Hunt’s Scouting Notes

Football Gameplan’s Analyst Emory Hunt shares his scouting notes from the college football games he has attended this season. See what he thinks about some of the upcoming draft prospects around the country!

 

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Penn State Nittany Lions vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Penn State Nittany Lions Pro Prospects

WR KJ Hamler – 5’9 176 (R-Soph)

Starting PR & KR. Hamler truly has elite explosiveness and COD skills. He’s very fluid in his movements, which allows him to be able to transition well in-and-out of his breaks. He played primarily in the slot in this game. But when he got the opportunity to play outside, he showed a variety of ways to win off the LOS with his releases. He’s got more route running savvy than probably given credit for. Hamler also does a great job of tracking the football.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights Pro Prospects

RT Kamaal Seymour – 6’6 324

Senior Bowl Watch List. What initially stood out to me was the length of Seymour’s arms. And, on top of that, he gets them up pretty quickly on a defensive lineman. I thought that was very impressive all game long. He’s got very good hand usage and arm extension. At times, I’d like to see him be a little bit more consistent in bringing his hips with him once he engages, because when he does, he clears a ton of space. Seymour also had a solid showing in this game in pass pro.

CB Damon Hayes – 6’1 201

Senior Bowl & NFLPA Watch List. Hayes was used in the slot a lot in this game; sometimes as a slot corner, other times as an overhang defender. He showed a variety of skills in this game. We saw him blitz out of the slot, asked at times to shadow KJ Hamler, which he more than held his own. He played a ton of zone in this game and has really good awareness. I like the fact that he was a factor in the run game, unafraid to fly up in support to make a 1-on-1 tackle. He’s got solid technique and footwork. I think he also has a future potentially as a Safety at the next level.

LG Zach Venesky – 6’3 306

Senior Bowl Watch List. Venesky is one strong OL. You don’t see him get bullrushed or thrown off the spot. At times Rutgers put him out on the move on run plays. I thought his awareness and quickness were ok; He’s one player I plan to get an extended look at on film.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Marshall Thundering Herd vs Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (11/15/19)

Marshall Thundering Herd Pro Prospects

LB Omari Cobb – 6’4 233

Cobb plays MIKE backer for Marshall out of necessity. They’ve had some injuries at the 2nd level, so he had to step in at the position. He’s a natural SAM backer, but getting this experience playing inside is valuable for him. He’s a good athlete that has a great first step going downhill. I like his range in all directions, he covers a ton of ground in pass coverage. Cobb also has above average instincts for the position as well. He’s a good football player,

DE Channing Hames – 6’5 256

Hames plays well with his hands. I feel like both his eyes and hands are always on the same page. I thought he pressured the QB well. And while it didn’t pay off in sacks, he definitely affected the play. He’s got outstanding BGO and active hands. They play him inside as a lighter defensive tackle, but I can see him playing more of a 5T, 6T or 7T as a pro. I like how he explodes into the OL off the snap.

CB Chris Jackson – 6’0 186

Jackson has very good length at corner and doesn’t shy away from playing press coverage. At times, he can get a bit handsy, but nonetheless, has solid one-on-one skills. I’ll have to take an even deeper look at his game on film.

CB Kereon Merrell – 5’11 180

Merrell is a physical corner. Sort of cut from the same cloth as his teammate Jackson. His hand usage was very impressive, as he was consistently able to re-route receivers and stay in great position to make a play on the ball. In the run game, he’s solid as well. He traveled a lot with La Tech’s receiver Malik Stanley.

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Pro Prospects

CB Amik Robertson – 5’9 183, Jr.

Robertson has outstanding hand/eye coordinator. He’s fantastic in reading concepts in zone, which gets him in position to make a play. He’s got strong click-and-close ability, which helps him drive on the football. Robertson is fluid in transition and shows a willingness to play press. He reminds me a lot of former Wake Forest CB Alphonso Smith.

WR Malik Stanley – 6’3 212

Senior Bowl Watch List. I was impressed with Stanley’s game. He assumed the WR1 role in this game, as Adrian Hardy was suspended. Stanley definitely knows where his hands are, and is very comfortable catching the ball away from his body. He gets a great release off the LOS, and knows how to create separation with his route running. He doesn’t have ‘blazing speed’, but can separate and get open. He’s also apt to using his body really well to keep the defender away from the ball.

S L’Jarius Sneed – 6’1 193

Senior Bowl Watch List. Sneed is a former cornerback who is now playing Safety for La Tech., He takes really good angles to the ball, doesn’t play safety like a corner in that regard. He’s a strong tackler in space and no issues playing out on the perimeter as a corner. It is his ability to serve in both capacities really well that excites you as an evaluator. Think Tre Flowers of the Seattle Seahawks.

CB Michael Sam – 6’1 193

Picked off a pass in this game, 3rd on the season, 2nd in consecutive weeks. He’s got good size and is a solid run defender. He can work on being better in transition, but as a boundary guy in press coverage, he plays really well.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Pitt Panthers vs North Carolina Tar Heels (11/14/19)

Pitt Panthers Pro Prospects

CB Dane Jackson – 6’0 190

Captain. Senior Bowl Watch List. Jackson has fluid speed. He’s such an easy strider that is seemingly under control when he’s running step-for-step with the receiver. He’s a mirror-and-match guy, who has A+ press skills in my opinion. I thought he was solid in the run game, being a good open field tackler. Primarily played on the left side of the field.

S Damar Hamlin – 6’1 195

Ejected for Targeting in 2nd Quarter (I thought he was going for the ball). Prior to getting ejected, there was enough of his play to get a good gauge on what/who he is as a player. Another good open field tackler in this secondary, who takes great angles to the ball, and ball carrier. I like how he communicates on the backend.

RT Nolan Ulizio – 6’5 320

Ulizio had a solid showing against North Carolina, going up against Jason Strowbridge a lot in this game. He more than held his own. He’s got solid technique and is a very patient player. In the run game he is able to explode off of the ball into the defender and get movement. He anchors well in pass pro also. He wasn’t initially on my list, but because he played so well, I’m interested in watching him more the rest of the way.

WR Maurice Ffrench did not play due to injury.

Other Pitt Panthers Prospects of Note

QB Kenny Pickett, 6’2 225, Jr.

WR Shocky Jacques-Louis 6’0 185, Soph.

DT Amir Watts, 6’3 295, Sr.

LS Cal Adomitis, 6’1 230, Jr.

North Carolina Tar Heels Pro Prospects

LT Charlie Heck – 6’8 315

Senior Bowl Watch List. Shrine Game acceptance. For a 6’8 player, his pad level and footwork is consistent. Heck has good, overall technique and is much better in the run game than in the pass game. As a pass protector, he tends to give up his chest a lot, which allows the defender to get his hands on him 1st. Hands has to get quicker in that regard. UNC loves to put him on the move in the run game as well.

DT Jason Strowbridge – 6’5 285

Senior Bowl Watch List. Captain. Strowbridge is essentially a 5T/7T at the next level. UNC gets creative in how they keep him on the move presnap. It was interesting to see him drop in short-area zone coverage some on 3rd downs, taking advantage of his length. He’s a great hustle player, never giving up in pursuit of the ball carrier. That hustle led him to a sack in this game. Must develop a pass rushing plan/counter when first move is stymied.

RB Antonio Williams – 5’11 215

Senior Bowl Watch List. He has a 2nd gear that he’s able to hit with ease; had a 59-yard burst. Williams does a solid job of setting up his blocks. He’s an explosive runner that’s a chunk play waiting to happen. I like how he is able to power through contact, without losing balance. He also has very good footwork. Williams was the Tar Heels most productive runner in the game, which was his largest workload of the season. He’s one of the ‘sleeper’ player from a Power 5 program.

FS Myles Dorn – 6’2 205

Captain. I like how Dorn plays with great length, and it shows up a lot in the passing game. He’s good really good closing speed and range. However, I think he’s capable of playing corner in the league as opposed to FS. He can do both, but I like his upside on the outside. He’s not bad in 1-on-1 coverage, so Dorn does give you some flexibility and versatility on the back end.

OLB Dominique Ross – 6’4 228

Captain. Very good athleticism. His first step is excellent when used as a pass rusher. Sometimes he walks out over #2 and matches up well in coverage. He looks capable in zone, definitely understands coverage from that aspect.

DT Aaron Crawford – 6’2 290

I like how Crawford uses his natural leverage. I thought he consistently owned whatever gap he was responsible for on a given play. He’s got solid BGO (Ball Get Off), and gets underneath a blocker’s pads to anchor down and collapse the pocket. He, along with Williams, are under-the-radar Power 5 prospects.

Other North Carolina Pro Prospects

LB Chazz Surratt, 6’3 230, Jr.

SS D.J. Ford, 6’3 210, Jr.

WR Dazz Newsome, 5’11 190, Jr.

WR Beau Corrales, 6’4 210, Jr.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Johns Hopkins Blue Jays vs Gettysburg Bullets (10/25/19)

Johns Hopkins Blue Jays Pro Prospects

QB David Tammaro – 6’3 215

20 NFL teams and CFL teams have visited Johns Hopkins to get a look at Tammaro. The first play of the game was a 52-yard bomb that traveled 50 yards in the air. The very next play was another 38-yard rainbow for a touchdown. Tammaro has a nice, compact delivery that allows him to maximize velocity. He gets really good arc on his deep ball, with the right amount of velocity and loft to help create separation by his receiver. Tammaro shows good patience in the pocket, maybe a bit too patient before bailing, which could lead to trouble. Short-to-Intermediate accuracy is solid. He’s a very good athlete as well; breaking free on a QB Draw for a 69-yard touchdown run, where he pulled away from the deep safety. Tammaro also throws well on the move. He’s definitely got pro game.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Princeton Tigers vs Lafayette Leopards (10/9/19)

Princeton Tigers Pro Prospects

QB Kevin Davidson – 6’4 225

Davidson showed a good understanding of coverages and how to subsequently attack them. He’s got very good accuracy, both in the pocket and on the move. I think arm strength is just ‘ok’ right now, and is an area where he can definitely improve. He overcomes that with very good anticipation and timing. I also thought his mechanics were consistently solid. B+ athlete as well, and shows capability as a part of the run game.

TE Graham Adomitis – 6’4 255

Adomitis is an excellent athlete. Was used mainly in the blocking department during this game, but even in that regard, you saw the level of explosiveness he plays with. Adomitis explodes off the ball into his defender; he’s an active and willing blocker. Love the way he competes throughout the play. Hand placement is really good once engaged, doesn’t lose sight of the defender. On his lone pass reception, he was able to work back downhill to help out his QB and go low for the reception on the sidelines.

S TJ Floyd – 5’11 180

Floyd lined up mainly as the Tigers Free Safety. He’s got solid footwork, very patient in his backpedal. He doesn’t tip off his coverage responsibilities or where his decision is until late in the play, which is very good. Floyd is a good, form tackler that shows very good awareness in zone coverage. You can even see a path for him as a slot defender at the next level.

Lafayette Leopards Pro Prospects

CB Eric Mitchell – 5’10 190

Mitchell has good man-to-man skills. He does a solid job staying in phase, before turning to find the football. In off coverage, I thought he attacked well, showing the ability to plant-and-drive on the ball carrier/ball. Willing tackler that has some upside as a slot corner.

S Yasir Thomas – 5’11 215

Captain. Big fan of how hard he tackles. Thomas is a big time factor in the run game, as he takes great angles to the ball carrier and doesn’t shy away from a physical discussion at the LOS. Short area zone coverage, he’s stable. I like how he communicates defensively, definitely shows an understanding of what an offense is trying to do to attack. Value as a blitzer.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Howard Bison vs Bethune-Cookman Wildcats

Howard Bison Pro Prospects

WR Kyle Anthony – 6’3 205

Anthony has outstanding hands. He’s very comfortable catching the ball both in contested situations, and away from his body. Everything is rooted in technique for him. He’s got great hand/eye coordination. He’s more of a build up speed type of guy, but does have short area quickness to create some separation and get open. I thought he played well without the ball also; staying patient for his opportunities, before maximizing them later in the game.

Bethune-Cookman Wildcats Pro Prospects

DE Marques Ford – 6’3 240

Ford registered a sack on the first play of the game. On the 2nd play, he registered a solo stop. He ended the game with 1 sacks and a TFL. He’s got strong hands that just hit the OL like a George Foreman punch. Ford also closes really well to the ball carrier. He plays the game in a constant state of pursuit.

Other Bethune-Cookman Prospects of Note

OLB Marquis Hendrix – 6’3 230

SS Trevor Merritt – 5’10 185

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Maryland Terrapins vs Penn State Nittany Lions

Maryland Terrapins Pro Prospects

G Sean Christie – 6’4 295

Senior Bowl Watch List. Christie has very good footwork with regards to the running game. Maryland uses him a lot on pulls, folds and trap blocks. He’s got fluidity in his movement and consistently makes purposeful contact when out on the perimeter. He’s an ‘absorber’ in pass pro, showing a good ability to anchor and redirect.

G Ellis McKennie – 6’3 310

Senior Bowl Watch List. I thought McKennie was also very light on his feet for a bigger offensive lineman. Used similarly as Christie, McKennie is also a very good athlete for the position, with a lot of movement in the run game. He has a bit more POA strength in my opinion – showing a strong initial punch on the DL.

S Antoine Brooks Jr. – 5’11 215

Senior Bowl Watch List. Brooks has great closing speed to the ball carrier. His ability to shrink space was very impressive vs Penn State. He’s an explosive tackler with an explosive 1st step. I was impressed with how often he communicated with his teammates pre-snap. He has very good instincts for the position. Brooks is also a very good blitzer as well. I think he’s more of a strong safety/combo-type at the next level.

Penn State Nittany Lions Pro Prospects

DE Shaka Toney – 6’3 243

Toney played mainly over the Right Tackle throughout the game. He has very good BGO and because of his height, is able to dip underneath an offensive lineman to compress the edge in pursuit of the quarterback. He works hard throughout the play, as his hands stay both busy and active. I think he has value as a standup edge rusher, or wide-9 rusher as a professional.

OLB Cam Brown – 6’5 233

Senior Bowl Watch List. Brown is a long, lengthy outside linebacker that has both excellent athleticism and versatility. Brown was routinely aligned over the #2 receiver in the slot, which speaks to his ability to hold his own and not look awkward in space. He’s got great range and is a solid 1-on-1 defender in the pass game. Verses the run, he was able to get from backside to frontside with ease. Obviously 233lbs in generally listed, but he can definitely get to 233 without losing any speed or athleticism. Impressive showing against Maryland.

G Steven Gonzalez – 6’4 341

Senior Bowl Watch List. Probably the most impressive prospect of the night in my opinion. I thought Gonzalez owned the POA consistently. He works his hands really well. Both hands and feet are constantly in unison in the run game. He’s got great recognition (awareness) in regards to stunts, blitzes and twists. I like that he’s a finisher; he does not let up at all.

CB John Reid – 5’10 181

Senior Bowl Watch List. He was the field corner for the Nittany Lions. Very polished technician at the position. You see a guy that trusts his athleticism, which allows him to stay patient in coverage. He’s got great footwork to mirror-and-match with receivers, and above-average speed to turn and run with receivers, doing a great job of staying in phase.

DT Robert Windsor – 6’4 285

Senior Bowl Watch List. Windsor plays with very good leverage. He’s able to hold the POA well, making things easier for the linebackers to make plays. Where he has consistent success is in using his hands and length to attack blockers 1st off the ball. That puts him in a position of control, which creates problems on the interior.

Other Penn State Prospects to Keep an Eye on

DE Yetur Gross-Matos – 6’5 264, Junior

WR KJ Hamler – 5’9 177, Junior

LB Jan Johnson – 6’2 231, Senior

S Garrett Taylor – 6’0 198, Senior

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Boston College Eagles vs Kansas Jayhawks (9/13/19)

Boston College Eagles Pro Prospects

RG John Phillips – 6’6 305

Senior Bowl Watch List. Phillips showed very good athleticism up front against Kansas. I thought he climbed to the 2nd level with ease, got out and around on pulling plays very well, while also showing good initial striking in the downhill run game. Pass pro, he handled stunts and twists well. Hand placement in that area could be a bit more consistent, but he battled well there throughout the game.

RB AJ Dillon – 6’0 250 (Jr.)

This would be my 4 time seeing Dillon play live over the last 3 seasons. He looks a lot quicker, and more shiftier this season. Dillon hits the hole with a purpose, which allows him to power through arm tackles. With his added quickness and shiftiness, his vision has gotten much better, as he’s starting to find cutback lanes and hit them at full speed. I also think he’s more capable now in the passing game as well.

Other Boston College Senior Prospects of Note

SS Medhi El Attrach – 6’0 205

DT Tanner Karafa – 6’3 285

DE Richard Yeargin – 6’4 280

Kansas Jayhawks Pro Prospects

LT Hakeem Adeniji – 6’5 300

Senior Bowl Watch List. Adeniji played a really good game against a solid opponent this matchup. He has powerful POA strength. It wouldn’t surprise me to hear the term “Mauler” attached to him, as he is a battler throughout the play. In pass pro, he tends to be late with his hands, so his chest gets exposed a bit, but is quickly able to reset his hands and gain control of the rep. He was impressive against BC.

RB Khalil Herbert – 5’9 205

Herbert would be a big time starter on many teams in the FBS, but because of the talented Pooka Williams, he shares the Jayhawks backfield with the Sophomore. Herbert was the difference in this game, showing next level talent throughout. He has outstanding vision and is very elusive in the open field. Herbert has a certain fluidity about his game that makes everything he does look rather easy. Hebert ran for 181 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown. He’s a rare, true sleeper from a Power 5 program.

CB Hasan Defense – 6’0 193

Defense plays the boundary side mostly. He’s got really impressive footwork for a bigger corner. Defense is able to click-and-close really well, and has top-notch instincts for the position. He’s a quick-twitch athletic with solid, overall cover skills.

FS Mike Lee – 5’11 175

Senior Bowl Watch List. I like Lee’s acceleration. He closes extremely quick to the ball carrier. I think he can play in the slot as well. He’s got good zone skills in my opinion. Lee also proved to be a bit of an enforcer in this game, as he doesn’t shy away from contact in the run game. He’s pretty good in run support.

Other Kansas Jayhawks Prospect of Note

WR Andrew Parchment – 6’2 180 (JR)

RB Pooka Williams  – 5’11 175 (Soph)

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Stony Brook Seawolves vs Bryant Bulldogs (8/29/19)

Stony Brook Seawolves Pro Prospects

DT Sam Kamara – 6’2 275

What really stood out to me from this game about Kamara, was how well he used his eyes to find the ball. He’s got good spatial awareness, and was rarely out of position, or fooled by what the Bryant Bulldogs offense was trying to do up front. He’s got active hands, keeps them working in order to beat the OL. I like his pursuit and hustle as well. Interested to see how he progresses the rest of the way.

CB Gavin Heslop – 6’1 200

I thought Heslop had a great showing in this game. He’s a solid tackler in the open field, not afraid to fly up in run support. For a taller corner, he’s got great body lean, doesn’t play high and is always under control in his backpedal. Heslop is quick coming out of his breaks; it’s plant-and-drive, doesn’t waste time in getting downhill fast. He also showed the ability to be a strong blitzer as well. I was overall impressed with his ability to close on the ball carrier. He has length, and plays with it as well. Could also thrive, potentially, as a Safety at the next level.

Other Stony Brook Prospects of Note

LG Mason Zimmerman – 6’5 325, Senior

DB Kareem Gaulden – 5’11 185, Junior

DB  EJ Fineran – 6’4 210, Junior

WR Nick Anderson – 6’1 195, Senior

WR Andrew Trent – 6’1 195

RB Isaiah White – 5’11 210, Senior

Bryant Bulldogs Pro Prospects

DL Tomas Wright – 6’2 217

Wright plays more of a rush end/OLB than anything. He kept popping up making plays, taking great angles to the football. At first you noticed his listed size and thought “how?”, but watching him play, he has a knack for sifting through the trash/OL and getting involved within the play. I think he’ll obviously be an off-ball LB as a pro prospect. This game was a good showing for him.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Colgate Raiders vs Villanova Wildcats (8/24/19)

Colgate Raiders Pro Prospects

DL Nick Wheeler – 6’2 255

Wheeler was voted Preseason FCS All-American, Preseason All-Patriot League and Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in the Patriot League as well. He is also on the 2020 NFLPA Bowl Big Board. Colgate plays him as a 5T in their 3-4 defense. Wheeler flashes above average quickness at the POA to create disruption. Functional strength can be a bit up-and-down. Although he plays End for the Raiders, I believe he’ll have a home at the next level as an outside EDGE rusher within a defense. He’s got a very good initial burst. It’ll be interesting to see if he can develop a counter move, and that’s something I’ll be keeping an eye on as the season progresses.

CB Abu Daramy-Swaray – 5’10 190

Daramy-Swaray was also named to the Preseason FCS All-American Team and is a Preseason All-Patriot League pick. ADS is also Colgate’s punt returner. I came away impressed with his closing speed to the ball carrier, especially coming downhill in the run game. He has strong hand/eye coordination, and shows good patience in coverage. He’s playing outside corner for Colgate, but I think inside is where he’ll probably project as a pro player.

LT Jovaun Woolford – 6’5 300

I didn’t know much about Woolford’s game prior to this matchup. I thought his technique was consistent and solid, he’s got a good frame and ‘looks’ like how you’d want an offensive lineman to look. There is even a track for him to play inside at the next level. He’s landed firmly on my radar after an impressive outing.

Other Senior Colgate Players of Note

RB Alex Mathews 5’10 205

TE/HB Nick Diaco – 6’5 235

Villanova Wildcats Pro Prospects

SS Julian Williams – 6’3 215

Williams is a lengthy athlete with range. He’s a strong open field tackler and doesn’t miss any opportunities to bring down the ball carrier. Also, I like how the Wildcats were able to take advantage of his abilities as a blitzer. They (Villanova) do so much with their secondary, which yields itself to their guys have versatility. He has solid short-to-intermediate ability in coverage as well.

Other Senior Prospects of Note

TE Simon Bingelis – 6’5 255

LB Drew Wiley – 6’2 235

Villanova is such a young football team, and has a TON of 2021 talent.

DE Malik Fisher – 6’4 255

CB Jaquan Amos – 6’1 190

FS Nowoola Awopetu – 5’11 200

LT Kofi Appiah – 6’6 290

RB Justin Covington – 5’11 216

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Virginia Cavaliers vs Pitt Panthers (11/2/18)

Virginia Cavaliers Pro Prospects

SS – Juan Thornhill – 6’0 210

Thornhill is a Senior Bowl Watch List guy and did not disappoint in this ball game. He’s a lengthy player that shows above-average Football I.Q. I like how consistent he was in taking proper angles to defend the run and with his run fits. He’s able to plant-and-drive on the football, shrinking space in a hurry. A good alley defender, Thornhill was able to impress in such bad conditions on a rainy, soggy night in Charlottesville. He injured an ankle/leg in the 2nd quarter and missed the rest of the game.

TE – Evan Butts – 6’4 250

Butts is another Senior Bowl Watch List guy and was mainly used as a blocker in this ball game. In my opinion, in that regard he’s very technically sound. Hands are always where they supposed to be, which allows him to then control and direct the defender.  I’ll have to wait until I study his film to get a better scope of what he brings to the table as a receiver.

RB/WR – Olamide Zaccheaus – 5’8 190

Versatile move piece. That’s the best way to describe Zaccheaus. The Cavaliers utilize his skill set in a multitude of ways. I think he’s more along the likes of former Pitt Panther Quadree Henderson. In this particular game, as a receiver is where he was most utilized. He has natural hands, doesn’t look surprised by the football and has good shiftiness after the catch.  Again, tough game because of the weather to get a better picture of what he brings to the table as a whole.

RB – Jordan Ellis – 5’10 225

Ellis was the leading rusher in this game for the Cavaliers. A compactly-built runner that has balance, which allows him to bounce off defenders. He runs with good pad level and has a lot of Spencer Ware-like qualities to his game. I’ll have to study him more as the season comes to a conclusion.

Other Virginia Cavalier Prospects of Note

CB – Tim Harris – 6’1 205

CB – Bryce Hall – 6’1 200, Junior

LB – Charles Snowden – 6’7 225, Sophomore

Pitt Panthers Pro Prospects

RB – Darrin Hall – 5’11 225

Hall stole the show in this game. While everyone looked to be struggling with footing, Hall seemed to be operating on a dry field.  He’s a big back at 5’11 225, but runs very light on his feet, which allows him to be able to change direction and set up defenders pretty well.  He has above-average burst, ripped off a 41 yard touchdown run and a 75-yarder.  He reminds me of Jeremy Hill in how he attacks the hole full speed, showing the right amount of ‘productive shiftiness’ to break away from defenders.  If he hasn’t gotten a lot of pub before, he’s probably will have a lot more after this performance. Hall is definitely an NFL-starter type of tailback.

LB – Olu Idowu – 6’0 230

I came away very impressed with Idowu’s football awareness/I.Q.  He’s very trusting of what he sees on the field, and more often than not, he’s making the right decision. Good acceleration to the ball carrier and is a powerful hitter. Pitt had no issues lining him up in space against RBs, TEs, and some receivers – which speaks to his athleticism.  I thought he and Thornhill of Virginia were the two smartest defenders on the field in this game. He has really good “LB eyes”.

RB – Qadree Olllison – 6’2 225

Didn’t get to see ‘much’ of Ollison, as Hall was having a fantastic day. But, Ollison in his limited opportunities, showed good body lean for a 6’2 runner. Obviously, he’s a guy that I’ll have to dive into the film on as opportunities in this game was severely limited.

RT – Alex Bookser – 6’6 315

Impressive night IMO by Bookser. He has a really good build; looks like a pro-level offensive lineman from that perspective. In the running game, his ability to uncoil with power into the defender was excellent. This allowed him to get a good initial punch/blow and move the defender off the spot. As far as drive blocking is concerned, this was another area of his game where I thought he did a solid job and checked off some boxes. Pass Pro is still a bit of an unknown IMO because of Pitt’s offense, so I have to go and watch the film to see how he does in that area.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Boston College Eagles vs Miami Hurricanes (10/26/18)

Boston College Pro Prospects

DE – Zach Allen – 6’5 285

Allen has great ball get off, almost immediately putting the offensive tackle in distress.  In this game vs Miami, he was able to showcase well on both ends of defense. I think he’s a strong POA player, that also shows a variety of ways to get to the QB. Allen is able to play off his hands really well. He’s a shock-read-disengage type of a defensive end vs the run, and has solid acceleration in closing in on the QB. This was a very strong game for him, finishing with 8 tackles, 1.5 TFLs and a sack.  I thought he played with good leverage and pad level as well, rarely got caught playing high or off balanced.

DE – Wyatt Ray – 6’3 255

Ray has very good acceleration, especially in chasing runs away from him or pursuing the quarterback.  I think he has just ‘ok’ change of direction skills, but his acceleration and length tends to make up for it. Ray is probably better with his hand off the ground as a standup edge rusher, that way he can leverage that acceleration and length to make plays consistently.  I’ll get a more extensive look at his game, and subsequent growth on Nov. 24th against Syracuse.

OG – Chris Lindstrom – 6’4 310

This was a really great game for Lindstrom who had a strong test in fellow prospect DT Gerald Willis.  Lindstrom has very good athleticism and does a great job in firing off of the football. He showed above-average ability in recognizing different stunts, being able to effectively pick them up on a consistent basis. He could stand to get a bit stronger, as he can lose leverage at times; but he does show the ability to quickly recover.  Hands are consistently inside, which allows him to get movement in the running game. Patience as a blocker is another strong attribute he showed in this game, never panicking or ‘taking the cheese’ so to speak. I’m pretty sure he graded out pretty well for his OL coach in the film room.

FS – Lukas Denis – 5’11 185

Denis missed the majority of this game due to some sort of injury. It didn’t look serious, but was significant enough to keep him out from the 2nd quarter on.

TE – Tommy Sweeney – 6’5 260

Sweeney is a solid Inline guy that has dependable hands. He looks the part of a #2/#3 TE at the next level. Not overly athletic, but does find a way to get open and be effective.

CB – Taj-Amir Torres – 5’9 180

I came away very impressed with Torres’ game. He’s an active corner that competes well and isn’t afraid to help on in run support. I’ll get a more extensive look at him against Syracuse.

Boston College Underclassmen of Note

RB – AJ Dillon – 6’0 245, Soph

QB – Anthony Brown – 6’2 220, R. Soph

Miami Hurricanes Pro Prospects

CB – Michael Jackson – 6’1 205

Jackson uses his size really well. He’s very confident/trusting in his skill set. Although not tested a lot in this game because of the nature of the offense he was up against, so I got a good look at his technique in this game.  In press coverage, he’s pretty good, able to play with length. Solid in his backpedal and is able to patiently wait to open his hips to turn and run with the receiver. As a big bodied corner, he isn’t afraid to compete against the run. Shows good awareness in understanding where he is on the field and using it to his advantage. I was not able to get a good gauge of his speed in this game.

DT – Gerald Willis III – 6’4 300

Willis has great initial quickness off the ball. This is why he has such success getting TFLs because he’s up on the OL so quickly and in the backfield so fast that it doesn’t give the OL time to recover.  However, outside of that initial burst, there’s not much of a counter. That’s where you’d like to see Willis continue to smooth out his game.  He has to become much better with his hands to ‘counter the counter’ so-to-speak. You love the aggressiveness that he plays with, but can play a bit wild and lose leverage.  What Willis does have is the things you can’t coach, hustle, effort, want-to, BGO. Everything else is definitely coachable/fixable.

S – Jaquan Johnson – 5’11 195

Johnson played a solid game against Boston College. I came away from this performance viewing him as a Kenny Vaccaro type of player. A ‘move safety’ if you well. He played back deep, in the slot, at the 2nd level as an overhang defender, showed ability in both man and zone coverage. Johnson has good instincts and quickness, and is a dependable tackler.

S – Sheldrick Redwine – 6’1 205

Redwine was all over the field against Boston College. Excited to study him more on film.

Miami Hurricanes Junior Prospects of Note

DE – Joe Jackson – 6’5 265

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Penn Quakers vs Yale Bulldogs (10/19/18)

Penn Quakers Pro Prospects

LT – Tommy Dennis – 6’5 300

Dennis has played multiple spots up front for the Quakers, so he brings a variety of skills to the table. I think his home at the next level is probably best suited inside, that’s where I feel as though the can consistently have success because of his hand usage and how he’s able to both absorb and redirect.  He’s able to keep his hands on the move, finding the right leverage or position of strength to get movement off the spot. Hands may be a bit slow in pass pro, which is why I like him more on the inside than out on the perimeter. At least on the inside, his lateral quickness in confined spaces gives him a chance to recover, get his hands on the defender, and subsequently redirect.

LB – Nick Miller – 5’11 215

I came into the game looking to find out if Miller is a possible strong safety at the next level, or is he a linebacker.  For me, it’s still a bit undetermined. What I like about Miller’s game is that he plays fast and is a tackling machine.  He’s able to get sideline-to-sideline with ease. Where he gets into some trouble is in disengaging from blocks. This could be in part to him having to add bulk, or him trying to beat every potential block with speed. At times when faced with a lead block from a guard, Miller tends to ‘absorb & ride’ rather than initiate contact-extend and read.  In coverage he has the ability to effective play man vs backs and get to his landmarks fluidly in zone.

Junior Prospects of Note

Yale LT Sterling Strother – 6’5 310

Yale RB Alan Lamar – 5’9 205

Penn RB Karekin Brooks – 5’11 205

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Dartmouth Big Green vs Yale Bulldogs (10/5/18)

Yale Bulldogs Pro Prospects

No Seniors of Note, but there were some Juniors worthy of keeping an eye on for the 2020 NFL Draft.

QB – Kurt Rawlings – 6’2 210

WR – Reed Klubnik – 6’3 210

Dartmouth Big Green Pro Prospects

LT – Matt Kaskey – 6’7 325

Kaskey is a powerful POA player. Once he gets his hands on you, you’re not going anywhere. He’s does an exceptional job in the running game, as evident by how much Dartmouth ran weak side in this game. He’s not overly nimble/agile, and can get beat ‘running the hoop’; However, he is very underrated on pulls and quick traps. Kaskey competes hard and tends to get consistent movement off the spot. He’s a strong hands mauler that has pro talent that could find himself playing inside.

SLB – Jake Moen – 6’4 255

Moen is a big-bodied linebacker that is your ideal SAM backer. He’s strong at the POA to play the run and uses his hands and eyes well to diagnose & disengage.  He’s able to get a powerful initial punch to put the offensive tackle on skates. Moen wins with power more so than speed around the edge. He shows comfort dropping in coverage, being able to read what’s going on in front of him and having a good feel for what’s happening behind him. He probably could end up as a full-time DE at the pro level. He finished with 3 solo stops, 1 TFL & 1 Sack in this game, while also being credited with 4 QB Hurries.

Junior Prospects of Note

CB – Isiah Swann – 6’0 190

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Lafayette Leopards vs Central Connecticut State Blue Devils (9/29/18)

Lafayette Leopards Pro Prospects

RB/RET – CJ Amill – 5’9 180

This was an impressive showing for Amil in this game. He was able to showcase a lot of unique skills for a scout to sift through.  Firstly, Amil has great stop-and-start suddenness. Almost Kendall Hunter-like in that regard. He’s able to set-up-defenders and his blockers properly in the run game and also in the return game because of it. He’s a solid receiver out of the backfield and is a terrific open field runner. Amil has solid vision for the position, and also has solid vision to be a kickoff returner as well. He’s able to return both kicks and punts well.  Amil scored the game-winning touchdown on an outside zone where he found the cutback lane and weaved his way through traffic en route to the end zone. I think he can be an excellent ‘change of pace’ back at the NFL level.

WR – Chris Granjean – 5’8 180

Granjean was another under-the-radar, or even off-the-radar player who popped on the scene in this game. He just consistently made play after play, and one could easily say he was the player of the game. This game was also his first time seeing action on the regular offense. He has a ‘different’ level of speed. Granjean is an effortless runner with smooth acceleration. I also like how elusive he is with the ball in his hands. He was used on end arounds in this game as well.  Made a clutch reception on 3rd down and had a couple of nice grabs where he showed good hand/eye coordination. It’ll be interesting to see how he’s used moving forward. But at worst, he can be a training camp invite and has some return ability.

LB – Jerry Powe – 6’1 225

Powe was the headliner for Lafayette coming into this game, and he didn’t disappoint. I like how he’s able to play all three backer spots, also showing some ability as an edge rusher.  Powe was lined out in space over #2 receiver to the twins side, which speaks to his athleticism and comfort in space.  He does a solid job in getting himself in position to make a tackle, doesn’t lose ground upon contact and is able to make plays 1-on-1 in space. He had a forced fumble in this game as well.  Shows fluidity and comfort in zone coverage, able to effectively pass guys off. Powe is going to be one to watch moving forward.

Central Connecticut State Blue Devils Pro Prospects

QB – Jacob Dolegala – 6’6 235

Dolegala was the Blue Devils top prospect entering this game.  Watching him in pre-game, you quickly notice the level of arm strength he possesses.  It’s up there with Joe Flacco. Just a smooth release that maximizes velocity. He’s a legit 6’6 as well.  I was impressed with his velocity in the game, routinely showing the ability to hit throws on the opposite hash. He has impressive deep ball accuracy. The offense he plays in utilizes him a bit as a runner, which he shows toughness and an ability to pick up positive yards. Where he has to improve is finding the consistency in throwing on the run. He was a bit hot/cold in that area in this game. When the Blue Devils went hurry-up, as they were trying to comeback, he went to move of a traditional approach as far as being a ‘classic pocket passer’ and looked really good. The ball came out accurately, decisively and on target. He’s a very good, underrated QB prospect.

LB – Kenneth Keen – 6’1 235

Keen closes on the football extremely well. And that helps him in the run game and in pass coverage.  He carries his 235lbs really well and is more than capable/comfortable playing out in space.

S – Tymir Hinton – 6’0 200

Another impressive defender on this Blue Devils team was S/LB Tymir Hinton. CCSU plays a 4-2-5 and he’s essentially that 5th defender. His acceleration sideline-to-sideline on both ends of defense was outstanding. He’s effective in coverage and as a blitzer.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Columbia Lions vs Princeton Tigers (9/28/18)

Columbia Lions Pro Prospects

DL – Mike Hinton – 6’4 275

Hinton can play inside as a 3T or outside as a power end. Very good versatility and shows solid ability to take on double-teams and occupy a gap. This game provide a good opportunity to take a look at his hand usage and his awareness, as Princeton’s offense does a good job of using influence run plays and a bevy of combo blocks. I thought he was sound in this area, could stand to be a bit more active initially. He does show good ball get off to be disruptive, and could use to add a bit more core strength.

WR – Kyle Castner – 6’1 200

He’s a bigger slot guy that runs really good routes. Castner also shows very good understanding of zone coverage, finding soft spots in the defense and settling down. Dependable hands. From a speed perspective, I thought he was ok. He’s not overly explosive, but has a suddenness about his game that allows him to get a step on the defender. Very good body control, which is shown in his route running as he’s able to quickly snap in-and-out of breaks.

Princeton Tigers Pro Prospects

WR – Jesper Horsted – 6’4 225

Senior Bowl Watch List. Horsted is a bigger wide receiver that has above-average burst and acceleration. You routinely see him be able to locate and track the football without losing speed, and is able to create separation in the process. He’s comfortable catching the ball away from his body. Great hand-eye coordination, always looks the ball into his hands, showing excellent technique. Horstead has solid quicks, which allows him to beat press coverage and win off the LOS. Although he’s listed at 225, he moves in-and-out of breaks like a 195lb receiver, which is excellent. He’s versatile enough to play all 3 receiver positions and has the game that’s a cross between Brandon Marshall and Cooper Kupp. Terrific prospect.

WR – Stephen Carlson – 6’4 220

Carlson is a very good receiver in his own right as well.  He’s been money inside the red zone this year, showing the ability to play above the rim consistently. He also has great ‘high post’ ability as well on back shoulder throws and stop routes because of his frame and body control. I really like how he tracks the football as well.  Carlson has very strong hands at the catch point, and it’s tough to jar the ball loose from him when it’s in his grasp.  He doesn’t have the top-notch explosive speed, but has good enough quickness to be effective as a pro receiver on the inside as a Big Slot/F Receiver.  Could also see a path for him to be a pseudo-flex TE as well as he continues to add strength to his game.

QB – John Lovett – 6’3 230

Lovett is an excellent college QB. The athleticism is obvious in his game. He’s a great runner, both with power and elusiveness. He’s very natural in that area. Quietly, he has great acceleration to beat defenders to the corner. Lovett has a nose for the end zone, as he’s one of the top rushing QBs in that area. I wanted to see growth in his game this year as a passer, and through two live viewings (color analyst in the Monmouth game), I’m very impressed.  Lovett is excellent in throwing on the move, both left or right.  The intermediate area of the field on square-ins, dig routes and bang-8s he’s able to hit consistently with the right amount of touch, accuracy and velocity if need be.  The deep ball is still a bit hit-or-miss, not because of accuracy, but due to trying to judge the speed/depth of the receiver. At times he’ll place it perfectly where the receiver can catch-and-run, some times he’ll put too much air underneath it and it’ll be under thrown.  This is where you’ll want to see him become much more efficient. But it was definitely better than 2016. I get the talk of moving him to a different position, and he’s up for it, if it comes down to that. But in my humble and honest opinion, he has the ‘it’ factor at QB, the progress from 2016 is there and he’s still improving. He’s a QB to me. He reminds me a lot of Dak Prescott his final year at Mississippi State.

RB – Charlie Volker – 6’0 220

Volker also competes on the Princeton Track-and-Field team as a sprinter.  He has tremendous acceleration, able to hit that next gear to turn the corner. He’s averaging over 9 yards a carry this season and is a solid receiver coming out of the backfield. Volker has good footwork and shows the patience to be effective as a RB. Think Austin Ekeler of the Los Angeles Chargers.

Keep an Eye On

RB – Collin Eady – 5’11 210, Sophomore

FS – TJ Floyd – 5’11 180, Junior

CB – CJ Wall – 5’11 195, Sophomore

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Army Black Knights vs Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (9/15/18)

Army Black Knights Pro Prospects

FB – Darnell Woolfolk – 5’9 225

Senior Bowl watch list. Woolfolk is the FB in the Black Knights triple-option attack. He looks and plays the part of your more traditional fullback. He’s the guy that you can trust with 1-2 carries per game within your offense, and one who could be a strong lead blocker. Think Shane Smith for the New York Giants. He’s a compactly-built player that shows excellent power in his lower body to bull through arm tackles, and can move the pile in short yardage situations.

