Who to Watch-Orange Bowl — Jan. 2 -Southern Calif. vs Iowa

[MelK]

Top 200 ranked seniors


18-Carson Palmer/QB/USC
36-Troy Polamalu/S/USC
98-Sultan McCullough/RB/USC



44-Colin Cole/DT/Iowa
64-Eric Steinbach/OG/Iowa
104Fred Barr/ILB/Iowa
149-Bruce Nelson/C/Iowa


From the top 200 Senior prospects listed by NFL Draft Blitz (http://www.nfldraftblitz.com/top200seniors.htm)

[MelK]

Carson Palmer/QB/USC (http://www.nfldraftblitz.com/srqbprofiles.htm)





(6-5, 225, estimated 4.78 40 time)

2002 Season Stats: 12 games, 288 completions/458 attempts, 3639 passing yards, 32 passing touchdowns/10 interceptions /// 45 carries, -126 rushing yards, 4 rushing touchdowns

2001 Season Stats: 12 games (including bowl game), 221 completions/377 attempts, 2717 passing yards, 13 passing touchdowns/12 interceptions /// 88 carries, 34 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown

Positives: The complete quarterback package from a physical and athletic standpoint. Has great quarterback size. Has a rifle arm. Is a threat to run and can beat a team with his legs.

Negatives: Will have some problems with decision making, and although improved as a senior, he still misreads too many coverages. Was a three-year disappointment who turned it around in his final year in a very quarterback friendly system.

Overall analysis: Coming out of high school, Palmer was a super blue-chipper that carried a can’t miss tag. Until his senior season, Palmer had not played even close to the level that was predicted early in his college career. Palmer possesses every skill and physical attribute that a scout would want in a quarterback, but through the majority of his college career he had been a very inconsistent player. 2002 marked his second season in a Norm Chow offense and Palmer really flourished in his senior year. There has been a lot made about the changes in USC’s offensive system during Palmer’s tenure there, but one must note that other quarterbacks have had considerable success in Norm Chow’s offense from day one (see NC State’s Phillip Rivers’ true freshman season). Palmer also has one of the best supporting casts in all of college football. If this player is “for real” is still up to debate. There is no question he has the skills, but does his senior year truly reflect the type of player that Palmer is? If Palmer has really turned the corner, he has all of the skills of a first rounder and should be a very high draft pick. But if Palmer’s senior year was an aberration, Palmer could very well be drafted way too high and prove to be a monumental bust. Personally, I think Palmer has shown enough his senior year to merit a first round selection; however, I would proceed this caution if I was looking at this player in the upper area of round one.


Source- NFL Draft Blitz

[MelK]

Troy Polamalu/S/USC (http://www.nfldraftblitz.com/srsprofiles.htm)

(5-10, 215, estimated 4.44 40 time)

2001 Season Stats: 12 games, 118 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 3 interceptions, 6 passes broken up, 1 fumble recovery, 2 forced fumbles /// 3 punt returns, 9.0-yard punt return average, 0 punt return touchdowns

Positives: A tough, physical player who goes all out on the football field. Seems to have a real love for the game of football. Does a great job against the run and can function as an extra linebacker.

Negatives: Tends to be over-aggressive and will run himself out of some plays. Needs to work on his pass coverage techniques.

Overall analysis: Polamalu saw extensive playing time as a college freshman, moved into the starting lineup as a sophomore and has emerged as one of college football’s best players on the defensive side of the ball. Polamalu is a very tough and physical player. He possesses great playing strength and is very effective at playing the run up around the line of scrimmage. Polamalu also has surprising athletic ability. He is very smooth on the field, shows good range and is very good at adjusting and changing directions. However, Polamalu will be over-aggressive and could benefit from playing a little more under control. And he may not have excellent coverage skills at this time, but he is improving in this area and has the upside to eventually be a very good coverage safety. Overall, Polamalu is an excellent player that has great ability and will likely become an even better player. Right now Polamalu carries a solid second round grade.


Source- NFL Draft Blitz

[MelK]

Sultan McCullough/RB/USC (http://www.nfldraftblitz.com/srrbprofiles.htm)

(6-0, 190, estimated 4.32 40 time)

2002 Season Stats: 12 games, 167 carries, 738 rushing yards, 7 rushing touchdowns /// 12 catches, 69 receiving yards, 0 receiving touchdowns /// 2 kickoff returns, 19.0-yard kickoff return average, 0 kickoff return touchdowns

2001 Season Stats: 6 games, 115 carries, 410 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdowns /// 6 catches, 100 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown

Positives: Blazing fast, a validated track man who can run a legitimate sub 4.4 40-yard dash time. Has been a productive player while healthy.

Negatives: Lacks size and doesn’t figure to be a full time back in the NFL. Needs to run with his pads lower. Sometimes loses his balance easier than he should, needs to be a tougher and more focused runner. Looked like a keeper a couple of years back, but hasn’t shown any recent improvement.

