Drew Brees, QB, Purdue

Jordan: The big thing with him is he doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. Despite a marginal arm and nothing special athletically, he is a productive guy who you can always count on being efficient. He’s as accurate as it gets. He’s intelligent, he learned the playbook, and he’s just Exhibit F for why quarterbacking is all about intangibles. The biggest thing that impresses me about him, aside from throwing balls perfectly through tires 30 yards away, is his poise. He never panics—he’s always getting the job done when you don’t think there’s any way he can. He’ll stand in there just to make the throw right on target. Rivers will be warming the bench for quite some time.
Set Up-5+
Delivery-5
Read Coverages-7
Throw Short-7
Throw Deep-6
Mobility-6-
Leadership-6
Overall Rating: 6.5
Aaron Brooks, QB

Jordan: Few questions about him physically, but mentally, I don’t know. He’s way too inconsistent. Even with his strong, powerful arm and exceptional athletic ability, he sometimes fails to trust it. He’ll stand around when you can tell he wants to run, and then he’ll hesitate to run it himself when he’s scrambling sometimes. But the main thing is he just doesn’t consistently go through progressions effectively. He just doesn’t have the mental part of the game down, and as long as that’s the case, this team will never go to the next level. His delivery is very mechanical and he always seems mistake-prone, even though the statistics would have you believe otherwise. He’ll go through moments when you think he’s as accurate as it gets, and then the next he’ll look like he couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. He has an erratic playing history. He’s a hot-and-cold passer.
Set Up-6-
Delivery-4+
Read Coverages-5
Throw Short-6-
Throw Deep-7
Mobility-6
Leadership-6-
Overall Rating: 5.9^
Deuce McAllister, RB, Ole Miss

Jordan: When healthy, he’s an incredibly smooth (in the open field), deceptive runner with explosive power. He can deliver a blow to people and run them over. He makes good cuts and shows some moves, but he tends not to waste a lot of motion and tries to glide, kind of like a faster, much more powerful Curtis Martin. He has that Jerry Rice-like gear in the open-field. If he could ever just stop getting hurt all the time, he'd return to being an elite back in this league.
Instincts-7-
Inside Running-7-
Outside Running-6
Hands/Receiving Skills-6-
Block-5
Overall Rating: 6.7^X (More injury-prone than Robert Smith)
Anthony Thomas, RB, Michigan

Jordan: Had that sophomore slump, and will never be a big-play runner, but he can be an effective workhorse. He has good vision, he’s powerful, and when they block for him, he shows the ability to churn out extra yardage. He can get you 1200 yards on a 3.7 yards/carry average quite easily. And even more if they’d establish a passing game to open up lanes for him. He’ll never be a special back, but a solid feature guy who would work best in a balanced attack. But the lack of breakaway speed and moves will always keep him out of the upper echelon.
Instincts-6
Inside Running-6+
Outside Running-5+
Hands/Receiving Skills-5+
Block-5
Overall Rating: 6.2
Joe Horn, WR

Jordan: Has always had good playing speed and is an excellent route runner. He gets corners off balance with deceptive strides and really works them in order to get open. He can run by you and catch the deep ball over either shoulder, and what I’ve always really liked about him was how tough he was in traffic, both in making the catch, and in running through it afterwards. He is a very strong receiver who plays a tough style of football and can break tackles and make big plays. He still is a tremendous wideout in the red zone. He really epitomizes toughness as a receiver.
Hands-6
Patterns-6+
Receive Short-7-
Receive Deep-6
Catch In Traffic-7
Run After Catch-6+
Block-6+
Overall Rating: 6.6
Donte Stallworth, WR, Tennessee

Jordan: He really isn’t that fast. He runs well, he’s somewhere in the mid-4.4 range, but there’s just no way this guy is one of the fastest players in the league, unless I’m not seeing something. Because when he takes off and runs, there’s nothing sudden, the lines aren’t flying by, his legs aren’t moving that fast…he’s just not impressive. Now, all that said, he’s still a big-play receiver. He can get down the field vertically and he has the ability to take a slant to the house despite lacking moves and that explosiveness after the catch, that ability to run faster with the ball in your hands, that extra gear. For me, he’s an adequate #2 receiver, but that’s it. He shouldn’t have the go-to guy title forced on him, and there’s just no way he should ever be the first read in a QB’s progressions barring audible. He’s just not the kind of player they hoped they’d get when they selected him #13 overall. Of course, his injury situation two years ago didn’t help matters.
Hands-5+
Patterns-5-
Receive Short-5+
Receive Deep-6
Catch In Traffic-5
Run After Catch-6-
Block-5
Overall Rating: 5.8
Boo Williams, TE

