Underrated:
Marcus Gilbert OT Florida- Gilbert is considered by most draft pundits to be a third or forth round pick, but to me, he should go a lot higher than that. He has a lot of experience, playing in 40 games (29 starts) in the SEC, while possessing great size (6'6'' 330), athleticism, and intelligence. He plays with a solid base, is a natural knee bender, and keeps good leverage. He is an over powering blocker at the point of attack,using his strength and leg drive to clear out the hole. He is athletic enough to lead on sweeps to the outside, and powerful enough to clear out space on short pulls for counters and traps. In pass protection, he uses his hands well, and is adept at mirroring, but he will sometimes lunge and over extend while trying to block speed rushers. He is better suited to play right tackle at the next level, but left tackle is not out of the question. I have no idea how a big, athletic, productive player from a major program is this under rated (maybe because he has short arms?), but I'd personally give him a late first round grade and he'll be a steal for somebody.
Jaquizz Rodgers RB Oregon State- Rodgers is undersized(5'6'' 196) and lacks elite speed (4.59 40 yd dash) but he is very quick, has good vision and runs hard. Despite his lack of size, he is at his best running between the tackles. He has outstanding vision, and he makes quick cuts to make linebackers miss in the hole. For his size, he was surprisingly durable during his time in Corvallis, carrying the ball 20-30 times a game, while only missing 2. He also can be a big help in the passing game, as he averaged 50 receptions per season, and is usable as a pass protector. He seems like an every down back to me, and is being criminally over looked (3-4 rd range) for a player of his caliber, because of his size and lack of elite speed. You would think with the success of other running backs from the same mold (Ray Rice, Maurice Jones-Drew) talent evaluators wouldn't make the same mistake again, but that doesn't seem to be the case.
Mark Herzlich LB Boston College-After an All American 2008 campaign in which he was named ACC Defensive Player of the year, Herzlich decided to return to school for his senior season, despite the fact he was projected to go in the first round of the NFL Draft. Unfortunatly, his senior season would have to wait, as he was diagnosed with cancer before the season. He missed all of 2009 while undergoing treatment, and he was able to beat cancer. He returned to the field this past season, and didn't look like the same player. He missed all of the off season programs, and almost all of fall camp, and that probably had a lot to do with his slow start. He is projected to go in the 6-7 round, but I would take a chance on him much higher, with hopes that he gets back to full strength and playing shape, and becomes the player he was before his unfortunate bout with cancer.
Greg Salas WR Hawaii- Players from pass happy offenses like the one Hawaii employes are often belittled by the scouting community. However, the offense that Hawaii runs helps receivers better understand coverages and route adjustments, and that can help them at the next level. Salas is a big kid, with sure hands a vertical stretch ability, and could be a major threat out of the slot. Deon Bess and Emmanuel Sanders have both made successful transitions from the run and shoot to the NFL, and Salas could join them. He is projected to go in the 3rd or 4th round.
Austin Pettis WR Boise State- Pettis is a big receiver who was a very productive college player. He is a major threat in the red zone with his size, and he fearlessly goes across the middle and secures the ball with his sure hands. He's a good possession receiver, but only projected to go in the 3rd or 4th round.
Kelvin Sheppard MLB LSU- Sheppard is a big middle linebacker, who is not very athletic, but his nose is always around the ball due to his ability to read the play, and his outstanding instincts. He is decent in coverage, and has the ability to blitz up the middle, amking him an ever down player. He has drawn some comparisons to former LSU and current Dallas Cowboy linebacker Brady James, and is projected to go in the 3rd or 4th round.
Jerrod Johnson QB Texas A&M- Johnson was a top recruit coming out of high school, and he displayed some serious raw tools during his time in College Station. He had a rocket of an arm, the mobility to run for a lot of yards, and he was able to put up some numbers, despite a long release and poor footwork. He was in consideration to go in the top 3 rounds of this years draft, but he was never able to come back healthy from shoulder surgery, and he really struggled. He is rated as an undrafted free agent, but if he gets healthy and coached up right, he could end up being a great pick up.
DJ Williams TE Arkansas- Williams is a gifted receiver with soft hands. He is a good route runner and has the ability to create separation. He is a surprisingly good blocker for an undersized tight end as well. His lack of size has him projected to go in the 4th round, but I think he can follow in the foot steps of other undersized tight ends like Aaron Hernandez and Chris Cooley, and be a very good H-Back in the NFL.
Overrated:
Blaine Gabbert QB Missouri- I'm really not sure where all this Blaine Gabbert love is coming from. He was a mediocre college QB, and has a mediocre skill set. A lot of the negative talk about Cam Newton is about how he came from an overly simplistic offense (which is a false assumption), well what about Gabbert?Watch some tape of him, he's throwing all bubble screens. If his first read is covered, he scrambles around like a chicken with its head cut off, and takes a sack or throws it away.
Nate Solder OT Colorado- Solder is really tall and athletic, and that's supposedly why scouts are drooling over him. The problem is, his height is a hindrance to his game, as he plays too high. That combined with his lack of strength allows defenders to bull rush and over power him on their way to the quarterback. He does not get much of a push in the run game, has bad footwork, and his athletic ability does not show up on the field.
Andy Dalton QB TCU- I think Dalton can be a decent player, but his stock keeps going up and up and some people are projecting him to go in the top 15! I understand some people like his intangibles a lot, but lets look at his on field production before we get carried away. He has a below average arm, is short, and struggled against top competition (other than Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl). I can see why teams would take him in the second round, but not the top 15.
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