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NFL Analysis of LSU Invites

Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:28 pm
Posted by alange
Island hoppin
Member since Feb 2009
4820 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:28 pm
Organized this for myself, and figured I'd post it on here for those interested.

DE RAHIM ALEM
OVERVIEW Alem had only one season as a productive defender for the LSU defense and appears to be a bit of 'tweener for the next level. He doesn't have great size and strength as a defensive end but lacks the lateral quickness, speed and agility to transition into an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. He does use his hands well to separate and shed effectively, but larger blockers can stay connected if he doesn't win early in the play. Alem wins with toughness, effort, intelligence and technique, and is a classic overachiever.

STRENGTHS Alem is a high-motor kid who plays to the whistle every snap. He can be a disruptive pass rusher who sheds blockers with good hand technique and has a nose for the football. Heady player who seems to be well prepared and understands his assignments. Solid tackler.

WEAKNESSES A 'tweener who needs to add significant bulk in order to play defensive end and does not have the speed, range and athleticism to play outside linebacker. Struggles to escape from much bigger blockers once engaged. An overachiever with a limited ceiling.

DT CHARLES ALEXANDER
OVERVIEW Alexander was a two-year starter for the LSU defense. He is a big, strong interior defender who was primarily used as a run stopper. He has the size and power to split double teams and is tough to move off the line of scrimmage, but he lacks pass-rush moves and counters and will need to expand his package to be more than an early-down defender at the next level. Alexander does flash good initial quickness but lacks lateral agility and speed to close to the pile. His range is limited, and he often is substituted for during games. He shows good awareness to react quickly as plays unfold and squeezes interior running lanes. Alexander is a space-eater who will fit best as a 3-4 nose tackle, but injury history will be a concern for most clubs in this year's draft.

STRENGTHS Tall interior defender with a thick build and a quick first step. Has impressive strength to fight through double teams and heavy hands to engage and push around blockers. Shows an effective bull rush to collapse the pocket. Reads plays quickly, fills running lanes and is difficult to move.

WEAKNESSES Lacks the speed and range to slide down the line and make plays. Has a very limited pass-rush package and will struggle to consistently get pressure at the next level. Stands up a little high and loses leverage at times. He is a liability in space due to a lack of lateral agility. Has missed significant time due to injuries in college.

OT CIRON BLACK
OVERVIEW Black has been a very productive left tackle for one of the best programs in the country for the past four years and understands how to get the job done. He relies more on strength and raw power than he does foot agility and lateral range. He is a decent knee bender and does a good job of keeping his pad level down. Once he gets his hands on opponents it is generally all over save for the shouting. He does not back down from a challenge but could show a bit more intensity and nastiness in his blocking. While Black lacks the premier lateral quickness and range to play on the left side at the next level he should handle the move to the right side with little difficulty.

STRENGTHS Wide-bodied and tall enough. Strong at the point of attack. Four year starter who knows how to pick up blitzes and stunts. Takes proper angles in the running game and uses his hands well in pass protection. Finishes his blocks and can be dominant working in limited space.

WEAKNESSES Needs to lower his body fat and add more good bulk. Has poor straight line speed even for his size. Only possesses adequate initial quickness which limits his effectiveness against edge rushers. Lacks lateral quickness and range to match up against more athletic defensive lineman.
Posted by Boh
Baton Rouge
Member since Oct 2009
12357 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:29 pm to
quote:

STRENGTHS Alem is a high-motor kid

Posted by alange
Island hoppin
Member since Feb 2009
4820 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:29 pm to
LB HARRY COLEMAN
OVERVIEW Coleman has good size and strength, with average athleticism for the safety position. He is a solid reactor as plays unfold and will fill the alley quickly. He is a solid open field tackler but not a "thumper." He lacks great speed, quickness and lateral agility to be a pure man-coverage defender but could play off the hash in two-deep zone schemes. The Tigers played him up in the box at times, and he could possibly transition into a nickel linebacker at the next level. Coleman is a solid football player with the size and frame to gain bulk and strength. He doesn't appear to have the tools to be a front-line starter but could contribute on special teams.

