Friday, April 25, 2008
NFL Draft Cram Session
4:24 AM | 
Posted by
Nick Mendola
Here we are, the culmination my favorite year in college football and my most prepared year in draft history. I'm ready to be content if Buffalo goes in several directions this weekend, and have a couple ideas of what could set me off in an opposite humor.
So, before Greg Bauch and I hit the airwaves at 11 a.m. Saturday to kick-off 12 hours of draft coverage on WGR, here's a brief review of the impressions I received from the players who appeared in my podcast series, and the date to find them in the Audio Vault. We'll go alphabetically, and throw some video links along the way. Afterwards, I'll detail some prospect movement from the final day of rumorville:
Jabari Arthur, WR, Akron (4/14 Podcast)
— French-Canadian MAC stand-out is big and funny. The kid is a Montreal Canadiens fan who can jump really high without lighting cars on fire. Watch his Day Two prospects.
Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina (4/25 Podcast)
— A+ interview for the likely first-round pick. Big fella, at 6'5", 312 pounds, and models himself as a Richard Seymour of defensive ends. Yeah, that sounds pretty darn good. Polite, professional and humble. First round pick.
Gary Banks, WR, Troy (4/15 Podcast)
— Was covered every day by Troy corner Leodis McKelvin, and said he learned a lot from the highly-touted corner. Also made me think McKelvin is as good as advertised. Calls himself a physical receiver, though he isn't a big guy. Late Round/Priority Free Agent.
Jason Boone, OL, Utah (4/16 Podcast)
— Big prospect heading into this year before a knee injury. Recuperation is apparently going well, and seems like a nice enough guy. From Day One to Day Two after a knee injury... just imagine if you hurt your knee and all the work you did in college lost half it's value. Late Round Pick.
Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville (4/11 Podcast)
— Talking to him about Bobby Petrino, his change in draft stock and all-around approach to quarterbacking made me want him in red, white and blue. Hard to imagine his status won't rise in the wash. First round pick.
Curtis Coker, DT, Oregon State (4/14 Podcast)
— Nice kid, seems to love the game. Very late rounds/Free agent.
Angelo Craig, LB, Cincinnati (4/17 Podcast)
— Hard-working linebacker from a "blue collar" city who comes from a big family. Early-to-mid Day Two pick.
Andre Fluellen, DT, Florida State (4/15 Podcast)
— So impressed with this John McCargo-like defensive tackle. Terrific interview, and excited to followed this former chorus member's career in the NFL. Day One pick.
Steve Justice, C, Wake Forest (4/14 Podcast)
— I'm partial to UB's Jamey Richard if only because of my alma mater ties, but Justice was my first and a quite impressive interview. If the Bills don't go UB, they'll be going earlier to get Justice, and I won't hate it. Late Day One/Very Early Day Two pick.
Haruki Nakamura, S, Cincinnati (4/17 Podcast)
— Undersized but powerful and quick safety whose entire family is composed of black belt martial artists. Yes. Go search his name on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHApgrJarw8. This guy loves to hit. Late Day Two pick.
Frank Okam, DT, Texas (4/15 Podcast)
— Monster of a man with a National Championship resume. Would be an interesting pick to spell Marcus Stroud. Is a first-rounder in some circles. Also talked about Malcolm Kelly and Limas Sweed. Day One pick.
Brian Paysinger, WR, Oregon (4/15 Podcast)
— Productive receiver who can block. Good interview.
Kelly Poppinga, LB, Brigham Young (4/16 Podcast)
— Tackling machine whose draft prospects improved when moved from outside to inside linebacker. Brother of Green Bay stand-out Brady Poppinga and former Chief/Steeler/Seahawk/Eagle tight end Casey Poppinga. Already did service work in Central and South America. Carried himself very well. Day Two Pick.
Jamey Richard, C, Buffalo (4/11 Podcast)
— Nasty, big, physical center who can play guard and models himself after the Colts' Jeff Saturday. Go Bulls (How's that for unbiased journalism).
Martin Rucker, TE, Missouri (4/22 Podcast)
— Perhaps the best interview of the punch from a guy who would help the Bills immediately. Comes from the spread offense and admits to need to learn line blocking. Brother of recently-retired Carolina Panthers end Mike Rucker, and son of Nebraska state representative. Late Day One/Early Day Two.
