Acceleration: Very good acceleration. Surprisingly has the burst, at his size, to run away from cornerbacks off the line of scrimmage and once he makes a catch.

Agility: Very good agility, as expected. Shows good balance, lateral quickness and an innate ability to understand where and how to manipulate his body to make catches. Green will score very well in short-shuttle and 3-cone drills at the Combine and/or Pro Day.

Blocking: Green lacks the strength to be a dominant, Hines Ward-type blocker. He does have good size and length, though, and can mirror and block out defenders. Can improve in this area.

Hands: The one thing that stands out most about Green are his hands. At 6’4″, Green is blessed with long arms and big hands. Routinely makes one-handed catches in traffic. Great body control to put himself in position to make the impossible catches. Does not let the ball get in to his body. Great arm extension when making a catch. Appears to catch the majority of balls with his fingers and not his palms. Green is among the most sure-handed receivers ever scouted by our team.

Release: Very quick off the line of scrimmage. Great hand speed. Shows a consistent ability to knock away defenders hands when attempting to bump or press. Has a quick side/back step to avoid being jammed. Does a good job mixing up his method for beating press coverage, whether it is a hand slap or lateral move to avoid the defender. Accelerates well once free of the defender. Gets off the line very clean against press covers.

Route running: An underrated route runner by most standards. Has quick feet and does a nice job selling routes. Drops his hips to make sudden changes. Shows a good ability to plant and change direction. Unlike most big receivers, Green does not try to simply box out cornerbacks. Is a disciplined route runner. Very good burst in and out of breaks.

Size: Excellent size for an NFL wide receiver. Has the height, length and hand size every scout loves to see. Good muscle tone. Very lean and long.

Speed: Has the speed to separate from even the fastest cornerbacks. Not only does Green have great timed speed, his quickness on the field is exceptional.

Final word: Green may have missed seven games over the past two seasons, but he has left his mark on the record books at Georgia. Missing time due to injury and then a suspension would leave a negative mark on most scouting reports, but Green is simply too good to overlook or downgrade for minor issues.

Green’s combination of size and strength remind many, us included, of former Miami Hurricane Andre Johnson. Johnson was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft. A.J. Green could hear his name called even earlier.

Few rookies will have the opportunity to contribute as quickly as Green, and perhaps no player in this draft is better suited to play in the NFL immediately.

More of the same from the Colts. They drafted overachievers that may lack the ideal NFL size, but they have the skill set to fit the Colts system and contribute in a specific role right away. They found solid value on the defensive side of the ball throughout the draft and this class will give the Colts defense a nice push throughout the back end of Peyton Manning’s career.

Best Pick: Jerry Hughes – DE – TCU (#31 overall)
Scout’s Take: There were less than a handful of teams that had Hughes on their draft board as a defensive end, but the undersized disruptor fits in perfectly with what the Colts ask of their edge rushers. Hughes is a bit undersized, but he has the elite explosion out of his stance and he is a savvy defender that consistently makes plays. He will be part of a three man rotation that should combine for 30+ sacks.

Worst Pick: Pat Angerer – MLB – Iowa (#63 overall)
Scout’s Take: While Angerer will fit in as a run defender because of his prowess inside, he has questionable athleticism in space. Within the Tampa-2 defense, the scheme’s middle linebacker must be able to drop back in to the intermediate level of the route tree of the opposing offense. He looked slow and stiff in the Big 10 as a zone defender and that is a part of his game that will be exposed on the much faster NFL.

Sleeper Watch: Vuna Tuihalamaka – LB – Arizona (Undrafted)

Houston Texans
Kareem Jackson – CB – Alabama
Ben Tate – RB – Auburn
Earl Mitchell – DT – Arizona
Darryl Sharpton – MLB – Miami
Garrett Graham – TE – Wisconsin
Sherrick McCmanis – CB – Northwestern
Shelley Smith – G – Colorado State
Trindon Holliday – WR – LSU
Dorin Dickerson – TE – Pittsburgh

The Texans struggled to find the right value throughout the majority of this draft. They went after a lot of undersized athletes that do not exactly make up for it with speed, and the chances of this draft class being among the worst in the league five years from now are high.

