Daniel Sanders, 6'2" 316C, Colorado
Rankings: Pro Football Weekly: 22nd-ranked center, graded as a free agent who has a chance to be in an NFL training camp.
Unranked by NFLDraftScout.com.
Biography/Honors:
Starter at center for three years, with 40 starts, the last 36 in a row.
2008: Honorable mention All-Big 12. 60.5 knockdown blocks, 6 touchdown blocks. Allowed only one sack; committed only one penalty. Graded over 80% in 11 games, 90% in 5.
2007: Led team with 88.5 knockdown blocks. Also had 5 touchdown blocks. One sack, five pressures, two penalties. Graded over 80% in 8 games.
2006: One sack, three pressures.
2005: Made All-Big 12 Freshman team. Four starts.
Major: Ethnic studies.
Injuries: Missed 2006 season opener with hamstring injury. Missed two games his freshman year with a partially torn hamstring and missed bowl game that year due to a sprained knee suffered in practice.
Pro Day Stats: (not invited to NFL Combine)
* 5.44 40.
* 21 benches.
Positives: Has size and skill to play at the next level. Dependable and durable. One of the more underrated centers in the draft. Solid technique, hands, body bend and positioning. Good strength and pop at the point of attack. Effective run and pass blocker. Can handle big pass rushers and bull rushes one-on-one.
Negatives: Had difficulties with shotgun snaps. Below-average quickness and agility. Not a dominant blocker who opens up the middle of the field. Only effective close to the line of scrimmage. Whiffs at LBs, struggles on pulls, late picking up stunts. Scouts have questioned his love for football.
Celebrity most resembling: Hurley from "Lost".
Fun Fact: Daniel's nickname is "Girthy".
RamView: The Rams don't have a full-time center backing up Jason Brown and hopefully won't wind up regretting their offseason decisions to let Brett Romberg and Nick Leckey go. I assume it will be Sanders and Mark Setterstrom having it out for the backup role behind Brown. But Setterstrom will have to battle back from his second straight season-ending injury, and Sanders, though he at least has a lot of college experience at center, will have to overcome a large athleticism deficit to contribute what's expected from a center at the NFL level. I don't like how this is shaping up here. Always-injured player vs. a rookie with a lot of flaws in his game. The Rams haven't done themselves any favors, and are going to regret it, if Brown doesn't play all 16 games. Thumbs down.
Sources: 2009 Pro Football Weekly Draft Preview, NFL.com, CBSSports.com, WalterFootball.com, War Room, CNNSI.com, CUBuffs.com, Longmont (Col.) Times-Call, KDKA.com
photo from CNNSI.com
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