which could possibly be a habit he has acquired from his day’s playing baseball all those years. While this is correctable it is an issue that needs to be fixed because not only does it slow down his throwing motion but it gives defenders a read or hint that Weeden is about to turn it loose. All in all it is hard for me to give Weeden that high of a grade because he plays in such a simple offense while playing with one of the best college receivers in the past decade. Weeden is not a complete quarterback and while I admit he has some tools to work with, his age and inability to make reads and go through progressions to this point in his career is a huge concern for me. Right now I am giving Weeden a late 2nd to early 3rd round grade for now. I simply believe there are better options because they have time on their side to develop while Weeden does not have this luxury. It should also be noted that he was competing against Andrew Luck in this game, who can make nearly any quarterback prospect seem inferior and incompetent. Also, Weeden does now possess a 6-0 record against some of the top quarterback prospects in college football by beating the likes of Luck, Barkley, and Robert Griffin. Nonetheless I consider this to be a better tell-tale sign of the football team and Mike Gundy’s offensive system, rather than Weeden’s skill as a passer.
Oklahoma WR Justin Blackmon-

The two-time Biletnikoff award winner has unbelievable spacial and body awareness. His lack of true speed is concerning but Blackmon is extremely effective at creating separtion in other ways and should enjoy a very productive NFL career.
Justin Blackmon has been terrorizing college secondaries and frustrating and keeping defensive coordinators up at night with his solid play the past two seasons at Oklahoma State. A two-time Biletnikoff winner, Justin Blackmon has been the epitome of consistency and success the past couple years. Blackmon stands a solid 6-1 215 lbs. and shows good size and girth for the position with the capability to hold up to repeated hits/blows he will receive in the NFL. Justin Blackmon is not a burner at all and his top-end speed is nothing special. However, Blackmon does an incredible job creating separation due to his superb ability to use his body in space. Blackmon’s body positioning is one of his greatest strengths and he is extremely effective at using this skill to create separation and keep defenders away from the football. Blackmon shows great spacial and kinesthetic awareness, always knowing where his body is in relation to the space he has around him as well as any defenders in the area. This gives Blackmon a natural advantage as a receiver and is a big reason for his ability to make big plays despite his lack of speed and quickness on the field. Justin Blackmon is a fluid athlete and route runner showing the natural ability to create space and separation from his defender. This was extremely apparent in this game when Blackmon was able to manipulate his defender and get him to rise up from his stance for just a quick second on an inside slant. This allowed Blackmon to attack the defenders inside shoulder and gain position on his man. This ability to read a corners movements and attack them when they’re most vulnerable and out of position demonstrates a natural feel for running routes and is another reason Justin Blackmon is such a great weapon. The area that Blackmon really excels at is running underneath routes like drags and slants, where he uses his ability to get into and out of his breaks quickly extremely well and efficiently. Blackmon has also proved to be a very good red-zone threat/option due to his ability to use his body extremely well in confined areas. Justin Blackmon has good jump ball skills and should become an effective player who can climb the ladder or defeat his man on corner fades on a consistent basis. Blackmon does have lapses in concentration and will drop some balls he should catch, however he has proved to be a sure-handed receiver with strong hands capable of making catches in traffic in his career as well. I also do not like Blackmon’s effort on running plays or plays in which he is a decoy or know’s he will not be getting the ball. I get that he wants the ball and is confident in his ability to make big pays but that type of diva attitude will get him in trouble with the coaching staff at the next level and is something that needs to be improved/taken care of immediately. Many people will compare Justin Blackmon with former Oklahoma wide receiver and current Dallas Cowboys Dez Bryant, but the two are two pretty different players. Bryan’ts upside is undeniable and he can be as good as he wants to be. I would say Bryant’s overall skill-set is a little better than Blackmon’s but the two aren’t that far apart talent wise, it’s just they do different things than each other well. Blackmon will and should go Top 10 in the upcoming draft and has the ability to be a number one receiver at the next level.
Oklahoma State OT Levy Adcock-

I believe Levy Adcock's most natural fit at the next level will be inside at the guard position where his lack of athleticism and natural strength can be best utilized.
Levy Adcock possesses extremely good size at 6-5 320 lbs. and took over the starting Left Tackle position after predominately playing Right Tackle his entire career at Oklahoma State. If there is one thing you notice almost instantaneously with Adcock is that he doesn’t possess the type of athleticism to stick at Left Tackle in the NFL. His quickness getting out of his stance is only average and he doesn’t fire out of his stance and get into his sets with much very much authority. The thing that makes me believe that Adcock future will not lie outside at tackle but inside at a guard position is his above average feet, as he shows natural ability to re-direct and re-set his feet to get into position and neutralize his opponent. This allows Adcock the ability to recover when beaten initially and moving him inside turns what was a weakness for him on the outside to become a strength on the inside where overall athleticism isn’t extremely important. Adcock also proved to have solid overall awareness for twisting and stunting defensive lineman by recognizing and picking up players that threaten his zone. I would like to see Adcock use better overall hand usage as he allows his opponents to get into his body too easily at times but feel he will improve in this area with proper coaching. Adcock also sometimes has a bad habit of dropping his head at the point of attack and will need to develop more from a technique standpoint rather than simply over-powering and controlling his man with his strength. Adcock’s strength gives him an advantage and he possesses an above average to good punch move to knock his defenders off-balance. Overall I like Adcock as a prospect but feel he has areas of his game to work on and improve. His most natural fit will be inside at guard but he may also be able to play Right Tackle in the NFL. This versatility should get Adckock drafted somewhere in the 3rd round.
Oklahoma State S Markelle Martin-