 

Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Pro Prospects

LB – Jahlani Tavai – 6’4 235

Not your typical matchup for a linebacker, considering the offense he’s facing in this game. But you do learn a lot about a defensive’s players process, technique and willingness to ‘stick with the script’ as far as playing assignment football is concerned.  Immediately you see that Tavai has very good POA strength, able to set the edge, use his hands well to hold the point, read the play and react.  His hand usage really stood out to me as he was able to match the strength of the Offensive Tackles and TEs, who outweighed him by at least 25-35lbs. Multiple times during the game he was able to read-disengage-react to the play. Very good pursuit skills to chase the away run.  Tavai also blocked a kick in this game.  I got a really good sense for him as a run defender in this matchup, and will look to another game to study him more from a pass rushing/coverage perspective.

Junior Prospects to Keep an Eye On

Hawaii’s WR John Ursua – 5’10 175 & RT Kohl Levao – 6’6 340

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Richmond Spiders vs Fordham Rams (9/10/18)

Richmond Spiders Pro Prospects

WR – Dejon Brissett – 6’2 195

KR/PR. Brissett was the marquee name from Richmond’s offense coming into this game and he didn’t disappoint with his performance.  Brissett finished the day with 4 catches 173 yards and a touchdown. He’s a very confident player, which is what you want to see from someone who’s pegged as a gamebreaker, showing the want for the ball in any situation; not in a diva-ish way, but more in a ‘trust me, I can make a play’ type of way.  He has excellent body control and very good top end speed, as evident by his 75 yard catch-and-run to open up the 2nd half.  He played primarily on the short side/boundary side of the field as the Split End. Brissett has strong hands at the catch point, shows very good ability at the LOS in his release and route running. I also came away impressed with the strength in which he plays with as well.

DT – Andrew Clyde – 6’3 290

Clyde was the spotlight defensive player in this game.  He has excellent ball get off. His burst off the line was able to cause disruption for Fordham throughout the game, which almost always drew a double-team.  He wasn’t asked to do much in this game, as the gameplan called for him to essentially maintain the LOS.  So, you saw him be more of a factor vs the run as opposed to being a pass rusher. Clyde did pick up a fumble recovery in this game. In obvious passing situations, you consistently saw him explode upfield, get into the backfield to flush the QB off his spot.

TE – Stephon Jacob – 6’4 255

Jacob was a player that I wasn’t familiar with coming into this game, but he quickly caught my attention with his play. Jacob is a big-bodied TE that was moved around the formation for the Spiders and my initial reaction to his game was how well he blocked, both inline and on the perimeter.  You can tell that he takes that part of his game very seriously.  That ability will always give you a chance at the next level. In addition to that, his ability as a receiver was also impressive. He’s a build-up speed type of a guy, but has good body control, knowing how to create separation between he and the defender. He’s very comfortable catching the ball away from his body and has strong hands. He only had 2 receptions in the game, but the were two very impressive catches over the middle of the field and I’m excited to study his game moving forward.

K – Griffin Trau – 5’8 170

Trau is one of the more clutch kickers in the FCS and a 2x All-American (1 preseason, 1 postseason) and a 2x All-CAA performer. Made his only FG attempt in the game and perfect on all his extra points.

Richmond Junior Prospects of Note

The Spiders have a ton of talent that’ll be seniors next year who impressed in this game. Good length and athleticism in the secondary.

CB – Trent Williams – 6’2 185

CB – Dionte Austin – 6’2 180

SS – Daniel Jones – 6’1 205

DE – Maurice Jackson – 6’2 265

WR – Cortrelle Simpson – 5’11 165

RB – Deontez Thompson – 6’0 215

QB – Kevin Johnson – 6’0 203

Fordham Rams Pro Prospects

TE – Isaiah Searight – 6’4 250

Senior Bowl Watch List. Searight was the spotlight player for the Rams coming into this game on offense. He moves extremely well for a guy his size. Searight is a very fluid athlete, able to explode off the ball, into his route and subsequently out of his breaks.  He played inline, flexed out and as an HB. He’s got great hand-eye coordination and strong hands. He’s a legit weapon in the passing game. At times he’ll push off to gain separation, and could be flagged at the next level for that. To be honest, he doesn’t ‘need’ to do that as his route running and athleticism is more than enough to create that separation for him. He really moves like a WR and found himself open a lot in this game. He’s going to gain a lot of steam in the scouting world moving forward. He’s definitely a Sunday player.

CB – Dylan Mabin – 6’1 190

Senior Bowl Watch List. Mabin didn’t play in this game as he was injured.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Temple Owls vs Villanova Wildcats (9/1/18)

Temple Owls Pro Prospects

RB – Ryquell Armstead – 5’11 215

This was a very tough game to observe Amsted because of the complete lack of running game for the Owls.  They leaned more on their pass game as well. Armstead did get some opportunities, and what I was able to gather from those limited reps was that he does a great job of breaking arm tackles and has above-average burst for the position. I do plan to make another trip to the Temple/Tulsa game later this month to get a better view of his overall game.

WR – Ventell Bryant – 6’3 200

Bryant is a very fluid route runner that has a very underrated release off the LOS. While he may not be overly explosive, he does possess a great bit of suddenness to his game. He sort of reminds me of Brandon Lloyd in that regard. Everything about his game is smooth and effortless. He did show the ability to get open, doing so numerous times in the game, but the QB missed him.  I believe he could add some more strength to his game, but overall, he has some really good skills to work with.

CB – Rock Ya-Sin – 6’2 190

Ya-Sin transferred up to Temple from Presbyterian where he was an All-Big South Conference performer. He has really a really good size-to-athleticism makeup, as he moves like a shorter corner and is very fluid in his transitions.  I thought in this game he showcased good spatial awareness and plays with length.  He does not play small like you tend to see some taller corners do.  Mainly aligned on the short-side of the field, he was also good in one-on-one tackling opportunities.

S – Delvon Randall – 6’1 215

Randall is the type of safety that definitely trusts what he sees and that is evident by his explosive 1st step as he heads downhill against the run. This was an area where he was strongest at in this game.  Outstanding in one-on-one opportunities in that regard as well. He had about 6 solo stops in this game. Didn’t have too much of a takeaway about his game in coverage, considering the passing game of Villanova. That’s why the Tulsa game that I will attend will give me a much clearer picture.

Other Prospects of Note for Further Evaluation

DT – Michael Dogbe – 6’3 280

DE – Quincy Roche – 6’4 235, Redshirt Sophomore

Villanova Wildcats Pro Prospects

FS – Rob Rolle – 6’0 190

It was great to see Rolle back out there after missing all of last season with a knee injury.  So, this was his first game back against live action in a year. Verses Temple, he was strong in run support. You consistently saw him flying up in the alley to make a 1-on-1 stop in the hole.  He’s very patient in his assignment, in the sense that he doesn’t take false steps.  Coverage-wise, there is still going to be an adjustment period as he gets more comfortable with his knee.  By midseason, he should be back to the form that we saw back in 2016.

TE – Ryan Bell – 6’2 235

Bell was another player that was coming back from injury. He was a pleasant surprise on the roster when I arrived to the game. I thought he used up all his eligibility. But, now healthy and 100%, he was back to being a very good option in the passing game. His home in the pros will be as an H-Back.  Bell is a very good route runner and was money over the middle of the field all game long, especially on 3rd downs.  He showed the ability to read coverages well on the fly, to settle down in soft spots in the zone.  With dependable hands, Bell finished the day with 9 receptions, 81 yards and a touchdown; all of which led the team.

RB – Aaron Forbes – 5’9 235

Forbes had an impressive showing in this game. He has some excellent footwork, good burst and lateral agility.  The explosive lateral cuts got him out of a jam and into some success a lot in this ball game.  He’s compactly built, so he’s able to bounce off would-be tacklers to pick up extra yards. I thought his vision and balance was definitely where it was supposed to be. Very impressive showing indeed for Forbes.

LT – Ethan Greenidge – 6’4 345

What was the most impressive part of the day, was the Wildcats offensive line.  They really owned the LOS and Ethan Greenidge led the way.  For a 345lb OT, he has really good movement skills and did a great job in pass pro against a solid Temple defensive front.  In the running game, he kept his hands inside and was able to pin, wash, kick out any defender that he was up against on that particular play.  Greenidge looked excellent.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Wagner Seahawks vs Bowie State Bulldogs (8/30/18)

Wagner Seahawks Pro Prospects

RB – Ryan Fulse – 5’11 195

Fulse had a career day running the football, finishing with 271 yards on 20 carries, averaging 13.6 yards per tote. He has top notch speed and acceleration, showcasing that on 2 runs well over 70 yards including two 77-yard touchdown runs.  Fulse has good contact balance, which allowed him to bounce off would be tacklers; this happened on the first 77-yard touchdown gallup.  His game also checks out from a lateral agility and quickness standpoint.

RB/WR – Denzel Knight – 6’2 220

Knight had an equally impressive showcase in this game as well. He opened up the scoring on a 55-yard touchdown reception. What was impressive about this, was that it was a deep, downfield contest catch situation that he was able to turn into points.  He was a running back initially, before seeing more time in this game in the slot. So, positional flexibility is going to be huge for him. Later in the game, he ran a quick slant and weaved his way through traffic for a 45 yard gain. Knight also serves as the team’s kickoff returner, where he finished with 84 yards there, with a long of 37. He has great acceleration and speed.  He’s going to garner a lot of interest as the season rolls along, as he continues to develop in this receiver/running back role.

LG – Brady Hudik – 6’5 305

Hudik has been drawing a lot of interest this offseason, so getting a chance to watch him work early in the season was key.  In the running game I thought he had a good bit of success. He’s a very good athlete on the move and had no problem working to the 2nd level.  In pass pro, there were times where his hands got a bit outside of the defender and he had to work hard to get them back in the right place.  I’ll be looking forward to getting another viewing of him later during the season.

Additional Wagner Prospects of Note

DT – Charbel Dabire – 6’1 300 (CFL Draft Prospect; Highly touted)

CB – Malik Warner – 6’2 200

LB – Quintin Hampton – 6’0 235

Bowie State Bulldogs Pro Prospects

QB – Amir Hall – 6’4 195

Hall was the 2017 National Black College Player of the Year and the HBCU Gameday Player of the Year.  He has garnered a lot of attention over the last 2 seasons because of his stellar career.  What initially impressed me was his poise in the pocket.  This was key because of the step up in weight class so-to-speak against a D1 opponent. Wagner applied pressure consistently, and Hall never wavered. And not just pressure from the defense, but of the situation also. He was calm on many 3rd and long situations, even leading the Bulldogs on a comeback run late in the 3rd quarter going into the 4th.  Hall is a very good decision maker with a strong enough to drive the ball intermediate-to-deep, and from the far hash to the sidelines.  Accuracy was solid, placement was just ‘okay’.  Very good field vision; he does a great job of buying time, keeping his eyes downfield to find the open guy. Finished the game 30/47 365 yards and 2 touchdowns along with 13 carries and 58 yards rushing (losing 26 yards w/sacks for a net of 58 yards). Hall had a 57 yard sprint down the sideline.  I came away very impressed with his game. He has a lot of Josh Johnson-like skills he brings to the table.

Additional Bowie State Prospects of Note

DE – Derrick Tate – 6’3 210, Junior

DT – Joshua Pryor – 6’4 280, Redshirt Freshman

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: UMass Minutemen vs Duquesne Dukes (8/25/18)

UMass Minutemen Pro Prospects

QB – Andrew Ford – 6’3 210

Team Captain. Left Handed. Ford’s first pass of the season was 32-yard touchdown strike to Brennon Dingle in the corner of the end zone. What was impressive about the throw was both the placement and touch exhibited. That’s Ford’s game in my opinion. He shows really good placement and touch at all levels of the field. Placement, accuracy and touch are consistent. I didn’t get a good gauge on his arm strength during this game because of the types of routes called as it required a lot of touch and timing. He’s a very good athlete that sees the field well.  Ford also shows really good patience in the pocket and doesn’t seem to be fazed by pressure, showing the ability to hold the ball until the last possible moment as the receiver clears before throwing it.

RB – Marquis Young – 6’1 210

Young was one of the top prospects entering this game and did very little to disappoint.  I was very impressed with his overall footwork. His feet allows him to be able to pick-and-slide behind the LOS to find open grass. For a back that’s 6’1, he runs with great pad level and has good body lean as well.  This allows him to be able to bounce off of would-be tacklers, which he did pretty often in this game. He also has great balance and contact balance. Young runs behinds his pads and shows great burst as a runner. In the passing game, he looked pretty comfortable in that regard as well. He was solid in blitz pickup, caught the ball well and showed good overall athleticism to do something with it afterwards.

WR – Andy Isabella – 5’10 190

Isabella was the star of this ball game.  He has great acceleration, both within his route running and after the catch.  This makes him a hassle to try and cover all game long. Isabella scored 3 touchdowns in this game, 2 receiving and 1 rushing. On one of the receiving touchdowns, he ran an over route, had to leave his feet to secure the catch, and exploded past the defender once his feet hit the ground. Isabella has great spatial awareness. He’s fast and shifty in all directions and has good make-you-miss agility in the open field.  You’d like to see him extend out more with his hands to make grabs, can be a bit of a ‘cradler’ in that regard.  Shows good understanding of zone coverage and looks like an ideal slot receiver. Isabella also doubles as the punt returner on this team.

LB – Bryton Barr – 6’0 225

Barr is a 5th year graduate student and is a team captain.  He plays MIKE for the Minutemen, but is an ideal WLB at the professional level. One thing that shows up consistently in his game is that he’s a great open field tackler; rarely misses a 1-on-1 opportunity in space. Good run-and-chase player that shows a knack for sifting through the trash well in order to get in on the tackle. He also showcased some ability in this game as a blitzer off the corner.

CB – Lee Moses – 5’11 200

Moses plays a very physical game.  He loves to press receivers at the LOS and was pretty accurate with his punch. He was also consistent in his ability to re-route the receiver.  Moses has good, all-around coverage skills, showing a great understanding of where he is on the field. When on the boundary, he was able to consistently use the sideline as a help defender, while also staying in great position to play the ball. Good, not great speed as far as recovery is concerned, which is why it is important for him to excel in other areas of his game, in which he does.

SS – Brice McAllister – 5’11 195

I was impressed with the awareness of McAllister in the passing game. He has terrific instincts and ball skills.  McAllister picked off 2 passes in this game, bringing one back 60 yards for a touchdown. On that play, he read it, drove on it and accelerated through the pass to make the interception.  He also forced a fumble and made a big play behind the LOS. He’s a graduate transfer from UConn.

OL – Jake Largay – 6’4 325

Largay has a really good anchor in pass pro. He’s able to absorb and redirect really well. In the running game, I was impressed with his pad level and core strength.  I will have to get a further look at his game to get a good feel for what else he brings to the table as a prospect. The Dukes front lines didn’t quite pose as much of a test for him.

Duquesne Dukes Pro Prospects

WR – Nehari Crawford – 5’11 170

Team Captain. Returnman (PR & KR). Crawford is such a fluid athlete. Watching him go through warmups pre-game I was able to notice how effortless he is in his movements.  In the game, you get a great sense for his hand-eye coordination.  Crawford is extremely comfortable catching the ball away from his body.  He definitely knows where his hands are.  I also like his toughness. Working over the middle of the field, he doesn’t shy away from contact and is able to zero-in on the football to make the reception.  He was moved across the formation in this game, but mainly played in the slot.  He’s explosive off the ball and has top-notch acceleration to blow past defenders. I think inside is where he has a home at the next level.

SS – Brandon Stanback – 6’0 195

Stanback provided his fair share of ‘wow’ moments in this game, many of which don’t show up in the stat sheet but are the ones that coaches and scouts tend to make a note of. The first came on a 60-yard breakaway run by the UMass ball carrier, which looked like a for sure touchdown run.  Stanback got on his horse and walked him down to trip him up at the 2 yard line. Great hustle and effort. The 2nd was on a pivotal 4-and-inches where he flew up in run support, was 1-on-1 with the UMass running back, and made the solo stuff. The 3rd play was the fumble recovery and subsequent return to stop a potential UMass scoring drive.  He shows explosive speed, good instincts and hustle, and a good bit of awareness to play on the backend.

CB – Jonathan Istache – 5’10 180

Kick Returner. Istache, despite being 5’10, plays with great length. That shows itself in his press skills, how he disengages from blocks and how he’s able to stay attached to the WR.  He also shows excellent hustle as well as he was able to force a fumble on a big gain on a QB scramble, using the ‘Peanut Punch’ technique to get the ball out.

Junior Prospects of Note

UMass RB Bilal Ally – 5’11 195

Ally went over 100 yards in this game and shows above-average acceleration and speed. He has good lateral quickness and seemed to always ‘find’ the right lane to run through.

Duquesne RB AJ Hines – 5’11 225

Hines wasn’t give as much of an opportunity to run the ball, having only 9 carries in this game.  But when given the chance, you saw patience, vision, footwork and balance that made him a 2x All-American.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Grambling State Tigers vs North Carolina A&T Aggies (12/16/17)

Grambling State Pro Prospects

LT – Trenton Scott – 6’5 320, Senior

Scott is an offensive lineman that’s really good on the move. Grambling utilizes him on both leads and traps in this game.  Scott shows good pop & accuracy upon contact when executing those blocks.  His functional strength is A+, showing the ability to lock and turn defenders once engaged. He had a couple of pancakes in this game and didn’t get beat much.  At times he can get a bit grabby. He excelled on kick out blocks also. If we’re being honest, I thought he was their offensive MVP. He had a strong, consistent performance. He’s an NFLPA invite.

QB – DeVante Kincade – 6’1 190, Senior

Kincade is the epitome of a leader. He was able to keep the offense afloat and mentally in the game throughout the contest. He has a whip of an arm which allows him to get great velocity on passes going over the middle of the field and quick out-breaking routes.  He’s a very quick athlete that has the escapability to keep plays alive and drive defenses crazy.  Accuracy tends to run a bit hot and cold, which leads to not a lot of YAC.  When he’s on and in rhythm, Kincade can attack every quadrant of the field with both accuracy and touch.  He’s definitely a quarterback with some upside. What makes him a special talent is that, at times during the game, Kincade was playing above the Xs and Os.

RB – Martez Carter – 5’9 205, Senior

Carter has tremendous explosiveness, which makes him dynamic in all aspects of the game.  He was splitting carries in this game. I did get a chance to notice how much of an impact he can make in the passing game.  Carter has very good hands and is a natural receiver. He’s also able to return both kicks and punts. Ball security needs to tighten up moving forward. He has to be more consistent in that area. In space, Carter is very shifty and that gets him out of a lot of trouble and makes him very difficult to tackle.

North Carolina A&T Aggies Pro Prospects

LT – Brandon Parker – 6’7 309, Senior

Parker is a Senior Bowl invite and you got a chance to see why in this game. What initially stood out to me was how well put together he was as an athlete.  He has a good, quick set up in pass pro.  Parker does a great job in getting his hands on the defender first.  He’s very marginal on pulls and traps, at times struggled to keep his feet and balance. Also, there were times where he just couldn’t get there on those blocks to finish the play.  Where he’s great at is getting downhill. Parker has very strong hands and filled up his plate with a few pancakes. He was also instrumental on two long runs, one of which was a touchdown; you saw him kick out the defensive end which created a huge lane for the tailback. I liked how he got better and better as the game went on, finishing blocks and started dominating at the point of attack.

WR/RET – Khris Gardin – 5’7 185, Senior

Gardin is 2nd all-time in FCS history in punt return yardage. He was seldom used within the gameplan against Grambling, partly due to the fact that they were able to run the ball really well.  His acceleration is A+. When he got the football on end arounds, jet sweeps or bubble screens he was able to quickly get up on the defender.

Junior Prospects of Note that Stood Out

Grambling LB De’Arius Christmas – 5’10 220

Grambling CB – Dedrick Shy – 6’2 185

NC A&T RB – Marquell Cartwright – 5’8 201

NC A&T QB – Lamar Raynard – 6’4 215

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Maryland Terrapins vs Penn State Nittany Lions (11/25/17)

Maryland Terrapins Pro Prospects

LB – Jermaine Carter – 6’0 228, Senior

Carter was a constant nuisance all game long for the Nittany Lions. He really closes quickly to the football. His ability to excel in underneath coverage was impressive.  I think he’s your ideal WLB as a pro.  He was in on a couple of pass breakups and showed really good instincts for the position; never being late or out of position.

WR – DJ Moore – 5’11 215, Junior

Became the all-time single season receiving leader (receptions) in school history. He has an explosive 1st step. I was a fan of how he has multiple ways to beat press coverage.  You saw him dip his shoulder and accelerate into his route to create separation. You saw him win with his feet and with his hands.  He’s also very physical after the catch, essentially turning into a running back.  He’s not afraid of contact, both at the catch point nor after the catch.  I think he’s an X/Split End all day. He can more than hold his own on the outside at the next level. Moore also is a punt returner for the Terps.

Penn State Nittany Lions Pro Prospects

RB – Saquon Barkley – 5’11 230, Junior

Kickoff Returner. Barkley has an explosive jump cut and first step in general. He’s able to get from playside to backside in one fluid move.  He’s very comfortable in the passing game. In the blocking department, the effort was there and the ‘knowing who to block’ was there as well. You can also tell that he’s comfortable catching the ball away from his body.  Barkley has the power to explode through tackles.  His carries has been sporadic throughout the game, which is why you haven’t seen the gaudy numbers.

TE – Mike Gesicki – 6’6 250, Senior

Gesicki is a savvy route runner that’s able to work himself open. He’s not overly explosive or dynamic, but he’s effective. He also has a terrific set of hands, making a spectacular catch for a touchdown. He’s more Coby Fleener than Travis Kelce. Pad level can be a bit high in the blocking department and when approaching potential tacklers.

WR – DaeSean Hamilton – 6’1 206, Senior

I came away highly impressed with the game of Hamilton. He’s a bigger wideout that plays inside. I liken his position to more of a ‘Possession Slot’ WR. He uses his hands well within his routes. He’s a consistent ‘hands catcher’ that also is very solid after the catch, showing the ability to utilize a stiff arm, power through a tackler or make him miss. He has really good, all-around game.

FS – Marcus Allen – 6’2 207, Senior

Marcus Allen is tremendous coming downhill. I love his ability vs the run. He attacks the run with the right amount of control and aggressiveness.  And when he arrives, he arrives in a bad mood. Allen is an explosive tackler that shows great tackling technique.  He’s more of a combo safety type that you can situationally trust back deep, but is better suited to play the short area zone, perhaps be a robber, or in man coverage.

CB – Grant Haley – 5’9 190, Senior

He’s a very ‘active’ corner. Blitzes well and shows good ability when asked to come off the edge.  I like how he’s able to play multiple corner spots. He’s also very fluid inside as a slot. Personally, I think that’s where he has tremendous value. Very good short-area quickness and COD skills.

 

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Pitt Panthers vs North Carolina Tar Heels (11/9/17)

Pitt Panthers Pro Prospects

WR – Jester Weah – 6’3 210, Senior

Weah didn’t get a ‘lot’ of work in this game, but there were still a lot to study about what he brings to the table.  I think he has very good quickness off the ball to get a jump on the defensive back. His hands stay in an attacking position to help him fend off press or an active DB.  Even though the opportunities were few and far in between, you can tell that Weah is a natural hands catcher.  While he may not have blazing speed, he shows good nuance to be able to work himself open.  He also plays his frame (6’3), meaning that he does a great job on in-breaking routes, both deep and short, shielding the defender away from the ball. He definitely has pro game and I’m anxious to study him more.

North Carolina Tar Heels Pro Prospects

CB – M.J. Stewart – 6’0 205, Senior

I thought Stewart played a really good game vs the Panthers.  He is a boundary corner that isn’t afraid to get involved in the run defense department. He was actually pretty solid in that capacity throughout the game.  I like his footwork and ability to mirror-and-match the receiver, staying very patient with his punch in the process.  He also adds some special teams value as a kickoff and punt returner.  I don’t know how ‘great’ his long speed is, but he does have above-average short-area quickness to stay in the hip pocket of most receivers.

Underclassmen that had Stand Out Performances

Pitt WR Quadree Henderson – 5’8 190, Junior

If you can only use one word to describe Henderson, it would be ‘burst’.  He has a unique set of jets that allows him to turn the corner on speed sweeps and create separation in his route running. You can understand why he’s a big part of the Panthers offense.

Pitt SS Jordan Whitehead – 5’11 195, Junior

Whitehead is a good enough athlete to play the deep 1/3 in the Panthers defense. I believe he’s ideally suited as a combo guy at the next level. The closer he gets to the LOS, the more effective he becomes. He’s a solid tackler, both in space and in tight quarters.  He takes really good angles to the football when playing downhill. In my opinion, he’s better in man coverage as opposed to zone.

UNC WR Anthony Ratliff-Williams – 6’1 205, Sophomore

ARW was everywhere for the Tar Heels.  He returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and showcased a lot of physicality throughout the evening. He’s very tough to bring down and his favorite weapon of choice is his stiff-arm which is quite effective. He’s also able to work every level of the field effectively without fear.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: UConn Huskies vs Memphis Tigers (10/6/17)

UConn Huskies Pro Prospects

CB – Jamar Summers – 6’0 190, Senior

Summers has really good fluidity in his backpedal. He played primarily on the field side as a corner and is very patient in when/where to open up his hips and run with the receiver.  That tells me he trust his technique, his film study and athleticism to make a play.  Where he showed some slight questions was the couple times he was matched up against the quicker/shiftier Anthony Miller.  It was then where you saw him have some issues in the suddenness department and exploding out of his breaks.  In the Huskies defense they had him playing off-coverage a lot.  He was injured in this game, but returned. Also plays on the kickoff coverage team as well.  I believe he can hold his own on the outside as a field corner in the NFL.  Despite giving up some plays to Miller, he wasn’t beat badly; he was still ‘there’ to make a play.

LB – Junior Joseph – 6’1 232, Senior

Joseph, in my opinion, was the most impressive defender for the Huskies in this game.  Joseph dropped some weight this year and looks to have picked up speed & quickness as a result.  Going sideline-to-sideline and attacking downhill, Joseph ‘gets’ there routinely and finishes or makes the play.  In coverage there are some slight concerns, but playing downhill, he’s stellar.  You rarely saw any false steps. He’s able to sift through the trash well to the ball carrier.  Joseph finished the game leading the team in tackles with 12.  I think he can more than function in a 4-3/3-4 MIKE/ILB.

TE – Alec Bloom – 6’6 253, Senior

Bloom is one of two really solid tight end prospect on this Huskies team.  He played both inline and as an H-Back in this game.  As an H-Back, he was primarily used on lead blocks. That’s where I came away very impressed. On 2 particular plays, his lead block sprung the running back for a 64 yard touchdown run and for another big gain.  He’s a terrific P.O.A. blocker. He reminds me a lot of a Brent Celek-type. Bloom also hauled in a 30 yard touchdown reception over the middle of the field.  He has good, all-around game and fits the more traditional mold of a pro TE/HB.

RB – Arkeel Newsome – 5’7 180, Senior

Newsome showed some good versatility in this game.  He’s more quick than fast, but did show the ability to rip off a long run.  He has above-average vision and patience; and is a solid, dependable receiver out of the backfield.  He has a lot of Jacquizz Rodgers to his game.

LB – Vontae Diggs – 6’2 221, Senior

Diggs was another tackling machine against Memphis. He’s your ideal WLB. He’s unafraid of a physical discussion but has the speed to run and chase the away run or the quarterback. I’ll be diving more into his game as the season progresses.

TE – Tommy Myers – 6’5 245, Senior

Myers has slightly similar game to Bloom.  His above-average in the blocking department, but shows better route-running skills.

QB – Bryant Shirreffs – 6’2 210, Senior

I like Shirreffs game. To me, he plays more of a CFL style than an NFL style. He has really good mobility and a quick release.  I think he could thrive in a wider-field situation.  There were some positives from his game that you could take away from his performance. He has a propensity to hold the ball a tad bit long, or takes a half-beat longer to make a decision to run or escape the pocket.

Memphis Tigers Pro Prospects

QB – Riley Ferguson – 6’4 210, Senior

This was my first viewing of Riley Ferguson. I came away impressed with his velocity. Ferguson gets great velocity on all of the in-breaking routes: Slants, Skinnies, Digs, Post & Seams.  He has above-average escapability and is able to keep his eyes downfield to find the open receiver.  I believe he has solid field vision and shows no panic in the pocket.  From my vantage point, he was in complete control out there on the field.  Excited to see more of his game moving forward.

WR – Anthony Miller – 5’11 195, Senior

Miller was on fire in this ball game. For a guy listed at 5’11 195, he’s explosive and shifty as a guy that’s 5’9 175.  I’m a big fan of his burst, off the ball and out of his breaks.  Miller is fast in all directions.  He’s not overly strong getting of the LOS and is best in the slot.  I do however like his strength when it comes to securing the catch.  Miller has strong hands to make the contested catches look easy.  He has good hand-eye coordination and plays with a ton of confidence.  He’s a top 100 prospect in my opinion.

LB – Genard Avery – 6’1 255, Senior

Avery is built like a tank.  He has the build of a CFL Defensive End.  I think he can be a really good SAM backer as a pro.  Avery shows the ability to take on blockers well, as well as disengage from them.  We saw certain situations where he played with his hand in the dirt as a rush end.  That ability gives him some flexibility moving forward.  He’s a strong run defender that delivers a good pop upon contact.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Lafayette Leopards vs Princeton Tigers (9/23/17)

Lafayette Leopards Pro Prospects

TE – Dylan Wadsworth – 6’3 245, Senior

Wadsworth has inline capability; Good blocking technique as well. He’s an above-average blocker, which will surprise some because of how he’s built.  Many will assume he’s just a ‘Flex’ guy, but he shows the ability to more than hold his own as a blocker, which is a good thing.  The did flex him out a lot and actually caught a touchdown pass on a quick screen.  He’s very comfortable at catching the ball, both in traffic and away from his body.  He’s a build-up speed type of guy, not an overly sudden guy. He shows a strong sense of spatial awareness vs zone coverage and is a very good RAC player. I’m a fan of how well-rounded Wadsworth’s game is as a player.

LB – Brandon Bryant – 5’11 225, Senior

Brooks is the defensive leader of the Leopard football team.  He’s probably an ideal WLB as a pro.  Bryant finished with a sack, 8 TFLs and an interception.  I like his sideline-to-sideline closing speed to the ball carrier.  He has really good instincts vs the pass. He’s able to excel in that capacity because he understands passing concepts in conjunction with remaining assignment sound.

Princeton Tigers Pro Prospects

QB – Chad Kanoff – 6’4 225, Senior

Team Captain. This was a big game for Kanoff to showcase his skills without the subbing in-and-out of John Lovett.  He has a compact delivery; quick-ish release.  He doesn’t show panic in the pocket and scans the field well. However, he does hold the ball a bit too long which yields itself to taking unnecessary sacks. He doesn’t have the ‘strongest’ arm, and that affects the accuracy downfield.  His short area accuracy is more on point than down the sideline or outside of the hash/numbers.

DE – Kurt Holuba – 6’4 265, Senior

Team Captain. Holuba is a very active player. He was able to notch a sack on the opening series of the game.  He moves extremely well for a guy that’s 6’4 265.  I think he’s an outside linebacker at the pro level.  He’s the quintessential definition of a relentless player.  Holuba uses his hands really well and shows the ability to shock-and-disengage quickly.  His pursuit skills forces the QB to get rid of the ball quickly.  I like how effective he is on stunts. When he’s up on his feet, and reading the play while on the move, he’s extremely difficult to block. He’s a legit player.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Lehigh Mountain Hawks vs Penn Quakers (9/23/17)

Lehigh Mountain Hawks Pro Prospects

WR – Gatlin Casey – 6’3 210, Senior

Casey does a great job of tracking the football.  He has very good ‘football-athleticism’, which is the ability to bend & contort his body to make the catch.  I’m a big fan of his ability to sacrifice for the reception (he finished with 10 receptions for 193 yards and 3 touchdowns).  He’s very smooth coming out of his breaks. Where Casey has a lot of success is showing the skills to adjust to different passes and is the contested catch king, showing great hand strength at the catch point.

WR – Troy Pelletier – 6’3 210, Senior

Pelletier’s focus for a receiver is tremendous. He doesn’t care about who or what is around him, he’s able to have razor sharp focus and catch the football. That skill makes him very comfortable going over the middle of the field and/or down the sideline with a defender bearing down on him.  He’s also very strong at the catch point with great hands; every thing that’s a part of the reception is as consistent as you’d like it to be from a eyes-hand placement-security standpoint.

RT – Zach Duffy – 6’5 325, Senior

Team Captain. Duffy has a very good & patient punch for an offensive lineman.  He’s stockily built and has an excellent power step. This is evident when attacking downhill in the running game. He’s strong in pass protection with his hands, his patient hands allows him to have an accurate punch, which also allows him the ability to latch on and control a defender. He rarely misses a block. He’s a bit heavy-footed but shows solid recovery skills. He graded out really well in this ball game.

Penn Quakers Pro Prospects

WR – Justin Watson – 6’3 220, Senior

Team Captain. Watson has very good position versatility. He’s constantly moved around the formation. Watson can operate as an X, Z, Slot, F and even in the backfield at times.  He’s powerful within and in-and-out of his breaks when running routes.  In this game, where he went over 100 yards and a touchdown, he wasn’t targeted a lot.  I was then able to gather a lot of information about his ability as a run blocker. He’s strong in that area as well. Watson’s catching ability is exactly what you would expect; looks the ball in completely and has the strong hands to secure the catch while hit.  He’s also an explosive player.  He’ll lull you to sleep and surprise you as a defender with his ability to explode out of a cut or after a reception.  That’s exactly what happened on his 54-yard touchdown run/reception.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Temple Owls vs UMass Minutemen (9/15/17)

Temple Owls Pro Prospects

CB – Mike Jones – 5’11 187, Senior

Mike Jones (formerly of North Carolina Central) got a lot of work this ball game as he was placed on an island for the most part.  Jones has really good footwork and ‘quicks’. He’s more quick than fast and shows good initial burst.  The recovery speed and ‘2nd gear’ acceleration remains to be seen.  I like how strong of a tackler he is in run support.  Jones shows good ability to mirror-and-match on the shorter routes, with active hands to break up a pass.  Ideally, he’s best suited in the slot or, if you want to play him on the outside, he’s best suited in a predominately zone scheme where he can read-react-and drive on the ball.  He brings good value as a special teamer, having the ability to return both kicks and punts.  Jones also excelled in this area at NCCU before transferring up to Temple.  Good, not great ball skills as far as interceptions are concerned, but definitely should above-average ability to be disruptive in that capacity.

DB – Sean Chandler – 6’0 195, Senior

I’m a big fan of the versatility of Sean Chandler. He’s a 4-year starter and has the capability to play either corner or safety. In this game vs UMass, he was playing primarily a Safety/matchup guy. You can still tell he’s getting adjusted to playing safety as he’s playing the position like a cornerback.  He’ll have to remain disciplined in his technique and not get caught taking the cheese.  In coverage, he can matchup against receivers and TEs alike. This is where he is a very good prospect. To be an elite FS, you have to be able to take consistently great angles to the ball and I don’t believe Chandler is there yet.  As a combo guy, he gives you a ton of options and value.  He’s a little Malcolm Jenkins in that sense. A guy that’s a corner that can grow into a solid starting safety.  Chandler has above-average long speed to turn and run with receivers and also is fluid in-and-out of transition.

WR – Keith Kirkwood – 6’3 220, Senior

Kirkwood had a very good showing against UMass.  I don’t know if he was limited because of a nagging injury or whatnot, but he didn’t log a ‘ton’ of minutes.  The time he was on the field, he definitely maximized his opportunity with a strong performance.  Kirkwood finished with 4 receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown.  Two of those receptions were clutch; one was on 3rd and long and the other was a touchdown.  Kirkwood shows very good body control and strong hands to make contested catches.  He’s also a very solid route runner for a taller receiver. I’m interested to study him more as we move forward; possibly this year’s matchup against Navy.

FB – Nick Sharga – 6’2 240, Senior

Sharga is a good, all-around fullback.  He consistently takes a great path to the defender and rarely misses a lead or kickout block.  He’ll grade positively in that area. Sharga, also is an above-average runner with the ball in his hands and is a natural athlete.  Although he didn’t have an opportunity in this game to showcase that, I know he has that tool in his toolbox based off what I saw of him last season. He’s on both the kickoff coverage and kick return team, and also finishes his blocks consistently.  He’s a prospect worth noting at a position that’s undervalued.  He provides the value you want.

Underclassmen that Stood Out

DE – Quincy Roche – 6’4 230, Redshirt Freshman

This guy was all over the field making plays for the Owls. Roche finished with 8 tackles, 4 TFLs, 3 sacks and a forced fumble. Remember his name.

UMass Minutemen Pro Prospects (2nd Look)

TE – Adam Breneman – 6’5 255, Senior

You can tell that Breneman wasn’t 100% in this game.  I’m glad I was able to see him verses Hawaii in Week Zero as I know what his baseline athleticism and speed looks like. He was still able to catch passes well during this game and find himself open despite nursing a knee injury.  Breneman is a PRO player. Period.

DE – Da’Sean Downey – 6’4 230, Senior

Downey plays more like an outside linebacker as opposed to a defensive end. He shows good initial upfield burst, but doesn’t show the counter move or elite-level acceleration to turn the corner and close on the QB. However, he does show the ability to play with length and chase the away run;  I think you’ll see him project more as standup SAM as opposed to a traditional defensive end.  I like how strong he was verses the run.

Underclassmen that Stood Out

QB – Andrew Ford – 6’3 210, Junior

I really like how Ford sees the field and distributes the football. He played a solid game verses Temple and showcases the ability to attack every quadrant on the field. The same type of things I saw him do against Hawaii.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Boston College Eagles vs Wake Forest Demon Deacons (9/9/17)

Boston College Pro Prospects

DE – Harold Landry – 6’3 250, Senior

I’ve scouted Landry for 3 years now and with that amount of time viewing a prospect’s game, you really get a good feel for their game and their development. Landry has A+ quickness.  What was impressive in this game vs Wake Forest is that you saw him be more involved against the run. Twice in 3rd & short situations, Landry was key in stopping the run. On one instance you saw him gamble and slice inside to stop the runner in the backfield. And on the second one, you saw him maintain his position at the P.O.A., disengage and make the stop in the backfield.  He’s very light on his feet and that helps him execute his ‘dip under’ move pretty easily.  Landry is able to get low like a motorbike rider to turn the corner and accelerate to the QB.  He can be a bit out of control or awkward trying to change directions, but is a good enough athlete to where you can see him as a SAM in a 4-3 or outside edge rusher in a 3-4. He’s not overly strong at the P.O.A., but isn’t a liability in taking on blocker or a double team.  Landry is a top-tier defensive prospect.

Other Senior Eagles Pro Prospects

CB – Kamrin Moore – 5’11 200, Senior

Moore is a very physical corner and showed the ability to stay ‘attached’ to the receiver throughout the game.  I was impressed from a technical standpoint. Wake Forest didn’t throw ‘a lot’, but just watching Moore’s footwork, hand placement, aggressiveness, I’m interested to study his game more as the season moves on.

CB – Isaac Yiadom – 6’1 190, Senior

Similarly to Moore, Yiadom was a physical corner.  He’s really strong in run support. A couple of times during the game, you saw him fly up and make a good pop on the ball carrier. There’s no missed tackle opportunities coming to his side.  I’ll be studying him more as well.

Standout Junior Players

OG – Chris Lindstrom – 6’4 305

I really like the progress Lindstrom has made since arriving on campus. He’s developed both physically and as a player. He’s an above-average athlete that showed really well in the running game & was able to hold his own in pass pro.

DE – Zach Allen – 6’5 285

Allen was stout at the P.O.A. all game long and you saw him consistently win with strength vs the OL.  He shows very good ability on both ends of defense, and looks to be an ideal 5T or Elephant End projecting forward.

Wake Forest Pro Prospects

Senior DEs – Wendell Dunn – 6’3 250  & – Duke Ejiofor – 6’4 275

Considering the offense they played, there wasn’t much to gather from a scouting perspective. I thought the did a good job in maintaining the LOS and not getting blown off the ball.  More film against a more balanced offense will be needed.

TE – Cam Serigne – 6’3 240, Senior

After scoring 2 touchdowns on 2 receptions last week vs Presbyterian, Serigne was more of a blocker in this game against BC.  He was both attached and detached along the LOS and showed solid ability as a position blocker.  As a base blocker, you’d like to see his hand stay inside.  Too often you saw him get outside the frame of the defender.  As far as route running is concerned, he’s solid in that area as well.

