[ISAIAH PEAD – DEREK WOLFE – ADRIEN ROBINSON – JOHN HUGHES – UDFA’S]
The NFL Draft is tonight at 8 PM (7 if you are smart and live in the CST like me). I really can’t stand most of ESPN’s coverage of the NFL especially NFL Live or anything hosted by Chris Berman. They give me ‘talking heads’ syndrome only 5 minutes in. However, I absolutely love the coverage ESPN is giving the NFL Draft considering the slew of Bearcats set to get their names called this weekend. Like I mentioned, I think either Isaiah Pead or Derek Wolfe goes first among ex-UC players. Wolfe could be receiving a phone call from the New England Patriots tonight, even, if Mel Kiper has his way. They could just as easily ‘slip’ into the late 2nd or 3rd rounds and I would be nonetheless proud.
Wolfe and Pead will probably be followed by tight end Adrien Robinson. The 6’4″ 260 lbs senior posted a lightning fast 40-time at Cincinnati’s Pro-Day (4.56) and is benefiting from a weak tight end class as well as a National Football League that is valuing the tight end more and more. John Hughes will round out the bunch in the later rounds. He is physically ready to play for a pro team but I wouldn’t be surprised if he went undrafted.
Thus brings me to the final installation of this series; Cincinnati’s undrafted free agents. It was the perfect segue and I didn’t plan it, I swear! Anyways, I think we’ll see four former Bearcats (five if Hughes is among them)
J.K. SCHAFFER
The leader of Cincinnati’s defense for the last three seasons has had a phenomenal career in red and black. In each year he posted 100+ tackles which lead UC’s defense in 2011 and 2010. Last year alone he made an incredible 114 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 3 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, and returned a fumble for a touchdown. Clearly the resume speaks for itself. He is also a ball-hawking linebacker in pass coverage, as indicated by the 3 picks last season. Perhaps the best aspects of his game are his intelligence and speed. J.K. seemingly can read a play presnap and is among the first players to the ball carrier. These traits plus the incredible stats he put in up in college will surely catch the eye of NFL coaches.
Unfortunately linebackers are a dime-a-dozen in the pros and J.K. is a bit undersized when compared to other players at this position in the NFL. He’s fast but can he sustain colliding with runningbacks who are his size or bigger at the next level? I’m not sure. He probably won’t get drafted this week, and it’s a shame, but there is no doubt in my mind that J.K. will find his way on a NFL roster.
ALEX HOFFMAN
Cincinnati’s former left tackle has seen his NFL Draft stock slip in the past couple of seasons. Hoffman was by far the most athletic offensive lineman on the team in 2010 but a series of instances I think did him in. First of all, he was moved from right guard to right tackle that season so C.J. Cobb could play guard. I’ve said it a thousand times but this move never made sense to me because Hoffman is a more natural guard and Sean Hooey, while young, was a much better right tackle. Hoffman hasn’t moved from the exterior of the offensive line since. Then last season as a senior Hoffman continuously had to deal with leg injuries that kept him out of games for long periods of time.
Those two factors dropped him from a mid-round pick to an undrafted free agent. But Hoffman is a mammoth and I think will get tried out a guard on an NFL team. This all depends on how he has recovered from his recurring leg injury in 2011. If he’s healthy he should impress some pro coaches this year.
EVAN DAVIS
When Davis stepped onto the field as the leader to supplant center Chris Jurek before the 2010 season he was given a short leash. The coaching staff immediately figured out he wasn’t physically ready to handle that position. The coaches ultimately gave Jason Kelce the nod in order for Davis to take a year to develop. Go into the 2011 season he was the biggest question mark in my mind. Boy did he quell any worry I had. As a senior he started all 13 games and at times couldn’t be beat in the trenches. I’m not exactly sure where Davis will end up in the NFL but I think he has a strong shot of getting noticed in a NFL camp. Somebody is going to pick him and try him out on the interior of the offensive line.
D.J. WOODS
Woods has seen his stock fall while at Cincinnati and I think part of that is his transition from the slot to the outside receiver position. The former requires speed to beat a defender (obviously there is no shortage of that) but to be successful at the the latter requires a taller, more physical player. Woods oozes with confidence but he’s just not that big of a guy. It was rare last season to find him open streaking down the sidelines like most ‘X’ or ‘Z’ receivers in football. His fortay is working the middle of the field deep so if he gets on an NFL roster it will be in the slot. Like a champ, Woods has been working his tail off this offseason and I’m sure that will pay off when he shows off for pro coaches in an NFL camp.