Scouts Notebook: UL-USM

A major battle in Conference USA as the Louisville Cardinals, led by the debatable Dave Ragone, visited the Rock last night to take on Southern Miss in a game that featured early selections in next April's draft all the way through free agents.

  VS 

Louisville-Southern Miss

Louisville

Curry Burns/S/12

• disciplined, does not bite on play action passes and stays with assignments

• quick to read/anticipate both running, pass or screen plays

• comes up the field and lays his shoulders into the ball carrier

• hard hitting and likes to intimidate opponents

• lacks the great closing burst or recovery speed

• Comments: Middle round choice that could be a fifth or sixth defensive back for a team and eventually move into a starting role down the road.

Anthony Floyd/S/24

• tough against the run; quick moving up the field, squares into the ball carrier and wraps-up

• lined up over the slot receiver in man coverage and has a good degree of success

• fights receivers throughout the route and positions himself to defend the throw

• good head for the ball

• nice closing burst

• not flashy or explosive

• Comments: Not the ball hawk he was early in his career but is turning into a complete player solid against both the run and pass.  Plays smart football and I was really impressed they way he's stepped up the physical nature of his game.  Will be downgraded as he's barely 5-10, and you want your free safety bigger, but a valid late first day choice that should immediately find his way onto the field as a nickel back.

Chad Lee/OLB/98

• forceful up the field

• holds his ground against the blocks of bigger lineman

• quick picking up his pass cover assignments

• some ability to scrape laterally and defend the run.

• Comments: Solid consideration in the late rounds as a strong side linebacker.  Better making plays in the box and must run well prior to April and show some cover skills.

Dave Ragone/QB/15

• quickly sets up with solid fundamentals and good ball placement

• throws with an over-the-top motion and follows through nicely

• patient in the pocket, looks off his primary target and scans the field if given time, finding the open wide out

• buys as much time as possible and nicely places his throws for pass catchers

• quick releasing the ball, leads receivers on crossing routes

• short-to-intermediate throws have terrific speed and velocity

• throws excellent corner patterns

• displays a deep arm

• losses nothing throwing on the run

• very competitive, does not give up and always looking to make something positive happen

• very poised, a true leader and in complete control of the offense

• seemed shell shocked at times and would throw the ball up, then hope for the best

• needs to improve his deep accuracy, though his receivers are slow as hell

• Comments: Ragone awed us last season when I personally scouted him against East Carolina and did so last night, though in a different context.  For all the bad press he's been getting and talk of falling draft rankings I was interested in what I would see; in the end it was one of the grittiest performances by a passer ever, to the point where USM coach Jeff Bower said afterwards Ragone possibly had more poise than any signal caller he's seen (and USM plays everyone).  His receivers are slow as well as terrible and the offensive line is worse; Ragone was getting hit almost every play and pulling himself up, off the field.   USM tried to exploit the combination and sent five or six guys after Ragone all night, leaving the receivers in man coverage, yet they dropped passes and were unable to make plays and Ragone was usually left limping around the field as he tried to escape the relentless rush.  The number one thing I took out of this game is what a competitor he is; on more than a dozen occasions Ragone could have wilted under the pressure and just run out of bounds but he stayed with the play, stepping through the pocket, buying time for receivers and if nothing was open, tucking the ball and taking it up the field, trying to pick up the first down.  When UL was down 17-3 he could've packed it in and no one would've blamed Ragone the way USM was kicking the crap out of him, but he stayed with it and UL one the game.  He does seem to be coming down with a case of cabin fever, which is not good, and he will need a big Senior Bowl to jump into the early part of round one but several scouts we spoke with hope he falls so their team can jump on them.

Dewayne White/DE/99

• used at both tackle and end

• quick off the snap, plays with forward lean and displays excellent hand technique

• quick to the inside with a nice move and displays laterally speed

• rarely off his feet

• tough, plays with pain and stays with the action

• will defend the run

• handled in one-on-one blocking, slow to shed and stood up at the point

• Comments: Playing hurt, which is dragging his performance down.  Solid prospect but his size and lack of growth potential concerns us.  A lot more in "Locker Room Notes."