Best Pick: Garrett Graham – TE – Wisconsin (#118 overall)
Scout’s Take: Graham will bring a dimension to that offense that has been inconsistent throughout the Matt Schaub era. He can be used as a motion tight end and/or H-Back that can create mismatches in space. Very good short area quickness and a high effort player that catches everything thrown his way. I believe he will be a better pro than former Badger and current New York Giant Travis Beckum.

Worst Pick: Earl Mitchell – DT – Arizona (#81 overall)
Scout’s Take: There were only a few teams that I felt Earl Mitchell fit in to as a defensive tackle. He is undersized and was pushed around the trenches with ease in the Pac-10. Houston’s run defense was abysmal in 2009 and if they wanted to go with an interior presence, names like Corey Peters (Kentucky) and Al Woods (LSU) would have been better fits.

Sleeper Watch: Shelley Smith – G – Colorado State (#187 overall)

Tennessee Titans
Derrick Morgan – DE – Georgia Tech
Damian Williams – WR – USC
Rennie Curran – LB – Georgia
Alterraun Verner – CB – UCLA
Robert Johnson – S – Utah
Rusty Smith – QB – Florida Atlantic
Myron Rolle – S – Florida State
Marc Mariani – WR – Montana
David Brown – DT – Brown

After succeeding with the proper value at the top of the draft, the Titans tried hard to bring in the type of player that will not ‘wow’ anyone with ability, but instead with their character and work ethic. Head Coach Jeff Fisher likes the gritty players that think fast and react even faster. Not so long ago this squad was the #1 seed in the playoffs, and the same kind of players that led them to that point were brought in last weekend.

Best Pick: Alterraun Verner – CB – UCLA (#104 overall)
Scout’s Take: Good sized corner than can bump and run with different kinds of receivers. Great ball skills and the uncanny ability to make dual reads and get himself in position. Verner should compete for playing time right away as a nickel back and will be a starter within the next three years.

Worst Pick: Damian Williams – WR – USC (#77 overall)
Scout’s Take: Williams does not enter the league with the hype surrounding him we saw with Dwayne Jarrett and Mike Williams did, however he may bring the same kind of minimal production to the table. He brings top tier route running ability and he can catch most balls thrown his way, but he lacks the physicality and NFL quickness to separate from defensive backs. The receiver taken right after him, Brandon LaFell out of LSU, would have been a much better selection in the third round.

Sleeper Watch: LeGarrette Blount – RB – Oregon (Undrafted)

Jacksonville Jaguars
Tyson Alualu – DT – California
D’Anthony Smith – DT – Louisiana Tech
Larry Hart – DE – Central Arkansas
Austen Lane – DE – Murray State
Deji Karim – RB – Southern Illinois
Scotty McGee – KR – James Madison

Jacksonville seems to have fallen in love with the small school prospects which is quite the gamble considering the jump in competition and speed they will see in year one. After arguably the top draft class in 2009, the Jaguars rolled the dice on their draft board that seems to be the black sheep in comparison to the rest of the league. With a move back to the 4-3 defense on the horizon, the defensive line was rebuilt with each of their first four picks on that group.

Best Pick: Deji Karim – RB – Southern Illinois (#180 overall)
Scout’s Take: It took until the sixth round for the Jaguars to use a pick on an offensive player, but Karim has a good shot at being the best NFL player out of this draft class. With his low center of gravity and explosion in space, the Jaguars will be able to maintain their scheme should Maurice Jones-Drew need a rest. Karim was one of the more overlooked running backs in this draft class, but he has the ability to be a 1,000 yard back very early in his career.

Worst Pick: D’Anthony Smith – DT – Lousiana Tech (#74 overall)
Scout’s Take: After watching Smith for a week in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, I didn’t see him as an every down player at the next level. He had a hard time holding his ground against a single blocker and he lacked the explosion off the ball to shoot the gap and create a new line of scrimmage. He should have been graded as a late rounder because he projects as a career backup.

Sleeper Watch: Chris Hawkins – CB – LSU (Undrafted)

5’11 1/2, 205 pounds | Safety | Kansas

Agility: Stuckey has some struggles turning fluidly and takes false steps. He doesn’t lose balance, but needed coached up on his turn. Not necessarily a quick-twitch athlete.

