2013 Ask Jeff Risdon a Question

[studcrackers]

Why are you lower than most on Barrett jones and Jesse williams

[PhilipNelsonFan]

Not Jeff, but: Barrett Jones played with a Lisfranc injury that needs to be healed and fares better at guard, which NFL coaches will no doubt pick up on tape. Jesse Williams would disappear for long stretches of game play.

Dion Jordan also has a torn labrum; lots of injury news to be watched for these next couple weeks.

[Icness]

pnf is right about Jesse Williams, he goes AWOL in games a lot. He's also not really a pass rusher or really a run anchor. Good player but not an impact player despite his reputation.

As for Jones, we've been in a golden age of young centers lately starting with Alex Mack, Nick Mangold, and Ryan Kalil. Jones isn't as good at center as any of those guys, or Pouncey or even John Sullivan. More like Eric Wood, a perfectly good but not great talent. He's definitely better at guard, but he's in the wrong draft to be a guard because that's probably the deepest offensive position in this draft. I can see 11 guards in this draft that can start in the NFL and I'm probably missing a couple too. The Lisfranc definitely hurt him in '12. I feel about Jones the way I felt about Max Unger. I like his versatility and he can be a capable starter at any OL position but LT, but not a standout at any of them.

[mnWI]

Jeff, I have some background with Menelik Watson and the Carnitas Basketball Academy which discovered him. Fascinating story, but what can you tell me about him as a football player/NFL Prospect? I didn't expect him to declare but he is 25 years old.

[Jake0890]

Eddy Lacy just declared for the draft, how high do you think he will go?

[Icness]

Jeff, I have some background with Menelik Watson and the Carnitas Basketball Academy which discovered him. Fascinating story, but what can you tell me about him as a football player/NFL Prospect? I didn't expect him to declare but he is 25 years old.

I just watched the FSU/Duke game today and he is a freaking mammoth of a man. Very brutal power in his arms and shoulders, just amazing and seemingly natural upper body strength. He's got a decent low center of gravity, has some lateral agility. You can almost see him thinking about what he's supposed to be doing though when he's blocking, very deliberate and methodical. Upside is being an above-average starting RT in 3 years. Right now he's a poor man's Bobby Massie, but that bubba learned quickly. Looks every bit of 6'6" and 325 and he's not really fat. Can't peg his draft stock yet, will know more next week.

I didn't know he was that old. Knew he was a Euro and a hoopster, that's about it.

[Icness]

Eddy Lacy just declared for the draft, how high do you think he will go?

Late 2nd-early 3rd. His skills are inflated by running behind 5 legit NFL starters on the OL, two of them (Warmack and Kouandjio) who will have All Pro potential very early in their careers and the RT Fluker is the best run blocking tackle in CFB. Have to put all that into his context; plenty of backs would look very good in that situation. Lacy is a good-not-great north/south runner with balance and leg drive, decent chase speed but not elite. Reminds me more than a little of Beanie Wells.

[PhilipNelsonFan]

Menelik Watson's problem is that he's still very much learning the game of football. He makes some rudimentary errors against lesser athletes and players. But even the NFL has space for athletes as freaky as him.

Staying on that FSU-Duke game, Jeff, how does Conner Vernon shape up in the NFL's eyes? And is Takoby Cofield (OT) really as good as advertised?

[Magilla_Gorilla]

Alright Jeff -

Who is a QB, available in the 3/4/5 round, who if all things break right could play a Kaepernick/Wilson type game in the NFL?

[Icness]

Menelik Watson's problem is that he's still very much learning the game of football. He makes some rudimentary errors against lesser athletes and players. But even the NFL has space for athletes as freaky as him.

Staying on that FSU-Duke game, Jeff, how does Conner Vernon shape up in the NFL's eyes? And is Takoby Cofield (OT) really as good as advertised?

Not a big Cofield fan. He got annihilated by Tank Carradine in this game. Crushed. Couldn't handle his quickness at all.

Vernon is a late-round guy, possession receiver with decent separation ability on short and intermediate routes. I like Renfree (the QB) better but he tore up his shoulder and that really hurts his stock.

[Icness]

Alright Jeff -

Who is a QB, available in the 3/4/5 round, who if all things break right could play a Kaepernick/Wilson type game in the NFL?

Stylistically he's not like them at all, but Zac Dysert is a guy I like. Big arm, smart guy. Miami misused him this past season so I think he's probably undervalued.

From what I saw today at Shrine Game practice, Matt Scott has some potential. I broke him down in depth here:
http://www.detroitlionsdraft.com/2013/0 ... ng-report/
He can really motor, throws very well on the run. Will watch him closer tomorrow.

[Da Schwab]

I guess I'll be the first one to ask:

What does the girlfriend hoax do to Manti Te'o's draft stock?

[Icness]

Was a huge topic of discussion in the draftnik world today. Best initial guess is that his damage control is solid and it doesn't hurt much. But I think it's another reason to find fault and that doesn't help him at all. I used to say his floor was the Bears at 20 or the Bengals, now I think that's his ceiling.

[Celtics_Champs]

TBH I don't think I'm overreacting when I say Id find it really hard to root for the guy if he is found out to be behind it. And this is coming from a fan who's cheered hard for the likes of a Randy Moss, Albert Haynesworth, and Aqib Talib.

[hermes]

jeff,

are there any hawkeyes likely to be drafted this year? micah hyde probably has a good shot, maybe on james ferentz and keenan davis i'm thinking

[SpeedyG]

Jeff, any feel for Caldwell's thought process when it comes to the draft?

With how tightly close the guys are up top, I'm really intrigued by which way he and the Jags go.

[Icness]

jeff,

are there any hawkeyes likely to be drafted this year? micah hyde probably has a good shot, maybe on james ferentz and keenan davis i'm thinking

Ferentz is a 7th, maybe. Tough to draft a 288 pound center. He was best C in St. Pete this week though.

Hyde is a 5th/6th rounder, he had a strong week in Shrine practices

Davis is a 6th/7th though one draftnik I trust likes him a lot more than that

[Icness]

Jeff, any feel for Caldwell's thought process when it comes to the draft?

With how tightly close the guys are up top, I'm really intrigued by which way he and the Jags go.

The CW is that Khan hired him to make the team sexier and better at the same time, which means high-end playmakers. To me that says Dion Jordan or Dee Milliner at #2, not Star Lotulelei or Bjoern Werner. I'll see some new Jags guys this coming week at Senior Bowl and have a better idea then, hopefully.

Have already heard they are very open to moving back, and if Joeckel doesn't go #1 they'll get offers.

[SpeedyG]

Jeff, any feel for Caldwell's thought process when it comes to the draft?

With how tightly close the guys are up top, I'm really intrigued by which way he and the Jags go.

The CW is that Khan hired him to make the team sexier and better at the same time, which means high-end playmakers. To me that says Dion Jordan or Dee Milliner at #2, not Star Lotulelei or Bjoern Werner. I'll see some new Jags guys this coming week at Senior Bowl and have a better idea then, hopefully.

Have already heard they are very open to moving back, and if Joeckel doesn't go #1 they'll get offers.

No Star or Bjoern for Jordan/Milliner kind of makes me...err...iffy about the whole thing. Have not seen Jordan much, but Milliner is a good pick...but at #2?

If other teams are willing to come up for Joeckel, that would be ideal for us, and really best case scenario IMO

[gswhoops]

Any word on the street for the Niners?

Also, what's your take on AJ Jenkins? Is he just coming along slowly or totally useless?