Category: Scouting Reports – 2012

Ryan Tannehill scouting report

Scouting Reports - 2012
1 Comment
Ryan Tannehill QB Texas A&M #17
Ht: 6’4″
Wt: 220		  
Strengths:
Impressive overall size and strength. Decent mobility; can move around in the pocket to avoid pressure. Looks fairly athletic on roll outs. A threat to take off running when the play breaks down. Adequate accuracy on short and intermediate routes. Took a more active role in offense in senior year, adjusting more plays at line of scrimmage. Team leader on and off the field; well respected by teammates and coaches.
Weaknesses:
Tends to lock on to a receiver and force the ball into tight coverage. Needs be more patient and go through his progressions. Arm strength is adequate, but nothing special. Accuracy on the deep ball is inconsistent; struggles finding the right trajectory to drop it in over a receiver’s shoulder. Somewhat unorthodox throwing motion (sort of a three-quarters delivery angle); may not be a major issue, but takes away slightly from his height advantage and may contribute to his struggles on deep balls. Struggles under pressure; decision making becomes shaky and starts to rush his delivery which causes further issues with accuracy. Struggles hitting receivers on the move in stride.
Comments:
Tannehill has the skills to play at the next level and may be able to develop into a starter. He has the size, as well as adequate arm strength and accuracy. Additionally, he appears to have the work ethic and the intelligence necessary to master the intellectual aspect of the game. A team desperate for an upgrade at quarterback may reach for him in the late 1st or 2nd round and throw him into the fire. However, he should really sit and learn for a year or two. His inability to remain patient and read the whole field on a consistent basis will get him in trouble at the next level. Given some time to sit and learn an NFL offensel should allow him to become more comfortable hanging in the pocket longer and making better decisions with the football.
Videos:
2011 vs Northwestern (bowl game)
2011 vs Baylor
2011 vs Arkansas 

 

Devon Still scouting report

Scouting Reports - 2012
Comments
Devon Still DT Penn State #71
Ht: 6’5″

Wt: 307

Strengths:
Prototypical height and overall size. A strong, physical player. Relies on his bull rush to get into the backfield, which often draws double teams. Long, strong arms are very active when he’s working as a pass rusher. Flashes the ability to dominate; very difficult to block in a one-on-one matchup when he wants to be. NFL bloodlines; cousins Art Still and Levon Kirkland played in the league.
Weaknesses:
Inconsistent. Gets pushed around too frequently, often by lesser talent. Gets tossed to the ground far too often for a guy his size. Struggles against the run; gets knocked back on his heels and fails to hold his ground at the point of attack. Limited athletically. Doesn’t make plays in pursuit. Isn’t always explosive off the snap. Inconsistent effort; perhaps a conditioning issue? Missed entire 2007 season with torn ACL. Benched for part of a game in 2010 for violation of team rules.
Comments:
Still has starter potential, and has even shown flashes of Pro Bowl ability, but he is far too inconsistent. He showed some improvement in 2010, but it still looks like he takes plays off – an indication of either an effort or conditioning issue. His lack of quickness and inconsistent explosion off the snap limits his effectiveness as a pass rusher, which makes his uninspired performance against the run that much more concerning. Still is definitely a boom-or-bust prospect.
Videos:
2011 vs Alabama
2011 vs Illinois 

 

