Defensive Linemen Workout Analysis

[Mat'hir Uth Gan]

Alan Branch was a junior this season, he came out early. And he looked good in every Michigan game I watched (6).

Whoops, change that from Junior to Sophmore. I'm just repeating what the top scouting services are saying. Lord knows I watched roughly 3 Michigan games myself, but I defer to the opinions of experts that watched film on every game he has played at Michigan in his life.

[lex]

Whoops, change that from Junior to Sophmore. I'm just repeating what the top scouting services are saying. Lord knows I watched roughly 3 Michigan games myself, but I defer to the opinions of experts that watched film on every game he has played at Michigan in his life.

People like to say enough good about him so that they get credit if he turns out to be great but they also like to hedge and say things like "takes plays off" so they dont go too far out on a limb.

[MindField]

Whoops, change that from Junior to Sophmore. I'm just repeating what the top scouting services are saying. Lord knows I watched roughly 3 Michigan games myself, but I defer to the opinions of experts that watched film on every game he has played at Michigan in his life.

Well, according to Scouts Inc. (and take them for what they are worth), Todd McShay said Branch was 'easily' the second best D-Lineman in the Draft and had secured a Top Ten spot after what he heard from different teams.

Also, he weighed in a 324, so you were juuuust a bit off with your 350 prediction...

[Mat'hir Uth Gan]

Well, according to Scouts Inc. (and take them for what they are worth), Todd McShay said Branch was 'easily' the second best D-Lineman in the Draft and had secured a Top Ten spot after what he heard from different teams.

Also, he weighed in a 324, so you were juuuust a bit off with your 350 prediction...

Scouts Inc is horribly wrong year after year. They are an absolute joke in the draftnik circuit. They do churn out little niblets for the general populace at a brisk pace though, and ESPN loves that.

Scout.Com is the end-all, be-all with pre-draft scouting, and have been remarkably good for the last 5-10 years. This is because, unlike Todd McShay, Scout.Com is made up of former scouts, including Hall-of-Fame scouts that are invited to the Combine every year and who are still actively involved with NFL teams and evaluations. Todd McShay doesn't even go to the Combine. Scout.Com is pretty expensive though to be a part of.

Also, you have the NFLN who do remarkable coverage and you can see with your own eyes, as well as hear commentary by elite former Pro's as well as Hall-of-Fame coaches that evaluate the talent as they perform their drills.



Scouts Inc without attending the Combine - Branch is awesome, no reason why.

Scouts.Com from the Combine - Branch was out of shape and when they talked with NFL coaches and scouts, the NFL coaches and scouts said he was unremarkable and looked like a 3rd round prospect based on his performance and his physical shape. They are on record as predicting he falls into the later 1st round.

NFLN - He looked fat and flabby, especially with his shirt off. He ran a solid 40, had a good bench press, and then had a terrible workout in which he was out of gas and sluggish.


My analysis: After a disappointing junior year in which he was benched and underperformed due to endurance and effort, he ran out of gas by the end of position drills in the Combine in shorts and T-shirts. His body was just yuck. I mean, Tank Tyler had a funky body as well, but he was a boulder with man-boobs. Branch just had man-boobs and little definition. I thought he showed more quickness then I expected but with his endurance, I dont think he can hold up as a 3-4 NT at all. He looks like a 4-3 NT, in the exact same mold as Gerrard Warren, who can clog, occasionally pass rush, and will need to be rested often. I think he's a 2nd round talent at best. What helps him is that this is the worst DT draft probably in history.

Tank Tyler surpassed him as a 3-4 NT, as did Paul Soliai. He's not a 3-technique as Amobi Okoye, Marcus Thomas, and Justin Harrell basically complete that group. He does however have the monopoly as a 1st day 4-3 NT and he'll be a solid player as long as he can be rested, but my opinion is that 1st round talent, and especially Top 10 talent, should be full time players.

Finally, I didn't predict a weight, I just reported that some scouts were concerned he'd show up around 350. I wonder if you are aware that he weighed as much as 375 while at Michigan? Seems like it was a valid concern to me.

[Shawshank24]

Tank Tyler impressed me with his effort during the drills. He looked very quick for how huge he is. Okoye obviously looks great, I would love to get into position to grab him. A lot of guys looked great and I can't wait til we grab a couple of them (hopefully)

[Cugel]

Scouts Inc is horribly wrong year after year. They are an absolute joke in the draftnik circuit. They do churn out little niblets for the general populace at a brisk pace though, and ESPN loves that.

Scout.Com is the end-all, be-all with pre-draft scouting, and have been remarkably good for the last 5-10 years. This is because, unlike Todd McShay, Scout.Com is made up of former scouts, including Hall-of-Fame scouts that are invited to the Combine every year and who are still actively involved with NFL teams and evaluations. Todd McShay doesn't even go to the Combine. Scout.Com is pretty expensive though to be a part of.

Also, you have the NFLN who do remarkable coverage and you can see with your own eyes, as well as hear commentary by elite former Pro's as well as Hall-of-Fame coaches that evaluate the talent as they perform their drills.



Scouts Inc without attending the Combine - Branch is awesome, no reason why.

Scouts.Com from the Combine - Branch was out of shape and when they talked with NFL coaches and scouts, the NFL coaches and scouts said he was unremarkable and looked like a 3rd round prospect based on his performance and his physical shape. They are on record as predicting he falls into the later 1st round.

NFLN - He looked fat and flabby, especially with his shirt off. He ran a solid 40, had a good bench press, and then had a terrible workout in which he was out of gas and sluggish.


My analysis: After a disappointing junior year in which he was benched and underperformed due to endurance and effort, he ran out of gas by the end of position drills in the Combine in shorts and T-shirts. His body was just yuck. I mean, Tank Tyler had a funky body as well, but he was a boulder with man-boobs. Branch just had man-boobs and little definition. I thought he showed more quickness then I expected but with his endurance, I dont think he can hold up as a 3-4 NT at all. He looks like a 4-3 NT, in the exact same mold as Gerrard Warren, who can clog, occasionally pass rush, and will need to be rested often. I think he's a 2nd round talent at best. What helps him is that this is the worst DT draft probably in history.

Tank Tyler surpassed him as a 3-4 NT, as did Paul Soliai. He's not a 3-technique as Amobi Okoye, Marcus Thomas, and Justin Harrell basically complete that group. He does however have the monopoly as a 1st day 4-3 NT and he'll be a solid player as long as he can be rested, but my opinion is that 1st round talent, and especially Top 10 talent, should be full time players.

Finally, I didn't predict a weight, I just reported that some scouts were concerned he'd show up around 350. I wonder if you are aware that he weighed as much as 375 while at Michigan? Seems like it was a valid concern to me.

Well, that sucks considering Denver needs to draft a DT to replace Mike Myers and/or Gerrard Warren (although not in the first round since they are unlikely to get an elite one anyway unless they were somehow in position to draft Okoye).

[dogfish]

Well, that sucks considering Denver needs to draft a DT to replace Mike Myers and/or Gerrard Warren (although not in the first round since they are unlikely to get an elite one anyway unless they were somehow in position to draft Okoye).

actually, we could do worse than taking justin harrell in the 1st round-- he's not my first choice, but i wouldn't be uhappy with him. . . .