Friday, June 21, 2013

Rookie free agent profile: Kevin Saia, G, Louisiana Tech

Kevin Saia 6'3" 306
G, Louisiana Tech

placed on injured reserve July 31
Rankings:
NFLDraftScout: 33rd-ranked guard, #616 player overall, free-agent grade.

Scouts Inc: 34th-ranked guard, rated as a free agent. Grade: 30, borderline draft prospect.

NFLDraftBible: 51st-ranked guard.


Biography/honors:
2012: All-WAC second team. Started all 12 games at left guard. Offense was #1 in the country in points per game (51.5!) and total yards (578 per game) and ranked in top 20 in rushing yards. Line only gave up 10 sacks all season.
2011: Started all 13 games at left guard. Team ran for over 1,800 yards.
2010: Started all 12 games at left guard.
2009: Played in six games, starting three at left guard.
2008: Redshirted.

Major: not listed.

Injuries: none reported.

Pro day results: (NFL Combine guard averages in parentheses)
5.28 40 (5.23)
1.81 10-yard split (1.77)
26” vertical jump (25.5”)
8'2" broad jump (8'5")
8.09 3-cone drill (Would have tied for slowest at Combine. Guards averaged 7.80)
4.82 20-yard shuttle (4.83)
26 bench press (29)
 

Positives: Started 40 consecutive games, all at left guard, so he can compete there right away without having to re-learn technique and footwork. Shows high awareness and ability to block on the move in a motion offense. Shows some road-grader ability. Seems to get off the ball and out of his stance well. Looks good on the pull and changes direction well. Played in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, where Todd McShay called him one of the best players in the game during practice week. Played in the open, quick-passing kind of offense the Rams appear to be moving toward. Should be comfortable in no-huddle. 

Negatives: I have no idea why his Youtube highlights include a play where he drags a guy to the ground by his jersey and gives up a tackle for loss anyway. He also got smoked for a sack in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on a play where he barely got out of his stance; my guess is he had the snap count wrong. Louisiana Tech's passing offense didn't require linemen to sustain their blocks for any amount of time. Questionable agility. 

Compares to: Shelley Smith

Fun Facts: Louisiana Tech went 9-3 in 2012 and had one of the nation's most exciting offenses, but didn't go to a bowl. They turned down the Independence Bowl in Shreveport to wait for a better offer, didn't get one, Ohio University took their spot, and the Bulldogs stayed home for the postseason.

RamView: The Rams list Saia as a guard/center; he'll have to be more than a guard to have even a shot at the practice squad, but I have no record of him playing anywhere in college but left guard. Tech's offensive system and his three years' experience at LG could give him advantages, but the only Ram I see he can even compete with is Tim Barnes, who has a huge experience edge at center. Saia's an interesting prospect but I expect his NFL future is with another team.

Chance of making team: 20%.

Sources: NFLDraftScout, ESPN.com, Louisiana Tech athetics, Wikipedia, NFLDraftBible, YouTube

Photo: DraftNasty.com

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Rookie free agent profile: Andre Martin, CB, North Dakota State

Andre Martin Jr. 5'10" 193
CB, North Dakota State

Twitter handle: @dremartinjr

Rankings:
NFLDraftScout: 59th-ranked cornerback, #554 player overall, free agent grade with 6th-7th round upside.

Scouts Inc: 96th-ranked cornerback, rated as a free agent. Grade: 30, borderline draft prospect.



Biography/honors:
2012: (North Dakota State) Started 13 of 15 games at cornerback. 51 tackles, 6 pass break-ups and one interception, which came in the Division 1-AA championship game.
2011: (Northern Iowa) Played in 13 games in a backup role, with 17 tackles. 
2010: (Northern Iowa) Started all 12 games at free safety. 77 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 5 interceptions (one returned for TD), 5 pass break-ups and a forced fumble. Honorable mention academic all-Missouri Valley Conference.
2009: (Northern Iowa) Started all 11 games at cornerback. 44 tackles, 2 interceptions, 3 pass break-ups.
2008: (Northern Iowa) Redshirted.

Major: has a bachelor's in gerontology and transferred to NDSU to go for his master's.

Injuries:
2011: missed most of fall training camp due to a lower back injury.

Pro day results: (NFL Combine CB averages in parentheses)
4.46 40 (4.49)
1.65 10-yard split
35.5” vertical jump (35.5”)
9'10" broad jump (10'3")
6.94 3-cone drill (6.88)
4.28 20-yard shuttle (would have been bottom-5 time at Combine; CBs averaged 4.16)
17 bench press (would have tied for 3rd at Combine; CB average was 13)


Positives: Student of the game. Very intelligent, reads offenses well. Good closing speed. Aggressive, good against the run, isn't afraid to hit. Plays physically and shows he can get off WR blocks. Tackles well in open field. Plays hard all the time. One of the scouts at his pro day timed him at 4.39. Had at least four teams interested in him.

