I always liked underdogs. Even more when it’s about the NFL Draft.
Every year bunches of guy are selected in the 1st and 2nd round of the draft and do little or nothing then in the league.
On the other side, teams usually find starters in the later rounds of the draft or even between college free agents.
Here’s the second part of my special list of “under the radar” prospects.
Enjoy it:
| Player | Position | College | Video | Notes | Combine | Height | Weight | 40s | bench press | Vert. Jump | March Projection | Final Pre-Draft Projection | Denver Projection |
| Josh Pleasant | CB | Kent State | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1RWYcAmm_c | All MAC second team (media). Has a really good video. He’s a player that I like. He may be a little short for the posiction at 5′ 10” but really play hard. He hit hard, has good range, though not great, knows hot to play cover corner and also has experience in zone scheme (Alabama highlights). Has nose for football both in coverage and in the running game, essentially he can recognaize the play and react to that. I really di thinj that if he can bulk up, he could really be this year Chris Harris with potentially even more upside. I would considerate him even in the late 5th – early 6th round for a team as the Broncos that have multiple needs at CB. If he falls to FA, he would one of mine first priorities. He could really impress during training camp, barring personal issues or motivational issues. I would go to his Pro-Day and really investigate because he’s really intriguing me a lot. | NO | 5′ 10” | 181 | CFA | 5th – 6th | ||||
| Jereby Ebert | WR | Northwestern | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7lUa0u_aVY | This guy can play. He’s a little short but he definetly made big plays against the better competition he faced in college. Doesn’t look explosive or anything special but he always find a way to be in the play and looks like a security lock for a Qb when the play brakes up. I think that somebody will pick him “surpisingly” in the middle rounds, but depending on which will be Denver first 4 – 5 picks, as 7th rounder he could really add quality depth to Denver team that will be a need in case that Royal departure. | NO | 5′ 10” | 195 | FA | 7th – CFA | ||||
| Garell Robinson | WR | ASU | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJuLDmI-o8U | This big guy needs to bulk up because he doesn’t look strong enough to catch in traffic with NFL talent defender costantly. Anyhow id undeniable that he can catch, even though he has some mental lapsus at times, and he’s 6′ 3”. As CFA, I will take a chance on him, even though he’s now projected to be a 5th rounder……he he falls Denver should try to get him to see which kind of comeptition is able to provide in training camp. | YES | 6′ 3” | 227 | 4.62 | 35.5 | 5th | CFA | ||
| Josh Chichester | TE | Louisville | He’s too big for not draw interest as a CFA. He went to Luoisville as WR, turning to TE. He has reliable hands, but cannot block. Still 6′ 7” is a good reson to bring him to camp and see his p`roduction level. | NO | 6′ 7” | 240 | CFA | CFA | |||||
| Bradley Sowell | LT | Ole Miss | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbOKhegMwxI | LT for a rushing QB. This is a big guy that has inconsistency problem. Take the video against Bequette. He is doing a great job the most of the times but somehow in few times he’s not finishing the takle. This is expecially not really good for a team as the Broncos where Tebow shines in broken plays. Neither he’s a great run protector. He’s doing a better job protecting the pass at pads level than in run plays. To many times he’s pushed around. He has to gain strenght and really improve angles techniques. He’ll be there at CFA I think, so he could be used in training camp and possibly he could land a spot in the practice squad and one year to develop and learn. | No | 6′ 7” | 316 | CFA | CFA | ||||
| Josh Oglesby | RT, G | Wisconsin | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbOKhegMwxI | RT for a rushing QB. This guy has it. He can play. He also has history of injuries to his knees. He’d been RT for the Badgers and played well facing some of the best competition that college ranks could propose. He looks really good in run blocking and is doing a good job also in the passing game. Is not the in the same Mauler class than Orlando Franklin but he’s really good too. I canm’t understand why he’s projected as undrafted, Denver could really start to think about draft him at the end of the 5th round. I’m sure that he would istantly add quality depht and he could, IMO, push both Zane Beadles and Orlando Franklin. What I love also about him, is that he played for Wisconsin, and I love it for several reasons. First the offensive line plays were drawn for protecting a running QB, as Denver. Second Wisconsin really played like a Team, as Denver. I think that he would fit perfectly in what Denver wants so the Broncos should anticipate the competition and draft him…..I still do think thta somebody will draft this guy ijn the 4th round…but as far as now he’s projected to be undrafted, a 6th round selection by Denver would be really a good one. | Yes | 6′ 7” | 338 | 5.80 | 22 | 28.5 | CFA | 6th – 7th | |
