Jurrell Casey- DT- USC

6-1 296lbs Junior

Stats:

2008- 12 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble

2009- 59 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 9 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles

Pros:

Jurrell Casey is looking to follow in the footsteps of former USC DT Mike Patterson.  Like Patterson Casey is a shorter but stout defensive tackle.  He has the proper bulk and strength to fit into a 4-3 defensive scheme as the nose tackle.  Casey has shown excellent ability to control gaps and get off blocks to make plays.  His always running motor enhances the ability of this already gifted athlete.  Casey is an excellent run defender and has the ability to clog up holes.

Cons:

So far in his career Casey has struggled to get off the ball quickly.  He needs to work on his snap recognition and anticipation.  The fact that he doesn’t react quick enough may limit his ability to play the 3 technique because it will not allow him to beat offensive guard off the ball.  The athleticism is there for improvement but he needs to refine his technique.

Thoughts:

Casey is part of a very talented group of defensive tackles that are eligible for this year’s draft.  He needs to build on his solid Sophomore season and tighten up in some areas.  He sits just outside our Big Board and needs to have a strong start to get consideration to move up the board.  Casey has the physical ability and college production to intrigue NFL scouts.

Projected Round:

I think Casey is sitting in the early 2^ndround range right now but he could easily find himself in the 1^st round discussion.

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Teams #5 and #6 on the NCAA cross country pre-season rankings:

Purity Biwott & Caroline Karunde (Source: Texas Tech SID)

6. Texas Tech

In a year after losing 9-time national champion Sally Kipyego, the Red Raiders fared extremely well in 2009, reaching the podium with their fourth place finish.  Despite the loss of #1 runner Lillian Barau, the heavily foreign Texas Tech squad looks poised to make another run at the podium.  Top returner Purity Biwott, primarily a middle-distance runner, put up marks of 2:04.35 and 4:22.37 to back up her 25th place at nationals last year.  Caroline Karunde laid down solid track times of 4:21.81 and 15:58.43 in the 1500/5k while her sister Winrose was 45th at NCAA’s last year and ran a 5k in 16:27.58.

5. Duke

Ashley Brasovan (Source: Yardbarker.com)

The Duke Blue Devil squad that took 8th at cross country nationals in 2009 was extremely young; six of the top seven were freshmen or sophomores, boding well for the team’s future.  Top gal Carly Seymour was 29th at NCAA’s a year ago and qualified for nationals on the track over 10,000m where she came in 22nd.  An athlete that may be a big impact for Duke is former Foot Locker champion Ashley Brasovan.  The native of Wellington, Florida did not compete at all in her freshman season but has All-American potential if she can stay healthy.  Juliet Bottoroff (16:24.13 5k), Kayla Hale (35:26.74 10k), and Suejin Ahn (16:23.84 5k ) are among others who may impact the Devils’ run towards the podium.

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Each Saturday NFL Mocks will release an article discussing the top prospect match-ups of the weekend.   We hope to show you what match-ups you should keep an eye on and what would help or hurt that prospects stock.  We encourage you to take a look at these match-ups and watch closely on Saturday to see who comes out on top.  We will discuss the results of those match-ups on Sunday.

Game: Southern Miss vs. South Carolina

Where to watch: Thursday September 2nd 7:30pm (eastern) ESPN

Prospects: Southern Miss WR DeAndre Brown #5 vs. South Carolina CB Chris Culliver #17

Thoughts: DeAndre Brown has to be one of the more physically gifted wide receivers in College Football.  At 6-6 and 240lbs he is a intimidating presence that also boasts good speed.  However, his best attribute is his size and he presents a match-up problem every week.  If Southern Miss has a chance to upset South Carolina it’s going to come on the shoulders of Brown.  Brown will spend sometime matched up against the Gamecocks top corner Chris Culliver.  Culliver has very good speed and above average height for a corner but it doesn’t come close to that of Brown’s.  Culliver is probably the faster of the two but he has a slender build and Brown should easily be able to push Culliver around.

How they raise their stock: Culliver has the best opportunity to show what he is capable of  in this match-up.  He has the better speed and that should mask some of this coverage liabilities.  If he can overcome the size deficient then he has a chance to improve his stock.  Brown needs to have a big game and if he delivers on this bigger stage he has a chance to get some national name recognition.  Hype is a very powerful force and for Brown this is a good opportunity to start that Hype Train.

