Category: Scouting Reports – 2012

Omar Bolden scouting report

Scouting Reports - 2012
Comments
Omar Bolden CB Arizona State #3
Ht: 5’10”

Wt: 202

  
Strengths:
Good overall build; fairly strong and can hold his own in press coverage. A solid all-around athlete.  Looks very fluid in his backpedal. Smooth hips to turn and run with receivers. Does a nice job turning to track the ball in the air. Shows the ability to read the quarterback and anticipate in zone coverage – good sign for his potential move to safety later in career. Willing to play the run. Fairly reliable tackler; shows good technique in most situations. Experienced returning kicks. Team leader on and off the field with plenty of experience against top competition.
Weaknesses:
Suffered a torn ACL in 2009 and again in 2011. Speed is average at best; may eventually need to switch to free safety as he slows down with age. Trusts his athleticism too much and will get sloppy at times. Below-average ball skillls; does a nice job turning his head to play the ball, but struggles to put himself in position to make plays and doesn’t come down with many interceptions that aren’t gift wrapped. Probably won’t return kicks at next level due to injury concerns and lack of speed. Does well tackling in tight spaces, but doesn’t make many plays in the open field.
Comments:
If not for the knee injuries, Bolden would probably be considered a 2nd or 3rd-round prospect. However, given his modest speed and the fact that he’s returning from a knee injury which caused him to miss the entire 2011 seasons, it’s tough to justify taking him before Day 3 of the draft. There’s a lot to like about his game when healthy, but the knee injuries raise some serious concerns about his ability to play at the next level. If he can stay healthy, however, he could make a solid nickel corner. He lacks elite speed, but he’s quick and smart and should be able to handle receivers in the slot, especially against west coast offenses.
Videos:
2010 vs California
2010 vs Oregon 

 

Mitchell Schwartz scouting report

Scouting Reports - 2012
2 Comments
Mitchell Schwartz OT California #72
Ht: 6’5″

Wt: 318

  
Strengths:
Prototypical size. Decent athleticism; can get down field on screens. Once he’s set, generally shows strong fundamentals. Good hand placement on his blocks; can get into a defenders chest and consistently slow him down. Has played on left and right side of line, sometimes within the same game. A physical run blocker; does a nice job getting low and driving his man backwards.
Weaknesses:
Footwork is slow; struggles to stay with faster edge rushers. General field awareness is very average; struggles to pick up blitzes pre-snap. Gets happy feet when he’s left alone; doesn’t stay in his zone and will create space for delayed blitzes to slide inside. When presented with decisions on an overload blitz on his side, he hesitates and will sometimes whiff on everyone. Inconsistent getting low to anchor and will get pushed back into the pocket. Suffered a back injury in 2011.
Comments:
What you see is what you get with Schwartz. He’s technically sound and has enough athleticism to play at the next level (although probably on the right side). However, things start to go wrong when he has to think on his feet. He can be overwhelmed by delayed blitzes and overload blitzes and seems to lack the ability to anticipate and make quick decisions.
Videos:
2011 vs Stanford
2011 vs USC
2011 vs Texas 

Andrew Datko scouting report

Scouting Reports - 2012
1 Comment
Andrew Datko OT Florida State #67
Ht: 6’6″

Wt: 315

  
Strengths:
Prototypical size. Four-year starter. Solid all-around fundamentals. Gets into position quickly out of his stance. Fairly quick feet and consistently shows good footwork; can slide outside to stay with athletic edge rushers. A mauler as a run blocker; stays low and can drive his man back. Decent athleticism; can get to the second level and can run on screens plays. A team leader; great communicator and clearly a leader on the field.
Weaknesses:
Serious injury concerns. Missed time in 2010 preseason with shoulder injury and again during the regular season. Underwent shoulder surgery prior to 2011 season. Re-injured shoulder during 2011 season and missed remainder of season and the combine due to surgery. Athleticism is adequate, but he will struggle with elite pass rushers at next level; probably best suited to play on the right side. Limited strength; makes up for is with solid fundamentals, but he will simply be overpowered by some of the game’s elite bull rushers.
Comments:
If healthy, Datko would be a very safe mid-round pick. While he lacks the elite measurables and athleticism, what you see is what you get. He’s technically sound and a hard worker and, at worst, will be a very reliable backup who potentially can play four positions on the line. However, the repeated shoulder injuries (to both shoulders at various points in his career) are a definite concern. Depends on his medical checkups, it’s possible he will receive some undraftable grades from teams.
Videos:
2011 vs Oklahoma 

George Iloka scouting report

Scouting Reports - 2012
1 Comment
George Iloka S Boise State #8
Ht: 6’4″

Wt: 225

  
Strengths:
Impressive size. Good all-around athlete. Looks fluid in coverage considering his size. Has more than enough size and strength to further develop his tackling skills. Impressive leaping ability; can be an asset in coverage in the red zone.
Weaknesses:
Simply misses too many tackles. Doesn’t know how to wrap guys up and bring them to the ground; dives and swipes with his arms. Below-average ball skills; won’t come up with many interceptions. Doesn’t consistently track the ball and put himself into position to make plays. Clashed with coach Chris Petersen on multiple occasions early in his career, but coaching staff says he has matured.
Comments:
Considering his size and athleticism, Iloka is a very disappointing prospect. He has everything you can’t teach, but he doesn’t put it together on the field. There is plenty to like about him from a physical standpoint, and he definitely has the tools to develop into a starter at either free or strong safety, but he needs to improve in every aspect of his game. Iloka is boom-or-bust prospect who probably shouldn’t come off the board until the 3rd day of the draft.
Videos:

Janzen Jackson scouting report

Scouting Reports - 2012
Comments
Janzen Jackson S McNeese State #12
Ht: 6’0″

Wt: 188

  
Strengths:
Impressive natural athlete. Great body control; can go up in traffic and make some acrobatic plays on the ball. Good hands for a defensive back; will come down with the interception when he’s in position. Hard hitter who can knock the ball loose. Has some experience at cornerback; very fluid in coverage for a safety; has the smooth athleticism necessary to stay with receivers. Strong leaping ability allows him to hold his own against taller receivers/tight ends in jump-ball situations.
Weaknesses:
Originally played at Tennessee; suspended in 2009 for violation of team rules. Left team briefly in 2011 but was later dismissed from team shortly before 2011 season began. Reportedly had “substance abuse” issues at Tennessee, but very little has been officially reported about his situation at Tennesse. Below average size and strength. Misses a lot of tackles; does not wrap guys up and loves to go for the big hit instead. Will be a liability in run support at the next level.
Comments:
It’s tough to grade Jackson without knowing the details behind his dismissal from Tennessee, which is something that NFL teams will be asking him about during interviews. In terms of his raw talent, he’s an intriguing prospect who could be an asset as a center fielder-type free safety. He lacks the speed to play corner, but he has the basic coverage skills and ball skills to excel in coverage as a free safety.
Videos: