Thomas’s stock soars, Brown’s drops at Combine
The offensive linemen and tight ends worked out Saturday in Indianapolis. Here is a brief overview:
The Real McCoy: Wisconsin OT Joe Thomas looked outstanding on Saturday. He has everything a team looks for in a prospect and if the draft were tomorrow, I’d bet my savings that he doesn’t slip past Detroit at #2. USC center Ryan Kalil was impressive too, showing great movement throughout drills and intelligence in interviews…I’ve been hearing that Miami TE Greg Olson is the most overrated prospect in the draft. Are you freaking kidding me? Olson ran in the high 4.4’s, caught everything in site and looks every bit a first-rounder. After watching him Saturday, the Bears would be crazy to pass on him if he’s still available at #31 (assuming of course they don’t fill that need in free agency).
Stock Dropping: Surprisingly, scouts are dumping on Penn State OT Levi Brown after he ran an unofficial 5.39 40, suggesting he might even drop out of the top 15. To me, that’s a load of crap, especially after what a productive senior season he had at PSU and how good he looked at the Senior Bowl. He’s fluid in his movement, doesn’t get pushed around much and can play either left or right tackle…Some scouts have Arizona State TE Zach Miller rated ahead of Miami’s Greg Olson, but he wasn’t sharp Saturday. He looked sloppy running selective drills and made the cardinal sin of dropping a pass in one exercise.
Sleeper Watch: Texas Tech OG Manuel Ramirez is an absolute monster. He’s 6-foot-4, 335lbs. and did 40 reps in the bench press Saturday. This guy plays with a mean streak, is incredibly powerful and is strong at the point of attack. The potential problem is that his learning curve might be higher than some linemen, because Texas Tech doesn’t run a pro-style offense…Western Oregon TE Kevin Boss made a couple of nice catches Saturday, adjusting his weight well and running great routes. He’s a little lean, but he’s tall (6-foot-7) and has great hands.
Buyer Beware: Scouts have raved about Arkansas OT Tony Ugoh being a “sleeper”, but he didn’t look good to me in the Senior Bowl and he pulled up lame after running a good 40-yard dash (4.99). He gutted out the rest of the combine on a bad hamstring, which was noble, but he doesn’t look very aggressive and seems to just be going through the motions…Iowa TE Scott Chandler is an interesting prospect. He is 6-foot-7, has excellent hands and runs fluid even for being so tall. The problem is he is an ex-wide receiver and often blocks like one, which isn’t good for a tight end. He’s worth a look in later rounds for teams lacking a red zone threat, but some may overvalue him.
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Joe Thomas should be a Lion for ten years. They need to scoop this guy up and forget about drafting a wide receiver …………….. again. I think they’ve tried that before. Joe Thomas – not a flashy pick – But solid.
Bay 24,
I don’t think that the Lions will go with another WR, but it is Matt Millen right? Plus, Calvin Johnson is a stud…
No, I think Detroit will end up taking Thomas, which will help in trying to solidify that offensive line and keep Jon Kitna upright next season.
AS
I think Olsen would add an extra dimension to the inconsistent creature that is the Chicago Offense, all Rex Grossman comments aside. This kid would add speed and a vertical threat up the seam and would take enormous pressure off the QB position. What is that saying about a young QB’s best friends being a good TE & RB(s)?? Apply that here and there’s no doubt I think Jerry Angelo and his staff have to take a long, hard look at Olsen at 31 if he’s still on the board. Of course this was the Bear Fans’ line of thought last year when the TE class seemed so unbelievably deep, and the Bears looked about as excited to draft a TE as PacMan Jones is to see a member of the boys in blue. Yikes.
If scouting dictates that Olsen can pack some bulk onto his mediocre frame and show the ability to block competently in a strong running-oriented offense I think this pick is a no-brainer (PacMan Jones Joke here again?? Nah, one’s enough).
D Fresh,
Haha, great Pacman Jones reference! The guy should be in jail…if not for his latest incident, for many other previous ones…
Many scouts had Zach Miller rated higher than Olson before the combine, but I can guarantee you that they’ve got their erasers out after last weekend. Olson made Miller look like a schoolgirl, running through drills with ease and not dropping any passes. Miller looked horrible and if it weren’t for the lack of playmaking tight ends in this draft class, he would probably slip to Day 2. However, I will say this, once teams start to look back at Miller on film, they’ll quickly remember why he is/was considering the top TE in the draft. He did have an excellent collegiate career.
I love Olson to the Bears at #31 if he does indeed drop that far. The only potential issue that I see with him landing in Chicago, and you alluded to this D Fresh, is his overall lack of blocking skills. He’s a great receiving threat, but gets mauled sometimes by bigger defensive linemen and that doesn’t suit well for the Bears’ power running game. Either way, this guy looks like the real deal in the pass-catching department…
AS