Baylor - Big 12 - Adam Bendiksen
OT - Jason Smith, 72 , 6' 5.0", 305, 5.20, 2009 – Barring a severe injury or a complete mental collapse, Smith appears to have all but locked up a first round selection in April’s draft. Very smart (already graduated) and extremely athletic, Smith possesses the frame and the temperament to play the all-important left tackle position. He’s very smooth and athletic, has good feet and a very strong upper body. Was called for a hold, but his hands were inside the shoulder pads and normally would not have been called. Would love to have seen him play against Orakpo, though. GRADE: Very Positive
C - J.D. Walton, 55, 6' 2.0", 302, 5.10, 2010 -- Thick, strong, quick brawler who needs to learn to tone it down a bit. Can really get movement off the ball as a run blocker and can mirror and slide as a pass blocker, and can take on power players one-on-one. Only negative I see is a tendency to be to aggressive and fall off his blocks, but his athleticism usually bails him out and he recovers well. He and Roy Miller had some great battles in this game (Miller’s sacks not his responsibility). GRADE: Positive
LB - Joe Pawelek, 41, 6' 2.0", 233, 4.70, 2010 -- Excellent linebacker destined for Sundays, perhaps this April. Not a true stuffer who can take on linemen, he nevertheless attacks the inside running game and uses his hands and quickness to slip past blockers. Hard hitter who leads the Big 12 in tackles. Great pass instincts and has four picks on the season. Runs well and shows up all over the field. Negotiates trash and pursues relentlessly. Makes quick, decisive reads, but occasionally will overrun a play. GRADE: Very Positive
WR - David Gettis, 4, 6' 3.0", 206, 4.45, 2010 – Big, talented receiver with excellent upside. Tall, long and lean, he needs to add bulk and strength. Long strider with excellent deep speed, but not very quick in and out of his breaks. Jumps well, and has solid hands. Draws interference flags. Needs to stay in school and develop his game as now he is just a deep receiver , but has the tools if he works at it. GRADE: Somewhat Positive
WR - Ernest Smith, 13, 6' 2.0", 187, 4.50, 2010 -- Starting WR invisible in this game, not accounting for any targets/catches. Overshadowed by more dynamic players, but has some skill and another year to get noticed. GRADE: Incomplete
TE - Justin Akers, 14, 6' 4.0", 231, 4.70, 2010 – Like Smith was not used in the passing game this week. Asked to help block an aggressive Texas front and got bounced around. More of an H-back type than a true tight end so the game plan did not suit his skill set. When used correctly is a smooth, slippery athlete with good hands. GRADE: Neutral
S - Jordan Lake, 21, 6' 1.0", 203, 4.60, 2010 – Aggressive player has become the enforcer of the Bear’s defense, accounting for over 40 tackles the past four games. Plays deep centerfield but has the range to both track wide receivers and hit runners in the backfield. Doesn’t have great speed but his instincts and hustle consistently get him there. Good open-field tackler and loves to hit, but occasionally will kamikaze and miss his target. Has improved dramatically this season. Hope he stays in school and continues to elevate his game. GRADE: Positive
DE - Jason Lamb, 88, 6' 5.0", 260, 4.80, 2010 – Tall, long DE prospect who is not overly quick or explosive, but displays good athleticism and hustle. Getting much better at staying low and holding his ground, and shows good body lean on outside rushes. Decent instincts. Needs to return for his senior year. GRADE: Neutral
DT - Vincent Rhodes, 91, 6' 1.0", 305, 5.10, 2009 – Big, thick, powerful player has the look of an NFL player, and seems to have improved his conditioning, but still tends to fade in games. Early on, he’s impossible to move and drives guards into the backfield. Later, he gets wired to blocks and running lanes seem to open against the defense. No real pass rush moves, but has the power to push the pocket. Improving player who will get a shot in the NFL, but must work hard on staying in shape. GRADE: Somewhat Positive
Texas - Big 12 - Adam Bendiksen
DT - Roy Miller, 99, 6' 1.0", 300, 5.10, 2009 – Had perhaps his best game of the season this week, notching two sacks and terrific play versus the run. Not the biggest or quickest, he plays with fine strength, leverage and intensity, and displays excellent instincts and technique. He’s quick off the ball, keeps his feet, sheds well and can push the pocket, and gives good pursuit. Won’t be a dominant NFLer, but will most certainly play as a complementary tackle or rotation guy. GRADE: Positive
QB - Colt McCoy, , 6' 2.0", 209, 4.85, 2010 -- Great college QB had another great game with five touchdowns, but did throw two picks while under duress. Still, he’s a gamer who plays his best when it’s on the line. Good athlete, nice feet, good runner and great instincts and accuracy on short passes are his hallmark, but the lack of a big arm really sets off a red light for me. Each time I see him play I’m a little more impressed and he has vowed to return for his senior season, so we’ll see what the final product is a year and a half from now. GRADE: Neutral
DE - Henry Melton, 37 , 6' 2.0", 265, 4.80, 2009 – Versatile athlete has played fullback. Good frame and strong at the point, but struggles to shed blocks. Runs well and pursues hard. Nice rip on the pass rush. Started in Orakpo’s absence. More athlete than player. GRADE: Somewhat Negative
OG - Cedric Dockery, 55, 6' 3.0", 320, 5.30, 2009 – Looks like an NFL guard with a thick, athletic frame. Runs OK and has solid quickness. Plays with a low base and excellent power. Can drive linemen off the ball and stone a rusher cold, but occasionally overextends and misses. Natural knee-bender who needs some technique work but has all the tools. GRADE: Positive
LB - Sergio Kindle, 2, 6' 3.0", 239, 4.70, 2010 – Tough, intense player who seems to improve every week. Started at DE in Orakpo’s absence. Strong at the point, sets the edge well and has good quickness as a pass rusher. Chases plays relentlessly and makes tackles all over the field. Hard hitter. Good instincts and finds the ball. Can get wired to big blockers but is really more of a linebacker than a down end. Ideally suited for 3-4 OLB. If he stays in school and continues to develop could be a first round pick in 2010. GRADE: Positive
DE - Brian Orakpo, 98, 6' 3.2", 263, 4.80, 2009 – DNP, knee injury, set to return next week.