Ball Skills: Has shown good hands in the past, intercepting five passes in 2008. Goes after the ball when making tackles.

Instincts: Is a little inconsistent in his recognition skills. He’ll sometimes be a step late on play action and give up too much space. Works faster when he’s playing the deep middle.

Pass Coverage: Is a presence in zone coverage and uses his hitting ability to keep receivers out of his zone. Covers a lot of ground when the ball is in the air. In man, Stuckey has some trouble staying with his man. Needs to have his man technique refined. Gets too high in his backpedal and takes false steps on his turn. Doesn’t have the foot quickness to stay with shifty receiver. Has shown good hands – intercepted eight passes in his career. Has above-average arm length for a player his size. 
Run Support: Is quick to come up and support against the run. Shows good instincts to work through blockers and get after the ball. Although he’s not much of a gap plugger, Stuckey is stout against the run.

Size: Is a little short for a safety and can get in trouble when he’s covering taller wide receivers or tight ends. Has good bulk and won’t have to add a lot of strength. Above-average arm length and hand size.

Speed: Shows very good speed, especially in a straight line. Chases down a lot of ball carriers in the open field. Gets up to speed really fast. Closes with a good burst. Takes good pursuit angles. For what it’s worth, Stuckey returned kickoffs in 2009, averaging 25.6 yards on 14 returns.

Tackling: Ordinary as a tackler. Is more of a drag down tackler. Likes to lay out players, but too often misses. Needs to add more strength to become a stronger tackler.

Final word: Stuckey really arrived during his junior season when he had 98 tackles, seven pass breakups and five interceptions. He had somewhat of a down season in 2009.

Stuckey doesn’t have great athleticism or physical skill, but he’s a try-hard player. He can really pop a ball carrier and is solid in coverage.

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While the NFL Draft cannot be considered an exact science where an evaluator can simply put numbers next to a name and build a championship contender based on those scores, there are teams in the league that have come away with some of the top draft classes consistently over the years.  There is no set strategy on how to build a team via the draft, but there are tendencies that go both ways which have aided the process of separating the year in-year out contenders in contrast to the teams that seem to have a top ten selection each April.  I have spent enormous amounts of time examining the past twelve draft classes of arguably the most consistent franchise in the NFL, the Indianapolis Colts.  I have come up with three well-defined, clearly followed draft strategies.  The six-time NFL Executive of the Year is still going strong and coming away with top tier draft classes even with the evolvement of the game because of his will to follow what works and refusing to tweak what has worked for him.

1.  Build Around Your Strengths

In 1998, Polian made the decision between two quarterbacks that have been the main reason for his organization’s success over the past decade.  Peyton Manning over Ryan Leaf got the project to rebuild the storied franchise rolling right away.  As good as Manning has been, and my words cannot do justice to just how vital he has been to the Colts consistency, he has not done this alone.  Polian has, from the very beginning, surrounded Manning with some of the best talent the NFL Draft has had to offer since his career began.  Year after year, the Colts have entered the month of April with an already-strong offensive unit.  The experts and analysts were constantly throwing defenders in to the Indianapolis mock draft slots with explanation that with an already potent offense in place, why not build up the weaker side of the ball?  Polian thought otherwise.  In eleven drafts following the Peyton Manning class, here is the breakdown of which positions the Colts drafted with their first selection.

Running Back:  3

Wide Receiver:  2

Tight End:  1

Offensive Line:  1

Defensive Line:  1

Linebacker:  1

Cornerback:  1

Safety:  1

More than half of those eleven selections have not only been spent on the offensive side of the ball, but at the skill positions.  With Marvin Harrison already in place, Polian could have made the effort to improve the struggling defense with first round talent but he opted to put that first round talent next to his franchise player, Peyton Manning.  There may not be a quarterback in the league that has had the consistent flow of talent around him than Manning has, but that does not take away from his status as a top tier signal caller in the least.  However one does have to make a note of this when trying to figure out why the Colts’ offense has been such a consistent force throughout the entire Peyton Manning-led era.  Once he was in place, Polian piled on the talent at the skill positions even though it appeared that these selections were creating a logjam.  Enhancing a team’s strengths can hinder the team’s weaknesses.

