The most talented team from a pure personnel (i.e. future pro potential) standpoint in the entire ACC may very well be the North Carolina Tar Heels. Before their starting QB went down early in the season, and WR-KR Brandon Tate went down last week with a torn ACL and MCL vs. Notre Dame, that was unquestionably the case. But they still have a ton of talent, backup Jr. QB Cameron Sexton continues to play well, and they have the big uglies in the trenches they need to make life miserable for anybody. However this week, it all fell apart with UNC up 7 with two+ minutes to go. First, they decided to play that awful prevent defense, allowing rookie Virginia QB Mark Verica to hit 7 of 7 passes on the final drive of regulation for 76 yards--the same Verica who had done little damage all day against the UNC base defense. Then, with :47 left and the ball at their own 20-yard line, UNC opted to play for overtime, and just kneeled on the ball twice. This with all-ACC WR Hakeem Nicks just chewing apart the Virginia secondary most of the second half. Anyway, predictably, they lost in overtime when Cedric Peerman barelled in from the 2-yard line.
College: Virginia Conference: Atlantic Coast Columnist: Steve Martin
Name # Ht Wt Speed Pos Class Game Notes
Clint Sintim 51 6' 3.0" 254 4.66 LB 2009: A definite NFL guy. May last until the 4th round because he is not quite as productive and as explosive as you might prefer...i.e. he is no Lawrence Taylor despite favorable physical comparisons. Still, the guy is a very solid pass coverage OLB in space over the TE, and when lining up as a pass rusher (which is quite frequently) he can beat collegiate OTs like a drum. Nice guns. Looks the part, and really showed up in the second half after waltzing through the first half. Does tend to let others do the dirty work at times. Coasts for stretches. If he can be motivated by the right staff, he could give first-day production at the next level. Tools are all there. GRADE: Positive
Eugene Monroe 75 6' 6.2" 323 5.20 OT 2009: Elite feet for pass pro. Is a Rembrandt when setting up and backpedaling. Anchors well. Shuffles well. Hard to beat with the outside move. Gets downfield and hits people in the running game, though he is definitely no mauler. Very light feet make him an ideal "money" tackle, though he can be beaten to the inside and will need to be teched up on that issue. GRADE: positive
Cedric Peerman 37 5' 9.7" 208 4.55 HB 2009: Could be a better pro than Alvin Pearman, simply because he is stronger between the tackles. Showed hands in this one, though historically he has not been a much of a pass receiving threat. Powerful for his size and breaks tackles. Getting better and seemingly more confident week by week. Not sure if I'd spend a pick before the last round, but he could surprise in camp. Citizen with enough size and determination to stick. Fast enough. GRADE: Slightly positive
Jon Copper 54 6' 0.0" 230 4.85 LB 2009: Self made player who has become a real leader. Productive today, and was always around the ball. First man in on more tackles than anyone else. Smallish and can be run over by big NFL backs, I would suspect. May not have enough physical tools to be more than a UDFA, but he gets the defensive game ball today. Diagonoses pretty well. Sheds pretty well, and slides to the tackle. Submarines RBs. Wraps OK. GRADE: Neutral
John Phillips 85 6' 5.5" 250 4.83 TE 2009: Pass catching TE who ticks me off because he has the size and fram to be a complete TE, but just isn't. Nice hands. Had the gamebreaking catch in OT. Uses his body well in the receiving wars, wish he'd do that at the LOS some. GRADE: Neutral
Maurice Covington 80 6' 3.3" 225 4.60 WR 2009: A man without a true position. Not sudden enough to stay outside (where he lines up a lot) today, and not strong enough to be an H-back or move TE, I wouldn't think. Can he block? Question not answered in this one. 4.60 est. may be slightly generous even. GRADE: Slightly negative
College: North Carolina Conference: Atlantic Coast Columnist: Steve Martin
Name # Ht Wt Speed Pos Class Game Notes
Brooks Foster 1 6' 2.0" 205 4.53 WR 2009: Cut a route short and lost a completion by not sprinting full out. Nice outside speed when he uses it all. Good out routes. Average hands. Doesn't block. Not the go to guy, and for a senior with his overall package, darn it, he should be by now. GRADE: Neutral
Calvin Darity 79 6' 2.0" 310 5.25 OG 2009: Still looks like the go-to guy in the run game, but I was not as impressed with his run blocking today as I was in the Miami game. Pulls short very well, but not long. Seems to coast at times, and he is not good enough to get away with that. Was out for a long stretch in the 4th quarter and they moved the ball just as well with his butt on the bench today. Not enough of a pass blocker not to be a dominant run blocker EVERY day. GRADE: Slightly negative
Marvin Austin 9 6' 2.5" 305 5.00 DT 2011: Didn't focus on a sophomore who won't declare. He still grabs your attention sometimes anyway....
Trimane Goddard 31 5' 10.6" 195 4.55 S 2009: played tentatively in the first hand, or so it seemed from here. Is he pkaying hurt. He is usually all over the place making plays, but he didn't start doing that in this one until down the stretch. I still like his overall package, though he is a CB/FS tweener. GRADE: Neutral
Brandon Tate 87 6' 0.0" 195 4.50 WR 2009: DNP. Out for season with a torn ACL and MCL suffered vs. Notre Dame, 10-11-08.
Richard Quinn 89 6' 3.2" 262 4.75 TE 2009: Hardly noticed.
OTHER NOTES:
Virginia: NT Nick Jenkins (#96) had a nice game, though I don't see NFL-caliber ability there.
UNC: Hakeem Nicks is just a junior but I am going to go add him to the database. He is the scariest WR in the ACC, and may very well declare. Great pro size. Not a real burner, but is a nightmare to fight the ball away from.
#54 Bruce Carter is a kick blocking phenom. He blocked 2 in this one, and blocked 3 in a row (first time NCAA history, it is thought) versus UConn earlier this season.
#52 OLB Quan Sturdivant is a future all-Pro. Better than Clint Sintim. Just a sophomore....
Soph. RB #20 Shaun Draughn is really starting to assert himself.