LB – Jaboree Williams – 6’0 245, Senior

Williams, to me, played the best game of any defender on Wake’s defense.  You saw him play with the right amount of controlled aggressiveness.  He attacked downhill and trusted what he saw throughout the game.  Williams had 2 TFLs and 7 tackles, 6 were solo stops.  He’s a very fluid in his movements and does a great job in taking on blockers. He’s not afraid to do so in that aspect.  The work done up front in this game allowed him the opportunity to showcase his skills. This was a great showing for Williams.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Virginia Tech Hokies vs West Virginia Mountaineers (9/3/17)

Virginia Tech Pro Prospects

CB – Greg Stroman – 6’0 181, Senior

Stroman wasn’t tested much in this ball game, but the one time he was, he broke up the ball.  I noticed how willing he was to step up in run support and how quick he was laterally. He showed the ability to redirect receivers without touching them and has the speed to turn and run with receivers down the field.

LB – Andrew Motuapuaka – 6’0 236, Senior

Motuapuaka played a great game from the 2nd level. He finished the game as the team leader in tackles with 12 and also chipped in with a TFL and a sack.  His read-and-recognition skills were where you wanted them to be.  When he was asked to blitz/pressure the QB, he was disruptive (2 QB Hurries).  Where you want to see him get better at is taking on blocks and quickly disengaging from them.  Too often he found himself waiting for the OL to get to him instead of beating him to the spot and blowing up the block.  Overall, he showed good ability on both ends of defense.

WR – Cam Phillips – 6’0 202, Senior

Offensively, Phillips was the most impressive senior for the Hokies.  He’s a great athlete and shows the ability to adjust to any type of ball thrown his way.  He was the big play target for the QB in this one and finished with 7 receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown.  You saw a guy that’s not afraid of contact and has strong RAC skills. I also thought his route-running ability was above-average as well. Very quick in-and-out of his breaks.

Other Senior Prospects that I have to get an Extended Look at Moving Forward

LG – Wyatt Teller – 6’5 315

C – Eric Gallo – 6’2 300

CB – Brandon Facyson – 6’2 197

Junior Prospects that Stood Out

LB – Tremaine Edmunds – 6’5 250 – Edmunds has outstanding sideline-to-sideline speed for a 6’5 250lb linebacker. Highly impressive defender.

S – Terrell Edmunds – 6’2 220 – Very good coverage skills and shows good closing speed to the ball carrier.

CB – Adonis Alexander – 6’3 197 – Another extremely quick and agile defender in the secondary that plays with an attitude. Strong solo tackler and is able to play with length.

West Virginia Mountaineers Pro Prospects

WR – Ka’Raun White – 6’1 199, Senior

White has really good quicks and burst off the ball, into his route and out of his breaks.  He was able to consistently create space and separation from the defender.  White also plays above-the-rim really well and is willing to sacrifice for the reception, laying out for a beautiful catch downfield.  He has really good potential on the outside.

RB – Justin Crawford – 6’0 200, Senior

The Mountaineers always seem to keep a RB with excellent acceleration and footwork like Justin Crawford.  He’s able to string moves together very well and has the gamebreaking element to his game, having ripped off a nice 42-yard burst.  Crawford has good, all-around game and could be a strong #2 back as a pro.

SS – Kyzir White – 6’2 216, Senior

White is equally as tremendous of an athlete as his brother Ka’Raun.  The Mountaineers moved him all around the defense and you got to see him do, and excel, at multiple things in this game.  I thought he showed good ability to blitz off the edge. He has an explosive 1st step which makes him tough to block or run away from. He was solid in zone coverage and has the ability to matchup well in man.

CB – Mike Daniels Jr. – 5’11 203, Senior

I thought Daniels had a strong performance against the Hokies. Excellent matchup corner that mirror and matches really well. He’s a strong press corner that plays the ball well. He had two pass breakups that were textbook in using his outside arm to swat the ball away.  At 203lbs, Daniels shows the physicalness to be counted on in run support.  He also is fluid in his transition to turn and run step-for-step with the receiver. Impressive display of next-level skill set.

LB – Xavier Preston – 6’2 240, Senior

Preston was very strong in run support showing the ability to both take on, and slip blocks in pursuit of the ball carrier.  He’s a reliable tackler that delivers good pop upon contact.

LB – Al-Rasheed Benton – 6’1 238, Senior

I thought both Benton and Preston played the same game. Two impressive backers with similar skill set.  Benton gets from point A to point B in a hurry. I was impressed with his speed playing Mike.

Junior Prospects that Stood Out with Their Play

WR – Gary Jennings Jr. – 6’1 218 – Led the team in receiving with 13 receptions for 189 yards, showing the flair for the dramatic as well with a deep touchdown reception that tied the game.  He has the ability to play inside or out.

WR – David Sills V – 6’4 203 – Impressive quicks in-and-out of his breaks for a taller receiver. Sills also has good ability after the catch and is reliable in traffic.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: UMass Minutemen vs Hawaii Warriors (8/26/17)

UMass Minutemen Pro Prospects

TE – Adam Breneman – 6’5 255, Senior

Breneman had a lot of buzz coming into this game and I was excited to get a live viewing of his game.  He has excellent athleticism, showing the ability to adjust to poorly placed passes.  He can go up at its highest point and can contort his body to come down with the reception.  He isn’t the ‘best’ blocker so-to-speak, but he gives maximum effort.  That effort allows him to win a lot of battles inline.  Ultimately, I think his home in the NFL is as a flex TE.  Breneman has good, not great speed. Good route runner, with the potential to get better.  I like how he’s able to instantly recognize when the QB is in trouble to work himself open.  He played a great game against Hawaii, finishing with 179 yards receiving, with a couple of big catches down the stretch.

Hawaii Warriors Pro Prospects

LT – Dejon Allen – 6’3 290, Senior

I thought Allen played an outstanding game against UMass.  He’s a versatile player, having played guard before at Hawaii.  He was on the blind side this game and showcased very good footwork and athleticism.  Allen gets good pop upon contact, and this really shows itself in the running game where he also excels.  His hands are inconsistent as they tend to get outside the framework of the defender, which could lead to holding calls.  He had one where he was beat initially off the snap and the defender was able to draw the holding call. He’s an A+ drive blocker that keeps his feet moving upon contact.  I also like his eyes and football I.Q. as he was consistently able to read, recognize and recover vs stunts and games up front.

S – Trayvon Henderson – 6’0 200, Senior

Henderson was another premier prospect coming into this game.  He’s a smart football player and plays with a high football I.Q. Henderson is assignment sound vs the run and takes great angles to the football on both ends.  Hawaii moves him all around the secondary and he isn’t awkward in coverage.  He’s smooth in his backpedal but is only ‘ok’ coming out of his breaks. That’s an area where he can get better.  Henderson accelerates extremely well to break up or pick off a pass, and I like how he’s a thumper & sure tackler in space.

Other Prospects that Stood Out with their Play

Hawaii TE Metuisel Unga – 6’5 240, Senior

Caught the game winning touchdown and shows some ability to win inline. He played both inline and flexed in this game.  Unga also runs good routes and is strong at the catch point.

UMass LB Bryton Barr – 6’0 225, Graduate Student

Impressive sideline to sideline speed and showed the ability to shoot the gaps and get to the quarterback. He was the defensive player of the game for the Minutemen.

UMass DE Da’Sean Dwoney, 6’4 230, Senior

He has a solid 1st step and plays with good length. I’d like to see him develop some sort of counter move to his game.

Underclassmen to Keep an Eye On

Hawaii WR John Ursua – 5’10 175, Soph.

Ursua finished the game with 272 yards receiving and a touchdown on 12 receptions. Ursua showed the breakaway speed on an 85-yard touchdown reception and came up with a huge reception late in the 4th quarter that set up the game-winning touchdown. He’s 175lbs but is well-built and runs excellent routes.

Hawaii LB Jahlani Tavai – 6’4 235, Junior

Another young talented player on defense for the Warriors was Jahlani Tavai.  He was the defensive player of the game in my eyes for Hawaii after finishing with 13 tackles, 2 sacks and 2 TFLs.  For a guy that size, I thought he showed tremendous range and athleticism.

UMass QB Andrew Ford – 6’3 205, Junior

Ford impressed me a lot with the way he bounced back from an up-and-down 1st quarter. By the midway point of the 2nd quarter, he was on fire.  Ford finished the game 21/30 for 272 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT.  He showed good athleticism to keep plays alive and good field vision to find the open man downfield once he got outside the pocket.  The left-hander was cool under pressure and got off to a great start to the season.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Grambling State Tigers vs North Carolina Central Eagles (12-17-16)

Grambling State Tigers Pro Prospects

RB – Jestin Kelly – 5’11 240, Senior

Kelly shares time with Martez Carter (Jr) in Grambling’s offense.  Kelly is a solidly built runner that does a great job of physically breaking tackles.  For a 240lb RB, he’s surprisingly explosive. I think he’s a 4.5 40 guy.  You’d like to see him develop a little more ‘wiggle’ to his game.  You can also tell that he’s a guy that’ll get better with each carry. When he was given consecutive carries, he was able to string together positive-plus runs.  I’d liken his game to a Samaje Perine of Oklahoma.  Interested to study more.

WR – Chad Williams – 6’2 195, Senior

This was my first time seeing Williams live, after a couple of viewings on film.  Williams route running was what I came away most impressed with.  He does a very good job of setting up the defensive back on comeback and curl routes.  He’s an “X” (Split End) all day long. I don’t think he has the ‘blazing’ speed/explosiveness that you’d want to see for someone you’d consider as a Z or Slot…which is fine. He’s good enough to make a living as a split.  His hands are tremendous. He’s a 6’2 WR that has the ‘above the rim’ game of a 6’6 wideout.  He wins in that situation 9.5/10.  Williams has great timing and strong hands to win there consistently.  What I’ll be looking back at the film to see is what he brings to the table from a RAC perspective.  Chad Williams is playing in the NFLPA Game.

WR – Verlan Hunter – 6’2 200, Senior

I came away highly impressed with the hands of Hunter. You can make a strong case for him having the best hands in college football.  He’s also a physical wide receiver that shows solid RAC skills.  Hunter has tremendous leaping ability. He’s not the ‘burner’ either, but shows good overall skills to play any one of the 3-4 receiver spots. He reminds me a lot of a Willie Snead-type. Great hand-eye coordination by Hunter. He’s what you can classify as a sleeper and a game, along with a catch like he made in the Celebration Bowl, makes you go add him to your list and check the film.

DL – Lorin Blain Winston – 6’4 295, Senior

This was an excellent game for Blain Winston.  At 6’4 295, he has the size/skills to play anywhere across the defensive line.  That’s what I came away most impressed with in this game, his versatility.  Blain Winston played over the nose and showed the quickness and hand usage to beat the center and/or double team, played over the Guard and showed the ability to ‘shock first’ and extend/rip to get into the backfield, and also over the Tackle and showed the ability to collapse and close to the quarterback.  LBW also showcased great spatial awareness and just overall awareness in finding the ball.  What was impressive was how he consistently made the ‘right’ decision and didn’t lose sight of the ball; which ultimately led to TFLs and tackles. I think you’ll see his name start to garner some buzz later in the process.

DL – Samuel Reese – 6’3 250, Senior

Reese has very good ball get off. He’s initial first step is what gets offensive tackles in trouble.  He also shows great closing speed and acceleration to the ball carrier. I will have to further study his game to see if he has capability to be a stand-up edge rusher or will he have to settle in as an undersized, situational DE.  I thought he played the run extremely well vs NCCU.

LB – Arkez Cooper – 6’3 225, Senior

Arkez Cooper played a great game on both ends of defense vs NCCU.  I thought he was another defender who’s read-and-recognition skills got him involved in a lot of plays.  We saw speed and acceleration help him close on the ball carrier for a TFL, as well as getting to the QB on a blitz. He’s a very good form tackler, who also forced a fumble in this game.  Where I will be going back to the film to learn more about his game is in the pass coverage department.  I also think his frame may be maxed out at 225-230lbs. So, do you make him a WLB, or do you have him continue to play inside? Those are the questions I’ll be looking to answer when I go back and hit the film. This was a great showing for him and he has legit ‘next level’ talent.

S – Guy Stallworth – 6’3 215, Senior

Stallworth has the ‘off the bus’ look to him and when you see him play, it matches that initial thought.  I was more impressed with his ability in deep coverage more so than what he did from a run support aspect in this game.  Stallworth was asked consistently to cover deep over the boundary side, with the occasional assignment in deep coverage.  He’s a smooth athlete that’s able to get in-and-out of his breaks well.  In my opinion, he’d be a solid SS at the next level, even as a “Big Nickel” safety with responsibilities in the box.  Verses the outside run I thought he took really good angles to the ball and was a sure tackler. I also believe he can hold his own in 1-on-1 coverage vs RBs, TEs and some bigger WRs.

FS – Jameel Jackson – 6’1 200, Senior

More along the lines of your classic FS, Jackson was able to display above-average range getting sideline-to-sideline. I also thought his ability to recognize-and-drive on the football was A+.  There were a few times in the game where Jackson eliminated options for QB Marcus Bell by quickly reading and getting over top of what looked to be a primary read.  I think from a coverage standpoint, you can also trust him in the slot vs WRs. Very fluid athlete with ball skills. Jackson had an interception in this game as well and showed good skills as an alley defender.

North Carolina Central Eagles Pro Prospects

QB – Malcolm Bell – 6’1 200, Senior

This was my first viewing of Bell’s game from a scouting perspective. I’ve watched NCCU over the last two seasons from an analyst standpoint and I’ve been on record saying how much Bell has improved his game over last season. This was a great showing from him from a reading the field standpoint and mental toughness standpoint.  First, the athleticism he has at the position is clearly evident. Bell has cat-like quickness to get himself out of trouble and above-average short-area burst to split defenders.  From a passing standpoint, he shows the ability to throw with touch at all three levels.  Certain routes he tends to flatline, which could cause tipped passes.  He throws well on the move to either side.  At times he’ll force a throw over the middle of the field that’ll get him into trouble, but overall, he has all of the requisite tools you need to succeed at the next level.  I came away very impressed how he handled the blitz and 3rd downs.  This is where the mental toughness part came into play. Bell routinely ‘did what he had to do’ to keep plays and drives alive.  I think he still has growth in his game.

C – Carl Jones – 6’2 285, Senior

Big fan of the athleticism of Carl Jones.  That athleticism allows him to be able to get out and around on both run plays and in pass pro.  He’s good at recognizing and picking up DL stunts.  I was impressed with his hands and punch. Jones shows a quick, compact punch that allows him to get control of the defensive linemen, when then allows him to get movement.  At times you’ll see him play a little high, but for the most part, he gets great knee bend and is in a position of power. He shows a mean streak that you like to see from interior lineman as well.

DL – Frederick Henry-Ajudua – 6’2 255, Senior

Henry-Ajudua has a good feel for front seven play. He had 6 tackles, 2 TFLs and a sack in this game. I’d be interested to find out more about his athletic background because he has tremendous athleticism. I honestly think he could function as a stand up edge rush guy at the next level.  Very good COD skills as well.  Where you want to see him get better is transferring speed to power better and also developing a counter move once his initial is stonewalled.

Top Juniors to Keep an Eye on for 2018

NCCU CB Mike Jones – 5’10 190

Grambling RB Martez Carter – 5’7 190

Grambling QB Devonte Kincade – 6’2 190

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Army Black Knights vs Navy Midshipmen (12/10/16)

Army Black Knights Pro Prospects

LB – Andrew King – 6’0 245, Senior

King is an ideal 4-3 Mike Backer.  I thought he did a very good job sifting through the trash and finding the ball carrier.  He’s a sure tackler and delivers good ‘pop’ upon contact.  Obviously, I didn’t learn a lot about his ability in pass coverage – that’s something I’ll go back to the tape and study, and also something that I’ll be sure to keep an eye on at the East West Shrine Game.  I also thought he moved well sideline-to-sideline for a guy that’s 245 pounds.  King is also an above average blitzer showing a good, powerful first step.

S – Xavier Moss – 6’2 204, Senior

Moss has very good athleticism. He started his career as a WR and had 460 yards as a freshman.  In this game, I was mostly impressed with his ability to ‘make the play that was there to be made’;  He stuck his nose in there to force a fumble; got over top of a post route to make an interception and also was very active vs the run.  I think he’s a SS and Big Nickel LB/S as a pro.  He’s not overly explosive, but he does ‘get there’ in time. Being a former WR helps him in the ball skills department.  With some additional technical work, you can trust him one-on-one vs WRs; but right now, he’s best covering TEs and RBs.  This was a great game for him.

WR – Edgar Poe – 6’4 216, Senior

I like Poe’s game. I actually think he’d be a great Y/HB in the NFL. IMO he has the frame to get up to about 235. He’s not overly sudden or explosive, more of a build-up speed type of a guy, but he has very good hands and understands how to use his frame to gain leverage.  Playing in this option offense also explains why his run blocking is where it currently is.  He has returned kicks and punts at Army, which speaks to his athleticism, but I do think as an ‘inside receiver’ or ‘F’ and HB is where his future lies.

Navy Midshipmen Pro Prospects

WR – Jamir Tillman – 6’4 212, Senior

Tillman has good all-around game. I think he’s your ideal ‘Z’ or Flanker at the next level.  He has good acceleration into his route and does a great job of eating up cushion.  After the catch, he’s a guy that runs with a purpose.  From a technical standpoint, Tillman is able to consistently extend away from his body and makes the catch and does a great job of walling off a defensive back.  He’s not super agile and takes a while to gear down and make a cut, but he does have good enough acceleration to pull away from angles.  I think he’ll work out well for scouts. He’s a solid receiver prospect in this draft class.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Temple Owls vs East Carolina Pirates (11-26-16)

Temple Owls Pro Prospects

DE – Praise Martin-Oguike – 6’1 255, Senior

I came away highly impressed with Martin-Oguike’s game.  The term “relentless” gets tossed around a lot, but this is exactly who-and-what he was in this game.  They say that ‘hustle gets you wherever you want to go on a football field’ and why PMO has hustle, he also has the skill to go along with it.  Being 6’1 gives him an advantage turning the corner on taller OTs and at 255, he has enough girth and functional strength to take advantage of his leverage when bull rushing an OL.  He had 2 sacks in this game and 5 solo tackles.  Just from this initial view, he reminds me of Arizona Cardinals EDGE Markus Golden.

DE – Haason Reddick – 6’1 235, Senior (2nd Look)

This was my 2nd up close look at Reddick’s game. The first time (vs USF), I paid attention to mostly how he was as a pure pass rusher/edge defender.  In this game, Temple utilized him mainly in space over receivers/Tight ends.  He’s really comfortable in that capacity and moves well in space.  He made a couple of plays in that role – which was very good to see. It shows that he can make that move completely to OLB with ease.  He plays the run a lot better when he’s off the LOS as opposed to having to get off a block first with an OL. He’s listed at 235, but I think he’s a more natural 220-225 player; which is fine, but I think that clearly defines where he’ll be mostly evaluated at as he goes through the process. This was a good game for him.

CB – Nate Hairston – 6’0 193, Senior

I was intrigued with Hairston’s game after this one. He’s a bigger corner that was matched up mainly against the super talented Zay Jones (when he was on the boundary).  I thought Hairston more than held his own against Jones and also against Jimmy Williams.  He’s very fluid in transition and shows good footwork in the short-area zone department.  He’s a guy that I’ll have to study more in-depth to get a good read on, but initially, he impressed.

East Carolina Pirates Pro Prospects

WR – Zay Jones – 6’1 197, Senior

Jones came into this game with a lot of fanfare – rightfully so, and lived up to the pregame billing.  Jones is also heading to the Senior Bowl.  Jones is a lot like former Pirate WR Justin Hardy (Falcons) from a route running perspective.  He’s consistently able to create separation from the defender vs man coverage and also able to find himself open vs zone as well.  He’s a natural hands catcher that’s able to pluck the ball out of the air in 50/50 situations, track-and-catch the ball well over his shoulders and also make out-of-radius grabs as well.  He’s quicker and shiftier than Hardy, so you can understand why a lot of scouts are high on him. He also set the single-season FBS receptions record in this ball game.

WR – Jimmy Williams – 5’11 194, Senior

Great set of hands here.  He took full advantage of the opportunities because of the coverage tilted toward Zay Jones.  Williams is very good after the catch as well and shows a good job using his body to keep the defender at bay. He’s an outside receiver all day at the next level and shows ‘want-to’ in the blocking department.

NT – Demetri McGill – 6’1 295, Senior

McGill was a very disruptive force against the Owls. He has really good ball get off (BGO) and is able to hold his own at the POA.  His size may suggest 3T, but his skills suggest that he can play all over.  Now, I couldn’t tell the length of his arms from up in the press box, but I was impressed how he was able to consistently control the OL with hands and shows a great deal of technique in the trenches.  I’ll add him to my list of DT prospect to further evaluate moving forward. Impressive game.

P – Worth Gregory – 6’3 210, Senior

Not much of a ‘scouting report’ per se, but Gregory boots the ball extremely well!  He gets great hang time on his punts as well as distance.  He limited the dangerous Owls punt return game to only 1 for 3 yards.  With an average of 46.2 and a long of 54, in my opinion, Gregory is a legit defensive weapon.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Villanova Wildcats vs St. Francis Red Flash (11-26-16)

Villanova Wildcats Pro Prospects

DE – Tanoh Kpassagnon – 6’7 290, Senior

Kpassagnon has already accepted a Senior Bowl invite.  Kpassagnon is a legit 6’7 and carries his 290lbs very well; which leads you to believe that he can add more weight to his frame.  When he’s able to extend and use his length to his advantage, it’s very tough for an OL to block him.  You can see that he’s able to transfer speed-to-power very well and shows great closing speed to the QB. In my opinion, I think he’s better served on the outside as a 7T as opposed to a 5T or 4i. I don’t feel as though he’s ‘there yet’ to play slightly inside because he has to continue to get better with pad level.  On the outside (where he got 2 of his sacks in this game), it allows him the opportunity to get his hands on the OL, counter, extend, read the play a lot quicker.  However, on a few occasions when lined up inside, and he did everything well from a technique standpoint, he was able to completely eliminate a gap.  So, that alone tells you that he ‘can’ do it…he just has to become more consistent in doing so.  Again, you can understand why he’s got a lot of buzz in the scouting community and why pro scouts like his ‘upside’.  Speaking with him back in the summer at CAA Media Day, he’s also football-smart and a student of the game.  That tells you a lot about how bad he wants to get better.

LB – Austin Calitro – 6’0 245, Senior

Calitro has tremendous acceleration for the position. He closes extremely well to the ball carrier and usually arrives in a bad mood.  Personally, I think he’s a 2-down type backer that does show some ability to pressure the QB on A-B gap blitzes.  He’s ‘ok’ in space as he tends to guess, which ultimately exposes his ‘ok’ lateral agility.  I like his ability to cover one-on-one, but zone is where he can get into a bit of trouble.  Calitro is also on Kickoff Coverage.  Stylistically, he’s similar to last year’s backer Don Cherry, but Cherry was a little bit better overall in coverage. Calitro has played multiple positions for the Wildcats defense and that has helped in him gaining versatility.  You can see him as a SAM or MIKE in the NFL.

LT – Brad Seaton – 6’7 310, Senior

What I like most about Seaton is that his feet are non-stop through blocks.  He does a great job of washing DL in the run game. He gets really good pop initially, which allows him to win early, and run his feet to win late.  He’s not overly quick/sudden, which causes an issue in pass protection vs quicker DEs.  Also, the recovery when beat initially in pass pro is also a question.  I can actually see him excelling inside as a LG in a zone blocking scheme. He moves well enough, quick enough with his hands and feet in tight quarters to gain an advantage on the defender.

St. Francis Red Flash Pro Prospects

FS – Lorenzo Jerome – 6’0 195, Senior

Jerome didn’t start the game, nor play for the first 3-4 series.  Once he got into the game, he made an immediate impact making a great open-field tackle on a bubble screen.  He’s playing the field side, mostly in the slot.  I like his read-and-recog skills and he also takes really good angles to the football. I don’t believe he’s a ‘true’ free safety by definition, but he’s an ideal 3rd safety, situational cover guy as well.  I was also impressed with his ability to bring pressure off the edge.  Although he didn’t do it in this game, he’s a really good kickoff return man.  His game reminds me a lot of current New York Giants safety Andrew Adams.  He’s definitely more safety than corner in my opinion. Great zone player as well because of his instincts and ball skills.

Junior Prospects that Stood Out

Villanova TE Ryan Bell – 6’3 230

Bell had a great game against St. Francis (5 receptions 111 yards and 2 touchdowns). He caught the ball very well away from his body and showed really good RAC skills as well. One of his touchdowns was a 53-yard catch-and-run where he weaved through traffic and also pulled away from a defender.  He’ll definitely be one to earmark for next season.

St. Francis RB Marcus Bagley – 5’11 230

Bagley hits the hole with a purpose and picks up speed pretty quickly.  For a 230lb back, Bagley runs like a 185lb’er – from a speed and quickness perspective.  The Red Flash uses multiple backs, but Bagley is a guy that has legit ‘next-level’ game.  Keep an eye on him for 2018.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Penn Quakers vs Harvard Crimson (11-11-16)

Penn Quakers Pro Prospects

QB – Alek Torgersen – 6’3 230, Senior

I’ve become more impressed with the arm of Torgersen with each viewing.  It’s cliche to say that “he can make any and every throw on the field”, but it’s true. You notice the difference in the velocity from the other QBs when he’s throwing the quick screen. The ball gets to the receiver fast enough to where he can have a chance to do something with it after the catch.  Torgersen throws with a lot of confidence as well.  He’s money on all in-breaking routes and bucket throws. Where you want to see him grow his game is by adding a little bit more arc on certain passes. A lot of times, it’s frozen ropes all over the field that narrowly miss the defender.  I do like that he’s not afraid to make the ‘tough’ throw.  That’ll help him out moving forward as that is a key trait needed to beat pressure in the pros.

Harvard Crimson Pro Prospects

TE/HB – Anthony Firkser – 6’3 230, Senior

You can see why there is a lot of scouting buzz around Firkser.  He has very good speed for the position.  Harvard uses their HBs a lot all across the field to try and create mismatches, Firkser gives them a chance to be successful.  When in the slot, if defenders play off, he’s able to eat up cushion very well. If they play tight, he’s able to use his quickness to get a step on the defender and his speed to pull away.  In my opinion, he has better overall hands than Braunecker of last season.  Blocking is where you would like to see him become much more consistent.  It’s mostly being consistent with his hands; they tend to be all over the place which causes him to lose defenders or not get the ‘best’ block on them.  Out of the last 4 Harvard TEs/HBs we’ve seen over the last 4-5 seasons (Jusczcyk/Brate/Braunecker/Firkser), I’d say he’s somewhere in between the 1st two.

LT – Max Rich – 6’7 315, Senior

For a guy that is 6’7 315, he’s got very good athleticism and is able to climb to the 2nd level with ease. I like his ability to pick up stunts/twists with ease. Where he has room to grow is with hand usage and extended his arm upon contact. Too often, you’ll see him catch the defender – and while for the most part he’s able to stalemate, it doesn’t allow him to get movement/redirect.  He has good strength and does well when he’s firing off the ball in the run game.  I’ll have to hit the tape more to fully dive more into his game. This was my first viewing of what he has/is as a player.

Junior Prospects that Stood Out

Harvard RG Larry Allen Jr. – 6’4 285.

He’s as athletic as his father. That could essentially be his scouting report. I was highly impressed with his foot quickness, agility and speed to get out-and-around on pulls/traps. Allen moves a lot like Firkser in that regard.  He gets very good pop upon contact and his really good functional strength. We’ll see if he’ll add more weight in the offseason as I think he could still fill out his frame.  I also think he has the talent/athleticism to succeed at center also.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Columbia Lions vs Yale Bulldogs (10-29-16)

Columbia Lions Pro Prospects

CB – Jared Katz – 6’2 200, Senior

Katz is an impressive prospect. This is my 2nd live viewing of his game (Georgetown).  He’s a legit 6’1 1/2 – 6’2 and about a good 195lbs.  What stands out to me is how impressive his footwork is for a guy his size.  Columbia asked him to press 95% of the game, which shows you how much faith they have in his man skills.  He’s primarily the field corner in their defense and shows the ability to turn and run with the receiver with ease.  I feel as though he has really good, not great speed.  He does show good plant-and-drive acceleration to the ball carrier.  Katz is able to redirect/re-route the receiver with his hands or without touching him.  I question his suddenness in transition, but for the most part, he’s solid in the coverage department. Ball skills fall right in line with the average corner. Sometimes he’ll get his head around, sometimes he’ll stay in phase.  Overall, he’s a solid and polished prospect and has a bright football future.

Yale Bulldogs Pro Prospects

LB – Victor Egu – 6’4 235, Senior

Egu is probably a throwback in the sense that he actually “seeks out” the ball carrier in the run game.  He brings good pad level upon contact and gets through the trash very well.  His lateral agility is a bit average to me as he’s not overly sudden.  He’s better going downhill as opposed to having to suddenly change direction. Egu shows really good acceleration to the ball carrier and has very good ‘pop’ upon contact. Very strong hitter.  He rarely misses a one-on-one opportunity.  He forced a fumble in this game as well.  I think he’s an ILB in a 3-4 and a Mike in a 4-3 at the next level.

DE – Marty Moesta – 6’6 254, Senior

Moesta just kept flashing throughout the game. He just finds the football very well, which tells you that he’s playing with his eyes.  Good hand usage to disengage from blocks and plays with length.  I will have to watch another game of his to get a feel for whether or not he can be a standup edge guy or strictly 4-3 defensive end.

Other Players that Stood Out with their Play

Columbia LB – Gianmarco Rea – 6’2 235, Senior

11 Tackles on the game by Rea, 7 of which were solo stops.  This was impressive.  He also had 2 TFL.  So, as far as “flashing” is concerned, he did that and now he’s someone I’ve added to my Senior list to go and do some more film study on.

Columbia DT – Lord Hyeamang – 6’4 280, Junior

I came away highly impressed with Hyeamang’s game.  He’s extremely quick off the ball and shows the ability to split double-teams.  On one particular play, he beat the double-team en route to a TFL.  Although he’s playing the Nose/Shade in this defense, I think he’s able to play anywhere across the defensive interior. He’ll be one to watch for 2018.

Yale CB Jason Alessi – 6’0 190, Junior

Here’s another player that thoroughly impressed.  “Finds the ball” is what I have written down multiple times by his number. Alessi had an interception and a couple of spectacular pass break ups.  I think he’s a solid zone corner with terrific quicks and instincts.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Maryland Terrapins vs Michigan State Spartans (10-22-16)

Maryland Terrapins Pro Prospects

CB – Alvin Hill – 5’11 200, Senior

This was a very impressive game for Hill.  He showcased a wide array of skills from defending the run to pass coverage.  Hill had a big TFL on an outside stretch run, a pass breakup as well as an interception.  I thought he showed good, fluid hips and the ability to turn and find the ball.  This was my first exposure to Hill’s game and will be looking forward to studying him more the rest of the way.

Michigan State Spartans Pro Prospects

S – Demetrious Cox – 6’1 197, Senior

Cox played as good of a game that you could from the FS spot.  He takes really good angles to the ball and also shows above-average ability vs the run.  I was highly impressed with his ability to shrink space and then show control to square up and make a tackle.  Very good acceleration as well.

Junior Prospects and Other Stand Outs

Michigan State DE – Malik McDowell – 6’6 276, Junior

McDowell was the headliner prospect heading into this game and you can see why NFL Scouts rave about him.  What instantly stands out to you is his overall athleticism. Great initial ‘BGO’ (Ball Get Off), he shows the ability to play with length and despite being 6’6 276, he moves and is built like an outside linebacker.  However, outside of all the athletic gifts, the football skills is where you want to see improvement in his game.  He has to develop a counter move when he’s stonewalled initially, has to be able to use his hands well and must become more of a tackler than a hitter.  McDowell can be disruptive, but has to also show better awareness in finding the football.

Michigan State RG – Brian Allen – 6’2 304, Junior

Allen is a tremendous athlete on the inside.  He consistently connected on pulls, traps and executed combo blocks flawlessly. Where you want to see him improve is with his functional strength. I believe he still has much more room to grow in that area, but you can see the good overall skill set that he possesses.

Michigan State RB LJ Scott – 6’1 230, Soph.

I like what I’ve seen of Scott over the last two season.  For a bigger back he has ‘smaller back’-like footwork.  Scott also has a 2nd gear to help pull away from defenders.  He has above-average vision and a unique ability to reach a backside cut that from the naked eye looks physically impossible to do.

Maryland QB Perry Hills – 6’2 213, Senior

I thought this was the best game I’ve seen Hills play. This was a good piece of quarterbacking by Hills. He was efficient, he ran when he had too and most importantly, he protected the football.  If he can continue on this trajectory, he can make himself into a prospect in a senior class that doesn’t have ‘star’ power.  Last season he had 8 Touchdowns and 13 Interceptions; this year he has 8 TDs and only 2 INTs.  He’s playing really good ball this year.

Maryland Terrapins Young Stable of Backs

Sophomore Ty Johnson (5’10 205), Freshmen Lorenzo Harrison (5’8 193) and Jake Funk (5’11 207) are all very impressive.  Harrison and Johnson combined for 220 yards on the ground on only 26 carries.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Temple Owls vs South Florida Bulls (10-21-16)

Temple Owls Pro Prospects

QB – Phillip (PJ) Walker – 5’11 206, Senior

Phillip Walker is a 4-year starter and has had a lot of success in the resurrection of this Owls program.  He’s 23-21 as a starter and has thrown 63 touchdowns and 41 interceptions.  Walker has a good, live arm; the ball just hops off his hand. He’s very decisive with his passes and shows good touch going down the sideline on bucket throws in between a Cover 2 corner/safety, good on corner routes and throws a really good seam pass.  Great athleticism as well. People will knock his height, but it isn’t a hinderance to his ability to throw the football.  Walker also shows really good leadership and calm in the face of pressure.  This is my 5th time seeing him play over the course of 3 seasons and in my opinion, he has NFL-skills.  He’s Josh Johnson-like in my opinion.

RB – Jahad Thomas – 5’10 188, Senior

Thomas is super elusive and has tremendous burst out of his cuts.  I would describe him as having ‘loose ankles’ with the way he’s able set up defenders in space, and in the hole.  Thomas has value as a return man as well, both kickoff and punt returns.  And for a guy that’s 188lbs, he’s a pretty good short yardage, goal line runner. I really like his feel for the run game.  I can foresee him as a solid #2/#3 back at the next level.  In this game, you saw Temple move him around the formation a bit, trying to get him some looks as a receiver in the slot.  He’d also be a good Slot Back in the CFL as well.

LT – Dion Dawkins – 6’5 320, Senior

Very good athleticism coming from Dawkins.  He keeps his feet moving through blocks and is able to consistently turn a defensive lineman.  You can foresee him being a guy that can play multiple spots up front and shows the ability to get out on the move in the running game. Good functional strength.  In pass pro, he was able to anchor vs the bull rush and also able to mirror and get his hands on the speed rusher first to ride/wash him away.  He is, in my opinion, a definite Tier 1 all-star game invite.

DE/OLB – Haason Reddick – 6’1 235, Senior

Reddick played both DE and OLB in this game and has very good athleticism.  I don’t think he’s overly stout at the P.O.A., that’ll be an area where I’d like to see him improve as the season rolls on.  I think he’s a WLB all day long.  Reddick is also a bit inconsistent in finding the ball.  He had some issues defending the zone read in this ball game.  But, in straight up, traditional run plays where he had to squeeze a gap and chase a run play down from the backside, he was able to excel every time.

South Florida Bulls Pro Prospects

WR – Rodney Adams – 6’1 190, Senior

I was highly impressed with Adams’ game. He’s a smooth route runner that’s able to control gears really easily.  Good burst/explosiveness out of his break.  Adams has really good concentration and good hands.  I also like his athleticism in being to contort his body to make a tough/difficult catch.  The Bulls utilize his athleticism in the kickoff return game as well.

Underclassmen and Other Prospects that Stood Out

South Florida RB – Marlon Mack – 6’0 210, Junior

Mack is one of the most impressive backs in college football and shows elite-level burst and acceleration.  His 2nd gear, and 3rd gear, is impressive.  Mack has been productive since his freshman season and has gotten better every year.

South Florida CB Deatrick Nichols – 5’10 189, Junior

Big fan of Nichols game and how effective he is in run support.  Routinely throughout the game he was asked to cover the field side without safety help and more than held his own.

South Florida QB Quinton Flowers – 6’0 210, Junior

You can see the influence new QB Coach, and former NFL QB, Shaun King has had on the progression of Flowers game. He looks like a more patient player that goes through his progressions first before taking off. He’s also showing the ability to extend the play rather than just flat out scramble without checking his passing options.  I’ll be interested to see how he is able to grow his game even more as a senior.

Temple WR Ventell Bryant – 6’3 190, R-Soph

Bryant may be the best WR the Owls have had during Rhule’s tenure.  He’s extremely athletic and plays big.  He showed the ability to catch the ball in traffic and away from his body;  Bryant also has a lot of savvy in his route running ability.

Temple RB Ryquell Armstead – 5’11 205, Soph.

Armstead stole the show in this game rushing for over 200 yards on the ground, averaging 10.5 yards per carry.  He has very good run power and the long speed to pull away from defenders.  Armstead runs with good pad level and balance; I think the Owls will be in great hands once Jahad Thomas graduates.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Boston College Eagles vs Clemson Tigers (10-7-16)

Boston College Eagles Pro Prospects

QB – Patrick Towles – 6’5 253, Senior

As far as “looking the part” goes, Towles definitely checks off that box. He’s a big kid with very good athleticism.  The mobility he possesses actually helped him extend plays, and drives, in this game for BC.  I thought he saw the field well as he was able to spot the open receiver consistently. At times, he was a little gun shy of making a ‘tight window’ throw, choosing to tuck and run instead.  Towles has a HUGE arm. Very effortlessly able to make a far has throw.  I think he has some ‘workwithable’ traits at the next level.  His play reminded me of another recent graduate transfer at BC in Tyler Murphy. This offense really helps him smooth out his game from what we saw at Kentucky.

LB – Matt Milano – 6’1 221, Senior

Milano had a really good night from an athletic standpoint.  He’s built like a strong safety, runs like one too, but plays SLB for BC.  I thought he showed extreme comfort in space; both in coverage and vs the run.  Above-average sideline-to-sideline speed.  This was a good opponent to face because of how much they spread the field.  I also thought he was a sure open-field tackler as well.

FS – John Johnson – 6’0 202, Senior

Johnson showed really good instincts vs the Tigers.  He’s also a very good tackler in the open field showing patience against the ball carrier and not being too aggressive which would’ve led to a lot of whiffs.  I think he has ‘ok’ COD skills and range. I feel like he’s more of a 3rd safety, in-the-box type as opposed to the traditional FS we saw last year with Justin Simmons.

DE – Harold Landry – 6’3 250, Junior

Landry was the star of the night for BC.  What you saw from him was great ball get off, very good football awareness, and a guy that knows how to play with length.  Landry did a great job vs the Zone Read of Clemson; also showing good COD skills.  He’s a ‘finisher’ that has great closing speed to the QB and was in the face of Deshaun Watson all game.  You want to see him develop a counter move when his initial dip-under is stymied or taken away.  That’s an area of his game where you’d like to see growth.  He’s a disruptive presence on both ends of defense.  This was a really good showing for him.

Clemson Tigers Pro Prospects

QB – Deshaun Watson – 6’2 215, Junior

Watson was the premier player in this game.  18 NFL Scouts were on hand to see what he (and others) brought to the table.  His deep ball placement was consistently on point vs BC. I also think he has above-average arm strength.  Like most QBs, when he has perfect mechanics (lower body), the ball comes out with great velocity and the placement is where it needs to be. It’s obvious that Watson is a tremendous athlete, but what was great about this game is that there weren’t a lot of designed QB runs, which in my opinion, kept his passing sharp throughout the game.  Watson made 3 big time throws (all touchdowns) in this one and I left the game with a good feeling about his trajectory moving forward.

RB – Wayne Gallman – 6’0 210, Junior

Gallman was very impressive against BC.  He has a really good burst and run power.  He’s a lot like former Florida State RB Karlos Williams in that regard.  His vision and footwork are always in unison and does a great job of finding positive yards.  As I dive deeper into his game, I’ll be looking to see more of what he brings to the table as a receiver and pass protector.

