Tommy Maddox, QB

 

 

Jordan: Has a solid enough arm, good mechanics. Throws a very catchable football. Relatively calm in the pocket and doesn’t make too many mistakes. But that’s still his main problem—he throws too many bad balls and his TD/INT ratio has kept him from being rated higher by the media. He has above average mobility and is able to buy some time with his feet. He throws fairly well on the run. He's still very useful for them as a backup quarterback, but Roethlisberger clearly possesses the tools to take them to the next level.

 

Set Up-5+

Delivery-5+

Read Coverages-5+

Throw Short-5+

Throw Deep-5+

Mobility-5+

Leadership-6-

 

Overall Rating: 5.7

 

 

 

Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Miami (Ohio)

 

 

Jordan: The most accurate QB in football. Granted, his receivers are so well-coached, and his team is so solid in every aspect, it's not all that hard to be successful. However, Tommy Maddox sure as hell can't do it. This guy has all the tools--size, a strong arm, touch on his throws, mobility, and he's one of the most difficult quarterbacks in all of football to bring down. He is a very confident quarterback, and after winning the Super Bowl, he will be even more confident. He'll take some risks with his throws, but he's not a lunatic with it like Favre. Like Favre (in his prime), though, he will MAKE those dangerous throws more times than not. He can make all the throws and he generally chooses the right one.



Set Up-6
Delivery-5+
Read Coverage-6
Throw Short-7
Throw Deep-7-
Mobility-7-
Leadership-7+

Overall Rating: 6.8

Willie Parker, RB, North Carolina, 5'10" 209 LBS, 40 yard dash: 4.31

One of the top 5 running backs in the NFL. His pick-and-slide might be unmatched. He has ridiculous movement skills combined with rare homerun speed. He has soft hands out of the backfield and is lethal in the open-field. He is extremely slippery, instinctive, and makes cuts that 95% of the other backs in this league can't even dream of. When he sees a hole, he's through it in a nonsecond and has already prepared himself for his sensational cut at the next level. And he finishes his runs. We're looking at a guy who I think is going to make all the Steelers fans forget about Jerome Bettis rather quickly. He's got some Reggie Bush in him...or Bush has some Willie Parker in him, depending on how you look at it.

Instincts-7
Inside Running-6
Outside Running-8
Hands/Receiving Skills-6
Block-5

Overall Rating: 7.1^

 

 

 

Duce Staley, RB

 

 

Jordan: Short, powerfully built back who can gain tough yards. He's probably lost a step, but it's hard to tell since he's rarely on the field these days. He always did the little things. Now, he's doing even smaller things, like warming the bench.

 

Instincts-?

Inside Running-?

Outside Running-?

Hands/Receiving Skills-?

Block-?

 

Overall Rating: ???

 

 

 

Dan Kreider

 

 

Jordan: Very strong, hard-nosed blocker. That’s all he does and he’s damn good at it. Has excellent power; gets good depth and drive in his blocks and has the ability to sustain and finish. Excellent at leading up through the hole and solid leading outside as well, though, like most fullbacks, he’d rather lead inside. Has decent hands and can be a last option out of the backfield but average in areas other than blocking.

 

Instincts-6

Inside Running-4

Outside Running-3

Hands/Receiving Skills-5+

Block-7-

 

Overall Rating: 6.1

 

 


Hines Ward, WR, Georgia, 6’0” 200 LBS, 40 time: 4.64

 

 

Jordan: The toughest receiver in the game today. You could throw him into a valley of nails and he'd bounce up smiling. He just lives for the contact aspect of football. If you hit him, he enjoys it. If he hits you, he enjoys it. And he has more athleticism than you'd think, too. He can make the difficult catches and the catch-and-run. He isn't particularly explosive, but he will still beat you. He finds a way to stay in the game, whether it's catching passes or blocking or taking a reverse.