Southern Miss

Jeremy Bridges/T/73

• quick and explosive off the snap of the ball

• immediately gets into his run blocks or sets in pass protection

• decent skills blocking on the second level or pulling across the line of scrimmage and taking out defenders on the move

• effectively uses his hands

• decent footwork protecting the edge, though he does more stepping then shuffle and slide

• not a natural knee bender and has difficulty staying low

• adequate and efficient but not dominant

• Comments: Solid lineman that can also be kicked into guard.  Expect him to be a mid-to-late round choice next April and be on the two-deep next year.

Greg Brooks/CB/5

• smooth in his hips transitioning to run with opponents and easily stays downfield with them

• positions himself nicely against pass catcher to defend the throw

• not always the first volunteer to jump in the fray or a willing run defender

• Comments: Definite consideration as a dime back at the next level

Rod Davis/LB/24

• explosive up the field and quick filling the gaps

• breaks down well and plays with forward lean

• aggressive defending the run and snuffs out the ball

• scrapes well laterally

• outstanding on punt coverage teams

• squares into the ball carrier and wraps-up

• redirects or adjusts well

• disciplined yet tough at the same time

• constantly around the action 

• makes more plays going forwards then in reverse

• lacks body control, balance and haphazard

• over-pursues the action up the field or laterally

• Comments: Tough as nails and relatively heady defender.  Built more like a weak side linebacker but cover skills were difficult to get a grip on as he's used specifically at the line or up the field and rarely asked to drop, though based on his athleticism it looks like he could get the job done when the balls in the air.  Nice inside linebacker prospect but really needs to stay in school one more season.

Joe Henly/OLB/2

• effective on kick coverage teams

• breaks down well and plays with forward lean

• nice overall strength at the point of attack; takes on and defeats blocks on his way to the action, easily bringing the ball carrier down on initial contact.

• not instinctive, reactive and hesitant in pass coverage.

• Comments: Could see him getting picked up as a free agent and possibly making it as an inexpensive sixth linebacker/special teams player.

Jason Jimenez/T/75

• strong, tough and works very hard

• good upper body jolt

• intelligent and does a good job with his assignments

• very stiff, lacks body adjustment and not effective on the second level

• Comments: Camp player

Rayshun Jones/DT/94

• quick off the snap and nice first step

• plays with forward lean, keeps his feet moving up the field and good leg drive

• can twist/stunt, makes plays laterally and displays a closing burst to the action

• good head for the ball and quick locating the action

• gets his pads a bit high and stymied

• does not look all that big for the inside

• Comments: May have some potential on the nose or even the three technique if he learns to play with leverage.

Derrick Nix/RB/43

• patient and works his runs

• quick finding the running lanes

• surprising speed and ability to turn the corner

• puts his shoulders into the defender and falls forward when tackled

• needs to pick up the blocking tempo and awareness

• Comments: Workhorse that could surprise at the next level.  Needs to run fast prior to the draft and check out medically if he's to fit into the later rounds.

Torrin Tucker/G/76

• blocks down well on defenders or totally engulfs them

• powerful and easily handles opponents at the point of attack; controls them in pass protection or drives them off the line blocking for the run and gets a lot of movement

• plays with forward lean, good arm extension and terrific jolt with his hands

• some ability to kick out/trap and block on the move

• can slide and shuffle, block in space or adjust to defenders twists/stunts/games

• much, much quicker in his head picking up assignments and schemes

• not a natural knee bender and does not sink his butt at the line

• not quick or explosive off the snap into his blocks

• stands to be a little quicker getting his hands into the opponent.

• Comments: Very, impressed with Tucker's overall game and right now would consider him the first or second senior player at his position after speaking with him.  Possible top 60 selection if all things work out.