WR – Mike Williams – 6’3 225, Junior

Williams has really good quickness off the ball.  For a bigger WR, that’s an impressive trait to have as it helps him create separation.  I wanted to see him play his size in this game and he did exactly that by high pointing the football for a touchdown and also laying out for a 50-yard reception, ala Desmond Howard vs Notre Dame.  Both of which were highly impressive receptions.  Williams also has very good athleticism. I think he’s strictly an Split End.  Despite the athleticism, I don’t necessarily see the fluidity needed to be moved around the formation.  I thought this was his best game, from a complete standpoint, of the season.

TE – Jordan Leggett – 6’5 260, Senior

Leggett is one of the best TEs in the country.  He’s a very fluid athlete that has soft hands.  What I saw in this game was that he was a great open field runner.  He had a 56 yard catch-and-run for a touchdown. Although it was a busted coverage, he ran and weaved his way through traffic like a WR for the score.  As a position blocker I thought he did well; showing the ability to cut off or wall off defenders.

OC – Jay Guillermo – 6’3 310, Senior

I thought Guillermo played a great game.  He consistently got movement on running plays, showing great knee bend and hand placement.  In that respect it was almost clinic-tape worthy. In pass pro, I think he did ‘ok’.  He didn’t give up any sacks, but wasn’t able to reset feet or hands a couple times and got walked back pretty easily.  You’d like to see him be able to anchor, reset and redirect in that case.  Overall, he showed good athleticism and read-and-recog skills.

OG – Tyrone Crowder – 6’2 340, Junior

Another good showing from an interior OL.  Crowder works really well on double-teams and combo blocks. He’s able to take on half-a-man and work to the 2nd level with ease.  He also got a ton of movement up front in the run game and I thought he was much better in pass pro, showing good power and control, than Guillermo.

LB – Ben Boulware – 6’0 235, Senior

Boulware finished with 9 tackles on the evening, 6 solo stops.  I wanted to see him be a bit more ‘impactful’ vs the run.  I felt like he waited a lot for the ball carrier to arrive and not meet him in the hole.  He does a good job of not allowing plays to ‘pop free’; doing a great job of either funneling back to help or closing the door on the play.  As I study him moving forward, I’ll be looking for him being a much more stout run defender.

CB – Cordrea Tankersley – 6’1 200, Senior

I thought Tankersley played a really good game.  He’s a big corner that has very good footwork and technique.  He wasn’t tested in the passing game because of the style in which BC plays.  But in watching him vs the WRs, he was able to get the to redirect without touching them and was able to mirror, plant and accelerate very well.  In the run game is where I was very impressed.  Tankersley is an above-average tackler in the open field, and you have to be vs Boston College.  Good, strong run defender.

SS – Jadar Johnson – 6’0 210, Senior

Johnson’s game reminded me of another former Clemson SS in DeAndre McDaniel.  He’s a strong safety with good coverage skills.  He showed the ability to plant-and-accelerate well. Good range and eyes. You can trust him back deep in certain situations.  Johnson is also a sure tackler that doesn’t fold/look awkward in space as he’s coming downhill in the alley to make a tackle.  I was very impressed.

Other Players that Raised Eyebrows with their Play

Boston College OG Chris Lindstrom – 6’4 298, Soph,

Clemson LB Kendall Joseph – 6’0 230, Soph.

Clemson CB – Ryan Carter – 5’9 180, Jr.

Boston College LB Ty Schwab – 6’0 229, Jr.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Monmouth Hawks vs Fordham Rams (10-1-16)

Monmouth Hawks Pro Prospects

DE – Darnell Leslie – 6’2 235, Senior

Leslie played an outstanding game vs Fordham.  From his build and how he plays, he’s likely an OLB convert as a pro. Or, if he wants to remain as a defensive end, he’d be a great one in the CFL.  Leslie shows great ball get off and good closing speed to the QB.  He has a solid ‘dip under’ move that helped him get to the QB numerous times in the game.  Where you like to see him improve is developing better hand usage if/when his initial move is stonewalled.  He’s an active guy vs the run who doesn’t let his size dictate how he plays in that aspect.  I thought he was very stout at the P.O.A.  From a movement standpoint, I thought he was a fairly decent athlete.  He moves well in space to where I think he could survive as a SLB.  In a game where they needed him to make big plays, he made them throughout. He’s got next level ability.

Other Monmouth Prospects of Note

Senior DT Dimitrius Smith – 6’2 307

Smith came up big on the last two drives as he collected 2 sacks.  For the majority of the game, his responsibility was to mainly occupy blockers to free up opportunities elsewhere. I’ll have to dig into the film more to get a better sense of what he can do as a football player.

Junior Safety Mike Basile – 6’1 200

Basile has very good ability in run support.  As an alley defender or WLB in certain looks, he excelled.  Basile is extremely solid in space vs the run. Rarely out of position or missing a tackle, he’s going to be on the radar for most next season.  Good Football I.Q.

Sophomore WR Reggie White Jr. – 6’3 195

This was my 1st exposure to White’s game and I was highly impressed. He’s a ‘hands catcher’ and shows the versatility to play multiple receiving spots.  I thought the most impressive part of his game was his RAC skills and speed. For a 6’3, long-legged athlete, he’s extremely sudden and shows above-average acceleration to pull away from defenders. Keep an eye on him moving forward. He has star potential.

Sophomore QB Cody Williams – 6’4 200

Williams has shown a lot of growth in such a short period of time.  What was impressive in this game was how he handled the critical situations (3rd downs, red zone, overtime).  If he can continue to grow in the right direction, not only will Monmouth see more statistical performances like he enjoyed in this game, but he’ll raise his draft stock over the next 2 seasons.

Fordham Rams Pro Prospects

TE – Phazahn Odom – 6’8 245, Senior

Odom was the premier draft prospect in this game that has drawn a lot of interest from NFL Scouts.  First of all, he ‘looks the part’.  Odom is all of six feet-eight inches.  He’s a physically imposing player that, in my opinion, has made some strides in the blocking department.  That’s what I wanted to see from him coming into this game.  Last year, you didn’t see that ‘want to’ in his blocking.  He was much better in that area vs Monmouth.  His receiving skills are what you would expect from a TE.  He’s good underneath and in the intermediate game.  Didn’t have a lot of opportunity to play ‘above the rim’ in this matchup.  I think the Fordham coaching staff is playing him exactly where he needs to be: HBack/Inline guy.  I didn’t see the ‘explosiveness’ that warrants him being moved all around the formation. He’s a build-up type runner, that has solid hands. Speaking with some coaches, they think he can easily get up to 270lbs.  I would definitely agree — which makes his improvements in blocking much more important.  Odom is a good prospect.

Other Fordham Prospects of Note

Senior LB George Dawson – 6’2 224

Dawson had a really good showing vs Monmouth.  He was asked to do a lot defensively, which shows his Football I.Q. and his versatility.  He’s a really good athlete that’s solid in space and shows good read-and-recog skills.  You want him to attack more vs the run and not wait for the ball carrier.  He did show some ability as a outside rusher, chasing down a backside run for a TFL.  He also is on the Kickoff Return team.

SR/Junior QB Kevin Anderson – 6’2 215

I like the toughness of Anderson.  He was clutch down the stretch in the 4th quarter when Fordham had to convert 1st downs to get into overtime.  Twice on 4th down he took off and ran for the yardage needed, sacrificing his body in the process.  Anderson throws a good deep ball, showing touch and just enough velocity to where the receiver doesn’t have to break stride.  He’s listed as a senior, but has another year of eligibility, which is good for both he and the Fordham passing game.

Junior RB Chase Edmonds – 5’9 205

Edmonds is a legit gamebreaker.  That’s a simple as I could put it.  What you see from him is ability in all 4 facets: running, blocking, receiving and return game.  He has very good burst and acceleration that allows him the ability to get a quick step on a defender.  He showed that he added some power to his game as he made a few tough runs where he had to run through a defender.  On one particular play, he broke 2 tackles and ran through a 3rd, Herschel Walker style, en route to a 55 yard touchdown run to send the game to overtime.  I think he’s a Senior Bowl-definite type prospect next season.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Princeton Tigers vs Lafayette Leopard (9-17-16)

Princeton Tigers Pro Prospects

QB – Chad Kanoff – 6’4 225, Senior

Kanoff plays in a 2-QB system at Princeton. He’s the “Passer” between he and John Lovett.  Kanoff stands tall in the pocket and has good touch, arc on Flag Routes; showing the ability to drop the ball in the bucket. Also shows a nice piece of anticipation on those throws as well.  His feet never stop moving in the pocket; almost Carson Palmer-like in that capacity.  He can really drive the football. I was impressed with how he he’s able to utilize his athleticism to get out of harms way.  Intrigued me enough to take a 2nd look at his game later on in the season (vs Georgetown).

RB – Joe Rhattigan – 6’0 215, Senior

Rhattigan was the Tigers leading rusher last year averaging 5 yards per carry and ended up with over 130 in this game.  He has very quick feet and shows a good burst through the hole.  He gets very good momentum going as he’s running downhill and is able to break arm tackles with ease.  I don’t know much about his ability as a receiver as I didn’t get to see him much in that capacity in this ball game, but he shows good vision and patience as a runner; also showed the ability to finish runs and close out a game.

LB – Luke Catarius – 6’0 235, Senior

Catarius was highly impressive vs Lafayette.  Catarius gets really good pop upon contact and sniffs out the run extremely well.  I thought he was tremendous all game long verses the run.  He also showed his ability as a blitzer as the Tigers ‘green dogged’ him a couple of times and he affected the play.  In my next viewing, I’ll pay more attention to what he brings to the table in pass coverage. But I like what I initially saw vs the Leopards.

LB – Rohan Hylton – 5’11 225, Senior

Hylton, like Catarius, is a really good backer verses the run and is an excellent form tackler.  There are no additional yards gained after he makes contact.  Hylton showed that he can get through the trash very well from sideline-to-sideline; no false steps in his process. He forced a fumble in this game and was good all-around on both ends.  He plays in the middle, but I can see him playing all 3 backer spots if necessary.

DT – Henry Schlossberg – 6’4 280, Senior

Schlossberg, I thought, had the best night of all of the Princeton Tigers.  He plays the NT position in their 3-4 defense, but he’s a 5T all day long.  Even at the nose, he was able to anchor, hold his own and take on double-team blocks very well. He’s a consistent ‘hands first’ winner and does a great job of using his hands to read what’s going on in the backfield.  Schlossberg shows very good athleticism and pursuit in chasing plays down from the backside.  He also is very active at the LOS with a PBU and QB Hurries on the evening.  Again, I can see him excelling as a 5T or 3T at the next level. This was a very good initial showing for him.

FS – Dorian Williams – 6’2 190, Senior

I like the speed in which Williams plays the game. He’s ‘football fast’.  Princeton moved him around the secondary throughout the game. Sometimes he played deep third, other times he was isolated in the slot. This was actually a good opponent to see him against because of how Lafayette spreads the field.  He has very good acceleration coming off the edge on a blitz and in the alley verses the outside run.  He has good initial quicks and burst out of his backpedal. Picked off a pass in the game that came off of a tip. Initially, he shows some Justin Simmons-like range. He also doesn’t miss any solo tackle opportunities.

Lafayette Leopards Pro Prospects

QB – Drew Reed – 6’1 195, Senior

Reed is a fiesty QB. Case Keenum-like resiliency.  He has a small, compact delivery and throws very well down the sidelines. He connected on 3 beautiful deep ball throws in this game.  Reed is also a very good athlete that’s able to extend plays and get himself out of trouble.  I think he has good field vision in locating the open guy and does a great job in working the entire field. He’s a good player that has some skills you’d like to work with as a coach. I’ll get another extended look at his game on October 29th vs Georgetown.

Junior Prospects to Watch

Lafayette’s LB Brandon Bryant – 5’11 225

Bryant was the best defender for the Leopards all game.  He shows very good sideline-to-sideline skills, chasing down numerous plays from the backside. He had a sack in the game because of his non-stop hustle as well as a TFL. He was one of their premier players coming into the game and didn’t disappoint.  You want to see him take on blockers better at the point of attack and that’s what I’ll be keeping an eye on the rest of the way.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Syracuse Orange vs Colgate Raiders (9-2-16)

Syracuse Orange Pro Prospects

WR – Amba Etta-Tawo – 6’2 202, Senior

Etta-Tawo finished this game with over 200 yards receiving.  Most of which came on deep passes (streaks) down the sideline where he got a great release and ran away from the defender.  He tracks the football extremely well on the deep ball and has above-average explosiveness to separate from the defender.  I was also impressed with his body control.  On one particular play, he was able to contort his body, make the contested catch while falling out of bounds, and got a foot in bounds for the reception.  I think he’s going to be ‘the’ deep threat in this offense, and should continue to piece together a nice senior season.  He’s a Maryland transfer that has landed in a good situation.  This game he initially stood out, which warrants more evaluation as we move forward.

Colgate Raiders Pro Prospects

DE – Brett Field – 6’5 275, Senior

Tough opponent to evaluate Field against because of how Syracuse used tempo.  However, Field did finish with three tackles.  Field has great B.G.O (ball get off) and P.O.A. (point of attack) strength.  There were a couple of times where he remained gap sound, which allowed linebackers to make the play.  Again, with the way the Orange offense operates, this was about as much as I could gather from an evaluation standpoint.

LB – Kyle Diener – 6’0 235, Senior

Diener was forced to become the coach on the field, which is impressive in itself because of how the Syracuse offense sped up the pace.  I thought he played a solid game with 2 TFLs, 1.5 sack and 6 solo stops.  Diener flies through gaps and shows good form tackling skills.  He’s not afraid to take on blocks and does a solid job of disengaging from them.  Verses the pass is where you’d like to see him become smoother in his drops.  I think he has an ‘ok’ feel for route concepts.  But again, for the majority of the game it was just about getting guys lined up because of the offense.  When Syracuse slowed down, then you saw his Read-and-Recognition skills vs the run.  So, with both Field and Diener, not a lot you can grab from this game.

Other Senior Prospects that Piqued Interest

Colgate Raiders

QB – Jake Melville – 6’1 200: Melville showed above-average athleticism and toughness.  He does have a good arm, but you want to see more arc and touch on his intermediate-to-deep passes.

Syracuse Orange

WR/Returner – Brisley Estime – 5’9 183:  His speed and short-area burst immediately jumps out at you. He’s an instant offense type of player that has value in the return game, on fly sweeps and short, quick routes that allows him to take advantage of his RAC skills.

Junior Prospects to Keep an Eye On

Syracuse Orange

CB – Corey Winfield – 6’1 190

Winfield played an outstanding game.  He was patient in press coverage; showing the ability to press with his hands and press without touching the WR.  Winfield forced a couple of incomplete passes based off his coverage alone.  Solid mirroring skills and a willing tackler.  I thought he was the best defensive player on the field for the Orange.

Colgate Raiders

DE – Pat Afriyie – 6’2 240

Afriyie was extremely disruptive for the Raiders. He’s their top pass rusher and athlete defensively.  He showed good C.O.D (change of direction) which led to 2 TFLs and 3 solo stops.  His awareness was also where it needed to be as he wasn’t fooled by misdirection plays and did a great job of forcing action away from his side.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Lincoln (PA) Lions vs Cheyney Wolves (9-5-16)

Lincoln (PA) Lions Pro Prospects

RB – Stephen Scott – 5’9 205, Senior

Scott was the best player on the offensive side of the ball for Lincoln. Scott displays the ability to catch the ball in space – more so than your typical swing, screen, flare passes. Scott is a tough inside runner with the ability to plant and accelerate.  I liked what I saw from a vision perspective as well.  In this game Scott was the leading rusher and receiver, showing his value.  One of the very few knocks was that at times, he tried to do too much and ended up taking a couple of losses. This was my first viewing of Scott and I’ll be keeping tabs on his progress moving forward.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: 2015 Celebration Bowl – Alcorn State Braves vs North Carolina A&T Aggies (12-19-15)

Alcorn State Braves Pro Prospects

FS – Anthony Williams Jr. – 5’11 185, Senior

What immediately stands out to you about Williams’ game is his tremendous acceleration. He has very good closing speed to the football; that range helped him make a key interception that jumpstarted the Braves comeback.  Williams also showed his punt return ability by bring one back 84-yards for a touchdown.  In the open field, he squares up properly and makes good form tackles.  Good ability to make plays in space and takes excellent angles to the football. I came away very impressed with his game.

SS – Warren Gatewood – 6’1 193, Senior

Gatewood has above-average coverage skills and is an excellent open field tackler. 8 solo stops in this game.  He didn’t look awkward in space and had 2 pass breakups, one being a touchdown saver. He has potential as a 3rd safety at the next level. Good matchup skills vs Tight Ends and RBs.

North Carolina A&T Aggies Pro Prospects

CB – Tony McRae – 5’9 178, Senior

McRae had a standout performance in my opinion.  He’s a very ‘active’ corner that competes well. Didn’t backdown from a challenge all game long.  McRae was able to win at the catch point vs a WR, in off coverage showing the ability to close on the football.  He’s just a good overall CB. Bright future and is worthy of a look from an NFL team.

Junior Prospect to Watch

North Carolina A&T RB – Tarik Cohen – 5’6 173

Unbelievable game by the diminutive junior tailback.  I think Cohen is a legit 4.3 guy. Don’t let the size fool you as Cohen showed the ability to power through arm tackles. His height does give him a significant advantage because of his ability to hide behind his blockers, dip-and-dart out of traffic and not get ‘knocked over’ instead he gets bumped to the side and keeps his balance. He ran for nearly 300 yards in this game and is firmly on the NFL radar next year.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Pitt Panthers vs Miami Hurricanes (11/27/15)

Pitt Panthers Pro Prospects

WR – Tyler Boyd – 6’2 200, Junior

The Panthers moved Boyd all over the formation from Split-Slot-RB.  The way he’s able to set up defenders with his route running is impressive; that’s definitely a skill you need to be successful as a pro.  Boyd has A+ hands; contested catch or not, he’s equally as comfortable catching the ball.  With the ball in his hands, he’s as smooth of a runner that you’ll ever see.  Very good C.O.D. skills. Like I’ve said before, he’s a Keenan Allen-clone. He’s not a ‘blazer’ and won’t run ‘fast’ for scouts, but his playing speed is all that counts and he’s what you would call ‘football fast.’

CB – Lafayette Pitts – 5’11 195, Senior

Pitts played the Field Side the entire game.  He’s an assignment sound player that’s not fooled by route concepts and route combinations; he stays true to the assignment and coverage.  He’s a little slow in transition and isn’t balanced in his stance – which is probably why he’s tends to struggle in transition.  I think he mirrors receivers well and does a great job in forcing them to alter their route because of it.  I’ll have to dive into more film on him, but I think he may make a better safety than corner.

DE – Ejuan Price – 6’0 250, Senior

Price has really good quickness off the ball and does a great job in getting through traffic pursuing the away run.  I think he’s a SAM backer or LEO as a pro.  He’s got good speed-to-power type rush ability.  Good initial shock at the P.O.A. because of his strong hands.  This was a good technical showing for him.

LB – Nicholas Grigsby – 6’1 220, Senior

Tremendous athlete that didn’t look lost in coverage or in space vs the run.  Grigsby was very disruptive in this game. I really liked how physical he was vs the run. He didn’t try to run around blocks, he took them on in route to making tackles. Good sideline-to-sideline speed and is your quintessential WLB.

Miami Hurricanes Pro Prospects

WR – Rashawn Scott – 6’2 203, Senior

Rashawn Scott has a really good set of hands.  Every time the Canes needed a 3rd down conversion, they went to Scott and he delivered. He showcased really good athleticism on a TD grab getting both feet in bounds while reaching over-and-outside the shoulder for the catch.  Scott also is a ‘sacrificer’ – a guy that doesn’t mind laying out for a catch.  Interested to watch more of him to get a feel for how he’s able to run routes. I did notice however, he’s able to get off press coverage real well.

DT – Calvin Heurtelou – 6’3 315, Senior

Impressive game vs Pitt for Heurtelou.  This was a good matchup because of the style of play coming from the Panthers.  You saw Heurtelou consistently get off blocks and make solo stops vs the run.  Overall, the Canes had issues vs the run but not Heurtelou.  Playing the NT position is all about leverage and fast hands and he was able to show both consistently. Really good showing.

S – Deon Bush – 6’1 205, Senior

Bush was a little banged up in this one (in-game injury I believe) because he was out of the lineup for a good portion of the 3rd QTR.  While he was in, I did take note of how quickly he closes on the ball carrier and how he arrives in a bad mood.  He popped the receiver pretty good on one play (which probably led to an injury), but Bush is a guy that’ll require more tape to get a full feel for his game.

Other Players that Stood Out with Performances

Hurricanes WR Stacy Coley – 6’3 187, Junior

Not many plays to be had for Coley, but you do see the tremendous speed and explosiveness out of his breaks.  That led to a 45 yard reception early in the game.  He had the defender beat by a full 4-5 yards.  Quiet the rest of the day however.

Pitt LB Matt Galambos – 6’2 240, Junior

Galambos was all over the football field. He got great run fits, blitzed with a purpose and was above-average in the pass defense department.  Color me very impressed with his game and he’s firmly on the radar for 2017.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: ECAC D3 Football Bowl Championships (11/20/15 – 11/22/15)

Kean University Cougars Prospects

RB – Kyree Tyson-Jones – 5’10 205, Senior

I came away impressed with KTJ’s vision and footwork. He split carries with starter Damian Corredor, but I thought he displayed enough traits to warrant a more in-depth look at his game on film.

CB – Austin Davis – 5’11 190, Junior

Davis came into the game leading the team in INTs with 8 and was able to get his 9th interception on a beautiful display of both ball skills and awareness.  After the play, WPI didn’t go back to his side the rest of the game.  He’s definitely a prospect to watch in 2017.

S – LeRon Dillard – 5’11 205, Junior

Dillard is another talented player to keep an eye on coming out of this Cougar secondary.  I liked his instincts and ability to get downhill in a hurry.

Alfred University  Saxons Pro Prospects

LB – Corry Wallace – 5’10 240, Senior

Tremendous display of both awareness and athleticism. Wallace picked off 2 passes in this game on outstanding plays. He’s a MLB that you can keep on the field all 3 downs. Verses the running game, he took on blockers well and was very smooth and fluid getting into his drops in coverage.  Wallace nearly had a 3rd INT but couldn’t quite hang on to it.  I think he’s a true sleeper at the position and interested to study more film on him moving forward.

WPI Engineers Pro Prospects

DL – Dereck Pacheco – 6’3 230, Sophomore

Pacheco has a great deal of athleticism and hustle. Only a sophomore, but with the way he can set the edge and chase down the away runs, as he continues to develop, you can see a very good OLB at the next level.

St. John Fisher Cardinals Pro Prospects

QB – Matt Naton – 6’4 245, Senior

I thought Naton saw the field very well. His accuracy and placement outside of the hashes and numbers was on point.  Being a 6’4 245lb QB he didn’t mind standing strong in the pocket in the face of pressure.  He’s not much of a threat to run, but doesn’t mind taking off to pick up those cheap 5-6 yards.  There’s some work-withable traits here for further development.

Westminster College Titans Pro Prospects

DE – Darrin Donkowski – 6’3 230, Senior

Donkowski was consistently in the Cardinals backfield all game long.  He has really good P.O.A. strength and has an array of moves to get to the QB.  He’s a SOLB IMO at the next level or a CFL DE/NLB if he chooses to stay with his hand in the dirt.  Donkowski’s technique was also impressive.

LT – Nick Florentino – 6’4 300, Senior

I thought Florentino moved extremely well for his size. He gets out and around on pulling plays with ease. He played with consistently good pad level throughout the game. He can kick down inside as a guard in my opinion.  It’ll be interesting to see if he garners any interest because he does have the size & athleticism pro scouts covet. Further tape study is needed to breakdown his game.

RPI Engineers Pro Prospects

DE – Anthony Pilla – 5’11 250, Senior

Pilla was a monster in this game. He has natural leverage because of his size and was able to get underneath the pads of OL. He has David Pollack-like athleticism. I think he’s capable of playing both SAM and Mike if need be.  He displays good closing speed to the ball carrier and does an excellent job in taking on blocks.

Bridgewater State Bears Pro Prospects

WR – Dukens Leon – 6’0 190, Junior

Out of the entire weekend, I thought Leon was the best route runner and had the purest hands of everyone.  I came away highly impressed with his ability to toe-tap the sideline while ‘slowing the ball down with his eyes.’  He runs with great control so you never know what route he’s about to run.  I think he definitely has a bright future ahead of him.

Salve Regina Seahawks Pro Prospects

WR – Derrick Sarfo-Darko – 5’11 185, Senior

Sarfo-Darko has very good burst and explosiveness after the catch. He did a great job of climbing and stacking the defensive back on vertical routes while also displaying the ability to make contested catches.  On the underneath routes, Sarfo-Darko’s build allows him to break tackles without losing speed. He also has some potential as a returner.

WR – Alex Hulme – 5’9 180, Senior

Hulme is another well-built WR for the Seahawks. Despite being 5’9, Hulme had no problems playing ‘above the rim’ on multiple occasions.  When they needed a big play, they went to Hulme. He also doubles as the starting KOR and PR. Above-average quickness and burst.

Husson University Eagles Pro Prospects

RB – John Smith – 6’0 210, Sophomore

Arguably the best tailback all weekend.  Smith looks like an Edgerrin James clone with how he runs the ball and what he brings to the table from a vision standpoint.  Smith finished the game with 280 yards rushing and could’ve easily topped 350.  Keep an eye on him for the next 2 seasons.

Buffalo State Bengals Pro Prospects

LB – Shaq Frederick – 6’0 220, Senior

Frederick is listed as a LB but I think he’s your classic SS at the next level. He was constantly involved in the run game and also in pass coverage.  His ability to shrink space was impressive. He’s a fluid athlete that I think has enough talent to get a look-see in camp. Big time fan of his ball skills as well.

LB – Marquis Artis – 5’9 180, Senior

Artis is another S that plays a LB role for the Bengals.  He’s an explosive tackler that’s not afraid to take on OL coming his way.  Artis has tremendous acceleration and closing speed to the ball carrier. He was a Preseason Football Gameplan D3 All-American.

RB – Dale Stewart – 6’0 210, Sophomore

Stewart is a do-it-all player for the Bengals. He’s the starting KOR/PR, he logged a lot of carries in this game – rightfully so because he was extremely productive.  When they needed a big play in the passing game, they lined him up at WR and through him the ball downfield.  He was a nightmare matchup for LBs and S.

Carnegie Mellon Tartans Pro Prospects

RB – Sam Benger – 5’8 185, Sophomore

Benger could quite possibly be compared to guys like Danny Woodhead, Darren Sproles and Brandon Oliver because he’s that type of talent.  He topped 2,000 yards on the season in this game and has everything that you look for in a back: vision, balance, explosiveness and power.  He has next level skills.

WR/KR – Chris Herrera – 5’10 180, Senior

Herrera has game changing speed and acceleration.  When the Tartans wanted a big play in the vertical passing game, they went to Herrera who left the DB by a good 5 yards each time.  He also had a kickoff return for a touchdown.  His speed and return ability should give him a chance at the next level.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Boston College Eagles vs North Carolina State Wolfpack (11-7-15)

Boston College Eagles Pro Prospects (2nd Look)

LB – Steven Daniels – 6’0 245, Senior

Daniels is your classic 4-3 Mike Backer.  I thought he was a little bit more fluid in this game, especially in the pass defense department; which is good for him because it shows you can leave him on the field all 3 downs.  Verses the run it was more of the same. Daniels is a throwback that looks to hit, which is a trait I like in backers.  He does a really good job in getting off blocks to either make the play or alter the play.  He was injured late in the 3rd quarter of this game.

FS – Justin Simmons – 6’3 198, Senior

Another impressive performance in my opinion for Simmons.  His ability to ‘get on his horse’ and get sideline-to-sideline is very impressive. Great range for a FS.  Simmons also shows the ability to hold his own in 1-on-1 coverage.  While he can be a little late in recognizing concepts when asked to play zone, in a single high look, he does fine.  Simmons had an interception in this game and a couple of good sticks vs the run.  I’m a fan of his game and I think he does have NFL traits that coaches could definitely work with.

DE – Mehdi Abdesmad – 6’7 286, Senior

I got a great chance to take a closer look at Abdesmad’s game more so than when I was in attendance vs Florida State.  He’s a legit 6’7 DE.  Abdesmad had a really good game vs NC State. He played with good leverage and length; getting himself a sack and a couple of TFLs.  He’s Canadian born, so I’m pretty sure he’ll also be a really highly-sought after CFL prospect as well.  A far as the NFL game is concerned, I think he’s a strong side defensive end who also can moonlight as a 5 Tech if need be.  Abdesmad has room to add about another 10 pounds without losing any quickness or athleticism.  I’ll hit the film more to get a more narrow scope of his game.

North Carolina State Wolfpack Pro Prospects

QB – Jacoby Brissett – 6’4 235, Senior

The first thing that jumps out at you about Jacoby Brissett is that he has pro game; from the look to the play on the field, he’s a guy that you can see having a 10-year plus career.  I think he’s more comfortable playing under center, turning his back to the defense, resetting his eyes and making a throw. He’s a good rhythm passer.  Brissett has the skills to also excel in the Half Roll/Waggle game.  Good enough athleticism to put on the move.  Brissett throws a perfect deep ball.  He was money on all of the deep ball throws in this game.  Where you see areas of improvement is in the speed of his process.  And it’s not that he takes long to scan the field or read the defense, because he does an excellent job in that area – which is why his TD/INT ratio is what it is – but from the point of view that he’s slow in his delivery and set up.  That causes him to take unnecessary sacks and verses heavy pressure teams, he’ll have some problems in getting the ball out quick. You also want to see him get better and much more consistent on the in-breaking, intermediate throws. That inconsistency is directly tied to his inability to ‘play fast’ because those short-intermediate in-breaking routes requires you to be sharp, compact and quick in order to complete those passes. Outside of that, everything is good with his game; placement, touch, accuracy, is all of what you want to see.  I think he’s game and style compares to the St. Louis Rams QB Nick Foles.  Although I think Brissett has a better deep ball.

DE – Mike Rose – 6’3 270, Senior

This was an interesting game to watch how Rose operates.  Boston College is more of your ‘pro-style run offense’ so it’ll require you as a P.O.A. player to get off blocks on a consistent basis in order to make a play.  I thought Rose was a little inconsistent in that area.  However, on misdirection plays that came his way when he was left unblocked, I thought he did a phenomenal job in reading and reacting to those plays.  Rose has good quicks for a DE, he pursues the backside run and QB very well.  Overall he has really good awareness. I think he’s capable of being a stand-up rusher in a 3-4 or a Wide 9 DE in a 4-3. He’s scheme-diverse and has quickness off the ball that you can’t teach.

Other Prospects that are worthy of Mention and More Film Study

N.C. State’s CB Juston Burris – 6’1 207, Senior

I thought Burris played a physical game on both ends. I like his press skills and has good recovery speed. Burris also picked off a pass in this one.

N.C. State’s S Hakim Jones – 6’2 200, Senior

Jones had an INT in this game as well.  I think he’s better suited to play closer to the LOS as opposed to deep because a lot of times he got stuck in the mud looking in the backfield and struggled to recover.  He’s good enough in run support to where you can feel comfortable with him there.

Both N.C. State Senior Interior OL LG Alex Barr (6’8 318) & C Quinton Schooley (6’4 298)

I thought a lot of the success of N.C. State’s ground game came on the interior and it spoke to the job of how they (Barr & Schooley) blocked up front.  I do recall Barr having a pancake earlier in the game and Schooley being a big reason why RB Reggie Gallaspy was able to rip off a 35 yard TD run.  I’ll hit the film more to do more work on both linemen.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Dartmouth Big Green vs Cornell Big Red (11-6-15)

Dartmouth Big Green Pro Prospects

QB – Dalyn Williams – 6’0 215, Senior

Williams was the headliner coming into this game. The senior signal caller has put together a very impressive career for the Big Green.  Williams is a guy that throws a marvelous deep ball. I think his deep ball accuracy may be the best in the nation, regardless of division.  From a mechanics perspective, he’s A+ in that area. There’s no wasted movements, he has a compact yet smooth delivery and gets good, not great, velocity on his passes.  I’d say he’s probably closer to 5’10 1/2 – 5’11 than 6’0, which isn’t a problem for me, but some will use this as a knock.  His passes rarely get knocked down at the LOS.  Williams displays great patience in the pocket and does an excellent job in scanning the field.  I thought he played well in the Big Green’s 2-minute offense.  At times he’ll press for the big play instead of hitting the safe, ‘move the sticks’ play, which causes him to take unnecessary sacks.  He’s a very good athlete; good mobility both within and outside of the pocket.  I thought he did a great job moving defenders with his eyes. Another plus is that he’s tough in the pocket.  He took some big shots but bounced up every time without issue; even staring down the gun barrel to deliver a strike.  Overall, I came away very impressed with his game. What I saw verses Cornell definitely meshed with what I saw on tape.  He has NFL-game.

CB – Vernon Harris – 6’2 195, Senior

This was my first exposure to Harris and he definitely caught my attention.  He’s a legit 6’2, really good size for a corner.  He plays the boundary side for the Big Green. The good part about Harris is that he long and plays with great length, so he ‘plays’ 6’2.  In press coverage he showed the ability to effectively ‘win first’ with his hands and redirect the receiver. He’s not as quick snapping out of his backpedal. I thought Harris was a really good open field tackler; you can trust him in run support.  He didn’t play in the 2nd half; my guess is because of injury.  But he’s a guy that’ll require more film work as, based on what I saw in the 1st half, I was intrigued enough to find out more.

NT – A.J. Zuttah – 6’2 295, Senior

Zuttah was another guy that had some pub coming into this contest.  This wasn’t the ‘best’ of showings for him so I really can’t give a full eval on his skills other than the fact that he does ‘win 1st’ off the ball.  But in the same breath, I thought he struggled to get off blocks and struggled to counter once his initial move was stopped.  Because of the amount of fanfare he had coming in, I’ll go back and watch the film of this game and others to try and get a great scope of his game and what the Big Green are asking him to do in this defense.

Cornell Big Red Pro Prospects (2nd Look)

LB – J.J. Fives – 6’2 240, Senior

Fives is a guy that was constantly popping up around plays. I think he does a great job in getting to the QB and also showing great pursuit of the ball carrier. He had 2 sacks in this game and was also good at the LOS with his run fits.  I think he could be a camp invite guy that could surprise.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Temple Owls vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-31-15)

Temple Owls Pro Prospects (2nd Look)

LB – Tyler Matakevich – 6’1 232, Senior

I came away from this game with a greater appreciation for Matakevich’s game.  Last year after watching him twice vs Navy & Memphis, I had concerns about his ability to make plays in space.  I viewed him as strictly a run-and-chase player.  I think so far this season (Penn State & Notre Dame), I think he’s probably better as an ILB at the next level.  When he attacks downhill, he’s very effective getting above-average run fits and does a solid job sifting through the trash in pursuit of the outside run.  He’s an active player that does a great job in this defensive scheme for the Owls. I see him as a solid 2-down backer in the NFL.

CB – Tavon Young – 5’10 180, Senior

Impressive showing for Young in this ball game. I thought he excelled in 3 separate facets of cornerback play: Man, Zone, Technique.  In press situations, Young did a great job disrupting the timing of receiver routes – without touching him. His ability to mirror and redirect was impressive.  In zone coverage, using his hands to redirect then staying assignment sound was also impressive.  From a technical standpoint, Young was able to showcase the ability to stay in the hip pocket of the receiver, turning and running with ease, and showed no wasted movements planting-and-driving on the ball.  At times, you saw him peek in the backfield a little too long which got him into trouble on 2 separate instances, but overall a very good performance by the Senior.

DT – Matt Ioannidis – 6’4 292, Senior

Ioannidis’s versatility showed itself again vs Notre Dame.  He drew a pretty good matchup in Irish C Nick Martin.  Having seen him live for 5 games now, I think I’m pretty firm in what he ‘is’ as a pro prospect. He’ll be a 3 down lineman that can slide up and down the line depending on the situation and excel. In this game, he had an impressive TFL where he beat Martin pretty badly with a swim move. That play came on 3rd down and forced an Irish field goal.  I think ideally, he’s an excellent 1T NFL prospect.  I think he should get an invite to both postseason All-Star Games (Shrine/Senior)

DT – Hershey Walton – 6’4 314, Senior

Walton can be as good as he wants to be. I think consistency will be the name of the game moving forward.  Verses Notre Dame, he flashed the ability to collapse the pocket and be a factor occupying gaps.  But with the way Temple rotates defensive linemen, it could be tough for a guy to stack consecutive good plays. He’ll be a ‘back to the film’ type study for me.  Going back to last year’s Navy game, I thought he outplayed Ioannidis. However, he’s in rotation while Ioannidis is the full-time starter, which in my opinion says a lot.  I do think Walton is a prospect, but to what degree I’ll have to go back to the film.

C – Kyle Friend – 6’2 305, Senior

Friend is one of my favorite OL in college football. He consistently puts out good film.  This was another solid game for him.  Friend played well on both ends in this game before and after the injury he suffered in the middle of the game.  Friend’s hands and feet are in unison and never stop moving while engaged.  In pass pro, while he did well, I thought – especially after the injury – he absorbed far too much for my liking.  What kept him from getting walked back into the QB was his ability to reset and redirect.  I’d say that this was a B performance from the senior Center.

DL – Nate D. Smith – 6’0 235, Senior

An undersized defensive end that doesn’t play like it.  Smith has good football awareness and I think ultimately he’ll end up as a 3-4 OLB.  Smith showcased very good C.O.D. skills and was a nuisance for Notre Dame a good portion of the contest.  One-on-one blocks he was able to hold his own but vs combo and arc blocks, he had issues.  Smith’s pursuit skills doesn’t show up in the stat sheet but he consistently funneled things back inside to his help and ‘disrupted’ a lot of plays coming his way.  Again, he’s not the ‘sack guy’ that a James Harrison was/is, but he’s good enough off the ball to where he can be just as effective in the other areas.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Pro Prospects

DL – Sheldon Day – 6’2 285, Senior

I was blown away at the level of athleticism displayed by Day in this ball game.  Notre Dame kept him on the move along the defensive line. You saw him as a 7T, 5T, 3T, 1T and shade.  He moves extremely well in space and actually dropped back in coverage a couple of times on various zone blitzes.  Day is lightning quick off the ball and that led to 2.5 TFLs and a sack.  His explosiveness off the ball and subsequently into the offensive lineman instantly puts him into a position of control to where he’s able to diagnose and disengage with ease.  The gift and the curse is that at times, he leaves himself open to traps coming his way. But overall, Day is a guy that a Defensive Coordinator would love to have because of how versatile he is and the fact that he allows you the luxury of creativity with the rest of your personnel.  I think he’s a 1st Round type talent.

C – Nick Martin – 6’4 301, Senior

Martin had some issues in this ball game vs the athleticism of Temple’s interior DL.  Martin does a great job of initiating contact but doesn’t sustain blocks extremely well.  I do like his movement skills on Outside Zone runs and he does an excellent job in executing combo blocks.  Athleticism is ‘ok’-to-decent.  It’s tougher for him to get good knee bend, which is why he struggled vs quickness and counter-moves.  Both Ioannidis and Walton gave him issues in pass pro. When he’s allowed to fire off the ball in the run game, he does just fine. Everywhere else, you have some questions about his athleticism and P.O.A. strength.

Junior Pro Prospects in this Game

Temple QB P.J. Walker – 6’1 200

Walker has consistently improved his game each year. In this contest, I thought he displayed great mental toughness and leadership skills. Despite the critical drops throughout the game, Walker made more than enough plays to win the game. From a skills perspective, Walker can make every throw on the field. He specifically excels in the vertical passing game showing good touch and placement on his throws.  He’s a very good athlete that’s slippery in the pocket. You want to see him develop a little bit more touch on passes going underneath and not have everything be a fastball. There’s a lot to like about his game and I’d liken his game to the Buffalo Bills QB Josh Johnson.

Temple RB Jahad Thomas – 5’10 180

Thomas is a shifty and slippery runner. His ability to make a guy miss in space is impressive.  He competes well and does have good-to-above average ability in the passing game. Thomas also has value as a kickoff returner.  I think where you’d like to see him get better is staying true to the design of the play in the run game.  At times, he tends to unnecessarily bounce it outside or makes a dive play a toss sweep.

Notre Dame LB Jaylon Smith – 6’2 240

Smith was the best player on the field in this game.  I think he is a complete linebacker that’s able to play all 3 spots, in any defense.  Smith gets really good run fits and is a backer that ‘seeks out’ the ball carrier. He’s not a ‘wait-and-see’ backer; he’s able to take on blocks, shed them, and then make the play.  So, there shouldn’t be a question about his ability vs the inside run.  In the perimeter game, Smith has elite-level acceleration and can cover a lot of ground vs the outside run.  This speed really helps him excel in the pass defense department.  I think this game was a great matchup to watch because of how Temple plays offense. You’re going to see a lot of power and stretch…virtually what you’re going to see in the NFL.  Smith is also an explosive tackler that gets really good hip explosion as he breaks down to make the tackle on a ball carrier.  Again, throughout the game, he took on the blocks of guards really well while getting great run fits in the process.  I’d say he’s a Top 20 talent.

