PFW on possible Browns targets

[Lebowski]

Pro Football Weekly just released their annual Draft Preview. The guide is usually excellent and I thought I'd post their evaluations on some guys the Browns are looking at in the draft.

Haloti Ngata (Junior)
(6-4, 338, 5.19) Oregon

Notes: Parade and USA Today All-American and Utah Gatorade Player of the Year. Did not play in the season opener as a true freshman in 2002, but saw action in the next 12 games and cracked the starting by the fifth game, finishing the season with 44 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Suffered a season ending torn ACL injury in his left knee in the '03 season opener vs. Mississippi State and redshirted. Was not fully recovered from the until midway through the '04 season and was slowed by a hamstring injury, tallying 46-8.5-3.5 with two forced fumbles. Started all 12 games in '05, totaling 61-9-3. Added five knockdowns, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Has six career blocked kicks. Lost his father in a car crash in December 2003 and his mother to a sudden heart attack in January 2006.

Positives: Flashes rare agility and range you wouldn't expect to see in such a massive man. Has legit, natural brute strength and a 500-pound bench press. Shows the power to swat aside blockers and reach the backfield. Projects as a two-gap tackle but can fit in either a "30" or "40" front. Feels where pressure is coming from and diagnoses the run quickly. Has show special teams value as the personal protector on the punt team and plays in field-goal and short yardage situations. Size is also a factor on place-kicks with six blocked kicks. Rarely gets knocked backwards and can tie-up and occupy blockers. Good in-line tackler. Gets his hands up to disrupt the quarterback's vision and bat down balls. Has handled adversity well and is motivated to play. Teams said he interviewed well at the Combine and showed a good understanding of football concepts.

Negatives: Stands up out of his stance and plays too tall and loses leverage as a result. Scouts would like to see him play hard every down and not take any plays off. Durability could be a minor issue, with a torn ACL suffered in the first game of the '03 season. Has displayed inconsistent effort. Does not show great lateral quickness and can be slow to change directions.

Summary: Has the girth and base strength to fit as a 3-4 nose tackle and enough size and quickness to be terrorizing in a "40" front. Was babied in college as one of the nation's top recruits and was not coached hard like he needs to be to maximize his potential. Can be downright dominant when he wants to be. Has more physical ability and upside than any 3-4 nose tackle in the draft and should be a top-15 pick.

Brodrick Bunkley
(6-2.75, 306, 4.97) Florida State

Notes: Tore the ACL in his left knee early in high school but recorded 18.5 sacks as a senior. Saw action in eight games as a true freshman in 2002, finishing with 13 tackles and one for loss. Tore the MCL in his left knee in November '02 and missed one game. Was arrested in January '03 for petty theft for stealing a video game from Wal-Mart. Paid a fine and performed 16 hours of community service. Played in all 13 games in '03 with two starts at noseguard, recording 38-8 and 1.5 sacks. Also had two pass breakups and, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Started 7 of 10 games in which he played in '04, finishing with 12-3-1. Suffered a severe right high ankle sprain in October '04 that forced him to miss the Syracuse and Wake Forest games and had surgery to repair a tendon after the season. Sat out spring of '05 to recover. Started all 13 games in '05, finishing with 66-25-9. Added two fumble recoveries.

Positives: Very thickly built with outstanding musculature. Built like a house. Has a very, very strong upper body and can ragdoll blockers. Plays with explosive power. Tremendous anchor strength. Very stout. Can collapse the pocket. Works inside off the snap and makes a habit of living in the opposing backfield. All of his battles take place on the other side of the line of scrimmage. Good power, punch and leg-drive. Shows good balance and can bend. Consistently splits double-teams and dominates when he is head-up. Flashes some nastiness. Excellent weight-room worker. Can take tough coaching. Supertough. Showed he can player hurt vs. Boston College, when he played despite a painful knee injury, and played with an ankle injury for most of his junior year. Bench pressed 225 pounds 44 times at the Combine.