 

Hands-7

Patterns-6-

Receive Short-7

Receive Deep-5

Catch In Traffic-7+

Run After Catch-5+

Block-8

 

Overall Rating: 6.5

Cedrick Wilson, WR, Tennessee, 5’10” 180 LBS, 40 time: 4.46

 

 

Jordan: Extremely quick, deceptive receiver. He throws defensive backs off by faking a "lack of body control." As a route runner, he's really, really good. He gets to top speed in only a couple of steps and is really quick out of his breaks, and when he has the ball, he shows very good burst after the catch. It’s unknown really just how good this guy can be because he's had little opportunity, but he looks like a pretty good 3rd receiver who provides a little bit of sizzle to a passing offense. His major negative is that he lacks the ability to make big plays down the field. But this is a man who can get open, catch the ball, and do something with it, and you have to think he’s going to do some good things this year in Pittsburgh. Oh yeah, not to mention, though you would never guess this by looking at him, he's one of the best blocking wide receivers in the NFL. He's incredibly strong, tenacious, and will absolutely lock on and DESTROY opposing corners in the run game. He isn't a dirty cut blocking wideout, he stays on his feet and he just squares up and pops 'em/drives them off the ball and pancakes them. You have to think that Pittsburgh, being a power running team, may have noted this.

 

Hands-5+

Patterns-7

Receive Short-6

Receive Deep-4+

Catch In Traffic-4+

Run After Catch-6

Block-8

 

Overall Rating: 5.5^

 

Greg C: Positives: Another diamond that has yet to be discovered. Really, I think Wilson has all the tools to be a Steve Smith-type of player: speed (4.4 flat), very quick acceleration, elusiveness...it's just a matter of Wilson getting more oppurtunities, which he definitely will see more of this next season.

Negatives: Really, I can't see any at this point. This isn’t to say he’s a flawless player or one of the best receivers in football, I just haven’t seen anything bad in particular from him. It’s just been a matter of him being stuck in the #3 WR spot for the past few seasons, with Jeff Garcia at QB (which basically means you virtually never get any opportunities). He could probably use more reps and learn the offense better, but that will obviously be coming now that Owens and
Streets are both gone.

 

Hands - 7
Patterns - 6
Receive Short - 7
Receive Deep - 7
Catch In Traffic - 6
Run After Catch - 6
Block – 8

Overall rating: 6.5

 

 

Quincy Morgan, WR, Kansas State, 6’1” 215 LBS, 40 time: 4.39

 

 

 

Jordan: Has the tools to develop into a poor man’s Terrell Owens (albeit, VERY poor man’s) but doesn’t seem to have the work ethic to realize it. He has great size, speed, and explosiveness and has that rare burst after the catch that only a few others have in excess—Owens, Koren Robinson, and Anquan Boldin are the top 3 that come to mind. Has excellent moves in the open field and has good enough size and leaping ability to be a threat on jump balls as well. But he just doesn't work hard enough to put it all together. He has ridiculous lapses in concentration and doesn't do nearly enough to create the kind of separation necessary to emerge as a premier playmaker. To be fair, he caught a bad break having to play in one of the worst situations in football--the Bruce Arian offense, but at some point he needs to make the kind of jaw-dropping plays on his own that his talent suggests he's capable of.

 

Hands-4+

Patterns-5

Receive Short-6

Receive Deep-6

Catch In Traffic-6-

Run After Catch-7

Block-5

 

Overall Rating: 6.0^

 

 

 

Marvel Smith, OT

 

 

Jordan: He's definately much more solid than I used to give him credit for. He has good feet, sound technique, and he is a much tougher football player than when he entered the league. He has kind of meshed really well with the Steelers "run at all costs" attitude in recent years. He's always had the tools, but the question was whether he was nasty enough. He's started to really find himself. He may be nearing Pro Bowl status.

 

Run Block In Line-6

Run Block On Move-6

Pass Block-6

Ability to Adjust-6+

 

Overall Rating: 6.4

 

 

Alan Faneca, G, LSU

 

 

Jordan: Strong, tenacious offensive lineman. Has great upper body strength and can engulf at the point of attack. Takes good angles into his blocks, which helps him make up for just so-so athletic ability on pulls. Carries a blue collar attitude and fights until the whistle and is not afraid to hold. Generally gets away with it. A quality player for them in their running game.