Notre Dame LT Ronnie Stanley – 6’5 315

Stanley is a tremendous athlete.  I came away highly impressed with his movement skills. I think he can play either tackle spot. I’d say he compares favorable to the Redskins OT Morgan Moses.  Stanley recovers fairly well when beaten initially.  He’s very light on his feet which allows him to be able to recover.  Big fan of his hand placement. They consistently stay in good position. Where you’d like to see him become a little be more consistent is at striking first with his hands.  At times in this game, he allowed the defender to get into his body which threw  him off balance.  I thought he was able to wash, reach, arc and base block very well. Good but not great P.O.A. strength.  He has some upside, which is why his senior season will be good for him.

Notre Dame RB C.J. Prosise – 6’0 220

Prosise has really good suddenness for a RB. He’s able to get to his top speed quickly which puts defenders in a bind on a consistent basis.  In the passing game, you see his former WR skills on display as he’s a natural pass catcher. There wasn’t a ‘ton’ of opportunities for him to get going in this game as Temple’s defense made it tough on the offensive line, but from a next level skills perspective, you do see the traits necessary for him to success.

Notre Dame CB KeiVarae Russell – 5’11 196

Russell I thought played a good game from the neck up.  You like to see DB compete through tough performances. He was beaten on a few plays by Owl WRs, but ultimately make THE play of the game by showing veteran and NFL-like savvy in picking off Walker to seal the victory.  Russell has really good size for the position.  And although size isn’t a skill, Russell plays big to where he can be effective in both man and zone schemes.  I think he’s better in off coverage as opposed to press. He does have good plant-and-drive skills that’ll allow him to be involved in a lot of plays.  Russell is also able to locate and make a play on the ball.

Notre Dame WR Will Fuller – 6’0 185

Fuller came into this game with a lot of fanfare but had tough sledding vs Tavon Young.  The most important play of the game, the game winning touchdown, he made it.  Where you’d like to see Fuller get better at is in the route running department.  Too often he tipped off routes: Rising up to break down, leaning in/out before breaking that same way are 2 examples. He does have good speed and acceleration and catches the ball well. He’s also a threat once he catches the ball.  Cleaning up the route running moving forward will give him even more opportunities to showcase that gamebreaking ability.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Stony Brook Seawolves vs Elon Phoenix (10-31-15)

Stony Brook Seawolves Pro Prospects

DE – Victor Ochi – 6’2 255, Senior

Victor Ochi was the headliner in this game from a prospect perspective and he more than lived up to the billing. Ochi beat the block of the OL on the 1st play of the game for a TFL. He’s probably one of the more technically sound DL in college football.  On that first play, he executed the ‘push-pull-rip’ technique flawlessly.  He uses his hands very well – both rushing the passer and extending-then-disengaging vs the run.  Ochi is good in 1-on-1 situation with an OT and can play over either tackle.  I was overly impressed with his game and the only question that I have to answer is whether or not you keep him at DE or move him to a standup OLB in a 3-4.  I think he can be successful as a 4-3 DE ala Cliff Avril, whom he compares favorably to.

Elon Phoenix Pro Prospects

CB – Julius Moore – 5’11 213, Senior

Moore was very impressive from a coverage standpoint.  He has really good size, speed for the position.  I thought he played well in run support.  He was matched up vs the bigger of the 3 Seawolves WRs and did an effective job of re-routing the receiver. Moore was smooth in his backpedal and snapped out of his breaks with little to no wasted movements.  I can see him making the move to Safety as a pro ala Tony Jefferson (Arizona Cardinals).

S – Miles Williams – 6’0 220, Senior

Williams had a very strong performance vs Stony Brook. He filled up the stat sheet with 8.5 tackles, 1 INT, 1 FF and a TFL. That statistically display accurately describes how he did on the field.  Williams has really good football instincts and that allows him to play faster than what he’ll end up timing in the 40 yard dash.  He matches up well vs TEs & bigger WRs.  I thought he played with controlled aggression against the run; meaning he aggressively pursued the run without whiffing on a play. In deep coverage he closed well on the football which told me that you can trust him situationally as a deep safety.  Both Williams and Moore are ‘sleepers’ that’ll warrant additional film study.

Other Prospects that Stood Out with Their Peformance

Stony Brook DT Ousmane Camara – 6’1 290, Soph.

Camara is going to be the next pro prospect coming out of this Seawolves program once Ochi leaves.  Camara has the quickness off the ball and the ability to anchor vs the run.  I think he’ll be a very good 3T projecting down the line.  Keep an eye on Camara over the next 2 season.

Stony Brook LT Timon Parris – 6’5 310, Soph.

Stony Brook moves their offensive linemen a lot in the run game and Parris showed really good athleticism pulling around on power plays.  The correct description would be ‘big dancing bear’.  He was a big reason why the Seawolves excelled on run plays (QB Power, Power) coming to his side.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: UConn Huskies vs East Carolina Pirates (10-30-15)

UConn Huskies Pro Prospects

DT – Julian Campenni – 6’0 306, Senior

After being tipped off by an opposing coach to keep an eye on Campenni, I added him to the scouting list and came away quite impressed.  Campenni plays with great strength.  Listed at 6’0 ‘may’ be a little generous, but regardless, he’s a very strong P.O.A. player.  Throughout the game he was able to disengage very well, hold his own verses combo blocks and showed the ability to split double teams in the process.  I thought he had really good hand usage for a DT.  I thought he had ‘good enough’ quickness. Enough to where you could possibly see him as a situational 3T. I do think his home as a pro is as a 1T or NT.  Campenni is a really good DT prospect that warrants more film study.

LB – Graham Stewart – 6’1 237, Senior

Stewart came into this game as the 4th leading tackler on the team. He’s a solid linebacker prospect in my honest opinion.  He takes really good angles to the football and arrives in a bad mood.  He’s not overly-aggressive to where you’ll see him get there and whiff on a ball carrier.  Stewart also has really good acceleration to the ball and is an explosive tackler.  I thought he did an admirable job in coverage. He’s not a guy that you’d say is awkward in space. On one particular play in the 4th quarter, UConn had him aligned as a Defensive End and he displayed the ability to win the corner, dip his shoulder and get pressure on the QB.  Albeit one opportunity, that shows he has some ability as a blitzer and situational ‘edge’ guy.  Good diagnostic skills as well.

SS – Andrew Adams – 6’0 198, Senior

Adams was the ‘name’ prospect coming into this game.  I think he’s strictly a strong safety as a pro.  The closer he is to the LOS, the better.  Adams has really good ‘pop’ upon contact and is a solid open-field tackler.  He got lost in space a lot when asked to play in deep coverage and gave up a few big plays in the passing game.  Run support was above-average.  He has good athleticism to where you can trust him in man vs TEs, RBs and some bigger WRs. He’d be much better in man as opposed to zone.

East Carolina Pirates Pro Prospects

TE – Bryce Williams – 6’6 250, Senior

Williams is your quintessential H-Back/Flex TE type.  For a 6’6 250 player, he moves extremely well.  In this game he really didn’t have the opportunities to get a great gauge on how he is as a prospect, so more film work will have to be done in this case.  However, in the run game, you want him to be a little bit more physical at the P.O.A. to get movement off the spot.  He catches the ball very well away from his body. You want him to ‘play his size’ on the ‘above the rim’ plays.  I felt as though on a few 1-on-1 chances he played small and it ended up being an incomplete pass.  Physically, he has what you want in a receiving option. From a skills perspective, I’ll have to dig into the film to get a better understand and scope on what he brings to the table.

OLB – Montese Overton – 6’3 221, Senior

Overton’s speed and acceleration stood out instantly to me.  He’s able to play well over the offensive tackle or TE. Everything he does is ‘quick’ from ball get off to hand usage.  The quick hands allows him the ability to disengage very well from blocks. This had him disrupting a good bit of run/pass plays against UConn.  With all that being said, there wasn’t much information to gather from a skills perspective in this game as the constant shuffling in and out of players limited the opportunities for Overton. He’s another ‘dig into the film’ guy for me.

Other Prospects that Stood Out in this Game

UConn LB Junior Joseph – 6’1 242, Redshirt Soph.

Joseph will challenge for the ‘best LB in the country’ title next season.  Saw him last year vs SMU and he was impressive. This game wasn’t any different. I actually came away with an even great appreciation for what he does from a ‘total package’ standpoint. Verses the run, pass and applying pressure, Joseph excelled.

UConn FS Obi Melifonwu – 6’3 216, Junior

The 6’3 216 had an interception in this game and showed some improvement throughout the course of the game in deep coverage.  He’s good in the alley and vs the run. If he can continue to make strides in coverage, he could be a prospect next season.

UConn CB Jamar Summers – 6’0 185, Soph.

Excellent game for Summers picking off 2 passes.  He’s very good in man coverage and consistently gets his head around to find the football.  Summers attacks the ball at this highest point, which ultimately led to him getting those 2 INTs.  Really good player with a knack for the big play.

UConn WR Noel Thomas – 6’1 195, Junior

Thomas runs really good routes and has game that’s similar to former USC & New York Giants WR Steve Smith.  He explodes in and out of his breaks and once he gets the ball in his hands, he has above-average suddenness.

UConn Soph TEs Tommy Myers (RSoph. 6’5 255) & Alec Bloom (6’6 257)

Both of these guys were tremendous at the P.O.A., which is very good to see from college TEs. When used in the passing game, both show the ability to catch the football away from their body, look natural in doing so, while also being athletic enough to make things happen after the catch.  Bloom had a TD while Myers had an impressed catch and run for a TD called back because of a penalty.

ECU SS DeShawn Benton – 6’0 191, Junior

Benton was all over the field for the Pirates in this game. He’s an explosive tackler that also excels 1-on-1 in space vs the run.  Benton also had an interception in this game, 6 solo stops and showed very good ability to shrink space both horizontally and vertically. Impressive output.

ECU LB Jordan Williams – 6’0 230, Soph

I thought the sophomore played a fine game vs the run. ECU got a lot of guys into the rotation and Williams kept flashing with his ability to fit vs the run and make the tackle.  He’s going to find himself on the field more often because of activity like this.

 

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Monmouth Hawks vs Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (10-24-15)

Monmouth Hawks Pro Prospects

TE – Hakeem Valles – 6’5 250, Senior

Valles is more of your angular TE ala Marcedes Lewis. He’s built more like a bigger WR.  I think he’s a ‘flex’ type of guy at the next level.  Valles is a smooth route runner who’s able to get in-and-out of his breaks with ease.  Big fan of how he routinely laid out for passes; making two really good over the middle grabs because of it.  He has above-average hands.  While he’s not a strong P.O.A. guy, the effort is there on blocks. That tells me that he’ll be a good H-Back to where you’re asking him to attack half a man and I think he’d excel in doing that.  Came away impressed with his game and I think he’s a really good #2 Flex/Flank option at the next level.

OT – Rotchill Medor – 6’6 325, Senior

Medor has really good athleticism and it pops out at you when you see him play.  Very good set up and punch. He was consistent with that all game long.  He plays quick and he finishes blocks well.  One area where I thought he did extremely well was with base blocks.  He didn’t waste time getting his hands up and attacking all of the while staying in a good, powerful position which allowed him to easily move the defender off the spot on a consistent basis.  One area he could use improvement is resetting when beat initially.  He was a little sloppy trying to recover and was too high.  That caused him to miss a few blocks when asked to climb to the 2nd level.  Overall, I think there’s enough here to warrant more film study and a look-see as a pro.

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers Pro Prospects

QB – Alex Ross – 6’1 205, Senior

Ross sees the field very well and I think he does an excellent job in the face of pressure.  He can make every throw on the field. His decision-making was very impressive.  CCU faced plenty big 3rd downs, especially in the 4th quarter, and Ross answered the call each time.  While physically his nothing special, I think he can be a solid #2 or #3 QB, a spot starter type, as a pro.  You have to credit his level of consistency from series to series.  He’s 31-5 as a starter…which speaks to his ability to play very good situational football.

Other Players that Stood Out with their Performances

Coastal Carolina OG Sam Ekwonike – 6’2 350, Junior

This was an impressive showing for Ekwonike.  He’s a legit 6’2 35o and moves very well for a man his size.  Coastal constantly kept him on the move throughout the ball game and he executed 2nd level blocks at a very high level.  In pass pro, he showed good read-and-recognition skills, didn’t overextend and didn’t give up any pressures throughout the game.  I’m definitely adding him to my 2017 watch list. Very good interior offensive lineman.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Penn Quakers vs Yale Bulldogs (10-23-15)

Penn Quakers Pro Prospects (2nd Look)

TE – Ryan O’Malley – 6’6 265, Senior

This was a really good showing for O’Malley.  He was much more fluid this time around and I got the chance to see him utilized more in the passing game than I did vs Villanova.  He should good fluidness getting in-and-out of his breaks. Very good hands catcher, showing good technique and comfort catching away from his body.  O’Malley also isn’t afraid of contact as he made a couple of catches before taking a hellacious shot.  Showed again in the running game that he is able to be effective because of his feet constantly on the move.  He just solidified my opinion on him as a pro; #2 or #3 type TE prospect.

QB – Alek Torgersen – 6’3 230, Junior

Torgersen is one to definitely keep an eye on for 2017.  In this game he showed tremendous downfield accuracy.  Going down the sideline, Torgersen displayed the touch necessary to allow the receiver to not break stride. He is, quite honestly, A+ in that area. Best I’ve seen live this season.  He’s a really good athlete that can be effective on zone fakes both as a runner, and as a thrower.  Torgersen is tough in the pocket, standing tall in the face of pressure.  He’s going to be a really good prospect entering his senior season.

Yale Bulldogs Pro Prospects (2nd Look)

QB – Morgan Roberts – 6’3 200, Senior

Despite having a bad game (3 ints), I still like what I’ve seen of Roberts from a traits standpoint.  Roberts has a quick and compact delivery. He’s deadly accurate over the middle of the field.  He has a very strong arm that’s able to fit the ball into tight windows.  He has to develop some touch on his passes.  They tend to come out at one speed.  In this particular game he had 2 very costly INTs in the end zone. You’d like to see him be a bit more calculated when throwing into those tight windows and taking those chances.  He’s a good athlete that’s tough as well.  I still think Roberts has a pro future and enough next level traits to where maybe the Shrine Game or NFLPA game should give him an opportunity.

LB – Victor Egu – 6’4 235, Junior

In this 2nd viewing of Egu’s game, I came away with a much greater appreciation of his skills.  I think he has the potential to play ILB in a 3-4 and SAM/WILL in a 4-3. Egu has really good closing speed to the football and gets great run fits.  He had a sack in this game as well as 3 or 4 plays where he got a good stick on the RB in the hole.  He’s not awkward in space. Where I’ll be looking (on film) over the summer is where he is as a blitzer and pass rusher.

Other Prospects that Stood Out with their Performances

Penn RB Tre Solomon, 6’0 200 – Soph.

Keep an eye on Solomon moving forward. He’s a guy that has tremendous burst and acceleration.  His game resembles Fordham’s RB Chase Edmonds.  Solomon had his 1st (of many to come) 100 yard games. He’s more than capable as a receiver out of the backfield and held his own in blitz pickup.

Penn WR Justin Watson – 6’3 210, Soph.

Just like in the game vs Villanova, Watson’s traits are exactly what you want to see in a WR.  Good size-speed-skill combination. There’s no wasted movements in his route running and he’s an active run blocker as well.  Watson had over 100 yards receiving in this game and I think next season, as a junior, he’ll be one of the best receivers in the FCS.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Georgetown Hoyas vs Colgate Raiders (10-17-15)

Georgetown Hoyas Pro Prospects

QB – Kyle Nolan – 6’6 235, Senior

Nolan definitely passes the ‘off the bus’ look. He’s a big-framed guy and is all of 6’6 235. I’d say as far as arm strength goes he’s good, not great in that area.  He has really good mobility for a guy his size; it’s best described as ‘Joe Flacco-like’.  Nolan has really good placement on his intermediate and deep throws.  When it’s time to thread it over the middle of the field, he definitely excels in that area.  He does show some comfort throwing on the move and turning his back to the defense.  Ball placement is solid.  This was my first viewing of Nolan and he has definitely warranted further tape evaluation.  I think he’s one of those guys that could get into a camp and stick.  I would compare his game after this initial look to former Northern Colorado QB Seth Lobato.

CB – Ettian Scott – 6’1 180, Senior

Scott was a star in this game.  He had a lot of pub coming into this game and it was great to get a look at what he brings to the table.  He’s a tall corner at 6’1 that plays his height – which means he’s able to play with length.  Scott has tremendous ball skills and is a technician.  In my opinion, he can excel in a man or zone-based scheme.  On the day, he only gave up 1 big play which was a great throw and catch by the QB/WR.  The most impressive trait I saw was his ability to plant and accelerate toward the ball carrier.  Scott shrinks space extremely well and never sacrifices the tackle in order to make a play on the ball.  In the run defense department, he’s solid and willing in that area.  Scott plays bigger than his 180lbs vs the run.  I think he could add maybe 5-10lbs of muscle and still be just as quick.  After getting a good viewing of his game, I see him as a draftable prospect and one that has good ‘pro’ game that the scouts will love.

LB – Matt Satchell – 6’2 235, Senior

I came away very impressed with the play of Satchell. He played well on both ends of defense.  Verses the inside run, he got great run fits and was able to show stack-and-shed ability.  I thought he had good foot speed in lateral pursuit and in coverage, he was able to matchup very well vs the big TE John Quazza.  Satchell also didn’t look out of place in zone coverage.  He, like Nolan, I think can get into a camp and surprise.  I see him as a MLB or SAM at the next level.

Colgate Raiders Pro Prospects (2nd Look)

TE – John Quazza – 6’6 250, Senior

Quazza was healthier coming into the this ball game so it was good to see him for a 2nd consecutive week.  He’s a really good blocker; both on the move (they pulled and used him a lot on both power and lead runs) and also inline.  Quazza is a very good position blocker as well.  In the passing game, he had a tremendous catch to close out the 1st half in which you got to see the hand-eye coordination and the strength of his hands as he wrestled the ball away from LB Matt Satchell.  As the game rolled on, he must’ve re-injured his leg, so maybe coming into the game he wasn’t 100% as originally thought.  Nonetheless, I still feel that Quazza is a really solid-good TE prospect that has a pro future, especially as a #2 or #3 option.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Columbia Lions vs Wagner Seahawks (10-10-15)

Columbia Lions Pro Prospects (2nd Look)

RB – Cameron Molina – 5’10 200, Senior

Molina his very good shiftiness. It’s tough for the defense to get a great shot on him because of his ability to slip and avoid contact.  He also is the type that’s not trying to make every run a toss sweep; he doesn’t mind running inside.  I think his true value projecting forward is as a specialist.  I like his ability to return kicks. He returned kickoffs in this game for the Lions (3 Returns for 60 yards).  Molina also has above-average ability as a receiver and has the ability to accelerate once his catches the football.

DT – Niko Padilla – 6’1 294, Senior (2nd Look)

After having a good showing vs Princeton, I made a note to check out Padilla closely in this game.  Because of the gameplan and constant rotation, I wasn’t able to get enough of a good feel for what he brings to the table or to put some ‘finality’ to his game.  He’ll have to be a film study guy for me as I don’t have any more Columbia games on the schedule.

Wagner Seahawks Pro Prospects

RT – Andrew Oberg – 6’8 300, Senior

What an impressive performance by Oberg. He was actually my pick as the Seahawks player of the game.  He’s between 6’6-6’8 (I wasn’t able to get down to the field pregame).  Oberg has really good technique in pass pro.  He’s able to lock-and-drive a defender.  He didn’t give up a pressure all night long. He position blocks well and he moves well for a taller offensive lineman. Oberg “plays the piano” really well and consistently wins the ‘hands first’ battle.  In the run blocking department, he did an outstanding job. Although at times he has to work to bend, but he’s still a strong P.O.A. player.  He showcased good read-and-recognition skills in picking up blitzes and stunts. I think he has the frame to add 20-30lbs of weight and not lose any athleticism.  Impressive game and I’ll be diving into more of his game for sure.

Other Standouts in the Game

Wagner’s CB Tim Hayes – 5’10 190, Junior

Hayes was the best corner in a very talented secondary for the Seahawks. I’m a big fan of his aggressiveness and the way he can shrink space to close on the ball.  Good size/speed/athleticism combination and will be on my radar for 2017 evaluation.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Princeton Tigers vs Colgate Raiders (10-10-15)

Princeton Tigers Pro Prospects

CB – Anthony Gaffney – 6’3 210, Senior (2nd Look)

This was a much better look at the game of Gaffney as my 1st live look was in a monsoon vs Columbia.  In this game, I came away with the conclusion that Gaffney is a better Safety prospect (Perhaps Strong Safety) as opposed to Cornerback.  He was caught peeking in the backfield which ended in a big play for Colgate.  Even in that situation, Gaffney showed marginal recovery speed.  I don’t think he’s a ‘sudden’ player, more of a build up kind of guy.  That’s why you’ll see him returning kickoffs for Princeton instead of punts.  He does play all special teams, which is great. I do like his ability to matchup on the boundary & inside vs bigger WRs/TEs. This is where I think he’s ideally suited.  IMO, he projects as a combo safety/3rd safety type that can help matchup vs a team that utilizes a lot of 3-4 WR sets.  Gaffney is a great open-field tackler and definitely checks off the box in that area.

Colgate Raiders Pro Prospects

TE – John Quazza – 6’6 250, Senior

This was my first look at Quazza who seemed to be playing with some sort of either knee or calf injury.  Despite that, I came away impressed.  He’s a big framed guy that’s all of 6’6 250. He played multiple spots for the Raiders, but mainly he’s an inline guy.  He has the ‘want to’ in the blocking department.  Hand placement in run blocking can use a little work, but the overall effort & effectiveness is there. Colgate used him on a lot of wham/kickout blocks on their split zone.  I can’t really comment on his speed/quickness because I don’t know how or if he was nursing an injury to his leg. He was able to show good focus and concentration with his route running.  As the game progressed, he got more looks in the passing game and made couple of very tough catches.  Quazza also shows good ability after the catch.  He’s more of a power guy. He hauled in a very nice TD reception in the back of the end zone.  I’ll get another look at his game this week vs Georgetown.

Other Standouts in this Game

Colgate’s DL – Brett Field – 6’5 270, Junior

Very impressive P.O.A. strength and quickness. Field was a tough block for Princeton’s offensive line.  He was a very disruptive force with 6 tackles in this game.  I think he has both 5T & 1T potential.

 

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Brown Bears vs Rhode Island Rams (10-3-15)

Brown Bears Pro Prospects

C – John Heile – 6’3 285, Senior

Heile is a guy that makes good initial contact and has a very good punch.  When he’s able to lock-and-drive, he’s consistently moving people off the spot.  However, he has to work to finish blocks.  There were times where he started out well, but defenders were able to slip and pursue the ball carrier.  He does a very solid job in diagnosing stunts and is able to effectively switch off one defender to the next.  Brown put him on the move a couple of times in the screen game but I don’t think he moves ‘that’ well, especially when he has to change direction.  Overall, Heile did do enough good things, especially in the running game – Brown had a ton of success running in the A Gap – to warrant a longer look at his game.

Rhode Island Rams Pro Prospects

CB – Myles Holmes – 5’9 162, Senior

I thought Holmes was the best defensive player, not just on the Rams team, but overall in the game.  Don’t let his diminutive size fool you, Holmes has big time game.  He has very good quickness for the position and possesses excellent technique.  WR Alex Jette (6’0 185) was Brown’s top playmaker, but when they placed Holmes on him, Brown 9/10 went elsewhere with the ball.  He’s able to pin/wall off the receiver really well to the sideline. That shows he understands where he is on the field and also wants to use any advantage he can to help combat the size disadvantage he has vs bigger wide receivers.  Holmes plays field, boundary and inside as a slot corner.  Very impressive acceleration and had 4 extremely well played pass breakups in this game; 3 of them were in the end zone when Brown tried to go ‘above the rim’ on him.  Holmes also is the Rams Kickoff Returner, which adds to his value.  I came away very impressed with his game and he is definitely a pro prospect in my opinion.

Other Players that Stood Out with their Performances

Brown CB Will Quigley – 6’1 210, Senior

Quigley is a solidly built DB.  He played the boundary side in this game.  I thought his tackling ability was above average.  In coverage, I thought he played more like a SLB/SS than a CB.  He missed to INT opportunities because he didn’t turn and locate the football. He did catch an INT at the end of the game to seal the victory – ironically, he was facing the football.  I will say this, I do think he has enough skills to play SS or even SAM backer at the next lever or a Nickel LB in the CFL. The closer to the LOS, the better for Quigley on both sides of defense.

Brown WR Alex Jette – 6’0 185, Junior

Jette had a really great day as a receiver. He wasn’t the leading receiver, but out of the 3 guys, he has the most athleticism and explosiveness. Jette made 2 outstanding grabs in this game. One was a diving 35-yarder downfield and the other was a leaping touchdown grab on a flag route.  He’s a Junior, but definitely will be on the watch list this summer.

Brown WR Brian Trachan – 6’1 210, Senior

Trachan was the Bears possession receiver that showed excellent hands. He had 15 receptions which lead the team.  I think with his ability to make contested catches, he has an opportunity to earn a camp invite.

Brown WR Troy Doles – 5’11 190, Senior

Another Bears WR that had a very good showing was Doles.  What stood out to me the most was how he was able to accelerate into his routes which kept him open a lot in this game.  Doles is also a guy that knows what to do with the ball in his hands after the catch.

Brown QB Marcus Fuller – 5’11 205, Senior

Fuller threw for over 430 yards and 4 touchdowns in this game. I thought he showed toughness in the pocket and good field awareness.  I didn’t have him as a prospect to watch coming into this ball game, but after this performance, I’ll be keeping a watchful eye on him moving forward.  Fuller shows really good touch and velocity on his intermediate-to-deep throws.  What I like the most was that the pressure of the moment and situation didn’t faze him at all. He performed very well and I think he has ‘outdoor’ pro game.

Brown RB Seth Rosenbauer – 6’3 240, Senior

I was also impressed with the size and natural running skills of Rosenbauer.  At 6’3 240, I think he showed enough to be a FB/HB prospect.  Rosenbauer isn’t surprised by contact an shows really good inside running skills.  Don’t expect him to turn the corner or get outside, he’s strictly a tackle-to-tackle player that has soft hands catching the football.  Think more along the lines of Former Chargers HB Rod Bernstein.

Rhode Island RB Harold Cooper – 5’9 185, Soph.

Cooper was the best player on offense for the Rams. He ran for over 100 yards and had over 185 yards in kickoff return yardage, including a 92 yard touchdown return.  He’s very shifty and agile. Worthy of keeping a look out for moving forward.

Rhode Island LB Adam Parker – 5’11 239, Junior

Parker had a scoop-and-score in this game. But when you see him play, you notice how much ground he’s able to cover on both ends of defense.  He’s the Mike backer for the Rams and I thought he got really good run fits and was able to more than hold his own in coverage. Parker finished with 11 tackles in this game. I thought he put together a really good showing.  He’s a prospect and he’ll be added to my summer watch list.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Holy Cross Crusaders vs Albany Great Danes (10-3-15)

Holy Cross Pro Prospects (2nd Look)

WR/PR – Kalif Raymond – 5’9 160, Senior

Raymond was the only senior prospect of note for the Crusaders.  He’s your quintessential ‘slot’ type.  He’s Holy Cross’ most dynamic receiver.  In this game, I got the chance to see him on ST and he didn’t disappoint. Raymond broke the game open with a punt return touchdown in which he showed both the ability to break tackles and the ability to pull away from defenders.  I think ultimately that’ll be the way he can get an extended look in a camp. But he does have work-withable traits.

Albany Great Danes Pro Prospects

DT – Samuel Gray – 6’5 283, Senior

Gray had a really good game vs a talented OL in Holy Cross. Gray finished with 11 tackles and a sack.  Albany runs a 4-3, but Gray showed enough versatility to be a 5T in a 3-4 in addition to a 1T in a 4-3.  He plays with good length and is very tough to move off the spot. He’s 283lbs, but you can see where he can easily get to 300 without losing any quickness.  His hands are strong to where he’s able to anchor and hold position at the LOS. I’d be interested in diving into more of his tape and keeping a watchful eye on his game moving forward.

Other Players that Stood Out in this Game

Holy Cross’ Starting Offensive Line

The Crusaders are a young football team and as I’ve mentioned before, their offensive line is very impressive.  Here’s a look at the Junior Offensive Linemen to earmark for evaluation over the summer

LT – Hunter Hudgins – 6’5 298

LG – George Griffin – 6’4 312

OC – James Murray – 6’5 290

RG – Nick Piker – 6’5 297

RT – Rob Kosharek – 6’6 360.

Albany’s RG Matthew Campion – 6’5 352, Junior

I thought Campion played a very good game.  He’s a huge offensive lineman that plays with a mean streak.  What really stood out to me was how he finished blocks…EVERY time. I thought that spoke a lot about his passion for the game and mentality. Especially seeing that Albany was getting blown out.  I’ll put him on my summer watch list.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Princeton Tigers vs Columbia Lions (10-2-15)

Princeton Tigers Pro Prospects

CB – Anthony Gaffney – 6’3 210, Senior

Gaffney is listed at 6’3 210, I’d say that’s fairly accurate. He’s a big-framed prospect.  He also had a kickoff return for 17 yards in this game. Gaffney plays on either side of the field.  In the running game, he takes on blockers really well and is a very good open-field tackler.  Although this was a game played in horrible weather conditions, I still was able to take some things away from this game regarding his ability in coverage.  I thought Gaffney showed very good closing speed to the football. One of the pass breakups he closed extremely well to tip the ball, which resulted in an interception.  As a press guy, he’s very patient with his hands which keeps him in good position and ‘in the play’.  I’d be interested to see what his recovery speed looks like in better weather conditions as Columbia didn’t throw to his side or as much at all in this game.  I’ll get to see him on Oct. 10th vs Colgate.  At that point, I’ll be able to make the designation on whether or not he’s more of a corner or safety.  But just judging on what I saw vs Columbia, he’s definitely a pro prospect.

Columbia Lions Pro Prospects

DE – Chad Washington – 6’4 260, Senior

This was a highly impressive showing for Washington.  He consistently flashed throughout the game before leaving late in the 3rd quarter with an injury.  Washington definitely looks the part. He’s built along the lines of the Oakland Raiders DE Justin Tuck. He has very good BGO (ball get off) and is powerful at the P.O.A.  I’d say he’s more of a collapse-the-pocket type of a guy as opposed to a speed rusher.  I was impressed with his ability to strike-and-disengage vs the run. I thought he did an excellent job defending the Tigers running game.  He’s a good P.O.A. that showed the ability to kick down inside as a defensive tackle in obvious passing situations.  Washington showed good spatial awareness and hustle in chasing down backside run plays or the QB leaving the pocket.  This was all on a wet field and I’ll be able to see him on Oct 10th. vs Wagner.  Washington has scheme-diverse skills and is definitely a prospect worth taking an additional live look at in addition to digging into his film.

Other Players that Stood Out in this Game

Princeton’s RB DiAndre Atwater – 5’9 210, Senior

Atwater showed really good burst and running power.  He had a very nice 47 yard run but unfortunately didn’t play, because of injury, at all after the 1st quarter.  It’ll be interesting to see if he’s healthy enough to play vs Colgate because it looked as if he was heading for a big night vs the Lions.

Columbia’s DT Niko Padilla – 6’1 294, Senior

Padilla was just as disruptive as Washington.  He’s a gap clogger with the ability to slip blocks and get pressure on the QB.  I made a note to take an even closer look at him vs Wagner.

 

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Yale Bulldogs vs Cornell Big Red (9-25-15)

Yale Bulldogs Pro Prospects

QB – Morgan Roberts – 6’3 200, Senior

I’ve heard a lot about Roberts coming into this game, and he was as good as advertised.  Roberts has really good pocket mobility. Throughout the game, Cornell sent the pressure and he was able to escape and pick up yards with his legs or was able to buy time in the pocket to complete a pass.  He definitely checks off the boxes in that area.  He has a good, not great arm.  He struggled to make a couple of far hash throws in this game where the ball just died at the feet of the receiver.  However, in the short-intermediate area, the ball comes out quick and has tremendous velocity on it.  Down the field throws were extremely impressive.  Roberts showcased excellent touch and placement on fades, rail routes, fade stops, back shoulder throws; he was A+ in this area.  The other impressive part about his game was how calm he was in the face of pressure.  Pressure is one of the biggest points I grade QBs on, and that’s pressure from the defense and pressure of the situation.  I thought Roberts stayed calm in the face of defensive pressure.  Cornell blitzed him throughout the game.  And in the pressure of the situation, he led the Bulldogs to a comeback victory, making a beautiful seam throw to the TE for the game winner.  I got to see him operate both the 4-min offense and 2-minute offense  in this game, and once again, he excelled.  Roberts is definitely worthy of a 2nd look and I think has potential as a solid #2 option in the NFL.

Cornell Big Red Pro Prospects

RT – Daniel Cunningham – 6’7 291, Senior

I thought Cunningham played with a really good base. He never overextended, stayed balanced. He had a couple of pancake blocks in the running game.  Moved well for a guy on the right side.  On both ends of protection, he had really good hand placement.  I thought he worked well in confined spaces too.  He showed a little bit of guard potential if you ask me.  I’d be interested to dive more into his tape as the season progresses.

Junior Prospects that Stood Out

Cornell WR Collin Shaw – 6’2 215

Shaw put on a hellava performance vs Yale. He caught 2 touchdown passes on the day and made an Odell Beckham-like grab on a crossing route, in stride to pick up the first down.  His hands were on full display in this game.  He’s a strong player that’s very physical both before and after the catch.  He’s not a burner by no means stretch of the imagination. I think he’ll be ideally suited as an inside (F) receiver as a pro.  Moving forward, I want to see him work to get better with his separation: from routes to getting off press.  But overall, there’s a LOT to like about the game of Shaw.

Cornell QB Robert Somborn – 6’1 194

Somborn threw the ball very well vs Yale. His arm is a lot stronger than what you saw out of Yale’s QB Morgan Roberts.  Somborn threw with really good anticipation and accuracy.  He’s similar to Roberts in what he brings to the table from a mobility standpoint as well. I think he’ll do a fine job this season in the Big Red offense. Really good player to keep an eye on.

Yale LB Victor Egu – 6’4 235

Egu had some bright moments in this game. Verses the run, he was aggressive in his run fits and despite begin 6’4, he was able to get low in confined spots to stuff the inside run.  I thought he had above average coverage ability vs TEs in man and also in zone coverage.  Egu made a really good, athletic play on a critical interception.  I think he has scheme versatility. I can see him as a SAM in a 4-3 and SILB in a 3-4.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Villanova Wildcats vs Penn Quakers (9-24-15)

Villanova Wildcats Pro Prospects (2nd Look)

LB – Don Cherry – 6’1 245, Senior

I came into this game wanting to see if what Cherry did vs Fordham was an aberration or if that was actually HIS game.  It was the latter.  Cherry is an extremely sudden player that has great acceleration to the ball carrier.  Although he projects as a WLB or even an 3-4 WILB, he takes on blocks very well and does a fine job of shedding those blocks to make a tackle.  Cherry is a player that is consistently getting great run fits.  A scheme-diverse player, Cherry has a future at the next level.

DE – Reggie Paris – 6’3 260, Senior

I’m a fan of the athleticism of Paris. I think his obvious projection is a standup OLB as a pro.  He’s a fluid enough athlete to drop into short/underneath coverage, while also being stout enough to anchor vs the run.  He’s more of a Damontre Moore-type if you’re planning on playing him as a 4-3 DE.

DE – Tanoh Kpassagnon – 6’7 275, Junior

If we’re being completely honest, Kpassagnon is the best pro prospect on the Wildcats team.  He once again was able to impress with his play.  Kpassagnon had 2 sacks in this game, both came at crucial moments.  I was able to see him work more counter moves into his game.  That was something that I questioned after watching him vs Fordham.  He closes to the QB well and is extremely disruptive on both ends of defense.  He’s going to be a highly discussed prospect in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Penn Quakers Pro Prospects

TE – Ryan O’Malley – 6’6 265, Senior

O’Malley is a big-framed prospect.  He has the ‘off the bus’ look.  I do think he’s worthy of a look-see in a camp as a blocker.  In the running game, he keeps his feet moving while engaged with the defender. That helps him recover if he’s beat initially.  He had a really good showing in that aspect of his game.  I watched him catch both pre-game and in-game; he has natural hands and isn’t surprised by the ball.  He’s more of a lumberer and not a fluid runner. I do see a #2 or #3 TE-type potential.

Junior Prospects that Stood Out

Villanova LB Austin Calitro – 6’0 245

Calitro is in the mold of Cherry. He was very involved in the run game. He’s another backer that’s not afraid of LOS contact. You can classify him as a ‘thumper’ but he does have really good athleticism for the position.

Penn’s QB Alek Torgersen – 6’3 230

Very impressive throwing ability by Torgersen.  He has a powerful arm and does an outstanding job throwing outside the hashes and numbers.  He was also able to show excellent touch on ‘bucket’ throws and throws down the seam in tight windows.  Torgersen definitely piqued my interest for 2017.

Young Prospects to Keep an Eye On

Penn’s WR Justin Watson – 6’3 210, Soph.

Watson was very impressive in this game. Big WR that has great RAC skills. He score the 2 TDs in the 1st half for Penn; nearly had three. He must’ve gotten injured on the last play of the 1st half because he didn’t play in the entire 2nd half.  But just in those 1st 3o mins, you saw hands, routes and RAC ability. Watson should continue to blossom as a player moving forward.

Villanova’s CB Malik Reaves – 6’0 200, Soph.

Reaves had the play of the 1st half picking off a pass in the end zone and returning it to the +40.  Throughout the game you saw very good technique and good overall athleticism.  Reaves has really good size for the position and will be earmarked for 2018 evaluation.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Towson Tigers vs Holy Cross Crusaders (9-19-15)

Towson Tigers Pro Prospects

RB – Darius Victor – 5’8 227, Junior

Victor put on a show vs a very good Crusader defense, rushing for a career high 207 yards on 22 carries.  This isn’t hyperbole, but Victor is one of the top RBs in the country. He’s a junior but should be on the radar for NFL teams.  He has a compact running style and runs with a purpose.  You routinely see Victor explode through holes and break arm tackles.  The 1st defender rarely brings him down.  Being built low to the ground is an asset for him because he’s able to bounce off tacklers and change direction effortlessly.  Victor has good balance and is a breakaway threat.  I would compare his game, and talents, to Ray Rice. In my honest opinion, Victor is a legit pro prospect for 2017.

DL – Jon Desir – 6’5 320, Senior

Desir was a starter last season for Towson and now is in a rotational role.  Either way, you saw how much of an impact he has on the defensive line when he’s in the game.  He’s a very strong P.O.A. player who plays with great length.  Desir has violent hands and is able to consistently disengage to get into the backfield or make a play against the run.  He can rush with both power and quickness. One one particular play, he beat the OL with quickness and a club-under move to pressure the QB which lead to an INT.  I think you’ll start to see his name more as the season progresses.

FS – Nico Law – 6’1 205, Senior

Law has great closing speed to the football.  I came away really impressed with his range.  He’s a read-and-react type of defensive back. You ‘can’ match him up, but he’s better with the ball in front. He had an INT in this game.  I’d be interested in studying him more vs a team that isn’t run-based to get an even better feel for him as a prospect. But in this setting, he definitely showed enough athleticism and traits to warrant more evaluation.

Holy Cross Crusaders Pro Prospects

Holy Cross didn’t have any senior prospects of note.  However their entire offensive line, all juniors, were extremely impressive in this game. The Crusaders have tremendous size up front averaging 6’5 300lbs.  This was a group that gave the Tigers issues throughout the game. Even TE Lucas Nikolaisen is a 6’5 260 Jr. worth keeping an eye on.  Junior QB Peter Pujals is a good strong runner with a live arm.  I’ll get to see more of Holy Cross vs Albany on Oct. 3rd.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Maryland Terrapins vs South Florida Bulls (9-19-15)

Maryland Terrapins Pro Prospects

RB – Brandon Ross – 5’10 210, Senior

I thought Brandon Ross showed enough running skills to warrant a look at the next level.  He has a really good feel for the running game. I’d say he has above-average vision.  His balance and footwork are where they need to be.  While his game isn’t ‘flashy’, it’s very productive and workman-like.  Ross is a strong runner that is able to break arm tackles and is always falling forward.  Although the opportunities were limited in the passing game, he does show that he ‘can’ catch and isn’t ‘surprised’ by the football.  His game is very similar to Alfred Morris-Alonzo Harris-Travaris Cadet.

