2012 Ask Jeff Risdon a Question

[Icness]

What're your thoughts on the McNabb/Shanahan "will ruin RG3" talk? Any ideas as to how he'd be coached up in Washington?

McNabb is bitter. I think he has a small point but he's probably the last guy to trust in critiquing Shanahan. Mike Shanahan is a good coach and he knows what he's doing. The fact that McNabb couldn't handle it says more about Mc5 than Shanahan.

[Jaruff]

Panthers acquired Bruce Campbell today (well yesterday technically).

At one point I understand many people slated him as a top 10 but he fell several rounds. Have any info on him?

[Icness]

Panthers acquired Bruce Campbell today (well yesterday technically).

At one point I understand many people slated him as a top 10 but he fell several rounds. Have any info on him?

He was an athletic specimen with poor technique out of Maryland. Nobody ever seriously thought he was a 1st rounder, at least I hope not. I saw 4th/5th round grades on him. My own personal grade was 4th with potential to develop into a starter.

He's not been bad in limited duty, played both RT and G in a reserve role. Long limbs, good power, real quick. Still not real coordinated and his power isn't totally functional but he is getting better. IIRC he was on the hook for a bad sack against the Chiefs where he was late to see the inside stunt. He should be the swing backup tackle in Carolina. Oakland is trying to get rid of the athletic projects that Al Davis collected and they need a backup RB more than they needed a 7th OL, which is what he was there.

[Frances69]

[Pharmcat]

jeff Im sure this has been asked b4

but what are your thoughts on mel kiper...fan? no fan of him?

I deeply respect Mel and like him personally. I've met him a couple of times and he is a genuinely nice and interesting guy, real sharp. I think his encyclopedic knowledge of prospects and what they've done in college is freaking amazing. NOBODY knows the prospects and their college attributes better than Mel.

Where I think Mel struggles is in projecting those college attributes into the pros. I think he gets blinded by scheme and by athletic ability. If you look at his rankings he almost always gets too wowed by athleticism and underestimates football IQ. If you wanted a college AS team, go with Mel. If you want more accurate NFL projections, look somewhere else.

But pay close attention to what he has to say about the Ravens and Eagles. He is very plugged in to those teams.

thanks!

I really respect his passion he shows for the draft

[Manhattan Project]

Any news on the Bacarri Rambo front? You think he would actually enter the supplemental draft and if so what round would a team spend on him?

[Icness]

Any news on the Bacarri Rambo front? You think he would actually enter the supplemental draft and if so what round would a team spend on him?

Honestly haven't heard anything. He's very off the NFL radar.

[Schwabby]

I'm feeling ballsy this morning, so here's my question:

Who's going to be the biggest bust of this draft?

[Icness]

I'm feeling ballsy this morning, so here's my question:

Who's going to be the biggest bust of this draft?

Sort of depends on where guys get drafted, but if Brock Osweiler goes in the first two rounds that's the guy.

I genuinely do not get the love for Nick Perry. One of the key attributes for being an edge rusher is the ability to flatten around the edge and close with burst at the QB. Melvin Ingram does it great, Courtney Upshaw does it well despite not being overly fast. Perry always has to take an extra step to gather himself and then round the corner, every time. And his burst isn't as great as advertised. It's the difference between Cliff Avril and Brian Robison, a legit attack rusher and a good complementary rusher. If Perry went to Marshall and Vinny Curry went to USC you wouldn't hear boo about Perry in the top 50 and Curry would be a 1st round lock.

Blackmon carries higher bust risk than I like for a top 10 WR. He's not even my #1 WR and I'm def. not alone in that.

I worry that teams are going to expect too much too soon from Dontari Poe and Fletcher Cox. Neither is ready to be a stud contributor right away. Impatient teams/fans are not going to be happy if they want immediate impact from them.

[Pharmcat]

simple question:

1) does PIt did a LB with their first pick

and if yes why doesnt a team that picks b4 pit take said LB since we all know how good Pit is at identifying stud LBs

[Jaruff]

Any news on the Bacarri Rambo front? You think he would actually enter the supplemental draft and if so what round would a team spend on him?

Honestly haven't heard anything. He's very off the NFL radar.

I haven't heard anything beyond the suspension taking place and I live in "Dawg" country. I think he's going to do his four games (or less), come back, and it's going to blow over.

He says he ate pot brownies without knowing they were pot brownies. Happens to many of us. Honest mistake.

[Icness]

simple question:

1) does PIt did a LB with their first pick

and if yes why doesnt a team that picks b4 pit take said LB since we all know how good Pit is at identifying stud LBs

I would take a LB, either Hightower or Kuechly. I'd even consider Bobby Wagner. They certainly can justify taking OL or CB as well though.

The Steelers place a high value on two things: being physical and being instinctive. If a defensive player, esp. in the front 7, isn't both then they don't become Steelers. Other teams might want to think more like that. Some do; BAL, CLE, and HOU come to mind.

[Magilla_Gorilla]

Jeff - In one of your earlier posts you said that you were told by at least one executive that a TE wouldn't go before 50 - you yourself said 30-35. After Fleeners performance at his pro-day workout do you believe he has pushed himself up into the mid-20's, or does the pro-day not sway opinion that much?

Also, The Bears have been reported to be very interested in Bruce Irvin, hopefully as a situational pass rusher, do you believe the third round is appropriate for him? Too early/late?

Thanks.

He's not a 1st rounder even after his pro day. I still don't see any TE in the top 35. Best chance is PIT in the 1st but they need so many other things more.

Bruce Irvin should not be taken before the 5th round. Complete knucklehead that drove his coaches and teammates crazy at WVU. He's got the best burst of any pass rusher in this draft but the same was said about Jerry Hughes. Very similar players actually except Hughes is a good kid. Maybe Rod Marinelli could knock sense into Irvin, might be good for him.

Thanks as always. Great responses in this thread.

[Manhattan Project]

Mainly due to Claiborne's wonderlic score leaking, do teams put any stock into this? Especially for positions outside of QB? It just seems that every year now we get a score that gets leaked for bad reasons just to knock a person down.

[Icness]

Mainly due to Claiborne's wonderlic score leaking, do teams put any stock into this? Especially for positions outside of QB? It just seems that every year now we get a score that gets leaked for bad reasons just to knock a person down.

I don't know this for a fact but I would bet good money that this was leaked by a team interested in him so they could gauge his reaction. And the reaction of those around him. That kind of stuff goes on all the time, esp. with QBs. It's one of the reasons both Aaron Rodgers and Brady Quinn fell in the drafts, because they didn't handle the talk of them dropping very well. I do know for a fact one team that was very interested in Rodgers passed in no small part because of that. Their loss.

Some teams value Wonderlic more than others, and it's widely regarded as more important for players closer to the ball at the point of snap. Most important are QB, C, ILB, and S. Least important are WR, CB, and RB where great athleticism can trump strong football IQ. Bill Polian put a great emphasis on this, so does the Bill Walsh coaching tree (Eagles, Packers, Browns). It goes against perception but Belichick and the Parcells coaching trees tend to not give a crap.