Wake Forest: Underrated Prospects (Updated stats and evaluations 3/30)

(I decided to throw in some more info on Boo Robinson and Brandon Ghee who are of greater interest to the Jags) 

Well, once again I'm trying to write a paper and I'm now distracted so I thought I might do a brief write up of a handful of draft prospects from my school most of which I think are being overlooked. I've watched these guys play for 4 seasons now (3 of them live) so I have a pretty good idea of what kind of players they are. Unfortunately, many of them lack gamefilm so I'm going off what I observed during the last few years.

I was planning on giving a Pro-Day analysis but academic circumstances kept me from attending yesterday. So here we go....

Though he's not exactly underrated, I'll start with our most well known prospect: 

Brandon Ghee: CB  6-0 192lbs, 4.4 40 (2nd among DB's first among CB's)

CBS's take, full version here

CBS: Blessed with the prototypical blend of size and straight-line speed, Ghee looks the part of a high-round selection despite having never earned all-conference honors in three seasons as a starting cornerback for the Demon Deacons.

The athletically gifted Ghee has been impressive in high profile matchups with big receivers, but struggled against smaller, quicker wideouts. More interested in applying the big hit than the interception, some scouts feel his pro best position will be safety. There is merit there, considering his production as a tackler (154 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss) and lack of big plays generated when in coverage (one interception out of 26 passes defensed).

On the field: I've watched Ghee for 2 years b/c he was red shirted for one and on academic probation for another (Wake ain't easy, even for football players!). Ghee is a smart, physical corner. He uses his size effectively when jamming wide receivers at the line. He is good at recognizing coverage, is not easily fooled by play action or pump fakes, and is rarely caught out of position. Ghee's speed may be faster than his combine numbers indicate and has no trouble keeping up with fast receivers down the field.

Ghee's tackling skills may be his biggest asset. He has good form, wraps up well and does not shy away from hitting bigger receivers or running backs. He is good at forcing fumbles without compromising the tackle. His closing speed in run support is excellent and he takes good angles towards the ball carrier.

Weaknesses: Ghee is what I would call a reliable shut down corner in that he always makes the safe play. He tends to go for the sure tackle or break up instead of the pick. This leads to reliable perfromance and limited production on his side of the field, but don't expect too many picks.

Additionally, he has difficulty shedding blocks from larger RB's, recievers, or tight ends. As a result he is relatively innefective blitzing if he's unable to outrun the block. He will have to improve his upper body strength to be effective in the NFL.

Small, quick recievers easily slip underneath him in press coverage because he has a tendancy to get too high.

Overall: He's pretty much the opposite of his former teamate Alphonso Smith. He's not flashy or exciting but he is smart, physical, and dependable. If we were to pick him up I think he has the appropriate tools to transition to safety and that's what I think he would be for us.He probably won't last through the second round but stranger things have happened.

Career Stats Here

Now for the lesser knowns, possible "diamonds in the rough"...

Boo Robinson DT 6-3 310lbs 40 time ("in the high 4.8 range" according to pro-day results)

Here's CBS's take on him. Their complete analysis here

Robinson was on the checklist of many scouts who passed through Wake Forest to evaluate Aaron Curry and members of the Demon Deacons' playmaking secondary last season. He emerged as a junior to earn honorable mention All-ACC accolades with 47 tackles and six tackles for loss, including 5 sacks.

He has 26 career starts with 108 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks -- very similar numbers to the ones posted over the first three years by former Missouri defensive tackle Ziggy Hood (108 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks).

The 6-3, 300-pound Hood, went on to enjoy a big senior campaign (62-7-5) and was the Pittsburgh Steelers' choice as the final pick of the first round of the 2009 draft. Robinson has the talent and experience to enjoy a similar leap up draft boards this year.

I think Boo may be another deal of the century like Knighton. Boo has been a defensive leader at wake for the past couple years. Playing both nose and tackle he virtually eliminated the inside run as a starter. A back injury last season dropped his stock considerably but he did a full workout yesterday and is reportedly in top form. He could be a big steal in the draft.