2.  Find Players That Fit the System

One of the glaring issues I see among NFL coaches and General Managers is their overconfidence when it comes to changing a player’s ways.  Sure, the fulfillment of taking an off the field wreck and making him a grown man that makes the right decisions is great, but I am talking about on-field ability.  Bill Polian has done a fantastic job of implementing the Colts’ scheme-based needs in to his draft board without sacrificing a ton of value.  They run a Tampa-Cover 2 defense that is based mainly on speed and quickness while overlooking size.  Most outsiders have, for years, discussed the need for a run-plugging, big body at defensive tackle within the interior of that Colts defense.  However Polian stuck with what the scheme demanded and kept on loading up on the quicker linemen and faster linebackers.  Where most evaluators see a “passing down” defensive lineman, Polian sees a piece to the puzzle that strengthens the defense because of the scheme that has been put in place.  The starting offensive line can be used as a prime example.

Manning has been one of the least touched quarterbacks in the league over the past decade and while a lot can be attributed to his uncanny ability to sense pressure from all angles, the offensive line as a unit has been one of the most consistent in the league throughout his tenure.  With such a strong group of blockers up front, one must assume that Polian spent plenty of early picks on offensive linemen, right?  Since 1998, the Colts have spent one selection on an offensive linemen in the first two rounds (Mike Pollak – 2008 – 28^th pick of Round 2).  They have approached the construction of their offensive line with zone blocking scheme in mind.  Up front, that scheme calls for smaller, quicker linemen that can move laterally and reach the second level in a blink.  Where most evaluators saw a blocker that was too small for every down duty Polian saw an important piece to his championship puzzle.  Jake Scott was taken in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft after an impressive career as the starting right tackle for Idaho.  He was projected as a backup at the next level that could be taken off the board late in the draft.  Polian saw the fit within the interior offensive line on his squad and Scott was a starter in year one, giving the Colts a strong and reliable presence inside.  Charlie Johnson has taken over the reigns as Manning’s blind-side protector, but the 2006 6^th round pick was once again viewed as a guy that was too small for the NFL trenches.  Polian once again saw the fit because of his ability to move east-west and the Colts are now sitting pretty with cheap talent at left tackle while teams are shelling out $25+ million in guaranteed money for the position.

Looking at the Colts personnel on the defensive side of the ball only strengthens the notion that Polian implements the Tampa-2 scheme in to his draft board.  He consistently looks past the run pluggers at defensive tackle while going after the smaller gap shooters.  For years, analyst after analyst has been calling for Gary Brackett’s replacement at middle linebacker.  Instead, Polian has aggressively pursued speedy players to put around him.  Phillip Wheeler in 2008, Clint Session in 2007, Freddy Keiaho in 2006.  Those three linebackers could not hack it as every down players in a lot of schemes, but because of the consistent scheme in place, they can play at a high level and lift the others around them.  Size does not deter Polian away from selecting a good football player because the defense feeds off speed and quickness, something each one of these guys possess.

In 2003, The Colts spent the third pick of the round five on a 230 pound defensive linemen that most pegged as a projected undrafted free agent.  Seven years in to his career, Robert Mathis has developed in to one of the most dangerous pass rushers in the NFL.  He won the starting job in 2006 and has notched 37.5 sacks since, giving the Colts one half of the top edge pass rushing tandem in the league.  His lack of size would prevent him from strong every down ability on most teams across the league, but Polian saw the fit within the Colts scheme and this selection ended up being one of the best under his tenure.  Dwight Freeney is a slightly different case, as he was widely considered a top 25 player in the 2002 draft class.  However there were concerns about his ability to hold up against NFL linemen in the trenches, but yet again Polian saw the perfect fit for the system.  Freeney was an explosive edge rusher that showed a knack for stripping the ball out of the quarterback’s hands in the pocket.  When he could not record the sack, Freeney consistently took the best angle towards the ball and he attacked it.  The Colts edge-heavy scheme

3.  Draft the Overachievers

Because the period between the final game and draft day tend to drag on, many evaluators tend to place too much weight on certain measurables rather than actual game ability.  This portion of the Colts drafting strategy is what has set them apart from the rest of the pack every April.