Markelle Martin is a long rangy athlete capable of covering a lot of ground and coming up in the box to help out against the run. However, I still have questions about his awareness in coverage and overall tackling ability but the physical skills are definitely there.
Markelle Martin is a long-bodied rangy type player at 6-1 200 lbs. and displays the type of athleticism and burst to cover a lot of ground. Martin’s game is predicated around the line of scrimmage as an in the box type safety where his instincts and awareness almost make him another linebacker for his defense. Martin flows to the football very efficiently and shows the natural ability to sift through traffic and take proper angles to the football. Markelle Martin is a smooth athlete who possesses the ability to make plays all over the field and I am a big fan of how well he reads his keys and trusts his eyes when flowing to the football. On a play early in the game Martin laid out a receiver coming across the middle putting the crown of his helmet right in the receivers ear hole. This is a play that showed the type of burst, explosion, and closing speed that Markelle has as a player as well as his ability to read the quarterbacks eyes and make a play on the football. However hits like this will normally result in fines and penalties in the NFL from Roger Goodell. I need to see Markelle tackle with better overall form more consistently as he tended to make a good tackle and follow it up with a missed one. It seemed to me that Markelle could do a little better job lowering his pad level and breaking down upon contact while shooting his arms up through his man to wrap up. I still need to see more of Markelle in this area but that was my instant impression from the instances I saw of him making a tackle in this game. Markelle Martin proved to be a downhill type defender who makes many of his plays in or around the line of scrimmage but I would to see better overall awareness and skills in coverage from him. At one point lined up with a wide receiver, Markelle chose to play off his man giving him a good 10 yard cushion. Playing and getting a bit high in his back pedal, Martin slipped when trying to change directions and left his wide receiver wide open for an easy TD. This lack of awareness and discipline in coverage was very evident not only on this play but on other occasions in this game as well. There is no doubting that Martin has the physical tools I just need to see him become a more rounded player before I can give him a higher grade.
Oklahoma State CB Broderick Brown-

Broderick Brown is a small corner (5-8 185) but displays good ball skills. He took some gambles and got beat/exposed in this game but he should come back next year and build on a solid year overall.
Broderick Brown is remembered largely in part because of this incredible play he made last season when defending a pass by Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones. This plays shows the great athleticism and awareness Brown possesses and speaks volumes about his effort and hustle to never give up on a play. The problem with Brown is that he possesses less than adequate size at a listed 5-8 185 lbs. although he plays a lot bigger than his size would indicate. The impression I got from Brown in this game is that he is an extremely competitive player who isn’t afraid of contact and is more than willing to sacrifice his body to make a play. This was evidenced by a big collision at the goal-line when Brown threw his body into the ball carrier to knock him out of the end zone and keep six off the board. This is good to see however Brown did get fooled and exposed multiple times in this game. Andrew Luck had his way with Brown using pump fakes and play actions to pick on the feisty risk-taking corner that Brown has proven to be. This aggressiveness is something that Brown needs to control as he puts his team and especially his fellow members of the secondary in tough situations. On the play actions and pump fakes that Brown fell for he would stop his feet and get caught with his eyes in the backfield. Broderick Brown will need to prove that he can play more within himself and the defensive system to shake the risk-taking label he has earned this season. Now this is not to say that Brown isn’t a talented player capable of making big plays as he was able to tally 5 interceptions on the season, but he has to learn to control this impulse to gamble. Brown is a player that has flashed for me a couple of instances this season and it was fun to watch him go against one of the best quarterbacks we have seen in college football in Andrew Luck. I would tend to believe Brown’s mental mistakes were more a product of just how good a quarterback Andrew Luck is rather than how bad a player Broderick Brown is…he simply got exposed by one of the games best. It’s too bad that Broderick Brown wasn’t a little bit bigger but he should be able to build on a good year by coming back next season and continuing to learn and develop while increasing his draft stock.
Other players who caught my attention include Stanford TE Zach Ertz, Oklahoma State LB Jamie Blatnick, Oklahoma State S Daytawion Lowe, Stanford WR Ty Montgomery, Stanford RB Stepfan Taylor. As always, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the post.
– Brandon