| Lonnie Edwards | G | Texas Tech | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H76CbiJksFk&feature=related | Texas Tech is not a running QB, but knows how to excape from the pocket. Anyhow, Lonnie Edwards is not the most athletic O-lineman that I saw, to be true, but in the Oklahoma game he did few mistakes and play a good game. He has to lover more is pad and needs to get stronger but the video shows to me that he can play. He could have not the greatest upside, but could be a good CFA pick-up, considering the Broncos have to increase the talent competition at Guard and have little to no depth at the moment. | NO | 6′ 4” | 320 | CFA | CFA | ||||
| Will Blackwell | G | LSU | It’s incredible but the only information I have find in internet about this kid is that he has been selected by coaches as 1st team All SEC. How could a All-SEC 1st team player has not more draft analysis? He was not invited to the combine. Why? I don’t know. there is for sure a reason for all this missing information. So based on this, I will try to bring him to training camp and see if he’s playing having a chip on his shoulder for being passed up in this big way….I bet he will. | NO | 6′ 4” | 300 | CFA | CFA | |||||
| Logan Harrell | DT | Fresno State | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a42W5ObLXAQ | This guy has high motor. He does not quit and is a warrior. During Fresno – Boise State he was consistently the only defender to push Broncos pocket, creating hurries and pressures. He can Play. If he’s there in the 4th round, I hope Denver is smart and take him. He needs to gain weight and becaming a bit stronger. But Intangibles are there. I really like him and I’d never though to see him projected undrafted in March. He will be drafted. | NO | 6′ 2” | 276 | 4.89 | CFA | 4th |
Josh Pleasant (CB): I like this kid, both what actually could bring to the table from day 1 and his potential too. He’s a little bit undersized but Chris Harris just showed that a football player is simple a football player. From the video I saw of this guy, he is definitely a football player. He really looks to know what to do in the football field and has always his eyes on the ball. I think that it will be interesting to wait until his Pro-Day and check is 40 time. It will define how high the Broncos should go to take him in the draft, but I would say that a late 5th round pick could be a great pick for this player.
Jereby Ebert (WR): this guy really did everything a WR has to do at Northwestern. He also faced really good competition. He won’t be drafted in the first 4 rounds because he is not explosive, but he is resilient and go on and on making plays. He would instantly upgrade Denver depth at the position. A late round flier on him will pay back in a big way.
Garell Robinson (WR): this is a player that is projected to go higher than what I think Denver should invest on him. Anyhow if he falls and is a CFA, Denver should make a good offer to him to bring him to Camp. He has a big body and his vertical suggest he could be an explosive player that could be used as Demaryous Thomas backup.
Josh Chicester (TE): the fact that his college production is nothing to write back home, would dig him to CFA ranks. But he’s 6’ 7’’ and 240 lbs, I would be glad if Denver would bring him in and see what this big guy could actually do in the football field, could he learn to catch more balls? Could he block and maul defender? Could he convert himself in a Tackle? Who knows, but I would like to see him in Englewood this next Training Camp.
Bradley Sowell (LT): I don’t see this young man playing RT because his videos on run protection are bad, quite bad. I still think that he can improve his awareness and footwork and so develop in a decent LT backup. As CFA not too much money would be invested in this project and I like the upside of it, Denver actually has no B plan in the roster in case Ryan Clady goes down with an injury.
Josh Oglesby (RT, G): this guy will be drafted. He can play, He has to get better to be a NFL starter, but from the video I saw, he will. Like Sowell, he played with a really mobile QB. Like Sowell he could be a good fit for the Broncos. He will be a great fit for the Broncos; he will immediately improve O-Line depth and could push for playing time both at guard and right tackle. I would really like if Denver would use a late pick for take this player off the board.
Lonnie Edwards and Will Blackwell are other two O-Linemen that do not receive enough attention for the level they played in college. I quite like the video on them. I actually can’t figure out why there is almost no information on prospect analysis web pages about Will Blackwell since he played for LSU and was first team All-SEC…..incredible. They’re bot athletically limited at the moment, but they both played and well for their colleges. I would take a chance to at least one of them if they are there in the CFA pool….I’m thinking also about their starting experience at high level.
Logan Harrell (DT): is incredible to me that he’s rated as undrafted free agent. Are you kidding me? This kid plays with great motor and effort. He’ll do everything he has to and I bet that one day he will be at least a great rotational player, but I won’t bet against him developing in a good starter. So a team like Denver that need quality depth at DT should really think to defy draft analysts and take him in the 4th or 5th round. Some years from now it will be regarded as a draft steal.
Filed under: Draft 2012, Prospects for the Broncos Tagged: cornerback, defensive tackle, Denver Broncos, Jereby Ebert, Josh Oglesby, Josh Pleasant, Logan Harrell, NFL 2012 Draft, Sleepers NFL prospects, Will Blackwell