Dusty Sprague, WR, Colorado (4/16 Podcast)
— An underdog worth rooting for, this kid from the midwest was both easy to talk to and intelligent. Late Round/Priority Free Agent. Reviewed Sweed and Malcolm Kelly.
Jake Standeford, WR, Purdue (4/14 Podcast)
— Tall (6'2"), blocking wide-out who got the chance to shine in a big bowl win over Central Michigan. Definitely Youtube search his block: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtyChk-quDk. Trust me that will be enough to find him. Devastating. Day Two pick (stock rising).
Limas Sweed, WR, Texas (4/21 Podcast)
— What else can I say about Sweed? Wasn't the world's best interview, but I've been arguing for his being a Bill for a year, and I'm not stopping now. One word: Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AHAhZsrEL4. First round pick.
Jeremy Trimble, WR, Amry (4/22 Podcast)
— Impressive young man who detailed the Army/Navy game for me. Should get a shot in the league. Day Two pick/Priority free agent.
Jeremy Zuttah, OL, Rutgers (4/16 Podcast)
— Great interview. Would love the Bills taking a look at a kid who rose with the Rutgers program. Has a nasty edge to him. Day One pick.
MOVING UP:
—Jordy Nelson, WR, Kansas State: 6'2" kid who amassed 122 catches. In one year. Wow.
—Chad Henne, QB, Michigan: Very accurate four-year starter who played through injury.
—Branden Albert, OL, Virginia: Good lineman survive hype.
—James Hardy, WR, Indiana: It's the NFL. Do you think they really care about character concerns with a 6'7" wide-out? I don't like it either.
—Balmer
—Zuttah
—Andre Caldwell, WR, Florida: Good wide-out from a good program. Excels in several areas.
—Reggie Smith, CB, Oklahoma: Seems like the guys who played well in real football are overcoming poor combines. Had a slower-than-usual time on his pro day on the same track as Malcolm Kelly. Coincidence? I think not.
MVP (Most Valuable Podcast) Voting:
1. Fluellen
2. Rucker
3. Justice
4. Zuttah
5. Balmer
Hope to hear from you Saturday morning at 11 a.m., and please don't forget to vote in the "Name my team" web poll on my page: http://wgr550.com/pages/1258107.php?
Email: nick@wgr550.com
So, before Greg Bauch and I hit the airwaves at 11 a.m. Saturday to kick-off 12 hours of draft coverage on WGR, here's a brief review of the impressions I received from the players who appeared in my podcast series, and the date to find them in the Audio Vault. We'll go alphabetically, and throw some video links along the way. Afterwards, I'll detail some prospect movement from the final day of rumorville:
Jabari Arthur, WR, Akron (4/14 Podcast)
— French-Canadian MAC stand-out is big and funny. The kid is a Montreal Canadiens fan who can jump really high without lighting cars on fire. Watch his Day Two prospects.
Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina (4/25 Podcast)
— A+ interview for the likely first-round pick. Big fella, at 6'5", 312 pounds, and models himself as a Richard Seymour of defensive ends. Yeah, that sounds pretty darn good. Polite, professional and humble. First round pick.
Gary Banks, WR, Troy (4/15 Podcast)
— Was covered every day by Troy corner Leodis McKelvin, and said he learned a lot from the highly-touted corner. Also made me think McKelvin is as good as advertised. Calls himself a physical receiver, though he isn't a big guy. Late Round/Priority Free Agent.
Jason Boone, OL, Utah (4/16 Podcast)
— Big prospect heading into this year before a knee injury. Recuperation is apparently going well, and seems like a nice enough guy. From Day One to Day Two after a knee injury... just imagine if you hurt your knee and all the work you did in college lost half it's value. Late Round Pick.
Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville (4/11 Podcast)
— Talking to him about Bobby Petrino, his change in draft stock and all-around approach to quarterbacking made me want him in red, white and blue. Hard to imagine his status won't rise in the wash. First round pick.
Curtis Coker, DT, Oregon State (4/14 Podcast)
— Nice kid, seems to love the game. Very late rounds/Free agent.
Angelo Craig, LB, Cincinnati (4/17 Podcast)
— Hard-working linebacker from a "blue collar" city who comes from a big family. Early-to-mid Day Two pick.