Negatives: Lacks great flexibility and is a little tightly wound. Could do a better job of keeping blockers off his legs and using his hands to prevent and play off cut blocks. Did not have a great Senior Bowl performance and can do a better job of working to get an edge as a pass rusher. Relies too much on a bull-rush move, and hands could be more active. Can play with better leverage. Was not very mature early in his career and has some durability issues.

Summary: Plays like Goliath and can control two gaps and be very disruptive inside. Is stronger than Cardinals 2004 third-round pick Darnell Dockett, although not as quick, and more consistent than Texans 2005 first-round pick Travis Johnson. Played with more heart, desire and effort as a senior than he ever has before. Not a true three-technique but can play there. Strength and athleticism are better-suited for nose tackle.

Bobby Carpenter OLB
(6-2.5, 256, 4.61) Ohio State

Notes: Coach's son. Father, Rob, played at Miami (OH) and in the NFL for the Giants and was Bobby's high school coach. Brother, Jonathan, plays football at Cincinnati. Also a member of the swimming team in high school. Saw action in all 14 games as a true freshman in 2002, collecting 12 tackles. Played in all 13 games (three starts) in '03, registering 37 tackles, 6.5 for loss and 4.5 sacks. Started all 12 games in '04, totaling 93-6.5-2 with three interceptions. Started 11 games in '05--missed the Buckeyes bowl game with a broken right leg he suffered on the first series vs. Michigan--and tallied 49-10.5-8 with two pass breakups.

Positives: Very impressive physical specimen with NFL genes. Plays tough and pursues all over the field. Shows pass-rush ability, with 4 of his 8 sacks at OSU coming vs. Michigan State, and can dip his shoulder and rip underneath blockers. Plays with passion and a lot of energy and brings a presence to the field. Can react well to the ball in front of him in zones. Outstanding weight-room strength. Stood out covering kicks since his freshman year and has special teams ability.

Negatives: Too inconsitent and could play more disciplined. Will disappear for stretches during games. See-and-go reactor who can be late to locate the ball. Will get hung up on blocks and can do a better job shedding. Not an explosive hitter. Scouts have concerns about his football intelligence and question why he was used with his hand on the ground to rush in passing situations instead of dropping into coverage as a senior.

Summary: Really looks the part and can fit as a "Sam" linebacker in a 4-3 scheme and is probably best-suited inside in a 3-4. Ability to rush the passer could help his draft stock. Could be overdrafted for his measurables.

Chad Greenway OLB
(6-2.5, 242, 4.78) Iowa

Notes: Grew up on a farm with 4,000 hogs and 100 cattle and went largely unrecruited out of high school, with Iowa being the only Division I program to offer a scholarship. South Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year and three-time team captain and MVP who played eight man football and led his high school team to a pair of state titles. Played quarterback and free safety, where he totaled 23 interceptions on defense, and also returned punts and kickoffs. Also played baseball and basketball and was a 49-foot triple jumper. Redshirted in 2001. Had major reconstructive knee surgery after tearing his right ACL during the spring before the '02 season. Came on late to play the final nine games and made 15 tackles. Emerged in '03, where he started all 13 games, racking up 132 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and two sacks. Also broke up six passes and blocked a kick. Started all 12 games in '04, finishing with 113-8-3 and five pass breakups, one blocked kick and one forced fumble. Also had three interception, returning one for touchdown. Named team's captain as a junior. In '05, Greenway started 11 of 12 games in which he played, registering 156-10-2 with eight pass breakups and one interception.

Positives: Good athlete. Very active and can flatten down the line and make plays all over the field. Has fluid hips and natural movement skills. Will line up over slot receivers and run stride for stride and show good awareness to make plays on the ball. As natural in reverse as he is going forward. Will step up and take on the lead. Showed ability to blitz, uses hands to take an edge. Terrific special teams player. Solid character. Great competitor. Intelligent.