Jordan: Really developed into a complete tight end. Was already a solid in-line blocker with good strength, and now he’s a pretty good receiving tight end as well. He has soft hands, he runs nice routes, and he has a real knack for finding the soft sports in a zone. He’ll go up and make the acrobatic, athletic reception. He’s one of the most valuable members of the team as a complete player.
Hands-6+
Patterns-6
Receive Short-6+
Receive Deep-6
Catch In Traffic-5+
Run after Catch-6-
Block-6
Overall Rating: 6.5
Jermane Mayberry, OG

Jordan: Powerful guard who will lock on and maul. Good phone booth player but certainly not limited to that. Above average speed and quickness allows him to get out and make good blocks on pulls. He has a powerful lower body and gets good depth and drive in his blocks and is a very smooth executor. Pass blocking, he will sink his hips and anchor, but if he’s going up against the rare quick interior defensive lineman and that guy gets a step, he’s not likely to do anything pretty to seal him away from McNabb. He’s no different from any other normal starting guard in that area.
Run Block In Line-7-
Run Block On Move-6
Pass Block-5+
Ability to Adjust-5+
Overall Rating: 6.5
Wayne Gandy, OT

Jordan: Not as good as Kyle Turley was, and Turley is naturally a right tackle. This guy has always had the ability, as emphasized by his selection in the first round of the draft when he came out. He has feet, he can be that “big dancing grizzly bear” that scouts and coaches love alike. But he often sets too short, he doesn’t shift his weight well consistently, and he ends up playing stiff with an end gaining the corner on him and then he’s trying desperately to adjust by pushing at the end’s side and back and all of the other things that describe the look of a beaten tackle. They could definitely use an upgrade, although you have to wonder if Aaron Brooks will improve anyway.
Run Block In Line-5+
Run Block On Move-6-
Pass Block-5
Ability to Adjust-4+
Overall Rating: 5.3v
Jonathan Suillivan, DT, Georgia

Jordan: Had a disappointing rookie year. They actually cut Grady Jackson in large part because they felt he was a bad influence on Sullivan (laziness, getting fat). While Sullivan showed flashes, he just doesn’t seem to be the kind of dominating interior presence that they thought he might be when they took him #6 overall. He has an outstanding combination of size and quickness, while he’s over 300 LBS, he’s not fat at all, and he tends to play a finesse style game. He can blow into the backfield and wreck havoc. He desperately needs to work on using his hands to gain separation and getting physically stronger, because if he can do that and really dedicates himself, he could be everything they’d hoped when they took him #6 overall. He has superior natural ability.
Recognition-4+
Pursuit-6
Run Defense (POA)-5+
Pass Rush-6-
Overall Rating: 5.7^
Brian Young, DT, UTEP

Jordan: Underestimated overachiever. Not very big, strong, or fast, but just hustles, plays with leverage, and works to the whistle. Will scratch and crawl his way to the play, stays underneath blockers, and will use his lower body to generate the necessary power to disengage from blocks and stuff the run. He doesn’t have much range and can be sealed out of plays, but you know what you’re getting from him and he’s an outstanding guy to have if you can rotate him. The problem is—they don’t. They’re counting on him as a starter. That’s not a good thing.
Recognition-5+
Pursuit-5
Run Defense (POA)-5+
Pass Rush-5+
Overall Rating: 5.4
Charles Grant, DE

Jordan: The best end in football against the run. Yes, he's even better than Michael Strahan in that facet. He plays with natural leverage and maximizes his power and quickness. He's extremely quick and violent with his aggressive style in attacking the run. He doesn't just sit around and play a game of "outside contain," he finds a way to overpower the offensive tackle and get back into the play, and he usually does. For this reason, they're always toying around with the idea of moving him inside, but that would be stupid. Why would you move a guy who is as good as he is playing the end position? Not only can he play the run, but he has a good first step and has the ability to wear down offensive tackles with his strength and motor. He doesn't seem to play nearly as fast as he times, but he is still a handful to block one-on-one. He's got a powerful base and an extremely strong hand punch.
Recognition-6
Pursuit-6
Run Defense (POA)-8
Pass Rush-6+
Overall Rating: 6.8
Darren Howard, DE, Kansas State

Jordan: A difference-maker. Ridiculous how they have two defensive ends with outstanding size and yet they are still one of the top pass rushing teams in the game. They’re doing something right, and yet it has nothing to do with their secondary. This guy is powerful, he’s quick, and he has a variety of pass rush moves and can really put the heat on the QB, as well as play the run. He can stack, hold the tackle, and shed, and he is just a constant active presence on the front 4. They really missed him when he went down.
Recognition-6+
Pursuit-6
Run Defense (POA)-6
Pass Rush-6+
Overall Rating: 6.5
Will Smith, DE, Ohio State