Andre Fluellen, DT, Florida State (4/15 Podcast)
— So impressed with this John McCargo-like defensive tackle. Terrific interview, and excited to followed this former chorus member's career in the NFL. Day One pick.
Steve Justice, C, Wake Forest (4/14 Podcast)
— I'm partial to UB's Jamey Richard if only because of my alma mater ties, but Justice was my first and a quite impressive interview. If the Bills don't go UB, they'll be going earlier to get Justice, and I won't hate it. Late Day One/Very Early Day Two pick.
Haruki Nakamura, S, Cincinnati (4/17 Podcast)
— Undersized but powerful and quick safety whose entire family is composed of black belt martial artists. Yes. Go search his name on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHApgrJarw8. This guy loves to hit. Late Day Two pick.
Frank Okam, DT, Texas (4/15 Podcast)
— Monster of a man with a National Championship resume. Would be an interesting pick to spell Marcus Stroud. Is a first-rounder in some circles. Also talked about Malcolm Kelly and Limas Sweed. Day One pick.
Brian Paysinger, WR, Oregon (4/15 Podcast)
— Productive receiver who can block. Good interview.
Kelly Poppinga, LB, Brigham Young (4/16 Podcast)
— Tackling machine whose draft prospects improved when moved from outside to inside linebacker. Brother of Green Bay stand-out Brady Poppinga and former Chief/Steeler/Seahawk/Eagle tight end Casey Poppinga. Already did service work in Central and South America. Carried himself very well. Day Two Pick.
Jamey Richard, C, Buffalo (4/11 Podcast)
— Nasty, big, physical center who can play guard and models himself after the Colts' Jeff Saturday. Go Bulls (How's that for unbiased journalism).
Martin Rucker, TE, Missouri (4/22 Podcast)
— Perhaps the best interview of the punch from a guy who would help the Bills immediately. Comes from the spread offense and admits to need to learn line blocking. Brother of recently-retired Carolina Panthers end Mike Rucker, and son of Nebraska state representative. Late Day One/Early Day Two.
Dusty Sprague, WR, Colorado (4/16 Podcast)
— An underdog worth rooting for, this kid from the midwest was both easy to talk to and intelligent. Late Round/Priority Free Agent. Reviewed Sweed and Malcolm Kelly.
Jake Standeford, WR, Purdue (4/14 Podcast)
— Tall (6'2"), blocking wide-out who got the chance to shine in a big bowl win over Central Michigan. Definitely Youtube search his block: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtyChk-quDk. Trust me that will be enough to find him. Devastating. Day Two pick (stock rising).
Limas Sweed, WR, Texas (4/21 Podcast)
— What else can I say about Sweed? Wasn't the world's best interview, but I've been arguing for his being a Bill for a year, and I'm not stopping now. One word: Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AHAhZsrEL4. First round pick.
Jeremy Trimble, WR, Amry (4/22 Podcast)
— Impressive young man who detailed the Army/Navy game for me. Should get a shot in the league. Day Two pick/Priority free agent.
Jeremy Zuttah, OL, Rutgers (4/16 Podcast)
— Great interview. Would love the Bills taking a look at a kid who rose with the Rutgers program. Has a nasty edge to him. Day One pick.
MOVING UP:
—Jordy Nelson, WR, Kansas State: 6'2" kid who amassed 122 catches. In one year. Wow.
—Chad Henne, QB, Michigan: Very accurate four-year starter who played through injury.
—Branden Albert, OL, Virginia: Good lineman survive hype.
—James Hardy, WR, Indiana: It's the NFL. Do you think they really care about character concerns with a 6'7" wide-out? I don't like it either.
—Balmer
—Zuttah
—Andre Caldwell, WR, Florida: Good wide-out from a good program. Excels in several areas.
—Reggie Smith, CB, Oklahoma: Seems like the guys who played well in real football are overcoming poor combines. Had a slower-than-usual time on his pro day on the same track as Malcolm Kelly. Coincidence? I think not.
MVP (Most Valuable Podcast) Voting:
1. Fluellen
2. Rucker
3. Justice
4. Zuttah
5. Balmer
Hope to hear from you Saturday morning at 11 a.m., and please don't forget to vote in the "Name my team" web poll on my page: http://wgr550.com/pages/1258107.php?
Email: nick@wgr550.com
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