LaMichael James scouting report

Scouting Reports - 2012
Comments
LaMichael James RB Oregon #21
Ht: 5’9″Wt: 185
Strengths:
Elite speed and overall quickness. Exceptional change-of-direction ability. Always a threat to take it the distance. Consistently makes defenders miss; rarely brought down by one man once he’s in the open field. Willing to go between the tackles despite lack of size. Effective receiver out of the backfield; relatively good hands. Gives a decent effort when asked to block. Some experience returning punts.
Weaknesses:
Vastly undersized. Does not have the build to hold up as a full time starter at the next level. Doesn’t have the strength to shed tackles; once he’s wrapped, he’s down. Has a somewhat reckless running style; doesn’t have great body control once he’s moving at full speed. Skill set doesn’t match what NFL teams want from their feature back. Limited experience on special teams; only 16 career kick/punt returns. Arrested on domestic violence charge in 2010. Missed two games with dislocated right elbow in 2011. Injured left elbow in 2011 regular-season finale. Suffered knee injury in 2010.
Comments:
James was an explosive collegiate running back, but he will likely be relegated to the role of specialist in the NFL. There’s always room on an NFL roster for a player who can take it to the house on any given play, but his lack of size and strength limits the situations in which he can useful in an NFL offense.  The best recent comparison for James may be Jerome Harrison, who lit up the Pac-10 in 2005 with the Washington State Cougars, but has only been marginally effective in the NFL. In the right offense he can still be a weapon, but will never be the go-to guy.
Videos:
2011 vs LSU
2011 vs Arizona 

 

Dre Kirkpatrick scouting report

Scouting Reports - 2012
2 Comments
Dre Kirkpatrick CB Alabama #21
Ht: 6’2″
Wt: 190
Strengths:
Impressive height. Good overall size and strength. Elite athleticism; has the speed and quickness to stick with any receiver. An aggressive, physical cornerback. Willing to step up and help out against the run. Does a great job keeping his eyes on the quarterback as much as possible and quickly adjusts to help out when play does not go his direction. A pesky cornerback; not strong enough to really throw anyone off their route, but does just enough to disrupt the play. Appears to really agitate receivers with his style of play.
Weaknesses:
Tackling technique is severely lacking; very rarely wraps up the ball carrier; goes for the big hit almost every time and whiffs fairly often. Fundamentals are shaky; relies on pure athleticism, which will get him into trouble at the next level. Quick to leave his man to aid in run support, making him susceptible to fakes. Needs to become an all-around smarter and more disciplined football player. Academic issues delayed his arrival at Alabama, but has remained eligible through his college career. Arrested for marijuana possession in January, 2012.
Comments:
Kirkpatrick has elite physical tools and has been tremendously productive for one of the nation’s premier college defenses. However, he is still extremely raw and needs to develop his fundamentals in all aspects of the game. His lack of discipline is somewhat concerning considering he plays for a coach (Nick Saban) who is a stickler for smart, controlled play on the field. Has Kirkpatrick been receptive to coaching? It’s a question teams will need to ask of those who worked with him in college.
Videos:
2011 vs Penn State
2011 vs Arkansas

Lamar Miller scouting report

Scouting Reports - 2012
Comments
Lamar Miller RB Miami FL #6
Ht: 5’11”

Wt: 215

  
Strengths:
Small, compact build makes him tough to bring down. Strong lower body allows him to fight through arm tackles with ease. Patient runner; does a nice job following his blockers and allowing holes to develop. Above average breakaway speed. Hits holes with a burst. Impressive quickness and great body control; changes direction quickly and can reach top speed in a quick burst. Effective receiver out of the backfield; good hands. Some experience returning kicks.
Weaknesses:
Has a tendancy to be too patient at times; dances too much in the backfield waiting for his hole, which won’t fly at the next level. Not a power runner; can fight through weak tackles, but once he’s wrapped up, he’s going down. Effort as a blocker is lacking; whiffs on far too many attempts. Missed time in 2010 with a shoulder injury. Suffered another shoulder injury in 2011 vs Kansas State, but did not miss any time.
Comments:
Miller has all the tools necessary to be an effective starter at the next level. However, he fails to stand out in any one area, which limits his upside to an extent. He’s the type of running back who can be extremely effective, potentially even Pro Bowl caliber, if surrounded with the right supporting cast, but isn’t the type who can carry a team. In past years he may have been considered a legitimate 1st-round prospect, however, the position has been devalued in recent years. As a result, he could fall to the 2nd round, but should still be viewed as starter material.
Videos:
2011 vs Ohio State
2011 vs Virginia Tech