Miami-Ohio Redhawks
A tall, slim pocket passer with a pencil thin build, Ben Rothlisberger
shows all the makings of a terrific quarterback prospect for the future and one
that many will soon be talking about. Poised in the pocket, Roethlisberger
displays complete control of the offense, looking off the safety, scanning the
field and taking what the defense gives him, always working to make something
positive happen. He has a major league arm and drives the ball down the field,
smartly placing his passes in front of receivers while also showing the ability
to zip the outs as the ball quickly gets to its’ intended wide out. Though he
needs to work on the fundamentals and iron out a few rough edges, Roethlisberger
is definitely one that belongs near the top of a very talented group of passers
available for the draft the next few years. One of Roethlisberger’s favorite
targets is Jason Branch, a king sized wide out that extends to pull the
ball out of the air and a receiver best in the intermediate field. Lacking
overall quickness and speed, Branch is more than likely a free agent. We’ve
watched guard Joe Costello a few seasons now and have come to like his
tenacity, headiness and overall pass blocking skills. Costello is strong at the
point and anchors against defenders but is limited in both his athleticism,
ability to block on the move or sustain his blocks for anything other than a
short period. Still, he’ll get into a camp next summer.
Miami-Ohio has a trio of defenders to keep an eye on, first of which is
tackle Ryan Terry. Powerful on the interior, Terry plays low with
leverage, stays on his feet and drives up the field, collapsing the pocket.
Quick off the snap, he works his hands to stay off blocks but is slow shedding
opponents once engaged at the point of attack and takes even longer locating the
ball. He has a good amount of future potential and a prospect on the defensive
line such as Terry deserves late round consideration, if not earlier should he
step it up this season. Matt Robillard is not explosive or overly
athletic but a super-smart defender that anticipates the action as it unfolds
and one that could add inexpensive depth at the next level, earning his wage on
special teams. The third player we really like from this side of the ball is
junior Larry Burt, a defensive tackle that is a big thug in the middle
and causes a lot of problems for opponents.
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