College Players To Watch

[schweinhart]

There's a huge player matchup today at 3:30 in the game between Georgia Tech and Virginia on ABC.

Eric Henderson #56 Ga Tech DE will be up against D'Brickashaw Ferguson #66 LT of Va.

Henderson picked up where he left of last year at the beginning of this season and gave Auburn's big LT Marcus McNeil all he could handle. But Henderson missed 4 games after that this year with an ankle injury and has returned for just 2 games getting 3 sacks and forcing 3 fumbles. He's the closest thing to Erasmus James in this year's draft at DE.

Ferguson has missed some time too this year but his quickness and feet have positioned him among the Top LTs in this year'd draft, as well as a potential Number 1 overall pick.

Another game -- Florida State vs. Clemson -- will features players who can raise their draft stock. This game is at Noon on ESPN.

Tye Hill #8 CB Clemson has great speed, cover skills, and no fear of contact. He's making his bid to be the 1st CB selected overall over Jimmy Williams.

AJ Nicholson #54 Fla State will get tested in coverage over the middle of the field against the passing of Charlie Whitehurst. Nicholson is potentially a great outside LB in the NFL but is up against other OLBs headed to the draft like Chad Greenway, AJ Hawk, Bobby Carpenter, Thomas Howard, and DeMeco Ryans who could all get picked ahead of Nicholson.

The Georgia-Auburn game tonight at 7:45 on ESPN will give Greg Blue #17 FS of Ga his chance to show he can cover because Auburn will throw the ball to a corps of decent WRs. Same for hard hitting CB Demario Minter #2 of Ga who needs to separate himself from the rest of the pack for mid to late 1st day.

Others to eyeball:

Barry Cofield #67 DT NWestern vs. Ohio State at Noon on ABC. Cofield goes up against 1st day C-G Nick Mangold and Buckeye guards for a grueling day in the pit. If Cofield gets the job done, he could solidfy himself as a Day 2 pick.

Harrison Smith #11 FS Cal vs. USC at 3:30 on ABC. The converted CB will have plenty of chances to show whether or not he's got enough goods to come even close to covering NFL caliber WRs like the Trojans have. His teammate SS Donnie McCleskey #21 will be there too to bring more hat to the game.

Jeremy Trueblood #72 LT BC vs. NC State at 7:15 on ESPN2. He's up against it today vs. speed DE Manny Lawson #91 and maybe some power DE Mario Williams #9. Do well and Trueblood helps himself after getting his a$$ handed to him by Va Tech Darryl Tapp a couple weeks ago.

In that same game, Marcus Hudson #1 CB for NC State should draw #1 WR Will Blackmon (who will get drafted high as a CB). It's a chance for Hudson to show he can shut down a 1st round class athlete at CB even though Hudson is proly headed for FS in the NFL as a Day 2 pick.

[alleycat]

so what's your verdict?

[schweinhart]

All I got to watch of the Ferguson-Henderson match-up was the 2nd half. Ferguson handled him well but Henderson still found ways to produce. Henderson has got Eric Winston of Miaim next week so that will also be interesting.

Last year of the Top 5 college LTs drafted, only 1 is a LT in the NFL -- Khalif Barnes. This year looks like Ferguson and Winston will play LT in the pros. Marcus McNeil looked heavy vs. Georgia but potentially he could be the best of the 3 at LT if he can lighten up. If not McNeil looks like a 1st rounder at RT.

LT Jeremy Trueblood had problems early w/ the speed rush of Manny Lawson of NC State but shored up pretty good as the game went on. Trueblood is a giant of the Robert Gallery mold and proly will have to shift to RT or G in the pros.

Demario Minter was real impressive at CB vs. Auburn's speed receivers. Minter decks people for a CB. He helped himslef and proly will continue to do so.

Hudson did well vs. Blackmon when he was on him but Blackmon schooled the other NC State CB repeatedly. Besides his coverage abilities, Hudson is a great special teams gunner and would be the kind of player able to fill Myles shoes if the Bengals don't re-sign him.

The rest of the players listed I didn't get a chance to see last week.

But there's always next week.

[pedroza29]

I think that Brad Smith QB from Missiouri will pull an Antwaan Randal-El and get drafted and become a great WR.

[schweinhart]

I think that Brad Smith QB from Missiouri will pull an Antwaan Randal-El and get drafted and become a great WR.

Michael Robinson from Penn St. looks like he'll get his shot too as a possession WR who can both run and throw or maybe play strong safety. Great athletes like that will draw attention.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

I would like to see Mangold, Hawk or Holmes in stripes.