In 2003, The Colts spent the third pick of the round five on a 230 pound defensive linemen that most pegged as a projected undrafted free agent.  Despite the lack of the desired size in a defensive end, Robert Mathis recorded 30.5 tackles for loss and 20 sacks his senior season at Alabama A&M.  Seven years in to his career, Mathis has developed in to one of the most dangerous pass rushers in the NFL.  He won the starting job in 2006 and has notched 37.5 sacks since, giving the Colts one half of the top edge pass rushing tandem in the league.  The Colts roster is stacked with stories similar to this one in the sense that they obtain players that get the most out of themselves.

Every year we see and hear discussions that center around a player’s “motor” or “effort”.  Teams will gamble on top tier athletes with the hope that the switch turns on once they sign their name on a dotted line that guarantees them a bundle of cash.  That gamble is something that makes Polian cross a name off the board without hesitation because as important as talent is, football is a game of heart and passion.  Every time Indianapolis is on television, it is easy to see how much fire that team plays with in comparison to their opponent.  Their defense is stacked with players that are not entirely impressive on paper, but nothing on paper can measure their passion.  Examples can be found across the board.

At a position where size is becoming a huge asset, the Colts spent the 12^th pick of the 2^nd round on a 5’9 safety.  Four years in Bob Sanders’ career, he was the recipient of the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award.  He was never the biggest player on the field, but his impact was enormous each and every week.  He has more presence in the defensive backfield than anyone on the Iowa roster because of his sheer will to be the best.  Eric Foster out of Rutgers was given the opportunity to play for the Colts despite the popular notion that he lacked the tools to hack it in the NFL trenches.  The 6’1 – 270 pound defensive tackle has become a key component of the Colts attacking defense.  He may very well be the smallest interior lineman in the league, but he excels as a result of the fire he plays with.  Another standout from Rutgers, Gary Brackett, continues to prove the naysayers wrong with each season that passes.  It seems we are all waiting for the 5’11 – 235 pound middle linebacker to fail, but he continues will that defense to wins while recording 100+ tackles and providing top tier coverage ability.  He does not have the size of Brian Urlacher and he does not have speed of Patrick Willis, but he gets the most out of himself and plays on a Pro-Bowl level.

Polian has done a fantastic job of putting together this year-year out Super Bowl contender by sticking with what works every April.  He lets the game tapes and interview sessions make up his draft board while minimizing the importance of workout numbers and weigh-in sessions.  Because that has yet to catch on across the league, the Colts continue to run away with the some of the best results of every draft.

6’5, 314lbs | Offensive Tackle | Iowa

Position Traits

Awareness/Reaction: Is a very smart player, and is known as one of the most NFL-ready blockers in the class after only three years of college play. Recognizes stunts and twists well and makes adjustments on the fly. Is good in double-teams and able to work down the line helping the left guard. Shows a great understanding of blocking schemes and assignments. Is great in blitz adjustments and protections.

Balance: Ideal balance. Is a knee-bender with good agility and balance on both feet. Has strong legs and does not struggle to get through traffic. Can be tested if given a quick outside move and then countered hard inside; but does a good job of anchoring and settling his ground.

Initial quickness: Does not have top-end recovery speed. Has an excellent punch. Not afraid or timid in popping defenders head-up off the line of scrimmage. Exceptional ability in the run game.

Movement/Space: Very good mobility. Has the footwork to get up-field and attack at the second level. High motor, great effort. Has not been asked to move much from left tackle, but has the tools to do so at the next level.

Pass Blocking: Has a very good outstep and kicks his left leg back quickly. Opens up well. Takes a good angle when swinging outside. Has a technically sound kickslide. Excellent knee bend. Keeps eyes and head up throughout the play. Good arm extension. Doesn’t grab and pull. Strong punch, can stun defenders with the first move. Can be beaten inside if baited to the outside first. Can be beaten with a strong secondary move.

Pulling/Trapping: Has not been asked to pull or trap at Iowa. Has quick feet and vision to pull. Has shown ability to hit the target when on the move. Attacks defenders at the second level.