On the field: Think Terrance Knighton but a few pounds lighter and a bit faster. Boo is a big run stuffer and has very impressive athleticism for his size. He is quick off the line and refuses to give ground to double teams though he doesn't have the strength to gain ground against them. His bull rush is outstanding and has shown good ability to collapse the pocket and disrupt the QB. His pass rush is effective due to his good first step followed by a power move. Shows ability to move laterally and can make plays on the outside.

Weaknesses: Not many in particular aside from last season's injury. In comparison to 2008 he had a dissapointing season but that was widespread with the loss of Smith and Curry. He's coming off an injury, and is a bit smaller than the average jags lineman.

Overall: Robinson would be a great pick for the Jags in a mid to late round . For us, I think he is Wake's most appealing prospect. Plus he has a funny cajun accent name is really fun to say at the stadium. BOOOOOOO

He's not as strong of a run stuffer as Knighton and Henderson, but he makes up for it with pass rush ability and athleticism. He's a well balanced lineman and would be relatively inexpensive.

I actually found a couple highlights for him

Pursuit

sack

Career Stats Here

And finally we have Riley Skinner QB, 6-0 215

Just like at the college level Skinner is having a hard time getting attention at the next level despite a successful career.

Instead of writing everything all over again I'll just link you to my post on him a few months ago.

Evaluation of Skinner

Updates from the offseason:

-Skinner excelled in agility drills placing 2nd among QB's in the 3 cone and the shuttle

-Don't have any pro day updates but reports from the combine indicated he did well in the throwing drills demonstarting "excellent arm strength"

Overall: As of right now it looks like he'll slip to free agency in which case I would definitely take a chance on him. Out of high school he wasn't even recruited due to his size. When Wake came to Bolles looking to recruit John Russell, their coach convinced them to give Skinner their last scholarship as an afterthought. (They tell this story during almost every Wake Game) The result was a 4year starter, the 2nd most efficient passer in conference history and the most successful seasons Wake has ever had.

Bottom line is he's very low risk/high reward. I think at the very least he would make an excellent backup. 

Here's a crappy highlight reel

John Russell: DE 6-4 280lbs 4.87 40

On the field: John Russell is an intriguing prospect at DE who that has gone relatively unnoticed. He was a big contributor to Wake's defense for four years and made the All ACC team last season. Here at wake he was a tackle in the 3-4 Scheme but he will enter the draft as a DE which was essentially the role he played here at Wkae.   Russell is an EXTREMELY high motor player and runs at maximum capacity whistle to whistle on every play.

Russell is a highly skilled pass rusher. He fires out of his stance quickly and has a variety of pass rush techniques in his arsenal. Though he is athletic, he does not depend on his strength or speed to beat blockers. He excels at hand work, shedding blocks after initial contact.

Against outside run, he is also impressive. He has the strength to hold his ground against tackles and does a good job in pursuit and breaking down in the open field.

Weaknesses: A bit undersized, has a tendency to overpursue on the outside, played at tackle in college in a different defensive scheme. He doesn't get his hands in the passing lane enough. Partly relied on stunts to beat better pass blockers. Brings back memories of Derek Landri.

Overall: Russell would be a smart pickup in the 6th or seventh round (if we get one) he might even slip to FA which in my opinion would make hime a no-brainer. He's a hard worker with good technique and he played his HS ball here in J-Ville.

Update:

Russell is considered undersized as an interior defensive lineman even though that’s the position he played for Wake Forest. He could be tagged as a defensive end or linebacker.

   During the pro day session, he was summoned to the offensive side to run pass-catching drills at scouts’ request. Coach Jim Grobe of Wake Forest said some teams might be intrigued to see what Russell can do as a fullback.

I can't believe I wasted this much time doing this on and off throughout the day! Oh well, I made good progress on my paper. I doubt anyone cares about these guys but this is more for my entertainment than yours! Tomorrow I'll try to add some stats.