STRENGTHS Coleman possesses elite size and strength for a safety. Reacts quickly, fills fast and is a solid open-field tackler. Effective pass defender in zone coverage. Excels in special teams and looks to make a big hit. Very competitive with a team-first mentality. Named LSU's most valuable player in 2009.

WEAKNESSES Played up near the line of scrimmage in college and does not have the agility to stick in man coverage. Lacks initial burst and speed, which may limit him to special teams at the next level. Does not consistently deliver good shots when tackling.

DB CHRIS HAWKINS
OVERVIEW Hawkins was a productive two-year starter for the LSU defense. He has a good combination of size, strength and athleticism. He is faster than quick and shows good catch-up speed when out of position. He is a good athlete who has enough ability and balance to be an effective coverage defender but lacks great footwork and change-of-direction in space in transition. Hawkins is a competitive player who is a solid perimeter run support defender but isn't a physical tackler. He isn't quick reading route progressions and is inconsistent with his angles to the pile. Hawkins has the frame to add weight and the tools to develop into a productive NFL corner, but he will need to improve his technique and overall instincts.

STRENGTHS Hawkins has adequate size with a wide frame and long arms. Displays good top-end speed to close on the ball and stick with receivers on go routes. Well-balanced athlete who is very effective in off, zone coverage. Does not shy away from contact and makes tackles in run support.

WEAKNESSES A second late recognizing route progressions and struggles to consistently find the ball. Lacks adequate footwork and loses speed in transition by taking too many false steps. Does not show the ability to fight off blocks in run support and takes poor angles to the ball carrier at times.

KR TRINDON HOLLIDAY
OVERVIEW Holliday is an explosive return specialist who has the ability to take it all the way virtually every time he touches the ball. He gets a quick jump on the ball as it comes off the kicker's foot and does a good job of settling under it to make the catch. He has the kind of elusiveness that can make would-be tacklers grab air and knows how to set up his blockers. He does have a tendency to rely on his pure speed alone and needs to learn how to alter his speed and save something in reserve. With his speed and acceleration, he has a chance to be drafted late in spite of his lack of size and severe limitations as a wide receiver.

STRENGTHS Track star with blinding straight-line speed. Explosive player who only needs a little seam to break a big return. Reads the ball quickly in the air and gets underneath it fast. Waits for his blockers to engage and finds running lanes. Fluid through the hips and makes people miss in space.

WEAKNESSES Holliday is very short at under 5-feet-6 and does not have the bulk to break tackles at the next level. Starts too fast and does not show the ability to hold an extra gear for the end of the return. Lacks the awareness and route-running ability to be a factor in the passing game.

DB CHAD JONES
OVERVIEW Jones is a big strong player with above average athleticism. He has also played on the LSU baseball team and excelled in that roll. Jones is best coming down hill attacking the line of scrimmage with good fundamentals as a run support player. He is inconsistent shedding blockers but has long arms and good power to improve in this area. Jones has the size and toughness to play effectively in the box but maybe limited to combination zone coverage’s. He has decent range but again not great for the safety position. Jones has intriguing size and enough athleticism to contribute in the right scheme and his spring and combine workouts will be extremely important to where he is taken in the draft.

STRENGTHS Jones has excellent size and strength for the safety position at the next level. He’s a gritty, tough, competitive performer who loves filling the alley in run support. He’s also a smart, instinctive player despite splitting time between football and baseball at LSU. Was productive in college and has upside to get even better once focusing full-time on one sport.

WEAKNESSES Jones only possesses average pure speed. His range is only adequate as he’s more comfortable in run support or playing in the box. May have difficulty shadowing slot receivers, running backs and receiving tight ends in man coverage at the next level.
Posted by alange
Island hoppin
Member since Feb 2009
4820 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:30 pm to
WR BRANDON LAFELL
OVERVIEW LaFell is a big receiver that has a huge upside but still needs to refine his game if he wants to excel at the next level. He has adequate speed for the position but with his size and stride length he can sneak up on and run by a lot of defenders. He has soft, natural hands but will drop some balls due to lapses of concentration. He is competitive to the ball over the middle and in traffic and can use his size and leaping ability to high point the ball over the top of defenders. While he will initially have a bigger impact with the short passing game against zone coverage he has enough going for him to eventually become an effective downfield target.