CB – Sean Davis – 6’1 202, Senior

Davis is a guy that has played Safety before for the Terps. Now he’s moved to CB and had a very good game verses USF.  I think Davis has really good matchup skills. He’s able to play press without touching the receiver.  This tells you a lot about his hips and footwork.  Although he did have 2 interceptions in this game, because of USF’s passing attack, I wasn’t able to get a great read on how good his ball skills were.  He’s not afraid to tackle, which definitely helps his cause.  You can see why he was a safety and I think having that ability to play both positions will help him out moving forward.  I think he’s better on the boundary as opposed to the field side.

DE – Yannick Ngakoue – 6’2 255, Junior

Although a junior, it’s tough to not write up a report on Ngakoue’s game.  He was by far the best defensive linemen in the game for both teams.  He’s a strong P.O.A. player that is able to lock-and-extend very well. That helps him anchor verses the run and also keeps him in a position of control verses the passing game.  Ngakoue has a strong punch that shocks an OL. He’s more of a power rusher as opposed to a speed/moves type of a guy. A very disruptive player, Ngakoue had 3.5 sacks vs USF and should definitely be on the radar for 2017.

South Florida Bulls Pro Prospects

TE – Sean Price – 6’3 252, Senior

In today’s passing game, Price fills a role as an H-Back or Flanked/Flex TE.  He has a really good frame at 6’3 252.  In the running game I thought he position blocked and arc blocked well.  He’s able to keep his feet moving to maintain position on the defender.  He’s not a ‘fast twitch’ type of a guy, but is a good overall athlete.  He runs good routes, especially underneath and in the short area. I also like Price’s hands. I’d classify them as dependable. Projecting him forward, I think he could be a good #2/#3 TE on a pro team.

S – Jamie Byrd – 5’11 185, Senior

I really like Byrd’s game. I thought this was a really good showing for him.  He plays the ‘Husky’ position in the Bulls 4-2-5, which is essentially a versatile safety.  He has really good quickness and instincts.  Footwork is definitely where it needs to be.  Playing in space virtually the entire game, Byrd wasn’t beat in coverage and wasn’t a liability vs the run.  He’s a good open field tackler and is very dependable in the run defense department.  He had both an INT and forced fumble in this game.  I think he has next level game. Being assessment sound and solid in many facets definitely affords you more opportunities to stick.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Boston College Eagles vs Florida State Seminoles (9-18-15)

Boston College Eagles Pro Prospects

LB – Steven Daniels – 6’0 257, Senior

Daniels is a ‘squatty’ player that looks like your classic Mike backer in a 4-3.  A lot of FSU’s running game had success off-tackle because of how well Daniels played in the middle. He’s a player who consistently got really good run fits and does a great job in getting through traffic.  Daniels had the lone defensive highlight of the night as he blue up the Guard en route to blowing up the RB.  As far as C.O.D. skills are concerned, I think he’s adequate in this area; much more of a downhill player – a 2 down type of guy.  With how physical he is verses the inside run, I think he can play a the next level.

FS – Justin Simmons – 6’3 201, Senior

Simmons had a really good showing verses the Seminoles.  He’s a legit 6’3 and plays with length.  Boston College moves him around the defensive secondary which speaks to his athleticism and versatility.  Simmons routinely played in the slot matching up vs FSU’s receivers showing above-average coverage ability.  He did give up one big pass play early in the contest, but it was due to the fact that he slipped and fell in transition.  Other than that, he wasn’t a liability.  He has really good range as well and is a good open field tackler.  I kept getting a George Iloka feel about his game.  I like his versatility.

Florida State Seminoles Pro Prospects

QB – Everett Golson – 6’0 199, Senior

Two things initially jump out at you about Golson’s game: toughness and elusiveness.  Quite honestly, the Seminoles needed both in this game in order to win.  Golson can really spin it.  From a passing perspective, he’s much better and more accurate throwing in breaking routes.  I think he excels in the short-to-intermediate passing game. He’d be what you would look for in a West Coast QB.  Anything breaking out and/or outside of the hashes and numbers, placement gets a little spotty; going down the field, accuracy tends to get flaky as well.  I would like to see his game flatline and become a little be more consistent, but I do think he can be a decent #2 option as a Pro.

DB – Jalen Ramsey – 6’1 202, Junior

Even though he’s a junior, Ramsey is the premier prospect on the Florida State team.  Ramsey is listed at 6’1 and he’s every bit of that height.  This was a unique game to get a look at what he brings to the table.  Since Boston College doesn’t throw the ball often, I got a great opportunity to see Ramsey’s technique and footwork along with his ability in the run defense department.  In coverage, he shows really good patience. He was solely a boundary corner in this game.  FSU had him constantly in the face of the WR and post-snap you saw a patient guy that’s able to turn and run well with the wideout, also doing a sound job staying in his hip pocket.  On a few routes where the WR broke in or out, Ramsey was a little slow exploding out of that break.  This leads you to believe that he’s probably better playing in a role similar to Richard Sherman or playing safety in a defense that similar to the Miami Dolphins or Green Bay Packers.  Don’t get me wrong, he can play both effectively at the next level, but maximizing his talents and play making ability, in my opinion would come as a S.  In the running game, Ramsey is a good as advertised. He’s a very good open field tackler that shows the ability to close well. “Shrinks space” is the term that comes to mind.  Many times he was in the box vs the run and more than held his own from a physical standpoint.  To top off his solid performance, he also returned a fumble 40 yards for a touchdown that sealed the victory for the Seminoles. Ramsey is definitely an impressive prospect that should carry a high 1st round grade when he enters the draft; whether that’s this year or next year.

DT – Nile Lawrence-Stample – 6’1 302, Senior

This was an impressive game for Lawrence-Stample.  He’s a wide-bodied DT with very good quickness.  Obviously facing a team that is going to be 75% run/pass, it was a great opportunity to see his ability to anchor, shed blocks and apply pressure.  I think Lawrence-Stample’s game is versatile.  He’s a 3T by trade, but you can see traits that’ll lead you to believe that he can play as a 1T or an undersized, quick-NT in a 3-4 defense.  Lawrence-Stample was able to hold his own verses combo blocks. He slips blocks really well and when Boston College was in obvious passing situations, his quickness off the snap combined with his active hands, was able to cause a lot of pressure and problems for the Eagles.  He’s a prospect that’s definitely worthy of further evaluation. I really liked what I saw in this game.

LB – Terrance Smith – 6’4 230, Senior

Smith was able to consistently flash all game long.  He is a physically impressive guy.  Getting the chance pre-game to go down and get a look at him up close, you couldn’t tell if he was a DE or OLB.  In the game vs runs away, he was able to both flatten and accelerate to the ball carrier.  Smith has pretty good instincts in the passing game.  His feet stay ‘hot’ and he’s ability to anticipate route concepts and then accelerate to the receiver.  With his ability to play with very good length, you can see how an NFL team can utilize him in a multitude of ways: 4-3 WLB, 3-4 WILB, Rush End in a Speed Package.  Smith isn’t awkward in space and can excel in covering RBs. Verses runs to him, he did give a little ground but not much.  He’s much more stout at the P.O.A. than most WLB you’ll see.

FS – Lamarcus Brutus – 6’0 207, Senior

I thought Brutus definitely opened some eyes this game with his play. From the deep safety position, Brutus explodes downhill in run support.  You also notice very good sideline-to-sideline range from him as well.  He picked off a pass this game. The way he covers ground gives the FSU corners the luxury of being aggressive at the L.O.S. I keep mentioning it but the speed and acceleration of Brutus has definitely put me on notice. I don’t care what he ‘times’, because his playing speed will be faster.  As most FSU DBs are on this team, Brutus is a very solid open field tackler as well.

 

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Fordham Rams vs Villanova Wildcats (9-12-15)

Fordham Rams Pro Prospects (2nd Look)

OG – Garrick Mayweather Jr. – 6’4 314, Senior

Garrick once again displayed a lot of what I’ve seen the past 3 seasons.  What I wanted to see in this one versus Villanova was improvement in his pulls.  I think he’s still inconsistent in that area from a finishing standpoint.  He can get out and around with ease, but it’s about the finishing of the block where his footwork and placement can get a little sloppy.  In all other facets of his game, pass pro and base blocking etc., he’s excellent and is still one of the functionally stronger OL in the country.

TE – Phazahn Odom – 6’8 245 – Senior

The Army/Fordham roster had Odom listed as a Junior, but last night he’s listed as a Senior in both the media guide and 2-deep game depth chart.  As for on the field, he was utilized more as a blocker because of the opponent and the weather conditions.  Aligned as an H-Back, Odom had a nondescript output.  You’d like to see a little bit more effort on his blocks moving forward as he had a couple of whiffs vs Villanova.

Villanova Wildcats Pro Prospects

QB – John Robertson – 6’1 220, Senior

This is my 2nd time seeing Robertson play, first time this season. The best way I can describe him is elusive.  Robertson is a very good athlete and I would compare his game to Rich Gannon when he came out of Delaware as a Wing T quarterback.  Looking at his passing traits, and the reason why I made that comparison, is because he has something that can be worked with as a pro.  Robertson has above-average mobility and arm strength. He’s throws like a pitcher; almost Kerry Collins-ish, but the ball has a ton of velocity and he can make throws all over the field.  I think he moves a little quick off his first target before taking off and at times can be a little robotic in his movements.  Watching him operate in the Wildcats offense, you can see he’s a guy that’s excelling in doing what he’s asked to do and if he’s asked to do a little bit more, he could have success as well.  I’ll get another look at his game live later this month vs Penn.  But from what I’ve seen twice already, I think he can play QB at the pro level.

DE – Reggie Paris – 6’3 260, Senior

Paris plays defensive end in the Wildcats 3-3-5 defense and I came away very impressed with how he plays the run.  At 6’3, Paris plays with great length. He’s constantly winning the ‘first hands’ battle which puts him in a position of control.  He doesn’t give up on a play and also is able to recover to make a play if it gets past him.  He has enough functional mobility that I think he can easily be a standup rush guy in a 3-4 or a base 4-3 LDE.  Definitely looking forward to studying his game more.

LB – Don Cherry – 6’1 240 – Senior

This guy is as good as advertised.  Cherry had a really good game vs Fordham.  He has great sideline-to-sideline speed, great acceleration downhill to close on the ball carrier, and delivers good pop upon contact.  I got to see Cherry blitz, drop in coverage, stack and shed, and he performed will in each capacity.  It’s rare that you find a guy in this day and age of defensive football that gets great run fits consistently and is able to excel on both ends.  Right now, with how fast and aggressive he plays the game, you can see a lot of scheme versatility in his game.  I think he can play ILB in a 3-4 or WLB & MLB in a 4-3. He’s also a legit 6’1 240.  He’s not on the Senior Bowl watch list, but he should be.

Junior Prospects that Stood Out and are Worthy of Evaluation

Fordham’s DT Josh Klecko – 6’2 265

Klecko had a tremendous game.  He plays inside for the Rams and his quickness off the ball was an obvious problem for the interior Wildcat offensive line.  His quickness is his best attribute, almost David Pollack-like, but you want to see him finish more plays.  A lot of times he just missed the tackle for loss but disrupted the play enough to where it was a short gain.  I think there could be a Rob Ninkovich role for him at the next level if he continues to improve on the finer parts of DL play.  But playing inside now is definitely going to help him, from a physical standpoint, moving forward.

Villanova’s DE Tanoh Kpassagnon – 6’7 275

Kpassagnon was the most impressive defensive linemen in this game.  He’s all of 6’7 and is a physical player.  I saw great ball get off, tremendous punch when he engaged with the offensive tackle.  He’s a very strong P.O.A. player.  If I had to make a quick comparison, I’d say Sean Jones (Oilers, Raiders) because of his long arms and enormous hands.  He’s a power rusher that’s able to drive and rip to beat an OL to get the sack.  He’s inconsistent at finding the ball at times, but that’s where he has an opportunity to grow as a player and prospect.  I think Villanova has themselves a true gem in Kpassagnon.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Temple Owls vs Penn State Nittany Lions (9-5-15)

Temple Owls Pro Prospects

C – Kyle Friend – 6’2 305, Senior

This is my 3rd live viewing of Kyle Friend, so I’m very familiar with what he brings to the table. This was a great game to see because of the challenge that Penn State poses on the defensive interior.  Friend had an excellent game.  He’s able to lock-and-drive very well and I think he has A+ ability in the recover department.  He’s extremely strong at the P.O.A.  Not much to see in the passing game in this one because of the offense, but as far as the running game is concerned, he excellent. Very good athlete with functional strength. He’s a premier Center prospect in my opinion.

DT – Matt Ioannidis – 6’4 292, Senior

Ioannidis is very similar to Friend in the fact that he’s athletic and functionally strong.  He was one of the stalwarts defensively vs Penn State.  He’s strong enough at the P.O.A. to control. While he does show the ability to beat double teams, at times he doesn’t bring his feet with him which cause him to skate a bit and be moved off the spot.  He has to be able to anchor better on a consistent basis.  I’d like to see him develop some sort of a counter move in the pass rushing department.  However, he’s an extremely versatile talent, which is why I believe he’s a mid-round type of talent.  Ioannidis can play multiple spots up front: 1T, Nose, 3T and 5T.

LB – Tyler Matakevich – 6’1 232, Senior

Matakavich has definitely gotten bigger since last season & didn’t lose any of his movement skills, which is a plus.  I think he’s your classic WLB.  I like his ability to chase down from the backside. Versus Penn State, he showed that he has above-average ability as a blitzer and is very solid in coverage.  His ability both in man and zone was impressive. Versus the downhill run game, he doesn’t show the aggressiveness necessary I believe to play either on the strong side or in the middle as a 3-4 ILB.

Penn State Nittany Lions Pro Prospects

DT – Anthony Zettel – 6’4 284, Senior

This was my first opportunity to see Zettel in live action and I came away impressed.  He’s a really good player in pursuit that consistently takes great angles to the ball carrier.  He stays active and keeps himself alive on every play.  That tells you that he hustles hard and plays with the good aggressiveness you want as a coach.  I think Zettel has A+ hand usage. He’s the type of defensive linemen who’s hands and eyes are always in unison because he is always able to find the football.  You’re not going to fool him on any misdirection. Very smart player. Excited to study him more after viewing him verses Temple; he battled well verses Kyle Friend and that interior.

DE – Carl Nassib – 6’7 272, Senior

Nassib was the defensive player of the game in my opinion. He was virtually unblockable coming off the edge.  For a guy that’s 6’7, he plays with tremendous leverage which allows him to either slip blocks or disengage from them.  Nassib also plays with great length vs the run and shows the ability to flatten and accelerate to the QB.  I also believe he moves well in space.  Well enough to the point where he could have a future as a stand up edge rusher in a 3-4 ala Paul Kruger.  Nassib definitely turned some heads today and forced a lot of people to take a closer look at his game moving forward.

CB – Trevor Williams – 6’0 200, Senior

Williams played very well vs Temple.  Since this offense of the Owls was 65/35 run to pass, I learned a lot about his ability vs the run.  Williams is very aggressive in that department and isn’t afraid to come up and lay a hit.  He’s a sure tackler that didn’t miss any of his one-on-one opportunities with the ball carrier.  In the passing game, he shows the ability to press; good fluidity to turn and run with the receiver.  At times, especially on the deep passes, he can get handsy and doesn’t always turn to find the football.  I think that’s where you want to see improvement moving forward.  But overall, I think as a boundary guy, he has some good skills and traits you look for.

QB – Christian Hackenberg – 6’4 228, Junior

All eyes were on the Junior QB to see if he was able to make strides in his game.  To be completely honest, it was probably more ‘to be continued’ than to say either way you have a definitive answer.  What Hackenberg does show is a live arm, so he can make every throw on the football field.  He’s a does have good athleticism and he’s a tough player that doesn’t mind taking off and running if need be.  In the short/intermediate area, he’s a spot thrower which tells you two things: he’s late ‘seeing it’ and his placement will be off.  Both were the case vs Temple.  You want to see him be more confident in what he sees and just let it rip.  Being an overly cautious QB will lead you to be a sacked often QB.  On the deep throws, he can get it out there but the accuracy is inconsistent.  Again, overall it was an incomplete for Hackenberg, but in my opinion, good thing he has another season in Happy Valley because unless he lights it on fire the remaining games, he’ll need it.

Guys who had Standout Performances

Temple RB Jahad Thomas – 5’10 180, Junior

Thomas showed great burst and elusiveness in the open field and jumpstarted the Owls offense in the 2nd half. I think as a Kickoff Returner and scat back, he’ll have some value at the next level.

Temple SLB Avery Williams – 5’11 200, Junior

Williams is a much more aggressive player vs the Run and is just as much of an athlete as Tyler Matakavich.  Look for him to continue to grow in this position moving forward.

Penn State C Angelo Mangiro – 6’3 321, Senior

Workmanlike effort by Mangiro. He had a tough task up front facing Temple’s interior defensive line, but he made it work and also did an excellent job in the pass protection department.  I’ll be keeping an eye on his progress this season.

Penn State RB Akeel Lynch – 5’11 222, Junior

Good running ability by Lynch.  Although the Nittany Lions struggle in the second half as a whole, Lynch showed the ability to break tackles and has really good burst for a 222lb RB. I think he has ability to be a good #2 option as a pro. Obviously he has another year left at Penn State, but just as a projection, he has good all-around game.

 

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Army West Point Black Knights vs Fordham Rams (9-4-15)

Army West Point Black Knights Pro Prospects

C – Matt Hugenberg – 6’5 295, Senior

Good strong performance by Hugenberg.  He plays with very good leverage for his height. Got great knee bend.  He initiates contact and position blocks very well.  He’s inconsistent with his leg drive, but when he does move his feet while engaged, he moves mountains.  I like his potential as a pro playing the center position. Good strong P.O.A. player.

Fordham Rams Pro Prospects

G – Garrick Mayweather – 6’4 319, Senior

I’ve been following Mayweather since his sophomore season at Fordham, so I’m very familiar with his game. He has gotten significantly better each and every season.  Mayweather has great hand placement. His hand consistently stay inside and they’re very strong. He moves the pile real well in the run game. He’s OK at recognizing stunts and games up front.  Pass Pro is solid; plays the piano very well and doesn’t overextend.  His feet can get a little sloppy on pulls; he wouldn’t be a guy that I would use on pulling plays.  I would classify him as a ‘mauler’. I think he’s a really good pro prospect, definitely worthy of a mid-round draft selection.  I made the comparison during the game to a Bronx version of Gabe Jackson. That’s who his game resembles in my honest opinion.  Fordham has a really great prospect here.

Guys who had Stand Out Performances

Army NG T.J. Atimalala- 5’11 268, Senior

Atimalala was the best defensive linemen in the game on both sides to be honest. Very stout (naturally) and disruptive. He’s playing nose guard for Army, but I think he could have a future as a LEO or EDGE player in a 3-4. He moves very well for a guy his size. Intriguing skills nonetheless.

Fordham TE Phazahn Odom – 6’8 245, Junior

For a 6’8 player, Odom moves extremely well. I’m not the one to throw out baseless player comps, but the way he moves and plays reminds me a lot of Kellen Winslow Jr.  He’s a good hands catcher that isn’t afraid of contact.  Fordham moved him around the formation a lot and he ran very good routes.  Now, although he has good hands, he can be inconsistent. He dropped 2 potential touchdowns in this ball game.  I think that will come with more playing time as the focus will sharpen.  He is very comfortable catching the ball away from his body and he also possess very good athleticism.  Odom is a legit pro prospect to keep an eye on for 2016.

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: East Stroudsburg Warriors vs LIU-Post Warriors (9-3-15)

East Stroudsburg Warriors Pro Prospects

QB – Matt Soltes – 6’3 220, Senior

Soltes was a 2-time Harlon Hill Trophy Finalist which is the D2 equivalent to the Heisman Trophy. He’s also on the Senior Bowl watch list.  You can see why he’s highly thought of by many people.  This was my first opportunity to see him live as the game I attended last year vs West Chester, he missed because of a shoulder injury.  Soltes displays very good footwork. I think he’s a tremendous athletic that moves very well within the pocket.  He’s also a good runner with the football. I’d say he’s a 4.7 guy. The good part about the ESU offense is that we got to see him do a multitude of things like playing under center, turning his back to the defense, playing out of the gun, etc.  He throws well on the move and has a very strong arm.  He tends to spot throw which causes his placement to be off at times. That’s an area where his anticipation has to become much more consistent because it’s directly tied to his spot throwing.  He’s able to make the bucket throws down the sideline and he’s not afraid to make tight window throws; actually, he excels in that area. Soltes is able to throw from different platforms and is a tough kid.  He was injured in this game, which effected his ability to extend plays and that ultimately hurt him, and the team down the stretch in the 2 minute offense.  Overall, I like what I saw and if I can’t make it back for another live game, he’s definitely worth more film study as the season progresses.

WR – Jon Schnaars – 6’3 215, Senior

The first thing that jumps out at you about Schnaars is his size. He’s all of 6’3 215lbs.  He has above-average hands and made 2 really spectacular catches down the sideline; one was a diving one-hander.  He’s Soltes’ #1 target. Schnaars struggles to separate, so that limits his ability to be moved around the formation. He’s strictly an ‘X’ receiver.

LIU Post Pioneers Pro Prospects

TE – Sean Binckes – 6’4 243, Senior

I didn’t know too much about LIU-Post coming into this matchup, but I had Binckes highlighted as a prospect to watch coming into this season and he didn’t disappoint.  He’s an inline player that’s a smart blocker and strong P.O.A. (point of attack) guy.  That already increases his chances of making it at the next level.  He’s an A+ blocker.  As for as catching the football is concerned, he’s a natural hands catcher. Binckes does an excellent job catching the ball when passes are in front of him.  Where he struggles is trying to catch over his shoulders; which is partly due to is lack of elite athleticism.  He’s a ‘lumberer’ when he runs, but is a solid R.A.C. guy. I really like his hand-eye coordination.  I think he has definite pro potential and I’ll get another live look next week vs Assumption.

LB – Brandon Cheney – 6’1 243, Senior

Cheney played a really good game.  He’s a good sideline to sideline player that got great run fits on a consistent basis.  He’s a disciplined player, which was good to see vs a team like East Stroudsburg.  B+ blitzer and is a sure tackler. He’s one of the guys I’m more intrigued by at that position and looking forward to learning more about.

Guys who had Stand Out Performances

East Stroudsburg RB – Robert Healy – 5’10 190, Junior

Healy is a very versatile running back. Behind Schnaars, he has the 2nd best hands on the team. He had 2 big plays in the game. One 75 yard TD run and a 40 plus yard gain in the passing game. Healy has great burst and you can see potential as a scat back in the pros. Worth keeping an eye on.

LIU Post RB David White – 5’10 210, Junior

White is the starting tailback for the Pioneers and displayed really good vision and burst. I thought he ran well when his number was called. I say that because they utilized three backs this game, so it was more of a running back by committee approach.  But you can see the natural running skills by White and he also has good size/skill for the position.

LIU Post RB Malik Pierre – 5’9 190, Redshirt Freshman

This guy has legit pro potential.  I know he’s only a redshirt freshman, but Pierre put on such an impressive performance that I’m really excited to see him play for the next 3 seasons. Pierre ran for over 100 yards and also had over 2oo yards of kick returns, averaging over 30 yards per return.  He has the most explosiveness out of the 3 backs used by LIU Post and, in my opinion, should be the starter.  If you like Elijah McGuire of Univ. of Louisiana, you’ll love Malik Pierre. Same player.

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2014-15 Football Season

 

Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Illinois State Redbirds vs North Dakota St. Bison (1-10-15)

Illinois State Redbirds Pro Prospects

TE – James O’Shaugnessy – 6’4 245, Senior

O’Shaughnessy had an outstanding game from a scouting standpoint.  He was able to showcase a lot of what you want to see from a TE: blocking, receiving & route running.  O’Shaughnessy has very good size and plays both inline and flexed.  In the running game, he’s able to reach block, wham and arc block very well.  Strong hands. O’Shaughnessy made two excellent grabs, both in traffic, for touchdowns.  As far as running is concerned, he’s a smooth runner with good enough speed for the position.  I can see him as someone that’ll start to garner a lot of attention as the draft process starts. Very good, draftable prospect. Classic TE.

RG – Rocco Ammons – 6’5 330 – Senior

Ammons is your classic ‘lock-and-drive’ offensive guard.  He’s in the mold of former ECU guard Will Simmons (class of 2014) in the sense that he excels in on the interior and in space in the pass protection department.  Big fan of how Ammons’s hands stay inside consistently and he’s able to get very good movement off the ball.  The Redbirds also got him on the move a lot in this game. He’s listed at 6’5 330, and standing next to him pre-game, he definitely checks out at that measurement.

DT – Bradon Prate – 6’4 285 – Senior

This was a player that I came away highly impressed with in this game.  The word relentless comes to mind. Twice in this game, Prate chased down, and made the tackle, on plays that were at least 20 yards downfield.  At the LOS, he had trouble disengaging from blocks.  He’s definitely very quick off the ball, but if he doesn’t win with quickness, and an OL gets their hands on him, he has a hard time shedding that block.  However, he is a strong player that can drive an offensive lineman directly into the backfield.  I think his ideal position as a pro would be at the 1T position as a one-gap penetrator with the ability to play the shade if need be.

SS – Dontae McCoy – 6’0 210 – Senior

McCoy is another Redbird who had an impressive showing.  Great closing speed to the ball carrier both in the hole and in the alley.  McCoy had above-average football I.Q. and is a guy that you can trust in the short area pass defense department as well as man vs Tight Ends.  Against NDSU, McCoy was moved around the defense. He played the deep third, played over the TE on the LOS, play as a pseudo-OLB in certain fronts and was able to excel in every capacity.  I believe he, just like O’Shaugnessy, will garner big time interest this offseason. He’s your classic Strong Safety, with the ability to hold his own in coverage.

North Dakota State Bison Pro Prospects (2nd Look)

RB – John Crockett – 6’0 210, Senior

Good to get a 2nd look at Crockett as their were some things that I didn’t see in the game vs Montana earlier in the season.  The biggest improvement was his ability and willingness to lower his shoulder and plow through a would-be tackler for the extra yards.  He and SS Dontae McCoy had a few battles and Crockett had some victories, which was important.  Still impressed with his versatility as a player. You saw Crockett lined up in the slot and return kickoffs, both of which enhances his chances to stick as a pro.

DE – Kyle Emanuel – 6’3 251, Senior

Emanuel had a dominant game vs Montana, which in my opinion, put him square on the scene in the eyes of evaluators.  This game, you saw his ability to play the mental game: playing gap sound, maintaining the LOS, beating the double team; this was another sound performance for Emanuel, who ended up winning the Buck Buchanon Award this season which is given to the top defensive player in the FCS.

Players that Stood out with their Performance

NDSU C – Jesse Hinz – 6’4 301, Senior

The Bison were able to do what they needed to do on the ground because of the play of Hinz.  NDSU is usually an off-tackle, power run team but a lot of their success came down the A/B gaps because of how well Hinz was moving guys off the spot.  Came away impressed with his technique and footwork as well.

Illinois State QB Tre Roberson & NDSU QB Carson Wentz

Both Junior QBs in this game showed tremendous poise and pocket presence. Neither was distracted by the rush and bought time in the pocket with great in-the-pocket-movement.  Roberson nearly won the game for the Redbirds with a 50 yard touchdown run with a minute left in the game, but Wentz was able to lead a great drive under 2 minutes to come away victorious.  Roberson (6’0 205) is strictly a QB that just so happens to be athletic. Wentz (6’6 231) has gotten better every game and is a tremendous athlete that is able to win in-and-out of the pocket, you just want to see him take better care of the football and be a little more aware. These two will garner big time attention heading into the 2015 season.

Illinois State RB Marshaun Coprich – 5’9 205, Junior

Coprich lived up to the billing.  He has tremendous acceleration and is a one-cut, downhill runner.  His game reminds me a lot of the Bucs Doug Martin.  Coprich has soft hands and shows good short area quickness to make one miss.  He’ll be the top FCS back heading into next season.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: UConn Huskies vs SMU Mustangs (12-6-14)

UConn Huskies Pro Prospects

WR – Geremy Davis – 6’3 216, Senior

Considering the circumstances (rainy weather and sloppy field), I actually came away impressed with the route running of Davis.  He gets good acceleration off the line and is able to snap in-and-out of his breaks.  For a guy that stands 6’3, he has very fluid hips and body control.  I’d like to see him get a little bit stronger.  At times during the route, the defensive back was able to give him a subtle ‘chuck’ and it dramatically altered his momentum.  You want him to be able to power through that contact.  Davis has pretty good speed. I wouldn’t necessarily say he’s a ‘burner’, but a solid 4.5 guy.  From the few opportunities he had to catch the ball, you can see he’s able to catch away from his body while also understanding body positioning.

C – Alex Mateas – 6’4 309, Senior

Mateas had a solid performance vs SMU.  He does a very good job of ‘attacking’; winning the hands battle consistently. Good initial punch and his feet are constantly moving, which allows him to not only get position, but also leverage.  Mateas moves well on pulls and screens.  He keeps his hands inside all the time which is textbook.  I question his anchoring ability.  Many times he wasn’t anchoring, playing too high and getting knocked off balance. I think he also can excel at LG if need be.

Guys who Stood Out with Good Performances

SMU Mustangs QB Matt Davis – 6’0 214, Soph.

New HC Chad Morris has something good at the QB position in Matt Davis.  His mobility & athleticism is excellent.  Davis nearly rushed for over 200 yards and it was his running that got SMU back into the game and later sealed it.  Throwing the football (again considering the weather) he’s able to make every throw needed. The WRs had about 8-10 drops. I was also impressed with how well he saw the field.

UConn Huskies’s S Andrew Adams – 6’0 197, Junior

Adams had a spectacular day as the Deep Safety.  I came away highly impressed with his eye discipline and ability to force the QB to hold the ball longer than he wanted to…which a lot of times, ended up in a sack.  Good understanding of route combinations and passing concepts.  Adams showed good range and closing speed to the football. He has solid ball skills and also was able to get a ‘scoop-and-score’ in the 2nd QTR.  In the alley, he’s a solid open-field tackler.  He’s definitely on the radar for 2015.

UConn Huskies LB Junior Joseph – 6’1 242, Redshirt Freshman

As a Redshirt Freshman, I think UConn has themselves a budding star in Junior Joseph.  Joseph was all over the field making plays on both ends of defense.  He plays MLB for the Huskies and runs very well sideline-to-sideline and is an impact tackler.  Joseph can disengage well, gets good run fits while also showing the ability to get his depth in drops. Look for him to make many preseason All-AAC teams as the 2015 season approaches. Very impressive showing.

SMU’s C Taylor Lasecki – 6’3 300, Junior

A lot of the Mustangs success on the ground came due to the job Lasecki was able to do up front.  Good pop upon contact and does a fabulous job of resetting both his hands and feet to get the DL off the spot.  In pass pro, he was able to use different ways to get the job done: punch & pin, reset & redirect, wall & drive.  Good day all around for the Junior center.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Boston College Eagles vs Syracuse Orange (11-29-14)

Boston College Eagles Pro Prospects

C – Andy Gallik – 6’3 304 – Senior

It’s easy to see why Gallik is one of the best Center prospects in the country.  He had a very impressive showing verses Syracuse.  Gallik is a strong P.O.A. player that doesn’t allow any penetration.  He moves extremely well, which is very important in BC’s run-heavy offensive attack.  I came away impressed with his ability to seal, scoop and reach block.  Gallik is able to diagnose and pick up stunts, blitzes and twist very well.  I think you’ll see a guy that’ll go very early, as far as Centers are concerned, in this year’s draft. He’s a good ‘bender’ and will ALWAYS keep his hands inside.  His hands didn’t get outside of the numbers of the defensive lineman at all during the course of the game.  You also never saw him get driven back into the backfield.  I’d be interested to see what he graded out after this game from his position coaches because I struggled to find a ‘weakness’ in one particular area.  This was a clean game for Gallik; excited to dive into more tape of his game.

QB – Tyler Murphy – 6’2 215 – Senior

It was great to get an extended look at Tyler Murphy’s game.  Syracuse’s defense is a good test for any QB because of how fast they play and how well they can apply pressure.  Murphy is a very good athlete. During the game he broke the ACC’s all-time single season rushing record (which was previously held by Clemson’s Woody Danztler).  However, I wouldn’t say he’s a ‘read-option’ guy or a ‘running QB’. He just so happens to have above-average ability to pick up yards on the ground when available.  He’s a QB first.  In the passing game, he threw well on the move and throws the corner/flag route particularly well, dropping it in the right place consistently.  Verses pressure, he stands tall in the pocket and shows good pocket mobility to evade pressure.  Highly impressive performance by Murphy showing good throwing accuracy and ball placement.  I think he intrigued some scouts at the game as a guy that could be a draftable player at QB.

DE – Brian Mihalik – 6’9 295 – Senior

Mihalik is ALL of 6’9 295lbs.  Very big guy that definitely looks the part of an NFL player.  However, he doesn’t move well for a guy that plays DE in a 4-3.  Prior to injuring his shoulder in the 1st QTR, he struggled to get off blocks and wasn’t winning the battle verses LT Sean Hickey; got pancaked twice.  He does have good initial punch, but you want to see him follow that up by moving his feet and being able to disengage.  I didn’t bother to get notes on him after he returned from injury late in the 2nd QTR as it was obvious that he was playing with one arm.  It wouldn’t have been fair to him to continue to grade.  I will say this, credit to him returning with that bum shoulder at that position.

S – Dominique Williams – 6’0 220 – Senior

Williams played a lot in the deep middle for BC this game, which shows he’s capable to situationally play there.  He’s strictly a SS prospect that does have some good ability in coverage vs TEs.  He’s not as ‘fluid’ as you’d like but does a great job in timing up blitzes and is very good verses the running game.  As an alley defender, he’s a competent player that doesn’t miss an assignment or a tackle.  He’s also plays on the punt return team.  I think his ability vs the run and special teams play, should be enough to give him a look in a camp.

Syracuse Orange Pro Prospects

LT – Sean Hickey – 6’6 306 – Senior

Hickey was one of the prospects for Syracuse that had a good bit of buzz coming into the season.  He has a very good frame for an offensive tackle. He’s built well athletically.  In the running game is where he excels the most.  Strong P.O.A. player that drive blocks better than some guards.  His legs stay shoulder length apart which gives him very good leverage.  He’s not a ‘knee bender’ which contributes to his struggles in pass pro.  Hickey has late hands and catches a lot, which leaves him susceptible to speed guys, guys with great counter moves and guys that have fast-and-active hands.  He’s too heavy-footed to stay on the left side at the next level, but I think he’d be an ideal fit on the right side and could also operate in a ZBS very well.  While he is late with his hands, once he engages with a defender, he’ll sustain that block throughout the play.  He had an excellent day (prior to the injury) versus BC’s DE Brian Mihalik.  Good run blocking T prospect.

LB – Dyshawn Davis – 6’1 225, Senior

I came away very impressed with Davis’ game.  He has good speed and an explosive 1st step.  Verses the run, Davis gets through the trash very well and has good ‘pop’ upon contact.  He plays the SLB for Syracuse and could more than hold his own on the inside as a Nickel backer.  Davis also has good value as a blitzer coming off the edge.  He plays fast and at full speed all the time. Davis does a good job taking on blockers and disengaging.  This was a good showing for Davis vs Boston College.

LB – Cameron Lynch – 6’0 231, Senior

Another active backer for the Orange, Lynch made a lot of the defensive adjustments this game showing very good read-and-react skills.  Big fan of his ability to get after the QB as well; showing good plant-and-acceleration skills once he turns the corner.  A sound tackler that stacks and sheds well.  I think Lynch, like Davis, can also excel on the inside in a Nickel defense.  Lynch was disruptive all game.

FS – Durell Eskridge – 6’4 205, Senior

Against BC’s run-heavy offensive attack, it wasn’t much you could take from a coverage perspective for Eskridge, but you did see a good bit of what he can do from a run support perspective.  Eskridge was never out of position and consistently took very good angles to the ball carrier.  He’s an exceptional open-field tackler and does a great job getting the the alley before the runner can get the corner.  When BC went spread, you saw Cuse move him around either matched up in the slot or playing in either a Cloud/Sky coverage depending on alignment.  He’s a fluid athlete that does have good range to get from sideline to sideline. I’ll have to dive into more game tape to get a feel for his coverage and ball skills.

Guys that Stood out with Good Performances

Boston College’s CB – Manuel Asprilla – 5’11 183, Senior

I think Asprilla has a good chance to stick at the next level.  He plays the run very well and has good technical skills at the position.  He can flip to either side of the field and does show good quickness and burst to close on the WR.  Asprilla played a very good game verses Syracuse

Boston College’s Punter – Alex Howell – 6’3 206, Senior

Howell had a very good day overall kicking the ball.  As a PK, he got great depth on his kicks and punting the football, he averaged over 43 yds. per punt downing 1 inside the 20.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: UMass Minutemen vs Buffalo Bulls (11-28-14)

UMass Minutemen Pro Prospects

TE – Jean Sifrin – 6’7 250, Junior

Sifrin is a JUCO transfer and a little bit older than your average college student (27 years old).  What I noticed about his game was that he move extremely well for a guy that stand 6’7.  I would guess that he’s a 4.6 type guy. He plays will good leverage as far as blocking is concerned.  He’s not a ‘great’ blocker, but he’s more than willing to do so.  The Minutemen use him all around the formation. Sometimes he’s flexed, split out wide or the EMOL away from the trips side.  Sifrin catches the ball very well away from his body; his hands are always out in front and quickly secures the catch.  I think what will be an underrated part of his game is how talented of a route runner he is.  Sifrin is able to snap in and out of his breaks at the right depth, tracks the ball well as he adjusts and does a good job of playing ‘high post’ verses a defender.  He’s a fine football player and definitely has the look (considering the age) of a top flight TE prospect in the country.

WR – Tajae Sharpe – 6’4 200, Junior

Sharpe isn’t the most explosive receiver out there but he’s able to win consistently with precise routes.  Sharpe is almost textbook in his route running; he doesn’t tip off whether or not he’s breaking in or out, forces the DB to open up his hips before making a break and doesn’t round off routes.  He’s also not afraid to make catches in traffic.  I think he’d be an ideal “Z” receiver as a guy that you can keep on the move, play him inside on occasion. I would compare his game to a Terrance Williams of the Dallas Cowboys.  If I were him, working on becoming more explosive would be my main goal in the Winter/Spring. He has everything else you’d want at the position.

CB – Trey Dudley-Giles – 5’11 182, Junior

Dudley-Giles plays the field corner for UMass and saw a ton of action coming his way throughout the game.  He has very good size at corner and good athleticism.  He’s not a ‘sudden’ player. He plays more of the trail and bait game because he trusts his speed to catch up to make a play on the ball.  He does have pretty good ball skills making 3 key plays on deep balls his way.  Dudley-Giles is also the team’s punt returner.  I’d like to see him work on the finer parts of the position going into next season.

CB – Randall Jette – 5’11 180, Junior

Jette is more of the technician at CB. Very smooth in-and-out of his backpedal. His foot quickness is where you’d want it to be and he turns and runs very well.  I like his ability to mirror and redirect with both his positioning and hands.  Solid in run support as well. I’d like to see him become a little bit more aggressive and attack the ball more as a senior.

Buffalo Bulls Pro Prospects

C – Trevor Sales – 6’2 312 – Senior

This was an impressive showing for Sales.  He climbs to the 2nd level very well and does an outstanding job in finishing blocks.  Sales’ footwork is excellent at the position. His feet continue to move throughout the process, which allows him to be able to control and block through the whistle.  He’s able to execute many of the blocks you’d want to see: scoop, trap, fold, seal, combo and pull.  Don’t ever ask him to try and cut block a defender.  He failed miserably at the 2 attempts in this game; whiffing and falling flat on his face.  Another strong suit to his game is his ability to be effective on both ends of offense: run and pass.  He’s able to reset and redirect very well and his hands always stay inside.  I don’t know where the NFL has him graded, but in my honest opinion he’s got good pro game and could also excel at LG or RG if you needed him to.  Sales has a pro future.