Run Blocking: Takes great angles. Coached by the best in Kirk Ferentz. Seals the edge very well. Is a capable mirror blocker. Is aggressive off the ball, especially in the red zone. Can lock-on and drive block. Keeps low leverage. Drives defenders away from the ball.

Size/Length/Hand size: Ideal size in height, weight and hand size. 33.25″ arms is a good length, although not incredibly long. Hands at 9.25″ is a respectable number. Bulaga is a lean, quick offensive tackle and in the Ryan Clady mold.

Strength/Explosion/Pop: Good explosion off the line. Can be slow and not as aggressive if the defender slows up. Can be bull-rushed and pushed off the ball. Great combination of agility and strength.

Technique: Too easily allows ends to get their hands in to his chest. Has a very strong anchor and can drop his weight to stop the strongest ends from pushing over him. Can get stronger in arm extension. Inconsistent quickness and burst. Can give up edge at times due to sloppy kick-slide. Has the quickness and understands the angles to play in a zone scheme.

Final Word: Depending on who you ask, Bulaga is considered a top three offensive tackle in the 2010 NFL Draft. What he brings to the table is a high-level of competition, a good track record and the ability to start from day one as a left tackle in the NFL. Bulaga is a finished product, but this also means he lacks the upside and potential of other prospects. With Bulaga, what you see is truly what you get. Bulaga’s talent, productivity and readiness make him a top 10 prospect.

Scout: David Syvertsen

Height/Weight: 5’11/190

40 Time: 4.42

Pro Potential: Jabari Greer – New Orleans Saints

Position Traits

Agility/Hips: Very fluid and loose hips. Can change direction at a high speed with ease. Very easy mover from the waist on down. Turns and runs well, very little wasted motion.

Ball Skills: Does not come down with enough interceptions, just one over the his final two seasons after 6 in 2007. Does get his hand on a lot of balls however, reacts well at the last second. Broke up 11 passes in 2009.

Body Control: Appears to be out of control at times but plays with balance and precision for the most part. Rarely loses his feet when he turns downfield. Struggles to defend the jump ball at times but that is more of timing issue than a body control issue.

Instincts/Recognition: A very decisive player that thinks fast and reacts even faster. However it hurts him at times because he does not react well to pump fakes and double moves. Can easily be fooled by any sort of fake. Likes to gamble.

Man Coverage/Turning Ability/Press Skill: Can mirror a receiver all over the field. Has the quickness to stick with a shifty underneath route runner and the speed to run with a strider downfield. Very fluid in his turn and go. Does not deliver a physical punch at the line, his rear stays too high and his hands do not control the receiver at the line.

Pursuit: Plays as fast as he needs to when it comes to pursuit. Has shown the ability to chase down some of the faster players in college football from behind. High effort.

Speed: Shows outstanding game speed, rarely gets beat deep. Excellent acceleration after he makes his decision. Can run with anyone.

Tackling/Run Support: Willing to throw his hat in to the pile with aggression. Makes the effort to get low and wrap up. Recorded over 50 tackles his senior season from the corner position. Plays with more power than one would think.

Zone Coverage: Struggles to make dual reads. Easily fooled and is much better off in man coverage where his gambles will pay off. Does not use his athleticism in zone coverage.

Final Word: After a sophomore season where he finished with 6 interceptions, Patrick Robinson struggled to take that next step up. However he displayed the kind of foot quickness and agility that a cornerback must have at the next level. His ball skills are lacking and it will keep him from getting in to the first round, but teams will be attracted to the combination of physical skills here. He consistently puts his body on the line, which gave him a wide array of nagging injuries, and he is a hustler that could prove to be a prospect that outplays several corners taken ahead of him.

Scout: David Syvertsen

Height/Weight: 6’4/249

40 Time: 4.67

Pro Potential: Jermichael Finley – Green Bay Packers

Position Traits

Acceleration/Burst/Quickness: Very good athlete for the position that moves comfortably in space. Plants his feet and gets a strong burst from the still position. Nimble feet with the ball in his hands, misses tacklers.

Agility/Leaping Ability: Exceptional in jump ball situations. Sustains balance before his burst upward and reaches the ball at the apex of his leap. Flexible body that makes it look easy for him to adjust to poorly thrown balls.