Negatives: Build-up speed, lacks get-off. Lacks quickness and explosion. Doesn't show great change of direction. Only two teams attended NDSU's pro day and he was the only player working out. Not sure if he projects in the pros as an undersized safety or a corner without very quick twitch. Almost nothing available on him for an amateur scout to review.

Compares to: Jerome Murphy

Fun Facts: Andre's a St. Louis native who graduated from McCluer High School, and, no offense, but his family is probably smarter than yours. His wife Nadia also has a master's degree, in public policy. Andre ran 100m and 200m for NDSU's track team but skipped the conference meet, where he was a favorite to win, to attend Rams rookie tryouts. And I shouldn't have to remind you of the importance of undrafted free agents from Northern Iowa in Rams history.

RamView: The Rams appeared to get good draft value athletically when they signed Martin; he seems about average compared to the Combine performances of most of the drafted defensive backs. He just seems to have been set back by his junior-year injury. He's already survived the first round of rookie tryouts, and his smarts and work ethic could make him one of those players who are enjoyable to coach and stick around because of it. He appears to have the bonus of safety/cornerback versatility that improves his roster opportunity, but he's still got a lot of competition in front of him, limiting his upside to practice squad for the time being.

Chance of making team: 30%.

Sources: NFLDraftScout, ESPN.com, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead (N.D.), WDAY-TV and WDAY-AM (Fargo), The Dickinson (N.D.) Press, NFL.com, North Dakota State University athletics, University of Northern Iowa athletics, Waterloo-Cedar Falls (Ia.) Courier, Bisonville.com

Photo: The Dickinson Press

Monday, June 17, 2013

Rams sign Giordano

National Football Post
As mentioned briefly in the ongoing rookie free agent post, the Rams signed veteran safety Matt Giordano on the 16th. (UDFA Don Unamba was cut to make room for Giordano.) He's a 5'11", 210-lb 30-year-old entering his ninth NFL season. His first four seasons were in Indianapolis, the past two with Oakland, where he played free safety last year and started 13 games. He missed some time due to a concussion.

Pro Football Focus ranks Giordano barely as an upgrade over Craig Dahl. Giordano was PFF's 69th-ranked safety in 2012. Dahl, though, was 78th. Similar to Dahl, though, scouting reports on Giordano say he was "victimized on a regular basis." He had 51 tackles and 2 INTs for the Raiders last year but had a career-high 5 INTs in 2011. A scouting report at National Football Post calls him one of the fastest safeties in the league (he ran a 4.54 at his pro day in 2005) and a proven run defender. It also mentions he forced a key fumble that helped the Colts win Super Bowl XLI. Giordano was also one of the Colts' top special teams players. He's known as a big hitter and his great-grandfather was once the world welterweight boxing champion.

Giordano's signing appears to put an end to any idea of the Rams bringing Quintin Mikell back, though Giordano doesn't initially look any improvement over Mikell besides age (30 vs. 32). He does add size and experience to a safety corps that can use both.

-$-


Rams training camp schedule



The Rams announced the 2013 training camp schedule last week. There are 17 practices open to the public this year, up from 15 last year. The schedule, hopefully in a proportionate font:





Thursday, July 25    3:30 p.m.
Friday, July 26      3:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 27    5:30 p.m.
Monday, July 29      3:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 31   3:30 p.m.
Thursday, August 1   5:30 p.m.
Friday, August 2     3:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 3   12:30 p.m. at Edward Jones Dome
Monday, August 5     3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, August 6    3:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 10  3:30 p.m.
Monday, August 12    3:30 p.m.
Thursday, August 15  3:30 p.m.
Friday, August 16    11:15 a.m.
Monday, August 19    3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, August 20   4:00 p.m.
Wednesday, August 21 3:30 p.m.


Rookies report July 21st and the rest of the team reports on the 23rd. RamView's goal will be to cover the three Saturday practices.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Rams sign draft class (updated)



Well, that was quick. So much for the Rams being the last team in the NFL to sign any of their draft picks - the team announced yesterday they had signed all seven of their 2013 picks, all to four-year contracts. First-rounders Tavon Austin and Alec Ogletree have options for a fifth year.