G – Andre Davis – 6’4 318 – Senior

Davis plays LG for the Bulls and would probably be better suited as a RG.  He has a strong punch and is able to ‘stop’ a defender but his feet doesn’t follow up which allows a defender to slip past.  I’d like to see him play with a better base and work to keep his hands inside.  A lot of times, you’ll find his hands all over the place; that can’t happen at the next level.  Davis does have some special teams value as his the personal protector on the punt team.  I don’t feel his athleticism is where you’d want it to be and will have to clean up his technique in order to stick.

NG – Kristjan Sokoli – 6’5 293 – Senior

Sokoli plays the 5T in the Bulls 3-4 defense.  He’s very quick off the ball and extends well. Very powerful player in the trenches and as a 1-gap penetrator, he’s consistently in the backfield.  You’d like to see some sort of counter move or an ability to disengage quickly to get to the QB. That limits his options at the next level as far as ‘scheme versatile’ goes, but he’d excel in a 3-4 as an end.  Sokoli plays on 2 special teams units: kickoff coverage and field goal team.

S – Adam Redden – 6’1 203 – Senior

I like Adam Redden’s game.  He’s a very good open field tackler.  He had 2 opportunities to make plays in space vs the run and he succeeded.  Redden takes very good angles to the ball carrier and has above-average acceleration as well.  He has enough ability to hold his own in space; more so in the intermediate passing area.  Good turn-and-run skills in man coverage while also showing capability to excel, situationally, in the slot. Redden plays on the punt return team as well.  He has an opportunity to surprise in a camp.

Players who had Stand Out Performances

UMass NT – Robert Kitching III – 6’1 307, Junior

Kitching was showing what the future looks like for the Minutemen along the defensive line.  He was explosive off the ball and showcased a variety of pass rushing moves to get into the backfield.  He has active and quick hands to disengage from blocks and plays with good leverage. Finished the game with 3 TFLs. As an under tackle, he’s going to be a problem moving forward for opposing OL.  Keep an eye on him as a Senior.

UMass LB – Jovan Santos-Knox – 6’2 240, Junior.

Santos-Knox was a tackling machine.  Yes a bulk of the tackles were assisted tackles, however, the sheer fact that he’s flying sideline to sideline and involved in almost every play is what the focus should be.  Good size at 6’2 240, what you’ll want to see from him moving forward is becoming much more versatile in his approach: Stronger P.O.A. player, showcase some blitzing ability and much more consistent in the passing game. There’s enough raw talent here to garner the interest from NFL scouts.

Buffalo’s QB Joe Licata – 6’2 225 – Junior

This was my first chance to see Licata live and I came away very impressed with how well he threw the football.  Licata’s timing, accuracy and ball placement was elite vs UMass.  His game isn’t flashy, but it’s effective and highly efficient.  If I had to make a comparison to a QB, it would be Chad Pennington.  Licata already holds the school record for TD passes (60) and I’d say that if he continues to improve like he has every season, you’ll start to hear his name as a guy that’ll generate a lot of buzz heading into the ’16 NFL Draft.  Licata has good enough velocity on his passes.  He plays in Buffalo, so you don’t have those questions about his ability to throw in bad weather.  Very impressed with his game.

Buffalo’s CB – Cortney Lester – 6’0 190 – Senior

Lester’s feel for the game is very good. Solid instincts and quickness, Lester plays a very good style of football that’ll be tailor made for a Zone team.  I liked his ability to come up in run support and make a play.  In coverage, you saw turn and run skills, the ability to mirror and very good ball skills to get the PBU.  I think he’ll get an shot in a camp, what can keep him around will be his ability to play special teams.  He’s a physical enough corner to warrant that opportunity.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Lehigh Mountain Hawks vs Lafayette Leopards (11-22-14)

Lehigh Mountain Hawks Pro Prospects

LB – Matt Laub – 6’3 230, Junior

Laub was playing exclusively over the LT/TE in this ball game on the line of scrimmage.  He’s very strong at the P.O.A. and was able to consistently win versus the TE’s base block to the point where he became a point of emphasis for the Lafayette offense and was constantly doubled throughout the game.  I was very impressed with his read-and-recognition skills; he was able to sniff out traps and was always aware of the counters coming his way.  Where you like to see him develop as a Senior, would be in the pass rushing department.  Right now he’s more of a quickness guy, but you want to see him be able to ‘win’ with his hands if he’s going to be playing on the LOS like he was in this game.  Depending on how he’s utilized next season, I think he’ll project more as a SAM at the next level.

LT – Ned Daryoush – 6’4 295, Senior

Daryoush is a highly decorated player for the Mountain Hawks. 3-year starter and 2-time All-Patriot League performer…he’s probably going to make his 3rd All-Conference team. He’s a very good athlete that’s put on the move in the running game.  The Mountain Hawks love to pull him and utilize him on lead running plays.  He gives up his chest to easily in pass protection because he trusts his strength and ability to anchor.  That’s fine in the Patriot League, but as he’ll face an increased level of competition on a week-to-week basis as a pro, that can’t happen.  He’ll have to quicken his hands and be the first to strike.  However, once he does get his hands on you, you’re not going anywhere.  Daryoush can lock-and-drive with some of the best OL in the country.  Very strong hands.  I would like to see him become a little bit more consistent with moving his feet once he’s engaged with a defender.  I’m a big fan of how he’s able to get into his pass pro setup quickly.  Very smooth kick slide and doesn’t overextend or over exaggerate the process. He had an excellent day overall and could also project well as a LG in the pros.

Lafayette Leopards Pro Prospects (2nd Look)

DB – Jared Roberts – 6’2 200, Senior

Once again, the game of Jared Roberts impressed me.  In this game he was more of a deep safety as opposed to playing all over the field in my first viewing vs Fordham back in October.  Roberts has a very good feel for passing concepts and understanding what an offense is trying to do with certain combinations.  He was never out of position on a play and nearly had 2 interceptions.  He still has ‘ok’ range but does have good ‘quicks’ and agility.  He was the main punt returner in this game, which was something new that I noticed.  Once again, strong in run support and versatile enough to play anywhere on the field, Roberts in my opinion has the versatile skills to stick as a pro.

RB – Ross Scheuerman – 6’1 205, Senior

What a day for Scheuerman.  In my first viewing, he was utilized more as a slot receiver and situational runner vs Fordham.  He didn’t have the best output on the ground, but had a very good showing as a receiver that day.  Which led me to think he’d be an ideal candidate to switch positions at the next level and become a very good receiver.  Well, versus Lehigh, he had me thinking that he could stay as a runner and still be as successful.  Scheuerman ran for over 300 yards on the ground (setting school and conference records in the process).  What made this interesting was that it wasn’t done ‘creatively’, it was done in a pro-style way: Counter, Lead, Stretch, Inside Zone, Power.  Scheuerman has very good burst.  Although he broke away for a 79 yard TD run, I still think his overall speed is about 4.6-ish or high 4.5s.  You can see that he’s able to maintain top speed, which helps him break long runs.  This game he was also utilized as the kickoff returner.  I got to see a lot of the traits that I look for in a RB this game from Scheuerman and I’ll now go back over at least 4 games of his to decide if I’d recommend the switch or leave him a RB.  Overall, he’s a fine football player and definitely has a place at the next level.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Bryant Bulldogs vs Sacred Heart Pioneers (11-15-14)

Bryant Bulldogs Pro Prospects

DE – Maduka Nwankezi – 6’3 230 – Senior

Nwankezi is a legit 6’3 230lbs and has very good initial quickness off the ball.  That quickness allows him to set up and essentially control the OL, which allows him to bend and accelerate to the QB.  I came away very impressed with his level of versatility, which projects well to the next level.  Nwankezi was able to rush the passer, play the run well, drop into zone coverage and cover the TE in man, succeeding in every aspect.  As a 6’3 DE, he understands the importance of being able to extend and set the edge vs the running game.  He’ll transition perfectly to an OLB at the pro level and he does play on 2 special teams units (FG Block and Punt Return).  If he chooses to stay at DE, I can see him excelling in the CFL.

DE – Jeff Covitz – 6’2 255 – Senior

Covitz entered the game as one of the best FCS pro prospects this year and is a highly decorated player.  He owns the NEC career sacks record with 27.5. Covitz was also able to add a sack in this ball game.  Big fan of his Football I.Q. which was on full display vs Sacred Heart’s zone-read offense.  He has very quick hands which allows him to control & disengage.  The Bulldogs played him all across the formation. He lined up mainly as a NT, 1T & 5T, which is interesting considering he’s a ‘shorter’ DE at 6’2.  Very powerful P.O.A. player with above average quickness.  A good game comparison would be that of Rob Ninkovich of the New England Patriots.  I think Covitz would make an excellent SAM backer as a pro.  He flashed ‘complete’ game in this matchup.  I’d say he’ll find his way on a pro roster.

Sacred Heart Pioneers Pro Prospects

RB – Keshaudas Spence – 5’10 235 – Senior

Spence is one of the better RBs in the country regardless of division.  I wanted to see him live vs a very good run defense in Bryant. Unfortunately, he was nursing an ankle injury that only limited him to 4 carries, so I can’t give an evaluation from this game.  I’ll have to go back to the tape in the postseason to fully breakdown his game.  I will say this, he definitely looks the part of an NFL RB. Good frame and well put together.

DT – Troy Moore – 6’3 285 – Senior

Moore came into this game with a lot of fanfare, this was my first opportunity to see him in live action.  He plays the 5T in the 3-4 defense and instantly I noticed that he tends to pop straight up at the snap of the ball.  Pad level has to be fixed in order for him to have sustained success.  He does compete hard and will never give up on a play, and that helps him be disruptive.  Moore isn’t a strong P.O.A. player and I’m willing to bet that mostly has to do with his inability to bend and play with leverage.  If he wants to maximize his talents and opportunity to play as a pro, functional strength and technique are two things that’ll have to get fixed pretty quick in order for him to do so.

Guys that Stood out with Good Performances

Sacred Heart’s OLB James Rentz – 6’1 230, Soph.

Very impressed with Rentz’s speed coming off the edge.  You can see why he’s the team’s leader in sacks with 10.5.  He has the ability to play both OLB spots and does a great job of dipping under the OT and accelerating to the QB.  He’ll be fun to watch next season.

Bryant’s WR Chad Ward – 6’3 185, Junior

Ward played a very good game in all aspects for Bryant.  He showed dependable hands, catching everything away from his body.  He played ‘big’, utilizing his 6’3 frame to wall-off and body the CB for the ball. He’s a ‘build-up’ speed type of guy that also has very good initial quickness.  One play in particular stood out as very impressive.  Sacred Heart showed a Pre-Snap Cover 2 Man look, then at the snap of the ball rotated into a soft Cover 1, blitzing off the far side.  Ward adjusted his route on the fly, ran the hitch vs the soft corner and converted the 3rd down. Very impressive.  He also the team’s PR which tells you a lot about his footwork and quickness.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Lycoming College Warriors vs FDU-Florham Devils (11-14-14)

Lycoming Warriors Pro Prospects

RB – Craig Needhammer – 5’8 180, Senior

Needhammer came into this game only needing 250 yards to be the all-time rusher in program history.  He’s listed at 5’8 but I think he’s more 5’6.  Looking for translatable traits to a professional level, I like what Needhammer brings to the table from a footwork perspective.  He has very good feet, quickness and lateral agility.  He functions well as a pick-and-slide runner that’s also not afraid to go inside.  Where he could have an opportunity to showcase himself in a camp would be as a returner.  He returns kicks for the Warriors and could have a role in that capacity.  He’ll have to get stronger to be able to break more tackles that what I’ve seen live and on tape.

Guys that Impressed with their Performance

FDU-Florham WR Malik Pressley – 5’11 180, Freshman

Here’s a guy that was the best player on the field for the Devils.  Pressley scored on the first offensive play of the game for FDU on an 80-yard catch and run where he outraced angles to the end zone. Later on in the game he scored on a fade route where he had to high point the football over a taller DB.  Very impressed with his explosiveness out of his route and the ability to consistently catch the ball away from his body.  I’ll be interesting to follow his growth in the weight room and his progress on the field moving forward.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Villanova Wildcats vs Towson Tigers (11-8-14)

Villanova Wildcats Pro Prospects

QB – John Robertson – 6’1 220 – Junior

Robertson played an excellent game vs Towson and you instantly see why he’s a problem for opposing defense.  Robertson has very good speed at the QB position and it’s that speed, along with this running ability, that makes him a threat.  He has a very strong arm and at times you want him to be able to take a little steam off of the ball and throw with more touch.  His ball placement was very impressive.  One pass in particular was a ‘Bang 8’ in the Red Zone that he placed perfectly vs a well covered WR for the TD.  To see where Robertson was as a FR to where he is now as a JR from a passing perspective, he’s made tremendous strides.  I think he has potential to be a QB at the next level if he continues trekking in the right direction.  This was a good performance by Robertson.

WR – Poppy Livers – 5’7 170 – Senior

Livers is short in stature but has big time game.  What I wanted to see in this matchup was ‘outstanding’ play; I didn’t see that from Livers.  That doesn’t mean that he isn’t a fine football player; but when you’re a guy that’s 5’7 170, you want to be able to see the ‘wow’ factor.  Livers is a solid all-around player that does bring excellent value as a returner.  What you do like about his game is that he can catch the football in traffic and once he gets the ball in his hands, he’ll ALWAYS make the first guy miss.  That’s an uncoachable trait.  Livers’ stop-and-go suddenness makes him dangerous in the short/quick passing game.  He does have enough to make an NFL roster, his ability to stick will have to come as a consistent threat in the return game.  As a receiver, I like his ability as a 4th option in a Pro-Spread attack.

C – Peter Sotiriou – 6’3 295 – Senior

Sotiriou faced a very tough Towson interior DL and outside of the 1st drive, he more than held his own.  Sotiriou position blocks very well and doesn’t give ground.  That tells you a lot about his ability to anchor and stonewall.  You want to see him get better movement in the running game.  He’s able to lock-and-turn the defender.  In pass protection, you want to see more consistent footwork from his game. The hand punch is there but the movement doesn’t follow.  Good enough prospect to warrant a camp invite.

FS – Joe Sarnese – 5’11 200 – Senior

Sarnese plays FS for the Wildcats but I believe he’ll be better as a combo guy that can can cover the slot.  I don’t think he has the range of a true center fielder.  What Sarnese does well is play the ball once it’s in the air. Very good ball skills. He had a nice pick-6 in this game.  He’s very smooth in his backpedal and T-steps out of his breaks instead of ‘clicking-and-closing’.  Tackling isn’t his strong suit.  He’s an excellent special teamer.  Sarnese is the Wildcats KOR and also plays on the KOC units.  He does have a chance as a 3rd safety at the next level.  A guy that’ll do fine as a matchup zone type guy in the slot.

Towson Tigers Pro Prospects (2nd Look)

DE – Ryan Delaire – 6’4 250 – Senior

This time around watching Delaire I came away impressed with his ability as a power rusher.  He’s a guy that plays with great length, consistently being able to grab & extend.  That allows him to control the OL and read what’s going on in the backfield.  You still want to see a level of consistency from down-to-down with Delaire.  There were times in the game where he disappeared.  That can’t happen for a guy of his caliber.  I still think he’s a very good prospect to be drafted in this year’s draft.  It’ll be interesting to see what he can do in one of the All-Star games this winter.

DT – Jon Desir – 6’5 315 – Junior

Desir continues to impress with each outing.  He’s a rock on the inside and for a guy his size, he shows very good quickness.  I noticed much more explosiveness off the ball vs Villanova than what I saw vs Delaware earlier in the year.  Good swim move to beat the base block and make a play in the backfield.  Look for Desir to be highly regarded entering next season.

CB – Tye Smith – 6’0 170 – Senior

You have to like the toughness of Smith.  He’ll get in there and mix it up vs the run and is a very good open field tackler.  I was able to get a good look at his coverage ability in this game.  He has very good read & reaction skills.  Good football I.Q. and does have the ability to turn and run with the WR.  He gave up a TD in the Red Zone, but that was a perfect throw by Robertson and Smith couldn’t have covered the receiver any better than he did on that play.  Again, his ability to play on KOC, Punt Coverage and FG Block team helps him out even more so as a pro prospect.

Guys who Stood out with their Performances

Villanova’s DE Reggie Paris – 6’3 245 – Junior

Despite being an undersized DE, Paris was constantly flashing vs Towson.  He has very good quickness off the snap. His initial punch is solid and he always wins the hands battle against the Offensive Tackle.  Paris was constantly in the backfield getting good pressure on the QB and did a solid job pursuing the run from the backside.  He would be a guy to definitely earmark as one to keep an eye on in 2016.

Villanova’s LB Don Cherry – 6’1 220 – Junior

Cherry was the lone bright spot in the Wildcats run defense.  He’s an impact tackler that hits the ball carrier as if he’s a 250lb LB.  Very good speed from sideline-to-sideline and is also a very good blitzer.  He definitely caught my attention as a guy that could play either WLB or MLB.  If you’re a LB that looks to hit, I’d be willing to go to bat for that guy 10/10.  Keep an eye on Cherry moving forward.

Towson’s Offensive Line

This was an impressive showing for the young offensive line at Towson. They were consistently moving Villanova off the spot and there’s very good size up front.  They’re filled with Soph. & Juniors but across the board they average 6’6 295lbs.

Towson’s RB Darius Victor – 5’9 210 – Soph.

Once again, Victor was very impressive.  He’s a decisive runner with good burst and tremendous balance.  Victor had another great day on the ground going over 120 yards.  Very young player and moving forward, it’ll be interesting to see if the Tigers can utilize him more in the passing game.  I think he has a chance to be a better player than for Tiger Terrence West.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: East Stroudsburg Warriors vs West Chester Rams (11-8-14)

East Stroudsburg Warriors Pro Prospects

DL – Bryan Thomson – 6’1 290 – Senior

Bryan Thomson was one of the bigger name prospects in the game of two very good D2 programs.  Thomson did not disappoint with this play.  Playing predominately the NT in the Warriors 3-3-5 defense, Thomson played with great leverage able to extend and not be moved off the spot.  He’s very quick off the ball and does a very good job disengaging.  For a DL that’s 6’1, he plays bigger than his size.  I think he’s playing out of position at NT; and would be best suited as a 3T or 1T at the next level.  Throughout the game, you saw him play the 1T, 3T, 5T, 7T & NT.  Where he has to improve is getting stout at the P.O.A. At times at the Nose, you saw him get stoned and unable to get movement.  Thomson also plays on the Field Goal block team and has the school record for most blocked FGs in program history.  Thomson has a future as a professional football player.  I think he has good NFL/CFL type talent.  If I had to compare his game, it’ll be a cross between former Georgia Southern DT Brent Russell and Patriots DL Chris Jones.

West Chester Rams Pro Prospects

LB – Ronell Williams – 6’1 245 – Senior

Ronell Williams is a highly decorated LB at the D2 Level and I was excited to see him in live action vs a team like ESU that spreads the field.  Williams does have good acceleration to the ball carrier and his feet never stop moving.  However, he’s very stiff athletically which makes him a liability in coverage; whether it’s man coverage vs a RB or TE or even in zone coverage in the short/intermediate area, it’s tough for him to change direction.  This is why he keeps his feet moving because he has to be able to ‘cheat’ or anticipate in order to get to the spot.  As far as in the box is concerned, he’s able to diagnose quickly and plant-and-drive to the ball.  He’s not awkward in confined spaces but I would like to see him be able to get off blocks better.  He’s listed at 6’1 245.  I think he could drop 10-15lbs and still be an effective player.  Right now I think he’s too heavy and that’s hindering his movement skills.

CB – Al-Haji Shabazz – 6’2 200 – Senior

Al-Haji Shabazz has ‘Pro Size’. That’s the first thing that you notice when you see him. He’s a legit 6’2 200lbs.  Shabazz is solid in zone coverage and plays well with the ball in front of him.  He tends to get too handsy in man coverage.  In this game he drew 3 defensive pass interference calls because of that.  He’s not overly quick or sudden to play on the outside in the NFL and could be moved to Strong Safety.  In my opinion, he’ll be a very good SS in the NFL or would make an excellent Nickel LB in the CFL – ala Dexter McCoil of the Edmonton Eskimos.  Shabazz is a very good open-field tackler and does have decent enough hands to catch the catchable interceptions.  He picked off one in this game and had another one called back because of DPI.  I like the fact that he plays on special teams (Kickoff Coverage). That’s a trait that could allow him to stick on a roster. He’ll probably run in the 4.6 range.  If he wants to stick at CB in the NFL, it’ll have to be in a Cover 2 scheme; he can definitely excel there.  At times he tends to play high and struggles to turn and run with receivers, which leads to him reaching and grabbing.  But overall, there’s enough raw skills there for a coach to work with.  I really like him as a 2nd level defender in the CFL. I think he’d be a perennial All-Star.

C – Derek Schatz – 6’3 290 – Senior

Schatz is a former Villanova Wildcat that transferred to West Chester in 2013.  He position blocks very well and is able to lock-and-turn the defender.  He gets his hands inside consistently and does a great job passing guys off and assisting with double teams.  Good read and recognition skills.   I didn’t see the athleticism to think that he could also play Guard; he’s strictly a Center.  The biggest positive about his game is that he’s able to consistently move guys off the spot in the running game.

QB – Sean McCartney – 6’2 200 – Senior

McCartney is in his 6th year of college football.  Very accomplished passer that broke the school’s all-time passing yardage record in this ball game.  He stands tall in the pocket and does a great job of seeing the field.  I came away highly impressed with his polish.  He doesn’t get flustered in the face of pressure. He stays calm and delivers a strike.  McCartney can make any throw on the football field.  He’s able to throw from different angles and also is able to throw with touch if the situation calls for it.  Very good athleticism as well, so you can get him on bootlegs & waggles as well as running some zone read with him.  Big fan of his ball placement. He doesn’t get receivers killed and doesn’t put the ball in danger.  I like his talent and he’s a guy that should be in a post-season all-star game.  He’ll have a professional future in either the NFL/CFL. McCartney has the type of tangible & intangible talent that allows you to stick.

Guys that Stood Out with their Performance

East Stroudsburg’s WR Jon Schnaars – 6’3 205 – Junior

Schnaars was a big part of the reason the Warriors were able to come back and make this a game.  He plays big and plays very well above the rim.  Schnaars is strictly a hands catcher that catches the ball very well away from his body and doesn’t mind sacrificing his body for the catch.  Love the effort he plays with consistently laying out for receptions.  He definitely warrants a more extensive look heading into next season.

West Chester’s WR Mike Doty – 6’4 205 – Senior

I came away impressed with Doty’s ability to catch the football in traffic.  He’s not afraid of bodies around him as he’s able to zero in on the reception.  His route running is also solid; being able to snap in-and-out of breaks quickly to make himself open.  He’s a big-bodied WR that could excel on the outside as well as in the slot.  I think he’ll get into a NFL camp and turn some heads, if not, he’ll do great north of the boarder in the CFL.  A league like the FXFL would also do him a lot of good to go up against higher and more consistent CB talent.

West Chester’s RB Brandon Monk – 5’8 170 – Junior

Monk has tremendous quickness and agility.  He’s also able to return both Punts and Kicks.  He had a great day versus ESU; consistently finding room to run because of how he was able to make-one-miss and create his own shot.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Temple Owls vs Memphis Tigers (11-7-14)

Memphis Tigers Pro Prospects

RT – Al Bond – 6’4 305, Senior

Bond is built like a Guard but is playing RT for the Tigers. He has spent times at guard throughout his career.  He plays technically like a guard as well. His hands stay inside and he’s very strong at the P.O.A.  Bond is able to climb to the second level very well.  I feel as though he’ll be much better back inside as a RG.  He does have short arms, which causes him to wait for rushers instead of initiating contact.  In my opinion, he’ll excel inside because of that aspect. When he locks on a defender, he’s able to maintain control and drive block very effectively. What he’ll gain from playing tackle is experience in playing in space.  That’ll ultimately make him a more well-rounder ball player with flexibility.

DE – Martin Ifedi – 6’3 275 – Senior

Ifedi is finally healthy and verses Temple he was able to showcase the talent that made him a highly talked about player coming into the season.  Ifedi plays with great length. He’s able to win off the snap by getting his hands on the offensive lineman first.  He’s able to consistently beat the reach block. Good initial quickness. I also came away impressed with his hand strength.  He’s able to stonewall and disengage from blocks. What he has to work on is developing a counter move.  If his initial pass rushing move was defended, he had nothing else to work with.  He plays the 5T in the Tigers 3-4/3-3-5 defense and that allows him the position flexibility moving forward. But I do think he’ll be best suited as LDE in a 4-3 defense as well.  Ifedi was a constant nuisance all night long for the Owls OL.

LB – Tank Jakes – 5’11 227 – Senior

Jakes is a very good linebacker and plays the WILL in the Tigers 3-4/3-3-5 defense.  Initially, you look at his size and think he’s a WLB in a 4-3 at the next level, but Jakes plays bigger than his size and I think he can function as a MIKE at the next level.  He doesn’t over pursue in the running game and he plays under control.  He’s not overly sudden or quick and that, in my honest opinion, limits him on the outside in the pros.  He’s a sound tackler; doesn’t tackle high and gets good ‘pop’ on contact.  In coverage, he’s better in zone as opposed to running with RBs in man.  Solid instincts in the passing game.  I think he’s closer to 235lbs-240lbs as opposed to 227.  Wasn’t able to observe him as a blitzer.

CB – Bobby McCain – 5’11 195 – Senior

McCain played all 3 CB spots for the Tigers in this game.  I like his instincts and acceleration to the ball carrier. When aligned in the slot, he showed above-average ability to blitz with effectiveness to disrupt passes.  McCain is also the Tigers kickoff returner, which speaks to his acceleration. Good mirroring skills & he’s capable vs the running game. Projecting him at the next level, I see a solid #2 or #3 corner with the ability to play special teams.

NT – Terry Redden – 6’2 281 – Senior

Instantly, I felt that Redden was playing out of position at NT.  Memphis moved him around in between the shade, 1T & NT position.  He excelled as the shade & 1T. As a NT, he couldn’t hold the P.O.A. very well but as a one-gap penetrator (1T), he had success.  Decent quickness off the ball and has the natural leverage because of his height, to get good penetration in the pocket.  Not explosive enough to be considered a 3T but definitely has the ability to draw a double team consistently; which in a way, is still being disruptive.

Temple Owls Pro Prospects (2nd Look)

C – Kyle Friend – 6’2 305 – Junior

Once again Friend impressed with his ability on both ends of offense.  He had a great day vs Redden. Lock-and-Drive in the running game.  I saw much better P.O.A. strength in this game.  This time around in pass pro, being able to recognize and diagnose the different stunts & blitzes coming from Memphis was also good to see.  Good things moving forward for the Junior Center.

DT – Matt Ioannidis – 6’4 285 – Junior

Ioannidis had another impressive performance.  As I saw in my initial look vs Navy, his versatility as a defender is impressive.  Ioannidis can play anywhere on the defense front, as any technique.  He’s starting to also show more ability as a pass rusher, which shows pro scouts his ability to play the 5T in the 3-4 or a LDE in a 4-3.  You’ll see his stock start to rise entering the 2015 CFB season.

LB – Tyler Matakevich – 6’1 235 – Junior

Much better output from an athletic standpoint for Matakevich.  He was able to move a lot better sideline-to-sideline making plenty plays in space.  You still worry if he can match up vs backs and TEs in the passing game; he’s not asked to do much of that.  He’s strictly a run-and-chase player.  You want to see more ‘impact’ type plays from him moving forward.  He’s able to diagnose, but at times, struggles to ‘get there’ physically.

Guys that Stood Out With their Performance

Temple’s Safety Will Hayes – 5’9 192 – Junior

Hayes consistently flashed throughout the game.  He has great acceleration and is an outstanding open-field tackler.  I think he’s a combo safety type that is more effective in the slot and in the short-intermediate coverage area.  He was effective in the alley showing great closing speed to the ball carrier.  Hayes also is able to turn and run very well for a guy that’s a safety.  Interested to watch him even more moving forward.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Army Black Knights vs Air Force Falcons (11-1-14)

Army Black Knights Pro Prospects

FB – Larry Dixon – 5’11 239, Senior

Dixon came into this ball game as the leading rusher for the Cadets and was garnering a lot of attention across the nation.  What I noticed initially was that he’s a thickly built running back. He plays the FB position in the triple option offense; which means he’s predominately the main ball carrier for the offense.  For a bigger guy, he has pretty good feet and runs with a good feel for bodies around him. He’s not surprised by contact, which allows him to get through trash effectively.  Dixon has to improve his pad level, he tends to run high which limits his ability to make defenders miss.  I’d say he’s strictly a downhill runner, best suited in a Power/Gap scheme.  The lack of ‘explosiveness’ could be attributed to the fact that he’s coming off an nagging groin injury this season.  Didn’t get a chance pre-game to see him catch the football. At the next level, I can see him as a short yardage/goal line RB but his mainstay would be the traditional fullback position.

DT – Mike Ugenyi – 6′ 3 297, Senior

The Black Knights play a 3-4 Defense and Mike Ugenyi plays the 5T position. Instantly, his P.O.A. strength is evident. He maintains the LOS very well and doesn’t get moved off the spot.  Since they were playing Air Force who runs the Spread Option, I got a great look at his Read & React skills. He was a little inconsistent in this area. He ‘read’ was okay, but the ‘react’ wasn’t; struggled to get off blocks with consistently.  I can see him being more of a 1T as opposed to a 5T. If he’s allowed to just get upfield, he’ll excel much more for your defense.

RB – Raymond Maples – 6’1 220 – Senior

Before an injury wiped out his 2013 season, Raymond Maples was an outstanding TB for the Cadets.  He put together back to back 1,000 yard season in ’11 & ’12. Now he’s starting to regain that form that made him a very good player earlier in his career.  What I was able to notice vs Air Force is that Maples has that 2nd gear that the other backs in the backfield doesn’t have.  He’s a a shifty runner with good acceleration that can also excel as a kickoff returner.  Well put together frame at 6’1 220, Maples also has very good pad level for a guy at his height.  I think he’ll be the type to benefit from the 2 year commitment as his body will fully heal and in ’16, you’ll see a player that I believe has a chance to be a productive pro in any league.

Air Force Falcons Pro Prospects

QB – Kale Pearson – 5’9 175, Senior

Being an option QB, you want to look for athletic traits that could be beneficial at another position; I didn’t see that from Pearson.  I think his future is at QB.  Now, he does have more than enough athleticism to be utilized on your boots & waggles and he does have a good enough arm to make every throw.  The biggest area of concentration for him will come during his 2-year military commitment as he’ll have to solely work on the finer parts of QB play.  Right now he’s running the spread option exclusively and will have to get with a private QB coach to work on the essentials.  I can see him having success as a Goal line/Red Zone QB in the CFL.

LB – Jordan Pierce – 6’1 215, Senior

Pierce is a big hitter and despite being 215lb, he can hold his own in the middle.  The Falcons run a 3-4 Defense and Pierce plays the WILB spot.  He also has the skill to play on the outside as a WLB in a 4-3.  What’s impressive about his game was how he’s able to stack and shed blocks really well and does a great job getting through the trash to find the ball in the box.  Obviously, the 2-year commitment will limit his initial opportunity to Special Teams, but with the way he plays the run, I think he’ll have an opportunity to get into the regular defense and make a name for himself.  Look for him to get into a camp this summer.

Guys with Standout Performances

Air Force’s Offensive Line

This was an impressive display by the starting five.  You saw a lot of movement from this group. A lot of it was expected because of them being an option team, but the Falcons can play any type of game.  You saw Option, you saw Power, you saw Zone and each time the OL was able to control the line of scrimmage.  Even in pass pro, the Falcons performed well.  This is why ‘their’ version of the option is tough to defend and a big reason why they’re sitting at 6-2 on the season.

Air Force RB Jacobi Owens – 5’11 190, Soph.

Very impressive footwork by Owens.  He was able to pick-and-slide for positive gains throughout the course of the game.  What he also displayed was the ability to make people miss in the hole.  Owens had the most consistent success out of all of the running backs, stringing moves together.

Air Force PK Will Conant – 6’2 215, Senior

Keep an eye on Conant moving forward. He connected on 2 50+ field goal attempts in this ball game.  With a leg like that, he’ll be a coveted player after his 2 year military commitment.

Army CB Josh Jenkins – 6’0 195, Soph.

Jenkins picked off a pass earlier in the game.  It encompassed everything that you’ll like about his game: Instincts, Ball Skills and Quickness.  He has very good size and plays the field side for the Black Knights defense. Only a sophomore, but you can see ‘big time’ talent.  Before Jenkins’ career is done at West Point, he’ll be an All-American. He’s that type of player.

Army LB Jeremy Timpf – 6’1 225, Soph.

Timpf was a tackling machine.  Outside of Jenkins , he was the other standout on the Army defense.  Timpf filled up the stat sheet with 15 tackles, 3 TFLs and a sack.  He’s a WLB and also showed good ability competing in space in the passing game. This will be a very good Army defense next season. There’s a lot of good young pieces to build around.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Harvard Crimson vs Princeton Tigers (10-25-14)

Harvard Crimson Pro Prospects

DE – Zack Hodges – 6’3 240 – Senior

Hodges came into this game as the top pro prospect in the Ivy League this year. This was a unique game for Hodges because of how the Princeton Tigers play offense (Up Tempo, No Huddle) which had him constantly alternating throughout the game.  But when he was on the field I was able to take notice to how he’s able to play both defensive end spots.  He’s a 6’3 240lb DE but has the length of a guy that’s 6’5. At the snap of the ball he does a fabulous job of initiating contact. He consistently wins the ‘hands first’ battle.  With his ability to win first and his ability to extend, he’s very tough to reach block.  Hodges consistently beat the reach block attempts of the Tigers OT all game long.  Whether some are projecting him as OLB or 4-3 DE, Hodges displays a very good 1st step off of the ball and does show the ability to dip his shoulder, flatten & accelerate to the QB.  Where he had problems during the game was disengaging from base blocks.  He couldn’t get off blocks with the level of consistency that you want to see from a projected ‘top 100’ player. That element limits him as a run defender and it’s something that he’ll have to get better at moving forward. P.O.A. strength will also need work. I would expect him to fill out his frame to about 250 and the true test will be to see if he can transfer his weight room strength to functional strength.  Overall when he was able to ‘cut loose’ and get after the QB, you saw the burst & length that has NFL scouts hovering Cambridge, MA this year.  He’s a good pro prospect but I wouldn’t say he’s ‘there’ yet as an ‘elite’ prospect. Definitely looking forward to studying him more this season.

QB – Conner Hempel – 6’3 210 – Senior

Hempel had a very productive 2013 season and was only playing in his 2nd game this year; goodness did he impress vs Princeton.  Hempel displayed excellent pocket presence throughout the course of the game; he stayed calm in the face of pressure, making subtle moves within the pocket to find room and consistently kept the offense on pace in the passing game.  While he doesn’t have the ‘strongest’ arm, he does play with great anticipation & also has enough arm to make every throw on the football field.  He’s not the ‘mobile’ guy of the caliber of Quinn Epperly, but he does show very good escapability. What was most impressive was his complete understanding of the passing game. Hempel saw the field well and made a wide array of throws from the bucket throw vs Cover 2, stick throw on a skinny post vs Cover 3, and touch throw on the rail route down the sideline.  And the fact that he was completely unfazed by the blitz, makes him a guy that you can see get a invite into a camp and surprise in preseason.  In my opinion, he has a pro future.

Princeton Tigers Pro Prospects

QB – Quinn Epperly – 6’3 215, Senior

I had high hopes for Epperly coming into the season as a guy that could continue to elevate his game as a QB.  Although that progression hasn’t materialize, he sill has enough talent to warrant an opportunity at the next level because of his athleticism.  As a passer, Epperly has a pretty good arm. The one thing you want to see him develop is more touch. Everything comes out hot & flat. Taking a little steam off of his passes would help him put more arc on the ball on those deeper routes down the field.  He actually is a natural catcher of the football and was utilized as a runner & receiver in this game vs Harvard.  Those skills along with very good feet, natural R.A.C. skills leads me to believe that he has a future as an H-Back in the NFL or a Red Zone QB in the CFL.  The latter may be an excellent option for him because of the multifaceted skills that he possess.

LB – Mike Zeuli – 6’2 230 – Senior

Zeuli was all over the field vs the Crimson; he was clearly the best defensive player for Princeton.  I was very impressed with his burst and acceleration from sideline-to-sideline.  Zeuli closes on the ball carrier very well and takes excellent angles to the football.  What was unique about his game was how much he was utilized as a blitzer. He blitzed from the A/B gaps and on both sides of the OTs.  I would project him as a classic WLB/WILB. He’s a very good run-and-chase player that also shows decent enough awareness in the passing game to be left on the field all 3 downs.  As far as vs the inside running game is concerned, he struggles to get off blocks consistently.  He’ll stack but won’t shed.  He’ll have an opportunity to get into a camp and would be the best candidate to excel on Special Teams while also getting a few opportunities in sub packages ala Nick Bellore (Jets).

Guys that Stood Out with their Performance

WR – Andrew Fischer – 5’9 175 – Junior, Harvard

Fischer was Harvard’s Punt Returner and flashed amazing agility and break tackle ability.  As a receiver, he explodes out of his breaks and was very tough to defend all game long.  Fischer also didn’t shy away from going across the middle of the field. He’s one to keep an eye on for next season.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Delaware Blue Hens vs Towson Tigers (10-18-14)

Delaware Blue Hens Pro Prospects

TE – Nick Boyle – 6’4 265 – Senior

Boyle definitely looks the part of a Pro TE. Very good size and frame and is put together very well.  In the blocking department, Boyle executes the Scoop & Reach blocks very well.  In the passing game, the Blue Hens flexed him out at times in addition to his traditional inline duties.  Now, he’s not the ‘versatile’ type that you’ll have to gameplan for in the sense that they move him around, but he’s a guy that does play well on both ends of offense.  He catches the ball away from his body consistently.  I can see him having success as a #2 or #3 TE on a team. Boyle also is the team’s Long Snapper, which just adds to his overall value as a prospect.

WR – Michael Johnson – 6’2 210 – Senior

It’s unfortunate for Johnson that he plays in a predominately run based offense with inconsistent play at the QB position, otherwise he’d see much more opportunities in the passing game.  Johnson is a legit 6’2 210lbs.  I watched him work out pre-game and he moved very well, getting in-and-out of his breaks fluidly.  In the game, I came away impressed with his toughness. He’s able to play inside as a slot or on the outside as an X.  Very strong hands and another one of these guys that catches the ball away from his body.  The fact that he’s both the starting kickoff returner & punt returner says a lot about his hands and his open field running ability.  The one area where he has to improve would be in using his hands better to get off press coverage. Right now he’s trying to win with release but at some point, you have to use your hands.  Too many times the CB was able to get his hands on his body and throw off the timing of the release.  Overall, Johnson is a very good prospect and in my honest opinion, will look a LOT better in one of these all-star games where he’ll get consistent QB play that allow him to showcase his full repertoire of receiving skills.

LB – David Mackall – 6’4 250 – Senior

David Mackall has the look and the size of an NFL linebacker.  He’s a former Maryland transfer and has played DE, OLB in addition to MLB during his career.  This season he’s playing in the middle and after about a couple of series, you can see that he’d be a better outside backer than in the middle.  What I came away impressed with about Mackall’s game was how he had complete understanding of the passing game.  He’s able to read & react to route concepts and get in position to make a play on the ball. This trait leads you to believe that he’ll be comfortable as an inside backer in Nickel situations.  Verses the run is where I had concerns.  Mackall isn’t an ‘impactful’ tackler. Too many times the runner was able to slip his attempt and he plays high at times.  I know he’s a 6’4 MLB, but you have to get better knee bend and pad level to make those ‘in the box’ tackles on a consistent basis.  It’s tough to tell if he was battling a knee injury (because he was wearing a protective sleeve) or if he’s just not that ‘sudden’ of a player.  I’ll leave that evaluation blank until I can see him play again.  Overall, I see a guy that can be a good special teamer & sub-package player verses the pass.

DE – Derrick Saulsberry – 6’3 250 – Senior

Saulsberry dealt with a lot of injuries during his career at Delaware, but has been fairly productive (8 career sacks & 3 sacks coming into this game).  Saulsberry’s pro projection would be as an OLB in a 3-4 defense.  He’s a powerful guy with strong hands.  He’s able to move an OL off the spot and doesn’t miss many tackles.  I like that he has good spatial awareness and good read & recog skills.  Saulsberry is a little stiff athletically and tends to play too high.  He’s very active at the L.O.S. but I would like to see more of a variety of pass rushing moves from him moving forward. He does have the look of a guy that can also excel on both kickoff and punt coverage units.

