Independents- Notre Dame

Jimmy Clausen, QB, Jr- I’m not as sold on Clausen as some other media outlets. He’s got the potential to be a starter, but he’s still not there and I definitely do not think he is the top QB prospect in this draft. His deep ball still makes me cringe a bit as he throws up more than out. The positives are there though as he is very accurate, he makes good decisions on throws, and he’s good in the short to intermediate throws. He gets zip on throws by using a lot of hip torque, which isn’t ideal, but not terrible either. Simple things he needs to work on though are shortening his step on throws, ensuring his arm angle stays over the top because he’s not a super tall QB, and he has to stop rolling out and back as he leaves himself so far in the backfield that a pocket can’t be established and he gets dropped for big losses. If you expect him to start right away, I think that’s a mistake. He needs some more time to develop, but he has NFL starter potential. He’d be a great fit for a West Coast offense, and that makes me think that the Browns will look long and hard at him with 7th overall pick if they do in fact try to install an offense that Mike Holmgren favors. With Jake Delhomme there as a care taker, this makes sense, even though I think the value could be better for another position.

Eric Olsen, OC, Sr- Olson is a fringe draft pick to me as he gets beat by speed and power. He doesn’t get good push in the run game, and he does not hold up on an island in the middle in the pass game as well.

Golden Tate, WR, Jr- Tate will be a monster in the slot in the NFL. He’s not the biggest WR, but he’s incredibly fast and his burst allows him to clear defenders and tacklers before they can get an angle. Tate is a ball athlete meaning that he needs to be given the ball in the open field and you can allow him to make plays after the catch. This shows up well in the return game too as he makes solid plays on punt returns. His size is what hurts him as I do think he will be miscast as an outside receiver. But if team in the early second takes him and commits to using him to his strengths in the slot, he will be excellent. Don’t count out a second round reunion with his former coach Charlie Weis, who is the new OC in Kansas City.

Michael Floyd, WR, So- Floyd is a very tall receiver already but he has a HUGE vertical to boot. He high points the ball better than most pro receivers I’ve seen, which is just God-given considering his age. Floyd has the makings of a first rounder with his size, speed, and hands. With one more year of increased size and strength, Floyd should be right there in the first round mix.

Kyle Rudolph, TE, So- Rudolph reminds me of Anthony Fasano. He’s a reliable throwback TE. He’s big enough to cause problems with safeties, and quick enough to get around LBs. He’s not going to be a huge deep threat, but he’s a very effective weapon in the pass game. He’s a willing blocker, and is big for his age. Another year or two, and he may be a sure fire first rounder. He’s one of the top two to three returning TEs next year.

Armando Allen, RB, Jr- Allen is boom or bust. He either hits long runs or runs for no gain. It’s that inconsistency that will make him a late round pick at best come draft time. Allen needs to show next year he can gain better consistency with his yards per carry average.

Paul Duncan, LT, Sr- Duncan may be one of the worst LTs I have seen this year. He will not play in the NFL and should not be drafted. You may ask why I devoted space to say this, well, he was bad enough that it made me really wonder why he was even out there and it scares me to think who is behind him if he’s better than the subs.

Sam Young, RT, Sr- Young’s extremely experienced, is solid in the run game, but he will struggle a lot with speed on the corner at the next level. He seems as though he will make a decent starting RT at the next level, but it’s tough to spend anything higher than a 3rd rounder on a player who you have to say this about. Young is one of those players that won’t ever make you stand up and shout, but will find a way to be a decent starter for years.

Chris Stewart, LG, Sr- Stewart is an interesting prospect. He’s definitely a late rounder, but I still see something there that makes me think he has a future. Very good run blocker, very aggressive and nasty, but he struggles in the pass game because of said aggressiveness. With some work though, he could make a very nice starting, blue collar style guard.

Manti Te’o, OLB, true Fr- Te’o has an incredibly bright future. He has great closing speed, explosive hitter, and a good blitzer. If he can keep on improving at the rate he showed while getting experience this year, he can be an impact college player and high first rounder by the time he’s ready for graduation.

Brian Smith, MLB, Jr- I like Smith a lot and I think he will surprise some people next year. He would fit very well in a 3-4. Good delayed blitzer as an interior player, sheds blocks with his hands, and makes solid wrap up tackles. He can play the middle or the outside, but I see him being an impact player as an ILB in a 3-4. he’s got first round potential next season and the defense will be key to Notre Dame’s success next season.

Kyle McCarthy, SS, Sr- McCarthy will be a special teams ace. He’s undersized for SS, and he doesn’t look fast enough to play FS, but he is always around the ball. He’s smart, knows where to be, and he plays hard. I want guys like that on my team, regardless of whether their measurable numbers say they should play in the NFL.

Darius Fleming, OLB, So- Fleming has good speed around the corner and an incredibly bright future. He needs to get stronger and improve his technique, but his pass rushing ability is what will make him a highly sought after prospect in a few years time.