Total contract amounts for each pick, from Howard Balzer at Lockerdome:
1a - Tavon Austin - $12.75 million
1b - Alec Ogletree - $7 million
3a - T.J. McDonald - $2.9 million
3b - Stedman Bailey - $2.7 million
4 - Barrett Jones - $2.6 million
5a - Brandon McGee - $2.3 million
5b - Zac Stacy - $2.3 million


The Rams obviously had some of these guys signed, or at least negotiations wrapped up, before now, and just chose to announce them all at once. That's fine, I guess, though maybe unnecessarily secretive. Congratulations to the front office for getting everyone in well ahead of time.

And, no, I most certainly do not miss the old days of rookie holdouts. Good riddance to all that.

-$-

Rams' rookie free agent signings



(Update for 9/3) Updated the final status for each of the rookie free agents. Five undrafted free agents made the Rams' final roster out of training camp, three of them linebackers. Another six made the practice squad. Two of those, Justin Veltung and Darren Woodard, did not get profiles yet, so I will do those and then I will be done. Sorry to the others I didn't get to while you were here.

 




Rams rookie free agents:

C.J. Akins, WR, Angelo State placed on injured reserve, reported June 10
Ray Ray Armstrong, S, Miami (Fla.) made final roster
Brett Baer, K, Louisiana-Lafayette released in cutdown to 75
Daren Bates, LB, Auburn  made final roster 
Emory Blake, WR, Auburn signed to practice squad 
Braden Brown, OT, BYU placed on injured reserve, July 31
Terrell Brown, Mississippi waived July 17
Benny Cunningham, RB, MTSU made final roster
Cody Davis, S, Texas Tech signed to practice squad
Demetrius Fields, WR, Northwestern released in cutdown to 75
Garrett Goebel, DT, Ohio State released in final cutdown
Rashard Hall, S, Clemson released in final cutdown
Andrew Helmick, WR, Lindenwood released in cutdown to 75 
Sean Hooey, OL, Cincinnati signed to practice squad 
Jorgen Hus, LS, Regina released in cutdown to 75
Tim Jenkins, QB, Fort Lewis released in cutdown to 75
Al Lapuaho, DT, Utah State released in cutdown to 75
Joseph LeBeau, LB, Jackson State released in cutdown to 75
Philip Lutzenkirchen, TE, Auburn released in final cutdown
Andre Martin, CB, North Dakota State released in final cutdown
Scott Pillar, WR, Albright released June 12
Graham Pocic, C, Illinois released in cutdown to 75
Colby Prince, TE, Oregon State released in cutdown to 75
Gerald Rivers, DE, Mississippi made final roster
Kevin Saia, G, Louisiana Tech placed on injured reserve, July 31
Cannon Smith, S, Memphis  released 7/23
Robert Steeples, CB, Memphis released in cutdown to 75
Eric Stevens, FB, California signed to practice squad
Phillip Steward, LB, Houston placed on injured reserve July 19
Jonathan Stewart, LB, Texas A&M made final roster
Drew Thomas, CB, UTEP released in final cutdown
Don Unamba, S, Southern Arkansas released 6/14
Justin Veltung, WR, Idaho signed to practice squad
R.J. Washington, DE, Oklahoma released in final cutdown
Darren Woodard, CB, UTEP signed to practice squad

-$-

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Rookie free agent profile: Garrett Goebel, DT, Ohio State

Garrett Goebel 6'4" 292
DT, Ohio State

Rankings:
NFLDraftScout: 42nd-ranked defensive tackle, #552 player overall, free agent grade.

Scouts Inc: 36th-ranked DT, rated as a free agent. Grade: 30, borderline draft prospect.

NFLDraftCountdown: 38th-ranked DT, late-round to free-agent grade.

Biography/honors:
2012: Team co-captain. Started all 12 games. 42 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, one sack and a blocked PAT. 
2011: Started all 13 games. 33 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 pass break-ups.
2010: Academic all-Big Ten. 9 tackles in 13 games.
2009: Academic all-Big Ten. 2 tackles in 13 games.
2008: Redshirted.

Major: construction systems management.

Injuries: none reported.

Pro day results: (NFL Combine DT averages in parentheses)
5.32 40 (5.18)
1.76 10-yard split
26” vertical jump (27.5”)
8'0" broad jump (would have tied for last at Combine. DTs averaged 8'8.5")
7.41 3-cone drill (7.67)
4.55 20-yard shuttle (4.73)
22 bench press (would have tied for last at Combine. DTs averaged 28)


Positives: Consistent, hard-working player with a relentless motor. Strong and productive. Former wrestling champion. Long-armed and quick-handed. Plays bigger than his size because he uses his hands and leverage well. Anchors consistently against the run. Good quickness and change of direction. Pro day 3-cone and shuttle times were very respectable for his position. Gives it his all on every down and will chase plays down for you from the backside. Could be developed into a solid backup by a team that can keep him on the practice squad and get his weight up over 300. Lunchbucket, no-nonsense kind of player. Lets his play do the talking.