 

Run Block In Line-7

Run Block On Move-6+

Pass Block-6

Ability to Adjust-6-

 

Overall Rating: 6.7

 

 

 

Jeff Hartings, C

 

 

Jordan: A devastating presence. Not only a tremendous technician with great strength, but an underrated athlete as well. He's extremely quick into his blocks, ridiculously tenacious, and intelligent. He can simply blow defensive tackles off the ball like no center other than a healthy Jeremy Newberry. He's arguably their team MVP, as I don't really think they could run the ball the way they do without him. He anchors well in pass protection, and has become an ace at making all the calls. He should be a perennial Pro Bowler now and...with enough of those, his body of work will hopefully speak for itself. He's become one of my favorites since he first took the position coming over from Detroit.

 

Run Block In Line-8

Run Block On Move-6

Pass Block-6+

Ability to Adjust-6

 

Overall Rating: 7.2

 

 

 

Kendall Simmons, G, Auburn

 

 

Jordan: Good combination of strength and quickness. Came out a possibly left tackle prospect but has since settled in at guard. Excellent pulling guard who can get to the second level and engulf linebackers and does a beautiful job leading on sweeps. A very tough guy who fights through diabetes, I believe. Not the biggest guard in the league and can have some problems against the more powerful DTs in the league, but can handle most DTs who are 315 LBS or less at the point. Keeps a good pad level and plays with good functional strength.

 

Run Block In Line-6

Run Block On Move-7

Pass Block-6

Ability to Adjust-6

 

Overall Rating: 6.5^X (out for season)

 

 

Casey Hampton, DT, Texas

 

 

Jordan: Everything they could ever ask for inside. Just a powerhouse as an in-line run defender. Made the transition from a 4-3 next to Shaun Rogers to a 3-4 nose tackle. Built naturally low to the ground, plays with leverage, and doesn’t give an inch. Does all of the dirty work inside, holding double teams, stacking blockers, and working his way down the line to close gaps. He’s always around the ball, and that’s because, well, he’s just an immovable object. He’s always going to be in there, you’ll never root him out, so you have to run around him. He won’t provide you with much pass rush, but he’ll provide enough of a distraction inside for other guys to come through and apply pressure. He can get in the backfield as well if your blocking isn’t sound and he’ll spill the run, but that’s rare. He's quicker than you think, though, because he reads the play well. He’d rather just stay inside and stuff it.

 

Recognition-6

Pursuit-4+

Run Defense (POA)-8

Pass Rush-4

 

Overall Rating: 6.5

 

 

 

Travis Kirschke, DT, UCLA, 6’3” 292 LBS, 40 time: 4.95

 

 

Jordan: A tough, hard nosed defensive tackle who won’t get recognition but is VERY solid against the run. Plays with good leverage and is relentless in pursuit. Will fight like hell to get off of blocks and run like a deranged lunatic to the football. Plays with incredible passion and a wonderful addition to a defense that needed another run stuffer up front. Holds his ground no matter who the blocker (s), and shows tremendous strength. As a pass rusher, he works his way up-field and shows some quickness, but isn’t the kind of naturally explosive athlete as a La’Roi Glover or Corey Simon, so don’t expect more than 4 or 5 sacks out of him. However, he’s an every down starter and a very good one.

 

Recognition-6

Pursuit-5+

Run Defense (POA)-6+

Pass Rush-5+

 

Overall Rating: 5.9

 

 

 

James Farrior, ILB

 

 

Jordan: A pure read, react, and pursue linebacker. Tremendous in pursuit, a smooth runner with outstanding speed and athletic ability. A good tackler who understands how to sift through trash and make the stop. In essence, the guy is a tackle machine; a sublime athlete who is also one of the best pass coverage linebackers in the game. He really was an ingenious signing for them, although I didn't understand it when they did it, as he doesn't have the prototypical "3-4 linebacker" size and/or physicality.