T - Adam Ulatoski, 74, 6' 7.0", 310, 5.30, 2010 -- Big guy with short arms who doesn’t have the feet to play left tackle. Has worked hard on technique and is doing a better job of staying low, but isn’t a natural knee bender. Runs OK and can execute short pulls. Position/seal blocker on runs going to his side. Re-injured his left elbow in this game, which was a problem for him last season. Must stay in school if he hopes to make it to the NFL. GRADE: Somewhat Negative.
LB - Rashad Bobino, 44, 5' 10.5", 238, 4.70, 2009 – Regained his starting job with Kindle moving to end in Orakpo’s absence. Fast, attacking, downhill player who hits a ton but tends to play out of control. Will blow up one play and run himself out of the next. Can get lost in the wash and sometimes ducks his head and misses tackles. Great special teamer, though, and may get a shot there. GRADE: Neutral
WR - Quan Cosby, 6, 5' 10.5", 205, 4.50, 2009 – Not sure if tough WR was going to play in this game with a back injury, but he gutted it out to become the game’s leading receiver (over 100 yds.) and caught two touchdowns. Lacks blazing speed and jumbo size, but has everything else. Played some pro baseball and is very mature, and is a sure-fire NFLer. GRADE: Very Positive
DE - Lamarr Houston, 33, 6' 1.0", 275, 4.80, 2010 – Versatile player started at DT due to the player shuffle created by Orakpo’s absence, and was more than holding his own before he left the game with a foot injury in the second quarter. Plays very hard and displays good speed/quickness and excellent strength for his size, but struggles to disengage from blocks whether playing inside or out. Far more suited to play outside. Must stay in school and work on his techniques. GRADE: Neutral
LB - Roddrick Muckelroy, 38, 6' 1.0", 230, 4.60, 2010 -- Fast, active athletic linebacker who makes plays all over the field. Pursues relentlessly, and hits hard. Can be overwhelmed by big blockers so must be protected, but dynamic when kept clean. Excellent in coverage. On the rise. GRADE: Positive
LB - Jared Norton, 11, 6' 2.0", 242, 0.00, 2010 – Another fine junior linebacker for the Longhorns, Norton did not start but saw plenty of action and made some nice plays. Natural middle linebacker who can take on and shed blocks and makes his tackles stick. Nice range and athleticism. Good physique and solid instincts. Good athlete who moves well. Needs to stay in school, but has the tools. GRADE: Somewhat Positive
CB - Ryan Palmer, 13, 5' 9.5" , 190, 4.40 , 2009 – Fine cover man who doesn’t relish the physical aspect of the game. Doesn’t pursue the ball very hard and is reluctant to throw his body around in the run game despite a thick, strong physique. Can run though and displays fine makeup speed. Sticks tight to wideouts, plays in the slot in nickel defenses and can locate the ball. Had an INT returned for a TD and a sack in this game. Wish he liked to hit more but have to love his coverage skills and versatility. GRADE: Somewhat Positive
WR - Jordan Shipley, 8, 5' 11.5" , 195, 4.50, 2009 – McCoy’s roommate and favorite target had a bit of an off game for him (didn’t lead the team in receptions), but nevertheless gets a fine grade yet again. Like Cosby, not the biggest or fastest guy, just one of the toughest and most productive receivers in the nation. Has a feel for defenses and runs quick, precise routes. Sells his fakes, shakes his defender and never drops a ball. Fine acceleration and deceptive speed. Has returned both a punt and a kick for touchdowns this season. He and Cosby can play for me any day. GRADE: Very Positive
Other Game Notes: Baylor had a last gasp of a hope near the end of the third quarter. With the score 42 – 21, a long Robert Griffin run put the ball on the eleven. Griffin scored on the next play to seemingly pull within two touchdowns and gain some momentum, but a phantom chop-block call started a string of penalties which resulted in a fourth and 41! Obviously, the Bears didn’t convert, and the rest was history. Still, I wouldn’t expect Baylor to be pushovers in the future. Griffin is a true freshmen sensation at QB, and someday surely will be in Heisman talks. RB Jay Finley displays natural running skills combined with good hands for the reception and great explosiveness, and Junior NT Trey Bryant, while raw, appears to be a better long term pro prospect than Vincent Rhodes.
Chris Ogbonnaya was hampered in this game by nagging injuries and only logged a few snaps, but freshman Foswitt Whittaker was dynamic in his place. Much smaller and quicker, he brought an element of explosiveness to the Longhorn’s backfield. Sophomore DE Sam Acho flashed as a pass rusher and may someday be the team’s next Brian Orakpo.