Negatives: Tweener. Undersized nose tackle, needs to add bulk. Lacks size to play the 2-gap role he played in college. Built like a 1-gap lineman but lacks the explosion to penetrate the backfield. Is done if an offensive lineman gets his hands on him first, which will pose a big problem at the NFL level. Doesn't show much as a bull-rusher. Performance of only 22 bench presses at pro day is a little puzzling.

Compares to: Jermelle Cudjo, who showed a lot of hustle as a UDFA in 2010 and made the roster despite being regarded as undersized.

Fun Facts: One of the best wrestlers in Illinois high school history, Garrett won back-to-back state championships in 2007 and 2008. He set state records for victories and falls and was the #2 wrestler in the country his senior year, going 57-1. He was 55-1 as a junior.  

RamView: I expect Mike Waufle will enjoy coaching Garrett Goebel, but it'll have to be a whole lot for him to last through training camp. The Rams look very set at DT, four-deep if you include Matt Conrath, who was pushing for significant snaps as a UDFA last summer before going down with a knee injury. The hill gets steeper because the Rams tended to short-shift the position last season, going with just 3 DTs active many weeks. They didn't keep a DT on the practice squad, either. UDFAs like Conrath and Cudjo have been able to hustle their way onto the roster in recent seasons, but they're much stiffer competition for Goebel to beat than they had themselves.

Chance of making team: 10%.


Sources: NFLDraftScout, The Ohio State University athletics, NFLDraftCountdown, ESPN.com, National Football Post, Cleveland Plain-Dealer, Toledo Blade, CBS Sports, Chicago Tribune

Photo: CBS Sports

Rookie free agent profile: Phillip Steward, OLB, Houston

Phillip Steward 6'1" 237
OLB, Houston

(placed on injured reserve 7/19)
 
Twitter handle: @PhiLLipOnMe

Rankings:
NFLDraftScout: 48th-ranked OLB, #564 player overall, free agent grade.

Scouts Inc: 23rd-ranked OLB, ranked as a free agent. Grade: 35, borderline draft prospect.

NFLDraftCountdown: 34th-ranked OLB, late-round to free-agent grade.

Biography/honors:
2012: First team all-Conference USA. Started all 12 games as strongside linebacker. 128 tackles, 12 sacks, 10 quarterback hurries, 23 tackles for loss, 5 forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, 3 interceptions, 3 passes defended.
2011: Started all 14 games. 77 tackles, 2 sacks, 5 quarterback hurries, 11 tackles for loss, 2 fumbles recovered, 6 interceptions, 6 passes defended.
2010: Started all 12 games. 84 tackles, 2 sacks, 6 quarterback hurries, 11 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, 2 interceptions, 7 passes defended.
2009: Started 10 of 14 games. 89 tackles, no sacks, 5 tackles for loss, 2 passes defended.

Major: kinesiology, with an emphasis in sports administration.

Injuries: none reported. Played in all 52 games and started 48 consecutively.

Pro day results: (NFL Combine LB averages in parentheses)
4.62 40 (would have been a top-5 run by a LB; average was 4.75)
1.62 10-yard split
34.5” vertical jump (33.5”)
10'2" broad jump (9'10.5")
7.43 3-cone drill (7.14)
4.57 20-yard shuttle (4.34)
26 bench press (22)


Positives: A fundamentally solid, speedy, one-man wrecking crew. Has reaction time and ability to cover ground of a safety. Took a lot of snaps at nickel LB. Good at recognizing and defending crossing routes. Very good range, change of direction and closing burst. Gets good, quick, deep drops. Quick-footed and can pick his way through traffic well. Has good field vision, reads the quarterback well and makes good decisions. Excellent ball skills. Had some of the best hands on the team and adjusts well to the ball. Has some ability to slip blocks. Reliable tackler, decisive in the open field. Breaks down well in space and isn't afraid of contact. Speed pass rusher with some bend. Above-average athlete with playmaking ability. A little undersized but could have ideal size to defend spread offenses. Will thrive in a defense that lets him make plays in space. Could be an effective spot pass rusher if he adds bulk. Durable, hard worker and a team leader. Plays with outstanding hustle and shows up big-time when his team needs a big play.