Negatives: Not very physical and does not take on the lead with authority. Will get caught on blocks and miss tackles trying to avoid underneath. Will overpursue the ball and get out of position. Needs to become more of a secure tackler. Will let some receivers run crosses past him cleanly instead of re-routing. Will struggle when he is attacked straight-on. Only bench pressed 225 pounds 16 times and needs to spend more time in the weight room and get stronger. Looked very nervous and tight at the Combine and did not show the fluidity and grace that he does on tape.

Summary: Fluid, run-and-hit linebacker with a lot of upside. Looked very tight and stiff in the 40-yeard dash at the Combine but looked very athletic in all the other drills and plays faster than he timed. Solid character and intangibles will still make him very attractive in the middle of the first round.

Abdul Hodge ILB
(6-0.5, 236, 4.81) Iowa

Notes: Born in the Virgin Islands. Younger brother, Elijah, is a freshman linebacker at Wisconsin. Abdul was a three-year captain of his high school team and also lettered in basketball and track as a prep. Redshirted in 2001. Totaled 38 tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack while playing in all 13 games in '02. Started all 13 games in '03, collecting 141-10-2 with three pass breakups and two fumble recoveries. Started all 12 games in '04, finishing with 116-5-3 with four pass breakups and two fumble recoveries. In '05, Hodge collected 158-11-1 in 12 starts.

Positives: Good musculature with long arms. Strong for his size. Plays with good leverage and pad level. Instinctive. Keeps his shoulders squared and flows fast to the ball. Will hit gaps when creases show and take a bee-line to the ball. Explosive hitter. Has a good feel for the game. Plays with a lot of energy. Can get a lot of depth in his drops and cover ground.

Negatives: Too short with thin, sprinter's high-cut calves. Not a true thumper. Shows some tightness in his lower body. Not a natural bender and is not fluid changing directions or flipping his hips to drop into coverage. Will get caught on blocks too much. Misses some tackles in the open. Does not have great man-cover skills to single up on some quicker NFL backs and does not quickly react or break on the ball in zone coverage.

Summary: May fit best as a middle linebacker in a 3-4 scheme, where he will not be asked to make as many plays on the perimeter and could use his instincts and awareness to plug the middle. Size is his biggest shortcoming. Solid first-day pick.

[Lebowski]

Manny Lawson OLB-DE
(6-5.5, 241, 4.46) NC State

Notes: First name is Emmanuel. Also lettered in track in high school. Member of NC State track team, competing in hurdles, long jump, triple jump and 4 x 100-meter relay. Entered college as a 210 pound linebacker and led the nation with three blocked punts as a true freshman in 2002. Finshed with 35 tackles and four pass breakups in 14 games. Played in all 13 games (3 starts) in '03, recording 53 tackles, seven for loss, and three sacks. Also blocked two punts and had three pass breakups. Started all 11 games in which he played in '04, tallying 50-12-7 with five pass breakups. Played in all 12 games in '05 and started 11, and totaled 58-19.5-10.5. Also had four passes defended, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Positives: Tough and smart with a great motor. Possesses great athletic ability with great speed and leaping ability. A workout warrior who tests through the roof and worked out like a cat in LB drills at the Combine, showing tremendous quickness and speed for his size. Has 39.5-inch verticle jump. Has experience in OLB role and has natural pass-rushing ability. Shows surprising strength at the point of attack, plays hard and can really run and close fast to the ball. Chases hard on the backside and show excellent pursuit speed. Uses his hands well to sift through trash. Has an explosive first step off the edge. Agile enough to cover. Has seven career blocked kicks.

Negatives: Lacks bulk and bulk strength. Gets engulfed and and hung-up at the line. Too straightlinish and will overrun and overpursue. Needs to add more pass-rush moves. Gets shut down too easily if he can't win with his speed.

Summary: Looks a lot like former third-rounder and current All-Pro Jason Taylor, who now plays a hydrid rush linebacker/open-side end type of role that would be ideal for Lawson. Some clubs will be concerned about Lawson's ability to withstand a pounding, but for the right team, Lawson could could make an impact as a rush linebacker. Could fit into the first round after an excellent Combine showing.