Game: Washington vs BYU

Where to watch: Saturday September 4th 7:00pm

Prospects: Washington QB Jake Locker #10 vs BYU Secondary Andrew Rich #22, Brian Logan #7, and Brandon Bradley #5

Thoughts:  Locker is the top rated player on our Big Board and this will be a nice first test for the quarterback.  While all the members of the BYU secondary are regarded as late round draft talents they are a veteran bunch that knows how to play their system.  Their ability to stay tight in coverage and disguise schemes could cause problems for Locker.  Watch how Locker reacts at the line of scrimmage and if he is able to recognize BYU coverages.

How they improve their stock: This game is really about Locker, he needs to have a good game and show he has developed.  The BYU secondary doesn’t have elite talent so Locker should be able to pick them apart.  Leading the underdog Huskies to a win would also help Locker’s draft stock.

Jake Locker Scouting Report

Game: #21 LSU vs. #18 North Carolina

Where to watch: Saturday September 4th 8:00pm ABC

Prospects: LSU WR Terrence Toliver #80 vs. UNC CB Kendric Burney #16 and LSU T Joseph Barksdale #78 vs UNC DE Robert Quinn #42 and Bruce Carter #54

Thoughts: The first match-up puts two skilled position players against each other.  Toliver is a big receiver that has the ability to stretch the field.  He does a great job using his body to block out defenders and make the catch.  He is a big Red Zone threat where his size becomes even more of an asset.  Burney is a small but fast corner that is always a threat to come up with the interception.  This match-up will also count on LSU QB Jordon Jefferson getting the ball outside to Toliver.  The other match-up pits LSU left tackle Joseph Barksdale against UNC pass rushers Robert Quinn and Bruce Carter.  Barksdale has good size and will be counted on to keep the pressure off of quarterback Jefferson so that he can get the ball to WR Toliver.  Both Quinn and Carter are on our Big Board with Quinn coming in at #7 overall.  Both of this defensive standouts will challenge Barkdsale.

How they improve their stock:  Toliver needs to use his size and take advantage of Burney’s lack of size.  If Toliver could beat the faster Burney down the field it would help answers some questions about Toliver’s speed.  Burney has the most to gain from this match-up.  The biggest knock on him is his lack of size and if he shows he could handle the 6-5 Toliver then that could put to rest some of those concerns.  Barksdale has the size needed to play tackle in the NFL but there are questions surrounding this ability to pass protect against speed rushers.  This game is going to be a major test for Barksdale as Quinn is one of the better speed rushers in College Football.  Keep a close eye on how Barksdale handles the rush and how much help LSU gives him.  I doubt they will leave him 1 on 1 with Quinn so expect to see a back or tight end lending a hand.

Terrence Toliver Scouting Report, Bruce Carter Scouting Report, Robert Quinn Scouting Report, Joseph Barksdale Scouting Report.

Game: #3 Boise State vs #10 Virgina Tech

Where to watch: Monday September 6th 8:00pm ESPN

Prospects: Boise State QB Kellen Moore, WR Titus Young, and WR Austin Pettis vs. Virginia Tech CB Rashad Carmichael

Thoughts: This might be the best opening weekend game and it pits a few NFL hopefuls against each other.  The best match-up is Virginia Tech cornerback against the Boise State passing attack.  Carmichael is one of the better corners in the country and is a better pro prospect at his position than each of the Boise State players.  Carmichael excels in man to man coverage and we will have a chance to shut down the Boise State passing attack.  He will likely take on both Titus Young and Austin Pettis both of whom are looking to raise their draft stock.

How they raise their draft stock:  Both Young and Pettis could have improve their stock by having a good showing when matched up against Carmichael.  However, if Carmichael shuts them both down he could see himself creeping towards a debut in the Big Board.

Austin Pettis Scouting Report

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We continue our countdown today with teams #7 and #8 on the NCAA cross country pre-season rankings.

Shelby Greany (Source: Yardbarker.com)

8. Providence

Coach Ray Treacy had tremendous success this  summer guiding one of his post-collegiate athletes Molly Huddle to the American record over 5000m and hopes to carry the good vibes on to the fall cross country season.  The headliner athlete for the Friars is sophomore Shelby Greany.  In her freshman year running the 3000m steeplechase, Greany broke the American Junior record in the event with a time of 10:00.88, good enough for sixth at NCAA’s.  She also took the USA Junior title in the steeple as well as in cross country.  PC also returns their #1 runner from nationals last year, 37th-place finisher Hannah Davidson, as well as junior Mary Champagne, senior Emma Perron, and sophomore Sam Roecker.