Negatives: Played at 220 lbs. most of his college career. Will struggle man-to-man against athletic tight ends. Instincts could be better. Needs to get more consistent run fits and better gap integrity. Easy to get leaning the wrong way with misdirection and play action. Always takes on blockers with his right shoulder. Ducks his head on contact. Plays small. Needs to get stronger. Does not have much of a punch and is easy for bigger blockers to move. Needs to use hands better to disengage from blockers. Takes some bad angles. Doesn't have power to knock ballcarrier backwards and needs to tackle with better pad level. Gets the worse end of most collisions. Doesn't have a second move or a second gear as a pass rusher.

Compares to: Ian Gold, Cato June, Michael Boley.

Fun Facts: Phillip Steward is a turnover machine. His 6 interceptions in 2011 led the nation's linebackers; his 5 forced fumbles last season was good for top-5 in the country.

RamView: If the number of bloggers hoping back in April that their team would sign Phillip Steward is any indication, the Rams scored a real coup when they landed the Cougar LB. There is a lot to like about his game. He appears to have rare pass defense skills and a knack for forcing turnovers that should serve him well on special teams while he tries to play his way into the lineup. He has potential to contribute as a nickel LB quickly, and I believe he's at the front of the pack of LBs angling for a backup spot, not a bad place to be when there appear to be a couple of roster spots open.

Chance of making team: 70%.

Sources: NFLDraftScout, University of Houston athletics, College Football Reference, ESPN.com, NFLDraftCountdown, Football Outsiders

Photo: San Antonio Express-News

Friday, June 7, 2013

Isaiah Pead rap sheet update

As reported by Pro Football Talk, Rams running back Isaiah Pead was arrested last July 7th in McKinney, Texas for possession of less than two ounces of marijuana. So, we all pretty much had it right all along. Good job, us.

The link to the arrest record database in the PFT article is incorrect: it is actually whosarrested.com. Here's a link to Pead's arrest record. (If Rokevious Watkins was arrested for anything, it's not on this website, or it's in there under a different name or spelling.)

Pead had been a Ram a whole month before being brilliant enough to get into trouble with the law. Which reminds me, the Rams are behind on getting their draft picks signed this year. By June 7th last year, they had half their picks signed. Then again, they don't have any 6th- or 7th-rounders to sign this year. They had most of their 2012 draft picks signed by June 14th last year, with Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson signing the night before rookies were required to report to training camp. (TruJo then forgot to set his alarm, missed his flight to St. Louis and reported a day late.)

-$-

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Rookie free agent profile: Brett Baer, K/P, Louisiana-Lafayette

Brett Baer 5'11 194
K/P, Louisiana-Lafayette

Twitter handle: @Slashpod

Rankings:
NFLDraftScout: 7th-ranked placekicker, #501 player overall, free agent grade.

Scouts Inc: 8th-ranked placekicker, rated as a free agent. Grade:30, borderline draft prospect.


NFLDraftCountdown: 7th-ranked placekicker, late-round to free-agent grade.


Biography/honors:
2012: The most accurate kicker in NCAA Division I history: 42-for-47 (89.4%) for his career. First team all-Sun Belt as kicker and punter. Made 20 of 23 FG attempts (87%) with a long of 52 and 53 of 56 PATs (95%, one blocked). Averaged 42.0 yards on 59 punts with 8 punts over 50 yards. Downed 22 punts inside the 20 with only 2 touchbacks. 7-for-9 for his career on onside kicks, recovering 4 of them himself. Averaged 59.9 yards per kickoff on 45 attempts, with no touchbacks. Had one FG attempt blocked. UL-L lost 27-20 to Florida after getting a punt blocked and returned for a TD with 13 seconds left in the game.
2011: Led the nation in field goal accuracy. Second-team all-Sun Belt as kicker and punter. Made 18 of 20 FG attempts (90%) with a long of 50 and 46 of 50 PATs (92%). FG misses were from 48 and a doink from 25. Averaged 40.3 yards on 79 punts with 12 over 50 yards. Downed 27 punts inside the 20, 12 inside the 10, 9 inside the 5 and had 5 touchbacks. 4-for-4 on onside kick attempts. Won two games with FGs as time expired, including a 50-yarder to win bowl game vs. San Diego State. Successful onside kick helped UL-L to another last-minute win.
2010: Primary kickoff specialist all 12 games. Took over as full-time placekicker for final 8 games. Made 7 of 7 FG attempts (100%) with long of 42 and 23 of 23 PATs (100%). Went 3-for-3 vs. Louisiana-Monroe. 3-for-5 in onside kick attempts. Made 6 tackles.
2009: Primary kickoff specialist, though with only one touchback. Averaged 55.7 yards per kickoff on 52 attempts. Made two tackles.
2008:
Redshirted.