 

Key and Diagnose-7+

Pursuit-8

Blitz/Rush-5

Run Defense (POA)-5

Pass Coverage-7-

Tackle-7

 

Overall Rating: 7.1

 

 

 

Joey Porter, LB, Colorado St.

 

 

Jordan: Sublime athlete. Can run like a safety but is a natural linebacker, not one of those overgrown defensive backs. He, like Gildon once could, can rush out of the 3-point stance or blitz and this guy has SICK agility. He has cat-like quickness and can instantly blow things up behind the line of scrimmage before the offense even has time to react. With him in the game, it gives them a whole new dimension because of his rare pass rushing abilities. He puts so much heat on the quarterback and is so quick it makes everyone around him better.

 

Read and React-6

Pursuit-7+

Blitz/Rush-8

Run Defense (POA)-5

Pass Coverage-5+

Tackle-6

 

Overall rating: 6.8

 

 

 

Troy Polamalu, SS, USC, 40 yard dash: 4.34

 

 

Jordan: A lot of teams use the safety as the 8th guy in the box. With this guy, he's often the 7th. The advantage to this is that you have a guy who hits harder and fills more decisively than most linebackers, yet he has legitimate 4.3 speed. So they're in the nickel package and lose absolutely nothing in run defense, because he'll come up and be the 3rd linebacker AND a safety at the same time, since he has the ridiculous recovery speed if it's a pass play. Really, he's a saftey, linebacker, and cornerback all rolled into one. Do not underestimate the impact he alone has on their defense--he's a top true MVP candidate. He plays like a fucking animal. When he has the ball in his hands off a turnover, he runs like Jim Brown--it's unbelievable how hard this guy plays. He and Chris Fuamatu-Mafala must've been separated at birth or something (not just because of the long hair). But the other thing about this guy is, he's a SENSATIONAL athlete. He can line up in the slot and play as a 3rd corner if necessary, and he has ridiculous range and instincts in pass coverage. The only reason this guy wasn't a top 8 pick coming out is his lack of height, which just goes to show how stupid many scouts and GMs are. He has no weaknesses and is quite simply the best safety in the game today.



Read and React-8
Man Coverage-7+
Zone Coverage-8
Hands-7
Run Support-8
Tackle-8

Overall Rating: 7.9

 

 

 

 

ROOKIE

 

Ricardo Colclough, CB, Tusculum, 5’11” 185 LBS, 40 time: 4.45

 

 

Jordan: He has the athletic ability to be a top cover guy, but he's not quite as polished as he appeared to be coming out. He tends to bite on double moves and still needs overall refining in his technique in order to avoid penalties. Luckily for them, Ike Taylor emerged as a premier cover corner last year, so they're still in excellent shape.

Ike Taylor, CB, Lousiana-Lafayette, 6'1" 191 LBS, 40 yard dash: 4.45

Jordan: Nobody ever questioned his physical gifts, but the shocking thing is that he has surpassed fellow Louisiana-Laf. alumnus Charles Tillman as a cover corner. Not only does he have the size, speed, and ridiculous athletic ability, but he is fluid. He played more like a 7-year veteran last year than a 3rd year guy. He was reading keys, getting excellent jumps on plays in zone, and he was nearly unbeatable in man coverage. He can both press and play man-off coverage. You can look at his numbers and say, "gee, he only had 1 INT"...take a look at his passes defensed. Yeah, your eyes do not deceive you--23. And that's not misleading, either. The Steelers had one of the best pass defenses in the NFL last year, and he was a huge part of that. He and Polamalu made them nearly impossible to beat through the air.

Key and Diagnose-7+
Man Coverage-7
Zone Coverage-7-
Hands-4
Run Support-6
Tackle-6

Overall Rating: 6.9^

 

 

 

Chris Gardocki, P

 

 

Jordan: Was arguably the best all-around punter in the NFL back in the day. Not quite as good as some of the elites of today, but still a very solid, consistent guy.

Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!