Blocking: Spent a lot of time split out wide in Oregon’s offense. Does not show the ability to drive a defender back, does not lock on and lacks the power to control a defender. Too often does his assignment make his way in to the tackle. Good blocker in space that adjusts well to quicker defenders, but gets overwhelmed in the trenches.

Body Control/Adjustment: Good balance, always has his feet under him. No wasted motion as a runner. Can pluck the ball out of the air from any angle, makes a lot of difficult catches.

Concentration/Hands: Totaled 119 receptions over the past three years in a passing-friendly offense. Does a nice job of seeing the ball in to his hands and tucking it away. Visibly uncomfortable when crossing the middle, will short arm passes with a defender bearing down on him.

Release: While he does not have the strength to get off an in-line jam, Dickson uses short area quickness to spring himself free off the line. Consistently gets in to his route right away.

Route Running: Showed precise routes in Mobile at the Senior Bowl. Can move like a wide receiver when it comes to getting in and out of breaks. Understands the usage of head/body fakes.

Separation: Is a weapon underneath because of his quick first few steps, but will not separate from defensive backs downfield because the straight line speed is not there.

Size/Length/Hand Size: Needs to spend a lot of time in an NFL weight training program. Lacks the bulk in his lower half, does not possess a lot of power come from his hands. Has a long, slender frame that is an asset as a receiver.

Speed: Average speed for the position, but below average for the role in which he plays. Does not separate downfield, gets caught from behind too often.

Vision/Run After the Catch: Was used heavily in the screen package at Oregon. Does well with blockers in front of him, has enough power to run through arm tackles but he is not exactly a playmaker.

Final Word: Ed Dickson is an attractive prospect when it comes to his ability to cause matchup problems across the board. He is a specific-package tight end however that will only fulfill certain roles. He cannot be trusted as an in-line blocker early in his career because he does not have the power that one needs in the trenches. He played in a spread offense at Oregon, but even down in Mobile he did not appear to be ready for the physicality tight ends play amongst in the NFL. He can be used early on as a reliable short passing game threat, for he has reliable hands and strong route running skills. He will likely be a mid rounder because of the limitations I discussed above.

Acceleration: Hernandez’s burst is outstanding. He has very good short-area quickness to create space. Knows how to use his burst in and out of his cuts.

Agility: Doesn’t have a great vertical leap, but it’s good enough. Times his jumps well. Has fluid hips that he opens up over the middle to turn, catch and work up the field.

Blocking: Hernandez does a nice job of using his strength to block, but isn’t technically sound. Doesn’t stay planted to block and moves around too much. More of a seal blocker in space than a traditional tight end in-line blocker.

Body Control: Frequently showed he can adjust to badly thrown passes to make tough grabs. Very coordinated in the open field. Shrugs off hits pre-catch really nicely.

Hands: Displays elite-level hands. Showed he properly caught the ball away from his frame. Doesn’t let the ball get into his body.

Release: When lined up off the line, Hernandez didn’t have a problem with his release. He was a little slow out of his stance when he puts his hand down. Will have to work here.

Route Running: Wasn’t required to run a lot of routes at Florida. Mostly ran slants over the short middle. Didn’t run a lot of dig routes, which is a key route for NFL tight ends.

Size: This has been the biggest knock on Hernandez. He has good bulk, but he’s listed at only 6-foot-2. This leads most to say Hernandez is an H-back, but Dustin Keller of the Jets measured in at the same height.

Speed: Separation speed is good but not great. Is more of a quick, agile tight end. Doesn’t break away from defenders in a straight line, but he’s shifty.

Vision: Is a weapon after the catch, even though is speed isn’t excellent. Gets a lot of yards after the catch. Has the strength to power through tacklers. Sets up his blockers well to create more open space.

Final word: Strictly as a receiving option, Hernandez is a solid tight end. But some of the other aspects of his game knock him down. His height is below-average for the position and he needs to learn more routes and how to block. But his receiving skills are so good, he’s worth a second-round pick.

Really broke through toward the end of his sophomore year and continued to play well as a junior. In 2009, Hernandez finished with 68 catches for 850 yards and five touchdowns.