Major: exercise science.

Injuries: none reported.

Pro day:
Results are reasonably comparable to North Carolina State QB Mike Glennon's.

4.91 40
1.76 10-yard split
28” vertical jump
8'8" broad jump
7.59 3-cone drill
4.50 20-yard shuttle
10 bench press (Rams owner Stan Kroenke can do 12 reps)


Positives: Consistent performer. Accurate kicker with smooth tempo. Has developed physically over the past two years. Has leg speed and leg strength to be a legitimate NFL kicker. Has hit from 62 in specialists camp. Versatile, can punt and placekick. Excellent on onside kicks and very good at pinning the opponent deep on punts. Can punt for distance - had a 50-plus-yard kick almost every game as a senior. Handles pressure very well and has a tremendous attitude. Historically-accurate college kicker.

Negatives: Has yet to demonstrate an adequate leg for kicking off in the NFL. His kickoffs won't make it to the goal line. Only one regular NFL kicker, Justin Medlock, failed to average 60 yards a kickoff last season, and he's now unemployed.

Compares to: Kai Forbath.

Fun Facts: Talk about a clutch kick - though he missed a FG and a PAT earlier in the game, Brett's 50-yard FG as time expired won the 2011 New Orleans Bowl, giving Louisiana-Lafayette its first postseason win in over 100 years of playing football. UL-L won the 2012 New Orleans Bowl as well, with Brett kicking 3 FGs.

RamView: Short of an injury or a complete training camp meltdown by Greg Zuerlein, it doesn't look like Brett Baer will make it past the role of camp leg as a Ram. If he does get good hang time on his kickoffs, with his exceptional FG accuracy, he could easily fit what another team wants on special teams. It's smart of the Rams not to wear Zuerlein out in camp, but RamView really wanted to give Johnny Hekker and his weekly 25-yard shank a good push at punter. Baer sounds like a very precise punter and could also get some reps there, but again, I don't see NFL-quality leg strength.

Chance of making team: 5%, but he should have a good chance of catching on somewhere else and having a decent career.

Sources: NFLDraftScout, University of Louisiana at Lafayette athletics, NFLDraftCountdown, ESPN.com, The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.), Kohl's Professional Camps, WWNO-FM (New Orleans University), The News-Herald (Panama City, Fla.), The Tampa Bay Times, The Football Database

Photo: Yahoo

Isaiah Pead update

A couple of sources have shone a tiny bit of light into the information blackout regarding Isaiah Pead's one-game suspension by the league:

In his blog at ESPN.com, Mike Sando believes it can be assumed that Pead did not fail a drug test because his suspension was only for one week. That's consistent with what I've seen about Rokevious Watkins' situation; he got a one-week penalty but didn't fail a test. It's not consistent with the report I referenced last week regarding Tamba Hali's 2012 one-week suspension, but in hindsight, that report was probably misworded when it said Hali "fail[ed] the NFL's substance test." More than likely Sando's the one who's right.

We get some actual further explanation from Jeff Fisher himself in a Fox Sports Midwest interview:

It [Pead's suspension] doesn't come as a surprise. We have been aware of the situation since last summer. We — in a lot of ways — addressed it last summer when the issue took place, knowing this would probably the result. This thing has taken a long time. In a lot of ways, Isaiah has put this behind him. He's learned from his choices, and I don't expect it to happen again.

Last summer? That sounds every bit like a confirmation of my (and most's) original guess that Pead probably got arrested for possession of a controlled substance, or possibly a DUI/DWI violation. The court date for the case probably got a football-friendly push on the calendar until after the season.

Let's hope Pead's done screwing up now. As for Watkins, Fisher continues to defend him pretty vigorously, but really, if he got suspended for something innocent like an administrative screwup, taking the wrong cold medication, or missing a drug test for an entirely legitimate reason, Watkins needs to put the details out there. Until he does, we almost have to assume some kind of illegality, or the case of a missed test, stupidity, was involved.

Somebody's going to have to start keeping a list of these deals, along the lines of the injured reserve, given the impact they're posing to the team:

* I assume, but would have to confirm, that Pead and Watkins are now "in the NFL's program," which means another "substances of abuse" offense will get either one a 4-week suspension, one strike away from a one-year suspension.

* Trumaine Johnson could get fined by the league for his off-season arrest, but since he plead guilty to reckless driving and refusing a breath test, not DUI, I don't believe the "substances of abuse" policy will apply to him. I don't believe he's in the program. To be confirmed.