7. Oregon

Jordan Hasay (Source: Yardbarker.com)

After back-to-back second place team finishes in 2007 and 2008, the Ducks placed a disappointing ninth at nationals a year ago.  Leading the way for Vin Lananna’s squad is the sophomore phenom Jordan Hasay.  After coming in 18th at cross country nationals, 4th in the indoor mile, and 3rd outdoors in the 1500m, Hasay capped off a strong freshman campaign with a 1500m PR in early July and placed 4th at the World Junior championships in the metric mile.  Normally a strong cross country runner, senior Alex Kosinski had a difficult 2009 season that concluded with her placing 81st at nationals.  She then redshirted her indoor track season and bounced back well outdoors, setting PR’s of 4:15.67 and 15:57.83 in the 1500/5000 and finishing third at NCAA’s in the 5k.  UO should also have steepler Claire Michel and middle-distance standouts Zoe Buckman and Anne Kesselring back to sure up the back-end of lineup.  Women middle distance runners often fare better at cross country than their male counterparts since they are only forced to move up to run 6k (3.73 miles).  Men, on the other hand, must make a significant jump up to running 10k, a distance much farther than they are accustomed to running.

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Aaron Williams- CB- Texas

6-1 189lbs Junior

Stats:

2008- 15 tackles, 1 INT, 2 pass defenses

2009- 34 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 3 INTs, 3 pass defenses, 2 forced fumbles

Pros:

Williams is one of a few top cornerbacks eligible for the 2011 NFL Draft.  He is a very heady player that provides great leadership among his peers.  He has relatively no risk of off the field issues and is praised by his coaches for his maturity.  Williams has above average size for the position and possesses top-end speed.  Williams may be one of the faster players in college football right now.  He has the attitude necessary to take on the top competition week in and week out and is very confident in his skills.  He boasts all the skills needed to be an excellent man to man corner.  He is exceptional at reading wide receiver’s routes and uses a quick burst to get out of his backpedal.  He swivels his hips to stay with the wide outs and if he happens to take a wrong step he has amazing closing speed.  NFL scouts are going to quickly identify the way he attacks the ball when it’s in the air.  While so far in his career he only has 4 INTs I fully expect to see a lot more at the next level.

Cons:

While Williams is a willing run defender he still struggles in this area.  He is susceptible to jukes and cannot be counted on in to make the open field tackle.  He needs to focus on making the sure tackle and keeping his balance.  In pass coverage he can fall victim to the double move.  We mentioned his aggressive attacks on the ball and this can sometimes lead to biting on those double moves, which could result in a big play.

Thoughts:

Overall Williams is one of the more physically talented corners in the country and has everything NFL teams are looking for.  He needs to make a few adjustments here or there but he has a very bright future ahead of him.

Projected Round:

I feel that Williams is a lock for the 1^st round, it’s now a matter of how high can he go!

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The second event of the 2010 FedEx Cup playoffs gets underway this week, as the Deutsche Bank Championship takes place at TPC Boston. The first tournament of the playoffs didn’t exactly give us a surprise, as one of the most consistent players on tour all year, Matt Kuchar, got the win and is currently in the lead in the standings. But will someone else move ahead of him this week. Let’s make some predictions!

Here are my five favorites for the week:

Dustin Johnson

Honestly, it just seems like this guy is due for a win. After all the turmoil at the PGA Championship, and the meltdown in the final round at Pebble Beach, something good has to be coming for Johnson. And after a strong showing last week, and another spot in the final pairing, this could be the perfect opportunity for him to get his second victory of the season. His play in the final round is always key for him, so it’ll be important for him to get off to a good start, and build some sort of a lead heading into the weekend.

Steve Stricker

Speaking of players that are on a hot streak as of late, Stricker is playing some of his best golf of the season right now. He was fantastic in the month of August, with two Top 10’s and a 18th place finish at Whistling Straits. Oh, and don’t forget that he won here last year, and looked extremely comfortable on this course. He seems to always play well towards the end of the year, and though he hasn’t gotten a win since the John Deere Classic in July, it may just be the perfect scenario for him to get another one here.

Paul Casey

It was sort of odd to hear European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie announce his captain’s picks…..and not hear Paul Casey’s name mentioned. Though he was battling injuries during the early part of the season, and hasn’t got a win on the PGA Tour this year, his stats for 2010 are still pretty incredible. He’s made 11 cuts, and when he’s made the cut, he has only finished outside the Top 25 once. So if he makes the cut, expect him to be in contention. I think there’s great potential for him this week, as he will probably be fired up and out to prove himself in Boston.

