| February 27, 2006 | « Previous Story | HOME | Next Story » | Posted at 02:46 AM |
QB- RB - FB - WR- TE - C - G -OT - DT - DE - OLB - ILB - CB - S
Matt is a big, well-built and powerful player. He stays low, keeps his head up and understands angles. Has great awareness as a blocker. With his great size he is a tremendous lead blocker who stonewalls defenders in the hole. He may not be the back to carry the load but he can clear the way for a running back with the best of them. Great lead blocker who seems to enjoy 'pancakes'. Text book size and speed for a FB with some intangibles for reading defenses. With his quick burst into the whole and his powerful lower body strength there are few defenders he can not move out of the path of any runner. He's a miniature guard out of the backfield. He is an effective weapon for any team looking to have a ball control running game Powerful runner up the middle who is just as apt to leap defenders as run through them. Runs hard and with power in short yardage situations. Smart and a hard worker...Team player who will do what is asked of him. Has a lot of experience. He has marginal top-end speed. Not a great athlete. Lack of speed will hurt him more as a second-level blocker in the NFL. He also needs more experience and improved awareness as a blocker in pass pro. Is not an elusive runner in space. Matt Bernstein is a true "throwback" player as a lead blocker and short yardage runner. He one of the best at what he does and could be the first fullback selected in the 2006 NFL draft, somewhere in the middle of day 2. 
Lawrence Vickers is a very versatile back. A powerful player who makes a presence on the field and is feared by the strongest of linebackers. Vickers is a dedicated player who will not be outworked. He runs hard with good power but lacks breakaway speed. He is an adequate receiver out of the backfield. He runs good routes, catches the ball away from his body and has soft hands. Colorado named Vickers' position the V-back (Versatility) position for his ability to play tailback, fullback, and catch the ball out of the backfield. He also was an outstanding special teams player at Colorado and could contribute in that area as well. He is an aggressive blocker but isn't a punishing lead blocker.A RB / FB 'tweener who may not have an ideal pro position. For a fullback, he is a bit undersized and needs to bulk up. A jack of all trades but master of none. He is a very good runner and a very good blocker, but not great at either thusly limiting his opportunity to be selected in the 2006 NFL Draft. Vickers has the frame to get bigger and the agility to develop into a good space blocker if his power and technique improve. He also shows a lot of upside as a receiver out of the backfield. Because of his potential and versatility, Vickers ranks among the top few fullback prospects in 2006 and warrants fifth round draft consideration. 
Mills has a lot of versatility as a player that has lined up at TE, FB and H-back in college A 'Tweener who could play a Chris Cooley-like role in the pros - who really fits the mold of the type of multi-dimensional fullback the NFL is looking for today. He has the athletic ability and burst to develop into a reliable possession receiver that can contribute in third-down situations, as well as in the red zone. He is an excellent receiver who runs good routes and has outstanding hands, but he lacks ideal size and speed for the tight end position. He is also a very good blocker who excels at blocking in space, but he is an unknown quantity as a runner. Has adequate speed, has good body control and flashes the ability to make the big play downfield. Shows good concentration while the ball is in the air, catches passes with hands away from frame and rarely drops a pass that should catch. Mills does not have breakaway speed as a runner and his lack of ideal size means he'll likely never develop into an every-down player. However, Mills also has the instincts and agility to contribute on special teams in the NFL. Overall, Mills is a late-round or priority free agent prospect in the 2006 class. 
Runnels is an underrated prospect. He essentially has been a glorified offensive lineman at Oklahoma, but he is a better athlete than his production would indicate. Statistics cannot tell the value or ability of Runnels. Runnels was a key factor in Adrian Peterson's freshman freak show often making highlight reel type blocks on opposing team's linebackers and defensive backs. He takes good angles in space and does an outstanding job of getting his head around as a blocker. He shows good burst and speed for a FB, and he has value as a short-yardage receiver out of the backfield. Runnels is a player that works hard on his game and loves to run block more than touch the ball himself. He is steady in his assignments and added the dimension of being a receiver out of the backfield this last year. Shows good hands as a short-yardage receiver out of the backfield. Has improved as a route runner and shows decent awareness vs. zone coverage. Runs hard after the catch. Runnels' lack of ideal running skills and ideal NFL measurables may cause him to slip, but he still should come off the board somewhere in the final few rounds of the 2006 draft. 
Powers-Neal has great size and is a very powerful lead blocker. He has a good blend of size and speed and can really clear the lane and operate in the second level. He is a very good short yardage and goal line back who scored 6 touchdowns in limited action as a senior. He is also a very good receiver out of the backfield and a capable blocker. Does not show the speed to consistently turn the corner as an outside runner. Is improved as a receiver but still needs to become more consistent in terms of reading coverages and finding soft spots. Has some trouble separating from LB's one-on-one. He missed time as a senior due to a suspension for driving under the influence. He needs to improve his blocking and receiving to become a more complete fullback at the professional level. A classic RB/FB "Tweener" his best chance of making it at the next level is to move to a fulltime FB role and contribute on special teams. In order to do so, he must improve his bulk, strength, blocking skills and overall mentality. At this point, Powers-Neal grades out as a sixth or seventh round prospect in the 2006 draft. Best of the rest QB- RB - FB - WR- TE - C - G -OT - DT - DE - OLB - ILB - CB - S