* Robert Quinn was arrested for DWI last July; if that case has been resolved, it hasn't been reported anywhere. If he's found guilty of that, my assumption is that he'd get strike one and be entered into the program.

I'm not aware of any other Rams in the same boat, and, at the risk of getting all pillar-y on everybody, would prefer this list be kept very short.

-$-

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Deacon Jones 1938-2013

Associated Press
Stan Musial's death earlier this year was a tough blow for St. Louis, Cardinals fans, and sport. We lost a favorite son, a conquering hero, a senior statesman, an immortal among immortals. Baseball's perfect warrior, baseball's perfect knight, as they said.

St. Louis doesn't, and may never, have a football equivalent to The Man, (no, not even Marshall Faulk - it's a high, high bar) but Rams fans and sport have lost football's perfect warrior with the passing of Deacon Jones, announced this morning. There was no such thing as a quarterback sack until the Deacon invented it. He played football with the ferocity and unapologetic violence that always has been and always will be at the root of the game, no matter how loud fans and critics, sportswriters and politicians will wail and gnash their teeth and rend their garments. Stan played baseball at its purest; Deacon played football at its purest.

Too many of us never got to watch Deacon play, though one shouldn't have to in order to recognize him as the dominant defensive player in the history of football. There's a Deacon highlight reel - it'll probably air more than a few times today - that played in the stadium the day his number was retired. On most of it, you'll see his amazing quickness, impressive strength, brutal hitting and unrivaled tenacity. You see a defensive end who would dominate the NFL right now if you could hijack a time machine and scoop him up.

There's a play on that highlight reel where Fran Tarkenton, the RGIII of his day, actually gets away from Deacon, who goes down. Tarkenton tries to throw, but Jack Youngblood leaps and forces him to pull the ball down and scramble toward the sideline. He doesn't get far. All the while, looming in the background, Deacon has gotten back up to track down his prey, closing on him like a cheetah closing on a wounded antelope, and engulfing him roughly the same way. Most defenders in NFL history are done on that kind of play when they hit the ground. For Deacon Jones, it's a signature example of a play ending in the stat he invented.

The word "awesome" is used both too often and not enough these days. That burrito you just had at the food court, tasty though it may have been, was not awesome. Neither was that movie you just streamed, unexpected twist at the end or not. "Awesome" is best used to describe things for their sheer beauty and fearsome power. Their Fearsome power.

The world just got a lot less awesome with the loss of the warrior Deacon Jones.

-$-

Monday, June 3, 2013

Rookie free agent profile: Emory Blake, WR, Auburn

Emory Blake 6'1" 189
WR, Auburn

Twitter handle: @EB_TXmade 


Rankings: NFLDraftScout: 56th-ranked wide receiver, #477 player overall, free agent grade.

Scouts Inc: 50th-ranked wide receiver, rated as a free agent. Grade: 30, borderline draft prospect.

NFLDraftCountdown: 41st-ranked wide receiver. Late-round/free agent grade. 





Biography/honors:
2012: Started all 12 games. 50 receptions for 789 yards (15.8 ypc) and 3 TDs.
2011: Played in 11 games, starting 8. 36 receptions for 613 yards (17.0 ypc) and 5 TDs. Three 100-yard games.
2010: Played in 14 games, starting 6. 33 receptions for 534 yards (16.2) ypc and a team-leading 8 TDs. One of the TDs covered a school-record 94 yards. Scored in the SEC championship game and the BCS championship game. 11 tackles, assumedly on special teams.
2009: Played in 11 games, starting one. 9 receptions for 66 yards (7.3 ypc). 4 tackles.

Father Jeff Blake was an NFL quarterback for 14 seasons, making the Pro Bowl once while with the Cincinnati Bengals, and has been very instrumental in Emory's development as a player.

Major: public administration.

Injuries:
2011: Missed nearly four full games, and was limited the following five games, due to a high ankle sprain.

Pro day results: (NFL Combine WR averages in parentheses)
4.62 40 (would have been bottom 5 at Combine but matches Terrance Williams' time. WR average was 4.51)
1.65 10-yard split
36.5” vertical jump (34.5”)
10' broad jump (10'1")
7.00 3-cone drill (6.91)
4.26 20-yard shuttle (4.26)
Did not bench (13)


Positives: Experienced receiver with soft, reliable hands. Looks natural catching the ball. Quick off the line. Quick in and out of breaks. Sets up defenders with good shoulder fakes and body positioning. Finds the soft spot in the zone well. Helps QB well when play breaks down. Good ball skills. Attacks the ball in the air. Excellent adjusting to the ball. Excellent body control and leaping ability. Excellent balance and footwork along the sidelines. No fear going over the middle. Makes difficult catches even though he knows he's about to be hit hard. Good quickness and suddenness, usually makes the first man miss. Shifty runner after the catch who can get you some YAC. Sees the field well. Quick and elusive enough to be effective on hitches and quick screens. Like Phil Lutzenkirchen, his game was really hurt last season by poor quarterbacking. He also drew a lot of double-teams. A team leader and a hard worker. Student of the game, has one of the highest football IQs you'll find, and it shows a lot in the way he plays. Can be a very effective slot/possession receiver but also has enough size and speed to be a successful outside receiver.