Towson Tigers Pro Prospects

DE – Ryan Delaire – 6’4 250 – Senior

Delaire is a big time prospect this year coming out of the FCS ranks.  What instantly stood out to me was that he plays like a guy that’s 6’8. Tremendous length coming off the edge.  Delaire is know as a pass rusher (10 sacks on the season) but vs Delaware, he displayed very good run defense capabilities.  When he’s able to lock and extend, he’s able to not get ‘reached’ and is able to set the edge defensively.  Very impressive.  He does have the ability, because of his length, to be a power rusher in addition to utilizing quickness to get around the edge.  This is probably why Towson moves him around the defensive line.  He can win over the TE, RT and over the LT.  Delaire has pretty good hand quickness which was on display during the game. In one example, he executed a perfect Swat-and-Swim to get pass the OT to accelerate and explode to the QB for the sack.  I also think he has the ability to play with his hand off the dirt as an OLB in a 3-4.  Overall, his game reminds me a lot of Osi Umenyoria (Falcons).

CB – Tye Smith – 6’0 175 – Senior

Smith is a very technically sound boundary corner that is better in off coverage as opposed to press.  He has good size and plays bigger than his size.  What I came away most impressed with was his ball skills and how he’s able to attack the ball in the air.  Smith uses his long arms to consistently get in between the football and defender for the pass break up.  He’s not overly fast or explosive but he’s not out of position at all.  His footwork is decent, not spectacular but his football I.Q. is what allows him to not get beat deep.  I also like that he’s a very good open field tackler and plays on special teams (FG Block and Punt Coverage).  He’ll be the type to get into an all-star game and do very well in team drills as opposed to 1-on-1; he has a future.

DT – Jon Desir – 6’5 310 – Junior

Keep an eye on Desir moving forward. He played a whale of a game of front vs Delaware.  Desir is a big-bodied DT with very good quickness and athleticism. He’s able to consistently shed blocks and keep his balance as he pursues the ball carrier.  What was also very impressive is how fast his hands once engaged.  In my opinion, he’ll be able to excel as a NT, 1T or even a 5T at the next level.  What I’ll be keeping an eye on moving forward is how he develops as a pass rusher from the inside.

Guys who stood out as Prospects

LB – Charles Bell – 6’0 230 – Freshman, Delaware

Bell alternated every 2 series at MLB for David Mackall (which blew my mind considering who Mackall is as a player) and was, in my opinion, much more impressive than Mackall; especially vs the run.  Bell is a true freshman seeing significant time in the middle and that tells you a lot about what the staff thinks about his talent.  He’s able to stack and shed well and is a forceful hitter in the running game. Color me impressed.

RB – Darius  Victor – 5’9 210 – Sophomore, Towson

Victor is built like a fire hydrant and moves like ballerina. Very good showcase for him as the lead guy in the backfield.  I didn’t see much of him in the passing game, which is something you want to see moving forward but as a runner, Victor looks like the next talented back coming out of Towson.  Good lateral agility and balance with the ability to slip tackles.  Those are very good traits to have if you’re a running back.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: William Paterson Pioneers vs Rowan Profs (10-11-14)

Rowan Profs Pro Prospects

RB – Withler Marcelin – 5’10 195, Junior

Marcelin was the lone prospect in this ball game and he didn’t disappoint.  What instantly stands out to you about Marcelin’s game is his versatility.  He’s the Profs Kickoff Returner, starting RB and vital part of the passing game.  Marcelin displays very good acceleration and he sets up defenders well.  Despite the perception that he’s an ‘outside’ runner, he does a lot of damage in-between the tackles.  Just from a pure RB perspective, he has great body lean and decent run power.  Where he can use improvement is becoming stronger in the lower body, which would help with his balance.  As a receiver, he runs excellent routes and is more than just a S.S.F.F. (Screen, Swing, Flare, Flat) player.  He’s able to be utilized in the downfield passing game.  Marcelin is a breakaway threat and I liken his game to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Dri Archer.  In my honest assessment, Marcelin has a professional future. He dominated his level of competition all season, and yesterday in person, he was clearly the best player on the field.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Wagner Seahawks vs Alderson Broaddus (10-4-14)

Wagner Seahawks Prospects


C – David Fredrickson – 6’2 290, Senior

Fredrickson is a 5th year senior and is a team captain.  He has very good Read & Recognition skills when it comes to diagnosing and picking up the different blitzes and stunts.  That was an impressive part of his game vs ABU.  Now he does allow, at times, his hands to get outside, which could lead to holding calls as he moves forward so that definitely has to become better.  Fredrickson does a lot of things very well: Position Blocks, Climbs to the 2nd Level, ‘Plays the Piano’.  Pad level is another concern you have with his game as he plays a little high at times. He’s not a ‘bender’ but does have enough athleticism to recover & redirect. I see Fredrickson thriving at the next level in a Zone Blocking Scheme. I like his game.

NT – Al Page – 6’2 285, Senior

Rarely does a guy in pre-game walkthrough/warmups grabs my attention, but this was different with Page.  Page just looked extra quick and agile warming up about 2 hours before kickoff and I had to make a note to watch this guy during the game; he didn’t disappoint.  Page is a former 4-star recruit and Rutgers transfer. He plays the NT position in the Seahawks 3-4 defense.  He has great initial quickness off the ball and is virtually able to draw the double team every time.  His hands are active and shows great pursuit to the ball.  Technically what he has to add to his game is a counter move.  A couple of times during the game, he got too high with his swim move and couldn’t counter. Another time he tried the Push/Pull/Rip technique but it didn’t work; it could’ve worked if he also added the spin to get off the block to it. So you see where the counter move is needed.  Page was disruptive all night and competed every down which was impressive because of the uptempo offense of Alderson Broaddus.  Obviously, I don’t think he’s a NT at the next level; I think he’d be an ideal 3T and situational 1T.  I’m interested to see more of his game this year. I think he could be a sleeper.

CB – Jarrett Dieudonne – 6’1 190, Senior

Dieudonne was the top prospect heading into this game and for the most part, Alderson Broaddus stayed away from him virtually all night.  Dieudonne doesn’t shy away from the running game. He was routinely in on the run plays to his side and is a very good open field tackler.  He’s a little high in his backpedal and you can question his ‘long speed’ or fluidity to turn and run with the receiver.  However, he makes up for it with great short area quickness and above average Football I.Q.  He’s an ideal off-corner, cover 2 type DB. I came away very impressed with his ball skills; both on how he played the ball when passes came his way and with how he caught the ball on an INT that he returned for a touchdown.  On that pick-6, it was a great snapshot of all of Dieudonne’s skills; he got a great jam on the receiver and was able to redirect him down the sideline, walling him off in the process. He identified the crosser coming under him, peeled off his guy and was able to ‘click and close’ to the ball to pick it off.  I think he’s another small college CB prospect that’ll get an All-Star game invite and surprise.  Dieudonne is also a team captain that plays Special Teams as well. I think he’s a very good pro prospect.

Guys who Surprised

Wagner RB – Brandon Peoples (5’11 190, Soph)

I came away highly impressed with the vision and natural running skills of Peoples.  In my honest opinion, he should be the ‘guy’ in the backfield.  What was also impressive was how they utilized him in the passing game. Although he’s only a sophomore, he definitely captured my interest and I’ll be watching him as he continues his career

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Nassau C.C. Lions vs Georgia Military College (10-4-14)

Nassau C.C. Lions (College) Prospects

RB – Yahkee Johnson – 5’8 180, Soph.

Explosive. The 1st thing that jumps out at you about Johnson is how explosive he is right out of the gate.  His first step causes defenders problems and he’s able to make moves while moving downfield.  That’s a very tough thing to do and those that can, have a special trait.  He wins with quickness and burst and if there’s one element of his game that you want to see progress moving forward would be pass pro, and in finishing runs. But, he definitely has FBS-level talent.

CB – Rasul Douglas – 6’2 200, Soph.

I tweeted out during the game that whomever signs Douglas is getting an instant impact, day 1 starter at cornerback.  Going back to the fall scrimmage, I came away impressed with Douglas’s physical presence and how well he moved for a bigger defensive back.  Verses Georgia Military, the Lions were able to leave him on one side of the field without safety help over top and he took away that entire side.  Every time GMC took a shot over there, which was rare, it resulted in either a pass breakup or an INT.  What’s also impressive about his game is his ability in run support.  Douglas is a good form tackler that initiates contact on the ball carrier and actually forced a fumble during the game as well.  Douglas has great technique and excellent ball skills. This is a Blue Chip player that might be the best JUCO defensive back in the country.

Georgia Military College Bulldogs (College) Prospects

RB – Jovon Robinson – 5’10 220, Soph.

You can see why Robinson was a highly touted HS Recruit coming out of Tennessee.  As a young runner, Robinson has the patience, balance and vision that you want out of that position. I’m a big fan of how he finishes runs.  He has very good footwork and he runs behind his pads.  His main area for improvement, like with most young backs, is in pass pro.  As he steps up in level, he’s going to soon realize that you can’t duck your head and/or try to cut block blitzing LBs; you got to be able to take those guys head on. While he’s not a ‘blazer’ as far as speed is concerned, he has good short area burst which is enough for him to gain a step on the defense.  There’s no doubting the fact that he’s a Blue Chipper and Auburn has themselves a very good back.

DE – Antonius Sims – 6’2 240, Soph.

Sims has a very explosive 1st step. That combined with great B.G.O. (Ball Get Off) allows him to be disruptive.  He also showcased great closing speed to the ball carrier with the ability to flatten & accelerate to the QB.  I think he’d be an ideal OLB in a 3-4 at the next level.  Overall I think Sims has Mid-Major FBS level talent. If he wants to stay at DE, he could thrive in high level FCS football.

LB – Brenton Wimberly – 6’1 215, Soph.

Wimberly’s range was highly impressive all game.  Here’s a guy that is your classic ‘thumper’ of a LB that fits, stacks & sheds well.  He was all over the field making plays vs the running game.  I want to see more of him vs the pass because it was tough to get a good read in the poor weather conditions.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Fordham Rams vs Lafayette Leopards (10-3-14)

Lafayette Leopards Prospects

RB – Ross Scheuerman – 6’1 205, Senior

I was excited to see Scheuerman in this game after the spectacular performance vs Wagner. What instantly jumps out at you is how much he’s utilized as a receiver.  The Leopards lined him up all over the formation and for a guy that’s listed as a RB, he’s a pretty good route runner. He ran the full assortment of routes that you’d expect to see from a receiver.  With that said, I don’t think he’s a ‘natural RB’. The vision, agility, natural run instincts are not where you’d want them to be. However, I think he’d be an outstanding receiver moving forward. Because of his background in the backfield, he’ll be the type of receiver that’ll be a very good R.A.C. guy. Scheuerman is also your ideal candidate to excel as an offensive specialist.

LT – Luke Chiarolanzio – 6’5 299, Senior

Chiarolanzio is a thickly built LT that looks like a guard. I was impressed with his initial punch to the defender and once he locks onto you, you’re not going to be able to move him off the spot.  In pass pro, he doesn’t explode out of his stance and his kick step isn’t as quick as you’d like it to be for a blindside protector.  Now while he doesn’t explode, he’s able to set up quick and play with balance, which allows him to have success.  He’s a very good position blocker and has excellent hand placement.  I don’t see ‘elite’ athleticism, but I do see enough for him to be able to play 3/5 positions along the offensive line at the next level: LG, RG, RT. I think he’d carve out a nice career at any of those aforementioned positions. Overall, I was impressed.

CB – Jared Roberts – 6’2 200, Senior

Roberts has excellent size for a defensive back. He’s a legit 6’2 200lbs. The Leopards also utilized him in a variety of ways defensively.  He played on the field side, boundary side, deep middle as a FS, in the slot, and in the hole as a SS. I think his best fit is at SS. He has good read & recognition skills and isn’t afraid to get involved in the running game.  He’s not overly quick or fluid, but does have the ability to excel in the intermediate coverage area.  He’s what you would call a combo safety. A guy that you can feel okay with situationally, in the deep third but you’ll more than likely have him in the curl/flat or hook/curl area & situationally matched up on a #3 WR or TE during the game.  Solid football talent.

Fordham Rams Prospects

QB – Mike Nebrich – 6’1 205, Senior (2nd Look)

Nebrich has had a very solid year so far and I came into this game wanting to see improvement in certain areas from Week 1 vs St. Francis; I came away with the same feeling from Week 1.  It seems as if Nebrich is a slow starter to games as he tries to get into a rhythm (which is understandable). In the 1st quarter, his accuracy was a little off, he was too quick to bail the pocket and at times, held the ball too long. But as the game goes on, he’ll start to get into a rhythm and string together 4 or 5 good reads & throws.  He still has some issues driving the deep ball and you’ll have some questions about the velocity on his passes especially on the comeback, dig & dart routes.

WR – Brian Wetzel – 5’11 190, Senior (2nd Look)

I’m a big fan of Wetzel’s game.  Here’s a guy that is what you’d classify as a ‘football player’ because of his willingness to do a little bit of everything. Like I mentioned earlier in the season, he plays inside and outside as well as on 3 special teams.  Wetzel is a fluid runner with above-average athleticism.  If you’re projecting him to the next level, he’ll flourish in a Pro-Spread option route based system as he’s a guy that reads coverage well on the fly and there’s no wasted movements to his routes. He has a chance to stick.

WR – Tebucky Jones Jr. – 6’0 195, Senior (2nd Look)

You can instantly tell from the first drive of the game that Jones is their most agile WR.  Jones has above-average short area quickness and can make the first guy miss with ease.  He’s not what you classify as a deep threat and quite honestly, his ball tracking skills leave a lot to be desired; but in a West Coast-based offense, he’d be excellent.  Jones would be your classic ‘Z’ receiver that you’ll want to keep him on the move offensively. Shifty/Slippery/Quick is how you’d always describe him. Keep him away from press coverage in the slot and he’ll win consistently.

TE – Dan Light – 6’4 265, Junior (2nd Look)

One of the more complete TEs in the FCS is Fordham’s Dan Light. He has soft hands and is very good after the catch. This game, I was impressed with his run blocking on the Split Zone & even on some Iso/Lead runs. In fact, he had the key block to spring the running back for a long TD run. The Rams love to utilize him on Wham/Lead/Split Zone in the run game.  I also believe his route running is a very underrated part of his game.  He’s a Junior but when you look at how he plays the TE position, you have to be excited about his skills moving forward. I think he’ll garner a lot of buzz in 2016.

LG – Garrick Mayweather – 6’4 318, Junior (2nd Look)

Once again, here’s a guy that just mauls defenders on both ends of offense. Again, counted 4 pancake blocks by Mayweather this game, 3 of which came in pass pro.  I focused more on his ability to pass protect in this game and you can see why the coaching staff stuck him at LG.  Mayweather is able to reset & redirect the defender very well and with consistency.  How he’s able to rack up so many pancakes is because of how strong his initial punch is and how much his hands are able to stay inside. He’ll be another Junior FCS player garnering a lot of buzz next season.

CB – Ian Williams – 6’1 199, Senior (2nd Look)

Pro coaches will love a player like Ian Williams because he simply ‘does his job’. In my 2nd look at his game, I was mainly impressed with how technically & fundamentally sound he is as a cornerback. He does have very good acceleration and is able to turn fluidly and run with a WR. Great hustle and closes well to the football.  You can trust him on the field or boundary side. Williams is a fine CB prospect with polish to his game.

FS – Levon Williams – 6’1 202, Senior

This was my 1st look at Williams as he didn’t play in the St. Francis game.  On the very first defensive snap, you can see the great sideline-to-sideline range as he went from one end of the field to the other to make a play for a minimal gain vs the run.  He’s a very good open field tackler and has above-average football I.Q.  Where you want to see improvement is in the angles to take to the football.  At times, his angles lead to receptions that should either be intercepted or broken up.  I’ll be keeping an eye on his progress next week vs Penn

WR – Sam Ajala – 6’0 194, Senior

Ajala was another player that didn’t play in the 1st game vs St. Francis, so this was my first chance this year to see him live.  Ajala is the team’s ‘X’ WR and their ‘go-to’ guy.  He simply glides in-and-out of his breaks and runs precise routes.  His routes have to be excellent because he has marginal speed and burst.  But when you run good routes, it’s makes you hard to cover.  I was highly impressed with his hands. Ajala catches everything away from his body and doesn’t waste time bringing it back into his body.  I think projecting him to the next level, you can see him as a 2nd or 3rd option in an open offense like New Orleans or Buffalo.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Stony Brook Seawolves vs William & Mary Tribe (9-27-14)

Stony Brook Seawolves Prospects

WR – Adrian Coxson – 6’1 210 – Senior

Coxson has very good size for the position and he plays big as well.  In the running game, which is predominately what Stony Brook does, he doesn’t mind blocking.  While he’s not an ‘explosive’ receiver, he does have good enough game to be considered a ‘threat’.  His playmaking ability was displayed on an 83-yard touchdown catch and run on a quick screen.  What was the best attribute that stood out to me about Coxson was that he caught every pass with his hands and away from his body.  While he only ran a couple of routes (because of the offense: Over, Crosser, Post & Hitch) he accelerates out of his breaks to create the separation needed to get open.  In my opinion, Coxson has the value of a Possession receiver. A dependable guy that competes well on both ends of offense.

RB – Marcus Coker – 6’0 225 – Senior

Coker starred at Iowa for 2 years prior to transferring to Stony Brook.  Coker runs with good patience and has good footwork. His patience and footwork allows him to string moves together to get positive yards. Where he has to get better is with his pad level.  At times he gets stood up in the hole and knocked off balance.  For a guy that’s 225lbs, that can’t happen.  Coker does run behind his pads well but doesn’t have that ‘2nd gear’ you look for in a top-level back. I think he’ll be much better suited as a fullback at the next level.

TE – Will Tye – 6’3 260 – Senior

Tye is an intriguing talent.  Here’s a TE that’s also the team’s Punt Returner.  That speaks to the level of athleticism.  He’s a Delainie Walker-type player.  Tye is utilized both as an H-Back and traditional inline TE.  In my opinion, he’s better off the line of scrimmage as an H-Back. As an inline player, he has no interest in blocking. His blocking will definitely have to improve. Functional strength is where he struggles. I’m a big fan of his route running and hands, which is all you’ll ask your H-back to do in an offensive attack. He doesn’t have to do ‘much’ as a blocker to be a complete player..but at least become better as an position blocker, which he struggled with as well.  He’s a receiver in a TE’s body but it’s that receiving part that has the scouting antennas up.

William & Mary Tribe Prospects

DE – Mike Reilly – 6’4 265 – Senior

Reilly came into this game as a highly touted FCS NFL Draft prospect and he didn’t disappoint.  Reilly shows very good P.O.A. strength and could easily excel as a 5T or 4i in certain situations and hold his own.  He’s more of a power rusher than a speed rusher. The way he’s able to extend & drive vs an offensive tackle tells me that he’d be an ideal RDE at the next level.  The Tribe utilized him on zone blitzes at times in the game where he dropped back into coverage; he’s not a candidate for a position switch as an OLB in a 3-4, he’s strictly a DE.  I like how his hands stay inside and are quick and efficient. He plays with great leverage but must develop a counter move to his repertoire. At times, you also notice that he’ll tip off his the offensive tackle of his intentions by getting in his 4-point stance when he’s coming with a speed rush. Obviously, he’ll have to become better at disguising his intentions pre-snap. This is a high level player and I came away fully impressed with his game. Look for Reilly to find his way into either the Senior Bowl or East-West Shrine Game.

Guys that Surprised/Stood Out

William & Mary RB Mikal Abdul-Saboor – 5’11 215, Junior

This was an excellent game by Abdul-Saboor. He was clearly the best back on the field this game. Patience, agility, vision and pass catching ability was very impressive.  Abdul-Saboor carried this football team on offense in spite of an inconsistent passing attack.  I would definitely like to see more game on him behind what I think is a VERY good offensive line.  Looking forward to 2016, he may enter as the top FCS running back.

Stony Brook’s Defensive Line

This was an impressive display of young talent with DE Victor Ochi (6’2 250, Jr.), DTs Aaron Thompson (6’3 280, Soph), Qusmane Camara (6’1 270, RFr), and Dante Allen (6’5 275, Jr.). These guys were active and disruptive from the 2nd quarter on.  All of these guys showed the versatility to be moved around the formation playing multiple positions up front.  This will be a very strong group moving forward.

William & Mary Tribe Offensive Line

I made a note about this in-game at how big their offensive line was.  This was an impressive showing for a young group that featured 2 sophomores, 2 juniors and a redshirt freshman LT. RT Jerry Ugokwe (6’8 300, Soph) was the best out of the bunch. Showing excellent knee bend & footwork for a guy that tall.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Tulane Green Wave vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights (9-27-14)

Tulane Green Wave Prospects

LT – Arturo Uzdavinis – 6’7 307 – Junior

This was my first time exclusively paying attention to Uzdavinis.  During the SE Louisiana game, he was one of the players who’s performance stood out.  This game, Uzdavinis was named captain for the game and his play vs Rutgers backed up that honor.  I raved about his ability in the running game two weeks ago, but it was his job in pass protection that really caught my attention.  Uzdavinis doesn’t overset in his set up and his hands stay inside.  Because he played with such great technique, he’s able to control the defensive end; at some times with one arm.  His footwork was also impressive which allowed him to mirror & maintain his block.  Even though he’s a Junior, if Uzdavinis continues on this upward trek, he could end up making some All-American teams this year.  This is a prospect to keep an eye on in 2016. Very impressive!

CB – Lorenzo Doss – 5’11 187 – Junior

This is my 2nd time scouting Doss this season and I wanted to see what changed from 2 weeks ago vs SE Louisiana.  This was an up-and-down game for Doss. He gambled a lot in the 1st half and it resulted in 2 big gains for Rutgers: one was a TD and the other resulted in a 34-yard gain. When you’re a player with ball skills like Doss has, the propensity to undercut routes is huge.  While you like a player to be aggressive, you want him to be situationally aggressive.  And later on in the game, that situational aggressiveness paid off with a crucial red zone interception where he jumped in front of the receiver and wrestled the ball away.  What jumped out at me as a consistent part of his game was his ability to come up and make a tackle in the running game.  Doss is an excellent open-field tackler, which is always a plus for a defensive back.  Right now, you want to see him become much more consistent in his ‘chance taking’ for the rest of the season.

S – Darion Monroe – 5’11 197 – Junior

Another player I was able to get a second look at was Darion Monroe.  Once again, his ability to tackle in the open field, match up in the slot vs wide receivers, and play multiple special teams units including spot duty as a punt returner.  At times Monroe got caught looking in the backfield, and that resulted in a blown coverage assignment on a 46-yard gain in the 1st quarter.  Where Monroe has to improve is taking better angles to the ball on the intermediate routes.  Bad angles tend to result in completions & big gains.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights Prospects

LG – Kaleb Johnson – 6’4 300 – Senior

Johnson has been on the radar for the last 2 season at Rutgers. He does have impressive size and athleticism.  I came away with mixed reviews of his game.  What I loved was how athletic he is as a guard.  The Scarlet Knights utilized him a lot on pulls &  traps. He gets out and around pretty quickly, which puts him at the point of attack immediately.  The issue is when he engages.  He loses balance trying to maintain control and not is as powerful as you would like.  He’s going to have to become more ‘functionally strong’ in order to stick as a pro.  I will say this though, in pass pro, he’s a MUCH better player. Would be ideal in a predominately passing offense where you can also get creative and move the pocket with him as the lead protector.

DT – Darius Hamilton – 6’4 255 – Junior

Hamilton was a highly touted High School recruit coming into Rutgers.  He’s the son of former NFL defensive lineman Keith Hamilton.  Rutgers plays Hamilton inside as a 3T to try and utilize his quickness.  Now, it was an excellent strategy vs the pass but it also highlighted his issues defending the run.  Hamilton is able to win with quickness inside.  He showed an excellent 1st step and counter move to apply pressure.  He had 2 sacks on the day and was a constant problem for the interior Green Wave offensive line.  In my honest opinion, he’s better suited to play outside as a RDE where he can get off the ball and accelerate to the QB. Unless he adds weight, he’ll continue to get engulfed inside.  But right now, playing inside helps, if not forces him to get better vs the run; but his future at the next level is at a 7T maybe even as a LEO.

SS – Lorenzo Waters – 6’0 195 – Senior

This was my first time getting a look at Waters and I came away impressed.  He’s listed as a strong safety but showcased the ability to play both for the Scarlet Knights.  At times they had him in the deep third playing Cover 1.  His strong safety skills come to the forefront when defending the running game. Waters is a great open-field tackler that utilizes proper tackling form when bring down the ball carrier.  Twice during the game they sent him on free & dog blitzes. Both times he made the play; one for a sack and one for a TFL (tackle for loss).  He’s also a big hitter. I’ll be interested in following him more as the season progress. I like what I saw this week.

Guys that Surprised/Stood Out

Tulane RB – Sherman Badie – 6’0 195 – Redshirt Freshman

Once again, Badie’s game breaking ability was on full display.  He had an 83-yard touchdown run in the 2nd quarter.  Badie is only a redshirt freshman, but his future is definitely bright. Right now, his game is very similar to former Ohio State Buckeye RB Michael Wiley. Keep an eye on this kid moving forward. He’s a star!

Rutgers QB – Gary Nova – 6’2 220 – Senior

I came away very impressed with Gary Nova’s performance yesterday. He was accurate, decisive and made very good decision with the ball.  The main issue that many have with Nova is consistency. If he can string together performances like he did vs Tulane, then you’ll see the perception start to change. This game showcased all of his attributes that you want in a QB, but we’ll be monitoring his consistency vs Michigan and others.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Montana Grizzlies vs North Dakota State Bison (9-20-14)

Montana Grizzlies Prospects

DE – Zack Wagenmann – 6’3 255 – Senior

Wagenmann was consider the best pro prospect by many coming into this game. He is a legit 6’3 255 that plays LDE.  Wagenmann did show some good acceleration to the QB and knows how to get the edge.  But overall, this wasn’t his best showing. Wagenmann isn’t a P.O.A. guy and doesn’t have the elite level flexibility that you want to see coming from a pass rusher.  And playing LDE, I expected him to be stout vs the run but he had problems disengaging from blocks. As of right now, based off my assessment, I think he’d be better suited as a WLB in a 4-3/3-4. Playing the run won’t be his strong suit but does have potential as a run and chase guy.

QB – Jordan Johnson – 6’1 195 – Senior

Johnson is a guy that throws with confidence. He’s not afraid to make that ‘tough’ throw into a tight window.  He also throws well on the run. At times you’ll see him hold on to the football too long and doesn’t feel pressure very well. Johnson however does see the field very well both pre-snap and post snap he did an excellent job. I like the touch he displays on his intermediate & deep passes.  I can see him having success at the CFL/AFL level as a QB.

North Dakota State Bison Prospects

DE – Kyle Emanuel – 6’3 251 – Senior

Emanuel was THE best player on the field today.  On the 1st three plays of the game, Emanuel either made or disrupted the play.  He has a great inside move and uses his hands extremely well to play the run. Emanuel is a fundamentally sound player that is able to get of blocks, re-direct and accelerate to the QB. I saw a player that excelled on both ends of defense. And despite his listed size, I don’t think he’s an OLB in a 3-4, but can play either LDE or RDE in a 4-3. If he’s not playing on an NFL/CFL team next year, it’s a crime. I’m excited to see more of him moving forward.

RB – John Crockett – 6’0 215 – Senior

Crockett is a back that has good balance and does a great job in pressing the hole before making his move.  Solid footwork as well and shows the versatility to be split out wide at times and used in the passing game.  What he has to become more consistent in would be lowering his shoulder on a would-be defender.  I think he’s more of a lead/belly runner as opposed to Inside/Outside Zone runner.

Guys that surprised

RT – Landon Lechler – 6’7 299 – Soph., North Dakota St.

This was an impressive showing for the sophomore who had the tough task of taking on one of the FCS’s top pass rushers in Zack Wagenmann. Lechler more than held his own, he actually rendered Wagenman ineffective and invisible. This really bodes well for his future. Lechler excelled on both ends of offense.

NT – Tonga Takai – 6’2 310 – Senior, Montana

One of the lone bright spots on the Grizzlies defensive line. The Griz defense were bending but not breaking and when the Bison got in the red zone, Takai’s play up front against the Bison’s C Jesse Hinz. Takai disengages well and is able to beat double teams.  He’s a type of guy that can play the NT or the 1T. Very strong at the P.O.A.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: SE Louisiana vs Tulane (9-13-14)

Southeastern Louisiana Lions Prospects

QB – Bryan Bennett – 6’3 215 – Senior

This wasn’t a good showing for Bennett, who came in with a lot of buzz around the scouting community.  It was a mixture of the gameplan and his play.  Earlier in the game, they were focused on the running game and Bennett didn’t have many opportunity to throw the ball.  What I was able to take away from what he did was that he IS a good runner and confident player.  Bennett doesn’t get rattled in the pocket at all, which is an excellent trait to have.  He does have good ‘pop’ on his throws but tends to flatline and spot throw. The INTs in this game came late as a result of forcing things being down by a lot of points.  Just from the initial eye test, his game reminds me of Matt Moore.

OLB – Isiah Corbett – 6’3 250 – Senior

Corbett was by far the most impressive guy on the Lions football team.  He’s a good SOLB in the 3-4 and could also play SAM in a 4-3 very well.  Coming off the edge, he showcases very good acceleration and power.  He’s uses his hands very well with a good initial punch. In coverage was where I learned a lot about his game.  He keeps his feet moving, which allows him to jump, anticipate, redirect, very well. Corbett picked off 2 passes this game showing excellent hands and awareness. The one thing he can work on is being less ‘handsy’ in coverage, which could lead to a lot of illegal contact or interference/holding penalties.  But overall, he’s a player!

Tulane Green Wave Prospects

CB – Lorenzo Doss – 5’11 187 – Junior

Doss is a highly decorated player that also came into the game with a lot of fanfare.  I already knew about his coverage and ball skills, so my main focus was to see him defending the run and how technically sound he was; he didn’t disappoint.  Doss is always aligned on the left side of the formation and was able to make every open-field tackle opportunity that he had in the game.  His press skills were also something that jumped out at me as well. He isn’t just an ‘off’ guy that jumps routes, he’s able to stay in the face of a WR, mirror well while also redirecting them.  He also plays Special Teams, which is an added bonus.  I’ll be able to see him again live on Sept. 27th vs Rutgers.

S – Darion Monroe – 5’11 197 – Junior

Here’s another guy that has been a highly decorated player since his Freshman year.  Although he plays SS, he’s what I would consider a ‘combo’ safety.  A guy that you can trust in the middle of the field, in the box and in the slot vs a WR or TE.  Monroe showed great closing speed to the ball all game long, whether it was versus the run or pass.  He has good read & recognition skills and is also able to get through the trash extremely well.  Monroe made a couple of tackles in the hole vs the RB.  Like I mentioned before, he matches up very well in the slot and wasn’t awkward in coverage.  You can see some Malcolm Jenkins in his game.

Guys that Surprised

CB – Denzel Thompson – 6’3 210 – Junior, SE Lousiana

You instantly notice his size on the field but for a big CB, Thompson moves extremely well and showcased very good technique. He was able to wall off the WR constantly and his footwork is where it needs to be. He’s an under-the-radar prospect that’s definitely worthy of gathering more film on.

LT – Arturo Uzdavinis – 6’7 307 – Junior, Tulane

Uzdavinis was constantly put on the move in the running game. He was highly impressive in that aspect. Driving guys off the ball consistently.  For a 6’7 guy, he moves well and could easily play both tackle spots and inside at guard in a ZBS.  His hand placement was perfect and kept his feet moving while finishing every block.  He’s firmly on my radar now.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Temple vs Navy (9-6-14)

Navy Midshipmen Prospects

QB – Keenan Reynolds – 5’11 195 – Jr.

Reynolds plays with composure. Even within an option offense, Reynolds makes excellent reads while given the freedom to make checks & audibles at the LOS.  The one thing I also noticed was that while Reynolds is an ‘athletic’ QB, if you’re projecting him to the next level, he projects as a QB. In my opinion, he doesn’t have the type of skills where you can say that he can play WR or RB.

FS – Parrish Gaines – 6’2 200 – Sr.

Gaines made an excellent intercept late in the 1st Quarter to rob a potential touchdown.  Throughout the game he was aligned in the deep third and in the slot.  Gaines showcases fluid hips in transition and has excellent awareness & football I.Q.  Didn’t really get to see him as a tackler but more than enough skills to play at the next level after his 2 year commitment.  Continuing on this track, I can see him as a draftable prospect with the ability to play the ‘3rd’ safety in a Big Nickel look

Temple Owls Prospects

C – Kyle Friend – 6’2 305 – Jr.

Friend is an excellent player in pass protection. He doesn’t overextend, moves extremely well and has very good hand placement.  Where he has to get better is in the run blocking department.  While he gets good initial pop with fast hands, he doesn’t move the defender off the spot. He’s going to have to work on his strength moving forward.  He also had multiple high snaps as the game went on.  But again, as a pass blocker, he’s able to set up well and also is a great position blocker.

QB – PJ Walker – 6’1 200 – Soph.

Love his arm. Walker can make every throw on the field. He made the deep out from the far hash throw with consistency & velocity.  In both 2 min opportunities (end of half & end of game) he performed exceptionally well.  He has very good athleticism and has good ball placement on his passes.

RB – Kenneth Harper – 6’0 225 – Sr.

I came away impressed with Harper’s ability to catch the football. Very comfortable catching the ball away from his body.  As for his running, he has good power & balance but is a little stiff as far as agility is concerned.  His footwork is good and he’s able to move the pile but isn’t the type of player to ‘make one miss’ in space.

DT – Matt Ioannidis – 6’4 285 – Jr.

This was a great showing for Ioannidis.  Good initial punch and shows ability to get off blocks consistently.  Played all over the DL today vs the triple option and played very well. In my honest opinion, he was the Defensive MVP. Ioannidis show very good awareness and does a good job in pursuit. He was a difference maker in the middle today. Definitely has a bright future.

NT – Hershey Walton – 6’4 300 – Jr.

The Owls move him all around the front as well in addition to dropping him back into zone coverage.  I would like to see him get more movement up front. Right now his feet tends to die upon engagement and he plays a little high.  Started to get winded out there as the game wore on.

LB – Tyler Matakevich – 6’1 235 – Jr.

I came into this game with high hopes and excitement to see Matakevich, who was the nation’s leading tackler last year with over 100 solo stops.  I will put the disclaimer out here that he was playing versus a triple option team which isn’t something you’d normally see — however, as a football player you still have to make plays.  Matakevich struggled to find the ball on 2 occasions which resulted in big gains on the ground in the game he was responsible for.  He also wasn’t playing as fast, which caused him to be late to the ball a couple of times.  He did however show a good nose for the ball on a fumble recovery in the 3rd quarter which was a huge turning point in the game.  I don’t know if he was dealing with cramps or hamstring issues, but he didn’t move as fast as I expected him to.  I will definitely go and watch him live again versus a more traditional team to get a better feel for his game.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Monmouth vs Delaware State (8-30-14)

Monmouth Hawks Prospects:

WR – Neal Sterling – 6’4 235 – Sr.

Throughout the time I watched the game (1st Half) Sterling showcased very good acceleration; more of a ‘build up speed’ type guy that runs very good routes.  Now, he’s not overly quick/agile but definitely is a powerful guy that’s has the ability to break tackles.  Mainly because of the offensive gameplan used vs Del St., I didn’t see a full assortment of routes; mostly deep outs & comebacks, both of which he showcased good & competent footwork. Sterling also is able to catch the ball away from his body consistently.

RB – Kwabena Asante – 5’9 215 – Sr.

Asante stole the show.  First, he’s not 5’11 as he’s listed in the program – not that it matters – he’s built more like Maurice Jones-Drew. His showcased very good footwork that was very similar to Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah. Asante has all of the traits you look for in a back: Good Balance, vision and runs well behind his pads. I think this guy definitely has a bright future ahead of him.  He wasn’t asked to block much nor did I get a chance to see him catch the football.

Delaware State Prospects

WR – Milton Williams III – 6’3 200 – Sr.

Very impressive Wide Receiver. The first thing that stands out about Williams is his size. He’s a legit 6’3 200lbs. On the field, his hand are equally as impressive; catching everything away from his body on a consistent basis.  He plays the X position & does a solid job winning off the L.O.S.  In the 2nd QTR, he was the one that made the sight adjustment audible FOR the QB (who’s a Redshirt Freshman), changed the play and ended up scoring a TD on a 70 yards catch-and-run on a quick slant. He’s a long strider that’s also a very good route runner. I was able to see the slant, speed out, hitch, dig, comeback & the stop routes.

DL – Rodney Gunter – 6’5 300 – Sr.

Delaware State runs a 3-3-5 and Gunter plays the 5T. On the opening drive, he had 2 QB Pressures and showcased excellent functional strength at the P.O.A.  He flipped between the Right Tackle & Left Tackle while also playing inside as a shade.  That bodes well for his future moving forward, showing versatility.  At times he, as Monmouth started moving the ball, struggled with leverage; was inconsistent in bringing his legs with his arms which caused reaching & at times, being knocked off balance.  Overall, I like what I saw from Gunter. Would like to see him stay consistent with his technique. You can see why a lot of scouts are playing close attention to his progress this season.

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Hunt’s Scouting Notes: Fordham vs St. Francis (8-30-14)

Fordham Prospects

QB – Mike Nebrich – 6’1 205 – Senior

Nebrich is coming off an impressive Junior season and enters the season with a lot of buzz.  What I noticed in this game is that the anticipation & velocity wasn’t where it needed to be on a lot of his passes.  Nebrich started out 8-20 in the ball game and missed a lot of open targets deep down field.  That was concerning to me.  However, I will say that his placement is definitely where it needs to be and that’s something to build on. And you like his toughness to be able to fight through early struggles.  It’ll be crucial for him to show better pocket awareness & anticipation as the season progresses if he wants to elevate his status in the mind of evaluators.  The passes he struggled with: Seam, Deep Post, Corner/Flag Routes (struggled mightily with this one). He excelled in throwing the Wheel & Rail routes. Also showing great recognition with option routes. No miscommunication with his receivers. Nebrich is also a very good athlete.

WR – Tebucky Jones Jr. – 6’0 195 – Senior

Tebucky Jones Jr. showcased very good burst off the line and the ability to make contested catches.  His RAC skills are also very good as he was utilized on a lot of smoke routes & quick screens early on before they attacked deep down the field.

WR – Brian Wetzel – 5’11 190 – Senior

Wetzel saw the bulk of the looks because Sam Ajala was out with an injury for this game. I came away impressed with Wetzel’s versatility and willingness on special teams.  He had a big 7o yard punt return to set up a touchdown; he also is the holder on FG/XP. Obviously as a PR his foot quickness is where you want it to be; looked good on in-and-out breaking routes (Flag/Dig) but Nebrich missed him on a couple of potential big gainers.  Fluid movement skills allowed him to get separation for a couple of intermediate receptions. Color me intrigued and I’ll be keeping an eye on him moving forward.

TE – Dan Light – 6’4 265 – Sr.

Light was able to get into the end zone this game and showcased good movement skills both during the route and after the catch.  Very good inline blocking skills as well.  Not much substance for him this game but enough to where he warrants more looks during the season.

G – Garrick Mayweather Jr. – 6’4 318 – Jr.

Garrick wasn’t on my initial ‘watch list’ for this game but my goodness he shined all night long.  He’s a Junior but keep an eye on this guy moving forward.  I counted 4 pancake blocks in the running game leading to gaping holes for the back to burst through.  Good hand placement & footwork will definitely earn him some extra attention this year.

CB – Ian Williams – 6’1 199 – Senior

Williams was a physical presence vs St. Francis. Very involved in the running game. His press skills were also on display as he routinely re-routed the wide receiver. Played the boundary all night.

St. Francis Prospects

CB – Mike Dennis – 5’9 170 – Senior

Despite his size, Dennis played big time ball vs Fordham. Good hips, feet and hands put him in position to make plenty plays on the ball. He was a thorn in the side of Nebrich for the first half.  They also moved him in the slot at times as well and did a great job in both man and zone coverages.

CB – DaQuan Minter – 5’11 170 – Jr.

Minter is the #1 CB in the Red Flash defense. He and Tebucky Jones Jr. had great battles all game long.  What was impressive mostly was his mirroring skills. Very little hand usage, all great footwork.  Minter also played the run very well; knowing when to set the edge and when to force-spill to his help. Confirmed what I expected coming into this game.

FS – Lorenzo Jerome – 5’11 185 – Soph.

Very early outlook for Jerome (who was a FBGP Preseason FCS All American this year). But he’s your new age safety that can cover well in the slot & also has the great sideline-to-sideline range. Jerome also showed excellent ball skills and is a very good open field tackler that can also deliver a big hit. He’s firmly entrenched on my list of prospects to watch in 2016/17.

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