Arkansas Razorbacks
Where to begin with the offense? Cedric Cobbs was the talk of the
draftnik world after his amazing freshman campaign of ’99 but a shoulder
injury kept him on the sidelines the following season and minor nicks dogged him
in ’01. Coupled with off the field incidents the talk turned to mere
mutterings as a result. At the top of his game Cobbs displays vision,
footwork and great power carrying the ball. He’s nifty, nimble, possesses a
little shake at the line that helps him avoid defenders and power in the lower
body which enables him to drag opponents for extra yardage. Cobbs has the
size/speed numbers to be a big time player at the next level with the overall
running skills to match but is being labeled "soft" by many based off
last season. Cobbs needs to salvage the next two seasons in college to get back
to "par"; par being the top running back prospect in the nation.
Senior Fred Talley is a hard working ball carrier that also displays
vision and patience but does not own the size/speed numbers to be anything other
than a free agent. Like the running back position the rest of the prospects on
offense come in two’s. Arkansas has a pair of tight ends to watch; Nathan
Ball an efficient senior that does a nice job as a pass catcher and in-line
blocker but has only marginal athleticism, which will push him out of the seven
rounds and sophomore Jason Peters. A former defensive lineman recently
moved to tight end, Peters plays every bit his listed 290-pounds as an in-line
blocker but also shows surprising athleticism and the ability to make positive
plays down the field as a pass catcher. He’ll need to shed a few pounds and
improve his quickness but has a decent upside to his game. Likewise there are a
pair of receivers being watched by the scouting concerns; Sam Breeden and
Sparky Hamilton, both of whom must significantly pick up their play
before receiving any serious draft consideration. There is also a duo to watch
on the offensive line; center Josh Melton returns to the starting center
slot after showing flashes of ability in the past while true-sophomore Shane
Andrews looks to be a future star at right tackle.
Defensively the talent is rather ordinary except for one prospect, that being
safety Ken Hamlin. Hamlin, a terrific athlete with exceptional range,
strength and abilities to intimidate opponents, plays a relatively smart brand
of football and to his credit does not mindlessly run around the field chasing
the play or get caught out of position. Except for an occasional hesitation to
his game Hamlin has continually progressed and has a great future ahead of him,
unless he screws it up. His off the field exploits are well documented and
Hamlin needs to focus all his attention on the field and in the classroom; if he
does he will be a very high pick in the future. Up front Jermaine Brooks
is a hard working tackle with some size and deceptive strength. He collapses the
pocket and plays a relatively athletic game but needs to add a little more bulk
if he’s to move into the middle frames. Raymond House is also a solid
athlete but must really pick up the tempo of his game if he’s to be considered
for even the later rounds.
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