Overall analysis: As a sophomore, McCullough emerged as one of the better running backs in the country. McCullough ended that season with over a 1000 yards rushing, but since that time McCullough has been a relative disappointment. After ending the 2001 season with an abdominal injury that required surgery, McCullough returned with a very average effort in 2002. McCullough may not have the size, but he has tremendous speed and will present a game-breaking threat regardless of what level of football he is playing at. However, the rest of McCullough’s game needs a great deal of improvement. He must run lower, improve his balance and also do a better job of using his blockers. McCullough doesn’t figure to have the size to be a full-time NFL back, but he has the skills to emerge as a top third-down back. Currently McCullough is grading out as a mid day two player, but his stock could increase the closer it gets to draft day because it’s likely he will have an exceptional individual workout.

NFL Draft Blitz

[MelK]

Colin Cole/DT/Iowa (http://www.aokdraft.com/colesp.html)

Height: 6'2

Weight: 300 pounds

40-Yard Dash: 5.10

NFL Comparison: Gary Walker

In spite of a tremendous senior campaign, Colin Cole remains one of the most underrated prospects in the country. He possesses exceptional quickness for a defensive tackle and has also seen some playing time at defensive end during his career in Iowa City. Cole sees constant double teams in nearly every game and cannot be blocked by most individuals.

He plays with great leverage and doesn't allow opposing offensive linemen to get any push. Cole is equally impressive against the run and the pass. He gets consistent penetration on running plays and doesn't let tailbacks make him miss in the backfield. When the quarterback drops back to pass, Cole can collapse the pocket by utilizing his rare combination of quickness and strength. His motor never stops running and he always tries to chase down plays from behind. Although Cole certainly isn't slow, he lacks top closing speed in lateral pursuit. Similarly, his explosive first step doesn't translate into top closing speed when attempting to sack the quarterback.

During the 2002 season, Colin Cole registered 78 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 16 quarterback hits, 2 fumble recoveries and 2 forced fumbles. His combination of quickness and strength should allow him to play either defensive tackle in a 4-3 scheme or defensive end in a 3-4 scheme. Cole currently projects as a second day pick, but don't be surprised if his stock rises to the late day one area. Even it does, Cole will prove to be a steal as he develops into an above average NFL starter.

Source- AOKDraft.com (http://www.aokdraft.com/)

[MelK]

Eric Steinbach/OG/Iowa (http://www.nfldraftblitz.com/srogprofiles.htm)

(6-7, 284, estimated 4.95 40 time)

Positives: Outstanding athlete for an offensive lineman. Runs well, has good balance and can adjust on the move. Had a breakout year in 2001 and was even better as a senior. Possesses very good upside.

Negatives: Has a very linear build for an offensive lineman, an ex-tight end that is built like a tight end. Lacks a great playing base and can get pushed around by bigger, more physical players. Has had a lot of minor injuries in the past.

Overall analysis: Steinbach was moved to the offensive line early on in his college career after arriving at Iowa as a tight end. Steinbach showed outstanding improvement throughout his college career and was named as a first team All-American as a senior. And the award was deserved, as Steinbach was probably the best offensive guard in college during the 2002 season. As one would expect from an ex-tight end, Steinbach possesses excellent athletic ability for the position he now plays. Steinbach can run, has good quickness and is stronger than one would expect. However, he is not built like an offensive lineman and that could be a significant problem at the next level. His lack of brute strength will likely limit him to the left side of the offensive line once he reaches the NFL. Personally, I feel this player is an NFL left guard exclusively, although some pro scouts feel Steinbach could develop into an exceptional NFL left tackle. It must also be noted that Steinbach has battled numerous minor injuries while at Iowa. In summary, there probably hasn't been another player that has helped himself in 2002 as much as Steinbach. Heading into his senior year Steinbach looked like a fifth round pick, but right now he is a solid second rounder with a decent chance of being a first round pick.


NFL Draft Blitz

[MelK]

Bruce Nelson/C/Iowa (http://www.nfldraftblitz.com/srcprofiles.htm)

(6-4, 290, estimated 5.13 40 time)

Positives: An overachiever who is smart and gets the most out of his ability. Understands how to play the position and does a nice job of using his hands to redirect defenders. Has seen extensive playing time at center, left guard and left tackle during his college football career.

Negatives: Lacks ideal size and strength and can get out-muscled by bigger defensive tackles. Will have some trouble anchoring.

Overall analysis: A former walk on at Iowa, Nelson quickly established himself as a quality player when he earned a starting spot in his redshirt freshman season. Nelson has been a starter ever since, and has played at left tackle, left guard and center. Nelson lacks ideal size and strength, and will likely be limited to the center position at the next level. Although he may not be what an NFL team is looking for physically, Nelson is a very smart player who understands how to be an effective offensive lineman. He has pretty good short area quickness, and does a nice job of using his hands to put himself in an advantageous position. He really showed great improvement as a senior, and was named a first team All-Big 10 performer. The quality of Nelson’s play as a senior was so impressive that he now carries a sixth round grade and could end up going much higher than that once the 2003 NFL draft arrives. This is a player to keep an eye on.

NFL Draft Blitz