Jordan: He's just a Pro Bowl defensive end. That's all. He has great speed off the edge, good strength, great size, and he is tremendous as far as hand usage is concerned. He easily shifts his base as he's using his quick hands to gain the momentum. Once he has that momentum forward, he has the kind of overall strength and power to finish the play. He'll play the run, too. While there are certainly ends who are quicker and more explosive in this league, he is a sound all-around player and should make a couple Pro Bowls in the future.
Recognition-7-
Pursuit-7
Run Defense (POA)-5+
Pass Rush-7
Overall Rating: 7.0
Courtney Watson, MLB, Notre Dame

Jordan: He seems kind of stiff to me. He made a lot of tackles in college and had a top 40 time, but I don’t see him running any better than 4.7 flat, which is still good, but not all that impressive. He’s not gonna fly to the ball and knock the shit out of you. He gets eaten up by blockers inside sometimes and he doesn’t show much closing burst to the football. He has GOOD speed and GOOD athletic ability, and could be a good defender in time, but right now, he’s kind of a liability inside and it’s not like you can say “the sky is the limit” for him. He may very well have a bright future, but it’s just a lot less brighter than it is for other guys.
Read and React-5+
Pursuit-6-
Blitz/Rush-4
Run Defense (POA)-4+
Pass Coverage-5
Tackle-5
Overall Rating: 5.3^
Scott Fujita, LB, CAL, 6'5" 250 LBS, 40 yard dash: 4.84

Jordan: Not really a great natural athlete but on the field, he has awesome hitting ability. He can knock you the fuck out, and he has the ability to scrape and flow sideline to sideline and make plays, but he doesn’t have really good LATERAL closing speed/agility. He’s intense and will absolutely CRUSH you. He isn’t really the kind of guy you want in space but in a confined area, this guy is a guided missile and he just destroys people when he hits them. In Kansas City, he was a tremendous blitzer who I thought could post 8.5-14 sacks if they used him enough in that role, however, he didn't come anywhere near that last year in Dallas, so I'm a bit puzzled. Perhaps it was a combination of him having more responsiblities versus the tight end (since D'Marcus Ware was used as their main pass rushing specialist), and his overall lack of speed playing more of a factor than I thought it would.
Read and React-6+
Pursuit-4+
Blitz/Rush-7
Run Defense (POA)-6+
Pass Coverage-6-
Tackle-7
Overall Rating: 6.3
Fred Thomas, CB, Tennessee-Martin

Jordan: About as fast as you'll ever find at corner. A legitimate 4.3 guy. He can turn and run with just about anyone. And he has real cover skills. But with his lack of size and the way the wide receiver position is evolving, he's having the usual difficulties in jump ball situations and the like. He'll be right there with the guy, but if he's matched up with someone who is 6'2" or taller, he doesn't have the kind of leaping ability that smaller corners need these days. Still, he's certainly not the problem out there for them. And the other thing is--he will stick his nose in there in run support.
Key and Diagnose-6+
Man Coverage-6
Zone Coverage-7-
Hands-7
Run Support-5+
Tackle-6
Overall Rating: 6.4
Dwight Smith, FS 40 time: 4.45

Jordan: Excellent speed and playmaking ability. Closes in an instant. Has shown the ability to deliver the big hit. The thing about him is he has a big-time ‘tude. He talks a lot of smack and can’t really back it up, but he’s still a good safety, particularly in this scheme. He gets to roam centerfield and make plays on the ball, and he’s probably the best FS they’ve had since Charles Mincy. He has tremendous range and good instincts, and as he gains experience, he could emerge as a borderline Pro Bowl player. And he can cover slot receivers exceptionally well, not that he’ll ever have to.
Key and Diagnose-6
Man Coverage-6
Zone Coverage-7-
Hands-7
Run Support-5+
Tackle-6-
Overall Rating: 6.4^
John Carney, K

Jordan: It was a shame what happened to him at the end of the season on that PAT, because this guy is one of the greatest kickers of all-time. Was arguably the best kicker in football when he was in San Diego, hitting everything from 50 and in with perfection while kicking outdoors. So it wasn’t shocking to see him get even better percentage-wise when he moved to a dome. At some point, age catches up with everyone, and perhaps that’s starting to happen to him, but I tend to give him the benefit of a doubt. I think he’s got another couple of good, solid years ahead of him.