[Lebowski]

DeMeco Ryans OLB
(6-1.25, 236, 4.67) Alabama

Notes: Barely recruited out of high school. Played in every game and started the finale as a true freshman in 2002, finishing with 27 tackles, including one tackle for loss. Started in all 13 games at strong-side linebacker in ’03 and led the team in tackles with 126—second best in Tide history. Also had 8.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Set school single-game record with 25 tackles vs. Arkansas. Started 11 of 12 games in ’04—he had a minor injury coming out of fall camp and played as a reserve with Alabama rolling to a win in the opener—and finished with 78-7-0 with two pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. Strained both hamstrings in spring ’05. Still managed to start all 12 games in ’05, tallying 76-12-5 with two pass breakups, an interception and two forced fumbles.

Positives: Plays smart and instinctive with good pad level. Very active. Makes a lot of plays on effort and hustle. Shows good lateral quickness and range. Solid cover skills. Smooth mover. Good change of direction. Can slip blocks or take them on. Makes plays to the perimeter and has very good chase speed to close. Does not give up on plays and will finish. Shows some pass rush ability. Has all the intangibles. Great competitor. Brings a commanding presence to the field. Very alert. Takes good angles and is quick to slip tackles. Very consistent. Secure tackler. Excellent character. Self-made player. Blue-collar worker. Very mature. Has a passion for the game. Film junky. Very coachable. Is a poster boy off the field.

Negatives: Undersized and is not big-framed. Does not show top-end burst and is not an explosive hitter. Has straight calves. Is not overly sudden or agile. Misses some tackles. Can be attacked and beat straight-on. Has small hands. Did not stand out at the Senior Bowl or overly impress in workouts at the Combine.

Summary: Ryans is not a top-tier athlete, but he overcomes his physical limitations with great instincts and intelligence. A similar type of talent as Buccaneers 2005 second-round pick Barrett Rudd but is not as fast. A good football player who could get looks late in the first round.

[Lebowski]

Kai Parham ILB (Junior)
(6-3, 256, 5.05) Virgina

Notes: Started the final nine games of 13 in which he played at inside linebacker as a redshirt freshman in 2003, finishing with 89 tackles, seven tackles for loss and a sack with two pass breakups and a fumble recovery. Started 11 games in the middle in '04, tallying 80-11-2 with two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Started 12 games in '05, totaling 103-4.5-8.5 with two forced fumbles. Graduated a semester early after three-and-a-half years. Has suffered from a lingering back injury.

Positives: Makes a lot of plays behind the line of scrimmage and shows some pass rush ability. Has natural strength and really looks the part. Uses his long arms to keep separation from blockers. Flows to the ball. Solid, reliable tackler. Is starting to develop a feel for pass coverage and can come out of his breaks and close. Likes to work out. Smart. Great character.

Negatives: Too tight and rigid in his movement. Looks a little mechanical dropping into coverage. Does not play with great bend. Slew-footed. Does not look natural in coverage or get great depth in his drops. Looks like he thinks too much and show hesitation in his play. Slow to find the ball at times. Struggles to come off blocks. Not a great inside blitzing and gives up too much surface area, letting blockers into his body.

Summary: Overshadowed by college teammates Darryl Blackstock and Ahmad Brooks , Parham has not received due credit for the amount of plays he makes. Improved every year and brings versatility to play inside or outside in a 3-4 defense. Could be an ideal fit in Pittsburgh, New England, or Cleveland. Not as athletic or emotional as Steelers 1999 third-round pick Joey Porter, but he is a similar type of player and smarter. Limited flexibility and poor 40-time at the Combine could hurt his stock.

[HoodooMan]

Bobby Carpenter OLB...is probably best-suited inside in a 3-4

That's the first I've ever heard anyone suggest that.

[Lebowski]

me too Hoodoo. It seems that PFW is concerned with Bobby's coverage skills.