Ask Jeff Risdon a question thread

[Jaruff]

With the bowl games played thus far, whose stock has went up the most and whose stock has went down the most?

[Icness]

With the bowl games played thus far, whose stock has went up the most and whose stock has went down the most?

Not counting today (1/2):
Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina. Solidified himself as the best non pass rushing specialist LB in the draft. He's very reminiscent of Lance Briggs.

Jordan White, WR, WMU. Made a couple of outstanding catches. He's been doing that for years but this got him greater exposure. I suspect he went from 5th/6th to 3rd/4th. Or rather he should have done that.

Ladarius Smith, TE, LA-Lafayette. Showed he could beat both press and off man coverage. Showed he could take a hit. Showed he could run block down the field. Still needs work but the tools are there for him to be the next Jermichael Finley/Aaron Hernandez type slot tight end.

Fletcher Cox, DT, Miss St. Read the link on my sig.

Casey Hayward, CB, Vandy. Ball skills command attention even if he can't catch. He tackled better though.

Two guys from Utah State: RB Robert Turbin and LB Bobby Wagner. Turbin has some Marshawn Lynch to his style. Wagner raised his profile for 3-4 teams as an ILB to where it's pretty certain he gets drafted. He dominated Auburn early in the year but then flew under the radar.

[hermes]

is rex burkhead a #1 rb in the nfl? and about where would he go

seems like he can do everything in college, but will it continue at the next level

[Rafael122]

Matt Flynn, legit or not? I ask because with the Skins picking 6th, there's no way I can see them trading up to get Griffin or Luck if they can get Flynn who just needs a chance to start. My dream scenario is the Skins taking Flynn or signing him I mean, then drafting Blackmon with the 6th pick (if he's there).

[Icness]

is rex burkhead a #1 rb in the nfl? and about where would he go

seems like he can do everything in college, but will it continue at the next level

Good question. He doesn't really stand out at being great but he doesn't really have any holes. I see someone like Javon Ringer or Mo Morris, fairly dependable backup, but I am one of many that underestimated Roy Helu coming out of the same program.

Don't really have a feel for his stock. I would be very surprised if he came out.

[Icness]

Matt Flynn, legit or not? I ask because with the Skins picking 6th, there's no way I can see them trading up to get Griffin or Luck if they can get Flynn who just needs a chance to start. My dream scenario is the Skins taking Flynn or signing him I mean, then drafting Blackmon with the 6th pick (if he's there).

I wouldn't chase Flynn, not for that price. He's not as talented as Kevin Kolb, not as strong an arm, not as tall, not as experienced, and I don't think the Cardinals would give up the 2nd rounder again for Kolb. Flynn torched a very bad Detroit secondary that was playing poorly. Last year he lit up a very bad New England secondary. Context is very important.

I see him somewhere between Kolb and Matt Cassel, better than Scott Mitchell or Rob Johnson, not as good as Matt Schaub or Rich Gannon, all of whom parlayed similar situations into fat starting deals elsewhere. I thought he was undervalued in his draft class (I had a 5th round grade) but he had some real warts. His arm strength is average at best and it shows more when he has to throw strikes down the field. He tended to run himself into trouble (think Colt McCoy) at LSU. He had a lot of balls batted down in college although it appears he has grown an inch since then. He was more of a reactionary thrower than an anticipatory thrower and I saw some of that still even in the Detroit game.

If I were Washington I would pray I get Justin Blackmon.

[ohara]

Dont say that Icness! I want Washington to go after RG3. That is my only hope that Blackmon gets to Carolina at #8 or 9. Unless of course RG3 lasts to Carolina, and we can trade the pick for a nice ransom from someone who will pay dearly for him.

[Icness]

Dont say that Icness! I want Washington to go after RG3. That is my only hope that Blackmon gets to Carolina at #8 or 9. Unless of course RG3 lasts to Carolina, and we can trade the pick for a nice ransom from someone who will pay dearly for him.

I would rather have Zach Brown at #9 than Blackmon. I think with Steve Smith it would be hard for Blackmon to get enough balls. Both guys tend to not like getting enough balls.

[ohara]

Brown and Kuechly would both be great additions to the Panthers. But Smith is heading into the final years of being an elite receiver, and LaFell is nothing more than a #2 at best. I would think the Panthers might have to be thinking of Blackmon as someone who can play with Smith for a couple years and then be the #1 receiver for Cam.

I'm seeing quite a few mocks pop up with Cleveland taking RG3 at the #4 pick. Are they really ready to cut ties with Colt McCoy this quickly?

[Jaruff]

Dont say that Icness! I want Washington to go after RG3. That is my only hope that Blackmon gets to Carolina at #8 or 9. Unless of course RG3 lasts to Carolina, and we can trade the pick for a nice ransom from someone who will pay dearly for him.

I would rather have Zach Brown at #9 than Blackmon. I think with Steve Smith it would be hard for Blackmon to get enough balls. Both guys tend to not like getting enough balls.

Imo, I'm not convinced Carolina needs a LB right now. Senn, Connor, and Anderson played really well to end the season. Davis will probably retire but Beason should come back to solidify that group. I don't know if there are any DT's worth taking at 8 or 9 but I'm liking the idea of Melvin Ingram (can play line and LB) or one of the CB prospects. Not that I would be unhappy with a LB but it doesn't seem like the most important position to fill right now.

Speaking of the Panthers, any interest in Clausen around the league? Would someone be willing to give a fifth or later to develop him? It's pretty obvious that he doesn't have a future in Carolina now.