STRENGTHS LaFell has the height and build of a starting NFL wide receiver. Has been a productive player. Has soft hands and flashes the ability to catch the ball away from his body. Is an athletic receiver. Exhibits the willingness to catch the ball in traffic over the middle. Is a competitive performer who is tough to take down after the catch and will go up and fight for the jump ball.

WEAKNESSES LaFell possesses good top end speed but isn’t a true burner to consistently get deep at the next level. Suffers from lapses of concentration which lead to drops. Is not precise route-runner, is susceptible to press-coverage, and occasionally struggles to gain separation.

LB PERRY RILEY
OVERVIEW Riley has been a productive linebacker for LSU over the past two seasons. He has adequate size and athleticism for the position with better straight-line speed than change-of-direction and burst in space. Leverages the ball well with good run fits inside-out to the pile. He is a solid open-field tackler, keeping proper body positioning as well as wrapping up on contact. He has a feel for reading route progressions but lacks the agility and quickness to be effective in man coverage. Riley is a good football player with the size, strength and athleticism to develop at the next level, but he likely will only contribute on special teams in his rookie season.

STRENGTHS Riley is strongly built with enough height and good speed. Follows the ball carrier well and rarely over-pursues. Solid form tackler who wraps on contact. Has good instincts and can anticipate route progressions when dropping in pass coverage. Very productive and durable in the SEC.

WEAKNESSES Lacks good lateral agility and burst which prevents him from being a true sideline-to-sideline player. Loses speed when he changes direction and struggles to keep up with receivers in man coverage. Does not display good ball skills due to a lack of body control and overall agility.

RB CHARLES SCOTT
OVERVIEW Scott is a big, powerful back that is more of a raw power back that can move piles than an explosive punishing type of ball carrier. He is a no-nonsense ball carrier that does not dance around in the backfield and is not apt to have many negative plays in the course of a game. He missed the last three games of his senior year with a broken collarbone but it should not affect his draft status. Scott can be a punishing blocker but needs a lot of technique work for the next level. He is an adequate receiver out of the backfield but won’t be much of a factor in the downfield passing game.

STRENGTHS Scott’s game is all about size and power. He’s an effective inside runner. Shows good balance on contact and will consistently break tackles. Is a productive player who can get stronger as the game wears on. Displays good body control for a power back. Is a high-effort guy.

WEAKNESSES Scott does not possess the speed to make big plays at the next level. He lacks the elusiveness to make defenders miss in the hole or be a true threat on the perimeter. He missed last three games of his senior year. His overall receiving skills are questionable.
Posted by alange
Island hoppin
Member since Feb 2009
4820 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:30 pm to
RB KEILAND WILLIAMS
OVERVIEW Williams has been a backup running back for his whole career at LSU and never managed to gain more than 500 yards in a single season. He shows better physical traits for the running back position than his teammate, Charles Scott, but does not get nearly as many touches. His speed, quickness, agility and elusiveness translate to more success at the NFL level but will be a bit of a gamble in that he has yet to show it on a consistent basis. Williams will need a lot of work on route running and blocking techniques but he does have good tools to work with.

STRENGTHS Williams is a nice combination of size and speed for the running back position. Has good elusiveness for a big back, can make defenders miss and get to the perimeter. Is a guy who will finish off his runs and fight for extra yardage. Is a high- effort player. Exhibits the necessary burst through the hole.

WEAKNESSES Williams has limited exposure and never carried the load in college. Never had a highly-productive season. At this time, we question his route running skills and overall comfort in the passing game. Can be caught dancing too much at times resulting in negative plays.

DT AL WOODS
OVERVIEW Woods is a one-year starter with good size and strength. He lacks great initial quickness, speed and range as a defender but can be effective between the tackles when he plays with good pad level. He has strong hands when he utilizes them to jolt and restrict interior running lanes. He can be an effective bull rusher to push the pocket but needs to expand his pass-rush package with more counter moves. Woods has the size, strength and enough athleticism to be an effective run defender at the next level, but there are concerns about his ability to transition to the next level. His work ethic, technique, effort and durability likely will hinder his draft status in 2010.