Negatives: Long strider with build-up speed. Lacks elite speed or burst. Needs to run sharper routes. A little stiff and upright as a runner. Not explosive out of his breaks. Not a physical receiver. Needs to get stronger to defeat press coverage in the NFL and to be an effective blocker. Doesn't use his hands well as a blocker or when working against the press. Some trouble pulling in passes in traffic. Has concentration drops when anticipating hits. Lacks speed to be a downfield threat and has no second gear. Will be limited to a possession-receiver role where you hope he gets something after the catch.

Compares to: Austin Pettis, whose 2011 draft pick profile is eerily similar reading.

Fun Facts: He'll wear #16 as a Ram, but Emory had the good taste to wear #80 in college. His receivers coach, Trooper Taylor (actual name, believe it or not), coached Dez Bryant and Robert Meachem at previous stops before coming to Auburn.

RamView: OK, Rams front office, we get it. Les Snead played at Auburn and Jeff Fisher's son plays there now. You don't have to sign the whole team as rookie free agents. I'll stop complaining, though, because Emory Blake has a sneaky-good chance of making the team. He's all but an Austin Pettis clone who I'd think pretty much puts the former third-round pick on notice. If Pettis can't pull away from the WR pack in camp, there's little reason to think his role can't be taken over by the smart kid behind him who can do everything he can do.

Chance of making team: 45%.

Sources: NFLDraftScout.com, The Auburn Plainsman, Opelika-Auburn News, Pro Football Reference, Auburn University athletics, ESPN.com, College Football Reference, CBSSports.com, National Football Post, NFLDraftCountdown, NFL.com, Wikipedia, Sports Illustrated

Photo: CBS Sports

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Pead suspended one game

After a disappointing rookie season, Rams running back Isaiah Pead's 2013 campaign is off to an even less auspicious start. Becoming the third member of the Rams' 2012 draft class to get in trouble this offseason, Pead has been suspended for opening week for violating the NFL's "substances of abuse" policy.

One of the mysteries of the recent suspensions affecting Pead and fellow 2012 draft classmate Rokevious Watkins is where the one-week suspension comes from. I've got an answer, thanks to the Kansas City Star (and Google). When Tamba Hali was suspended for opening week last season, Adam Teicher reported:

Unlike the NFL’s PED policy, which calls for a four-game suspension for a first-time violation, penalties for substance-abuse violations are handled on a case-by-case basis by the league and commissioner Roger Goodell, according to NFL senior vice president of communications Greg Aiello.

Watkins was said not to have failed a drug test, but that doesn't appear to make any difference, because Hali did, and got just the same one-week suspension. And I think it's safe to guess America's #1 cash crop plays a role. Bears DT Nate Collins and Lions RB Mikel Leshoure got suspensions at the beginning of last season that correlated with offseason marijuana possession charges. And we're discussing all first offenses here to my knowledge. Jagwires WR Justin Blackmon is suspended for the first 4 weeks of this season, but that's a second offense, for DUI.

It will be interesting to see if Jeff Fisher publicly defends Pead as emphatically as he did Watkins. Fisher came right out and essentially said he thought he Watkins got a raw deal. The Rams have apparently also known about Pead's impending suspension for some time. For all we know, the two could have been picked up while they were hanging out together. Watkins could have gotten in trouble for weed that was Pead's, or they both could have gotten in trouble for weed that was somebody else's. (Somebody PLEASE say they know Janoris Jenkins' recent whereabouts.)

As for my previous inability to figure out how marijuana could be involved without very public arrest reports, well, apparently, some teams are better at keeping player arrests quiet than others. Furthermore, as of about three hours ago, possession of "small" amounts of marijuana is now enforced as a misdemeanor in the city of St. Louis. This kind of arrest just isn't the big news it used to be. Hooray for lowered standards!

In any event, that's now two potential starters the Rams are down for opening week. Still sounds like Rams Park could use more Pillars than just Scott the rookie free agent WR, huh.

-$-