[Icness]

Brown and Kuechly would both be great additions to the Panthers. But Smith is heading into the final years of being an elite receiver, and LaFell is nothing more than a #2 at best. I would think the Panthers might have to be thinking of Blackmon as someone who can play with Smith for a couple years and then be the #1 receiver for Cam.

I'm seeing quite a few mocks pop up with Cleveland taking RG3 at the #4 pick. Are they really ready to cut ties with Colt McCoy this quickly?

Kuechly is intriguing there because of his size, it would allow them to play some hybrid 4-3/3-4 and they have better LBs than DL at this point by a wide margin. It's basically the D that Chico ran in SD.

I don't disagree with your point on Blackmon, well said. Knowing Marty Hurney, he will certainly consider that POV.

I'm in Cleveland right now and the entire talk radio world--not just sports talk but news as well--has been about the Browns getting RG3. I had lunch with a former Browns front office guy yesterday and he believes their interest is very real. The way that Heckert and Holmgren have handled questions about McCoy makes everyone (including my friend) think they have decided that Colt is not the long-term solution.

I don't think RG3 lasts to #4 though. I think the Rams will get a buyer for the #2 spot and that's where he goes. Could be Washington, could be Seattle, could be the Jets, could be Miami, could be some team nobody expects like Tampa or Denver. Two firsts and this year's 2nd should get it done.

[Icness]

Imo, I'm not convinced Carolina needs a LB right now. Senn, Connor, and Anderson played really well to end the season. Davis will probably retire but Beason should come back to solidify that group. I don't know if there are any DT's worth taking at 8 or 9 but I'm liking the idea of Melvin Ingram (can play line and LB) or one of the CB prospects. Not that I would be unhappy with a LB but it doesn't seem like the most important position to fill right now.

Speaking of the Panthers, any interest in Clausen around the league? Would someone be willing to give a fifth or later to develop him? It's pretty obvious that he doesn't have a future in Carolina now.

Devon Still is the only DT that should even be considered top 10 and IMO that's way too high for him. Where they pick in the 2nd and 3rd is where the value is on the DL. Melvin Ingram wouldn't be a bad pick, I like him more every time I see him.

I suspect some other team would bring in Clausen as a make-good #3 with a chance to play his way up but nobody is giving anything up to get him. He is more lowly regarded than Brady Quinn was when Cleveland flushed him.

[Roger Murdock]

Imo, I'm not convinced Carolina needs a LB right now. Senn, Connor, and Anderson played really well to end the season. Davis will probably retire but Beason should come back to solidify that group. I don't know if there are any DT's worth taking at 8 or 9 but I'm liking the idea of Melvin Ingram (can play line and LB) or one of the CB prospects. Not that I would be unhappy with a LB but it doesn't seem like the most important position to fill right now.

Speaking of the Panthers, any interest in Clausen around the league? Would someone be willing to give a fifth or later to develop him? It's pretty obvious that he doesn't have a future in Carolina now.

Devon Still is the only DT that should even be considered top 10 and IMO that's way too high for him. Where they pick in the 2nd and 3rd is where the value is on the DL. Melvin Ingram wouldn't be a bad pick, I like him more every time I see him.

I suspect some other team would bring in Clausen as a make-good #3 with a chance to play his way up but nobody is giving anything up to get him. He is more lowly regarded than Brady Quinn was when Cleveland flushed him.

Wow. I imagine this is mostly due to his bad personality. Quinn was such a pathetic loser out on the field. Claussen was bad but at least when he was sucking he didn't play like a little girl. I could see an outside chance that he becomes a decent QB in the NFL, but Quinn has 0 shot.

[hermes]

is rex burkhead a #1 rb in the nfl? and about where would he go

seems like he can do everything in college, but will it continue at the next level

Good question. He doesn't really stand out at being great but he doesn't really have any holes. I see someone like Javon Ringer or Mo Morris, fairly dependable backup, but I am one of many that underestimated Roy Helu coming out of the same program.

Don't really have a feel for his stock. I would be very surprised if he came out.

wow, i didn't realize he was only a junior

[Da Schwab]

Any punters on the radar, Ic?

[Icness]

Any punters on the radar, Ic?

Not yet. I spend exactly one day of research on punters and kickers, usually in the hotel room in Mobile for the Senior Bowl. The local guy here from Rice (Martens) has some buzz but honestly I really haven't paid attention.

[SpeedyG]

Is this one of the worse 4-3 DE drafts in awhile? I look at the names out there and none of them impress me really and make me say "yeah ok, he's a top 10 guy"

[BearTooth]

Remember a couple years ago...the NFL was playing around with the Pistol a little bit. KC used it when their QBs went down and they had to go with Thigpen. I think Buffalo has used it a bit. Vikings' general manager, Rick Spielman, has said that they absolutely will not reach for a QB at #12, and if don't get one in the first round, they may be forced to "think outside the box" at the QB position. I'm wondering if that could mean drafting a guy like Kaepernick in the 2nd round and maybe even letting him play a little pistol. It's a system to help the running game as much as anything else. I have to think that Peterson and Harvin could really benefit from an offense like this. Crazy?

If only...

[Icness]

Nice dredging up. Glad I don't look too much like an idiot a year later. Or two years later for that matter. Proud to say I had Kaepernick as the #2 QB in his draft and have the video to prove it.

[RIPskaterdude]

So the Niners have 14 draft picks in this coming draft, which is pretty impressive for a team that just made the Super Bowl. Do you think they'll use them to move up or just get more depth?