STRENGTHS Tall and bulky with a wide base and good balance. Uses big strong hands to get inside and stifle blockers. He is difficult to move, eats up blockers, and clogs up running lanes. Has the strength to be a good bull rusher and collapse the pocket.

WEAKNESSES Lacks initial quickness and is not fast enough to track down ball carriers. Does not always play with good leverage and his pad level is high at times. Needs to improve his pass rush moves and overall technique. Carries too much body weight and struggles with his endurance. There are questions about his work ethic and maturity.

-NFL.com/combine
Posted by thunderbird1100
GSU Eagles fan
Member since Oct 2007
68322 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:30 pm to
Alem is high motor. He just chugged right by the QB all yea rlong.
Posted by Boh
Baton Rouge
Member since Oct 2009
12357 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:31 pm to
quote:

He just chugged right by the QB all yea rlong

truth
Posted by chappaslappa
Member since Feb 2010
1254 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:32 pm to
quote:

Wide-bodied

I'd off myself if I such a fatty that it was considered one my strengths.
Posted by Jcorye1
Tom Brady = GoAT
Member since Dec 2007
71404 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:34 pm to
Don't forget the fact that teams would run the trap at him JUST BECAUSE HE TRAPPED HIMSELF and it gives them an extra blocker on the edge.
Posted by DBG
vermont
Member since May 2004
71730 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:35 pm to
quote:

He shows better physical traits for the running back position than his teammate, Charles Scott, but does not get nearly as many touches


hmmmmm
Posted by Jcorye1
Tom Brady = GoAT
Member since Dec 2007
71404 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:37 pm to
quote:

He shows better physical traits for the running back position than his teammate, Charles Scott, but does not get nearly as many touches


The running joke is when he actually plays in a NFL game, he's going to introduce his highschool not college.
Posted by lsumma09
Baton Rouge
Member since Mar 2008
1092 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:37 pm to
quote:

Alem wins with toughness, effort, intelligence and technique, and is a classic overachiever.

I don't want to be rude but this is an absurd statement. If intelligence is letting them run at you for 8 yds a carry and overachieving means being a detriment then i guess it would be spot on
Posted by DBG
vermont
Member since May 2004
71730 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:38 pm to
thats fine

keiland is a class act, i doubt he would do anything to spite lsu though
This post was edited on 2/25/10 at 2:38 pm
Posted by OTIS2
NoLA
Member since Jul 2008
50122 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:39 pm to
quote:

Alem is high motor. He just chugged right by the QB all yea rlong.
I've got a better spin move getting out of my damn lounge chair than he showed all season long.
Posted by coolmonk
Member since Jan 2007
1132 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:44 pm to
quote:

The running joke is when he actually plays in a NFL game, he's going to introduce his highschool not college.


I don't think that's going to ever happen. Playing a down in the NFL that is.
Posted by Shankopotomus
Social Distanced
Member since Feb 2009
21057 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:45 pm to
Lafell is likely the best pro to come out of this LSU class, he still has a lot of upside and continues to improve IMO
Posted by DBG
vermont
Member since May 2004
71730 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:46 pm to
agreed

ill be rooting for keiland the most though
Posted by Catman88
Baton Rouge, LA
Member since Dec 2004
49125 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:48 pm to
quote:

Starts too fast and does not show the ability to hold an extra gear for the end of the return



Uhhh what the hell gear is left for him?? ludicrous speed???



This post was edited on 2/25/10 at 2:50 pm
Posted by deuce985
Member since Feb 2008
27660 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:56 pm to
Breaking tackles and reading blocks better?
Posted by Shankopotomus
Social Distanced
Member since Feb 2009
21057 posts
Posted on 2/25/10 at 2:58 pm to
hah you know what they mean, you dont always need to go full out from the get-go in the return game

mixing up your speeds and saving some for the stretch is usually a good strategy to find holes/evade tacklers/run away from them in the open field
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