Matt Kuchar

Kuchar got his first win of 2010 last week, which seemed long overdue. After all, he’s been one of the best players on tour this season in terms of playing good golf week in and week out, and has ranked first on tour in ball-striking. This felt like a year where he could win several times, but maybe he’s still got a shot at that. When he plays well, he tends to keep playing well, so I think there’s a great chance for him to be right in the mix again this weekend.

Adam Scott

After a very down 2009, Scott has rebounded with a fine season, including a win at the Valero Texas Open in May. He’s finished in the Top 10 in two of his last three tournaments, and seems to really be gaining confidence with the putter right now. A lot of people counted him out last season, but with the type of comeback he’s had this year, it would be great to see him get another win and be in the mix in the chase for the FedEx Cup trophy.

And the winner is…..

This tournament looks like it will be pretty wide open, as the top two players in the world right now aren’t exactly playing consistent golf. Maybe I’m just hoping for the good story, and that’s why I’m leaning towards either Johnson or Casey this week. Honestly though, I think Casey will be a man on a mission here, and will pick up the win, and it might just be in a pretty convincing fashion.

Who is your pick for the week?

Golf fans, if you aren’t already, be sure to follow me on Twitter for more thoughts on all the action from the world of professional golf!

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Well it’s still summer time and the writers at NFL Mocks are already looking towards next year’s draft.  We have our 2011 NFL Draft Prospect Big Board and many Scouting Reports.  Dont forget to check out our Team Needs and 2011 Prospect Position Rankings But now it’s time to get to the always controversial Mock Draft.   Once the season starts the order will slowly shift based on actually draft ranking at the time of the mock. An”if the draft was today…” segment if you will. With the college and pro seasons about to start here are a few players and teams that should be watching them as the season progresses. This mock was completed by staff writer Josh Deceuster.

1         Buffalo Bills – Jake Locker, QB Washington

- Far and away the best overall athlete to come out next year. Check out this great article chronicling his start as a Wing T rushing QB to a spread option his first two years of college and his first year in a pro style offense last year. Will be highly scrutinized for his production and win total, but still has the most talent.

2         St. Louis Rams - Marvin Austin, DT North Carolina

- Austin is most likely to drop down in the first round with the NCAA allegations from this summer, but he is still very talented and would go a long way to making the Rams defense legit.

3         Kansas City Chiefs - Cameron Heyward DT/DE Ohio State

- Heyward would help solidify their front line and the Chiefs like to go for the d-lineman early.

4         Cleveland Browns – Prince Amukamara, CB Nebraska

- Another top corner to team up across from 2010 pick Haden. With the pass attacks the Browns face in the AFC North, they should stock pile secondary talent.

5         Tampa Bay Bucs – Adrian Clayborn, DE Iowa

- Loved what they did in 2010 and they should be in a position to grab more great talent in 2011. Clayborn would help create a disruptive front with McCoy and Price.

6         Detroit Lions – Gabe Carimi, OT Wisconsin

- The Lions are going to look a lot better on offense, but their o-line will still be the biggest weakness. Carimi could start LT day one and help continue the rise of the Lions.

7         Denver Broncos - Allen Bailey, DT/DE Miami

- McDaniel’s will find a way to turn this into something less valuable than what he could have got, but Bailey would be a nice choice to help along their 3-4 front.

8        Jacksonville Jaguars – Christian Ponder, QB Florida State

- If the Jaguars are another top ten pick, then it might be time to get a new QB (and/or  new coaching staff optional)

9         Seattle Seahawks – Stephen Paea, DT Oregon State

- The Seahawks currently have a bunch big uglies along the defensive line and could use a pass rushing, disruptive threat like Paea.

10       New England Patriots from Oakland Raiders – Von Miller, OLB Texas A&M

- The Pats have done well to start replenishing their linebacking group, but they could use more pass rushers.

Check out the rest of the Mock after the Jump

11     Carolina Panthers – Deunta Williams, S North Carolina

- A home grown play making safety. Carolina would be a big beneficiary if a lot of the junior wide receivers declare. They could use some of those weapons as well.

12     Arizona Cardinals - Ras-I Dowling, CB Virginia

- Could solidify their secondary and add a big presence opposite DRC.

13     Atlanta Falcons – Curtis Brown, CB Texas

- The Falcons have some talent at corner, but Robinson is injury prone and an upgrade in overall talent at the position would help having to play the Saints twice a year.

14     New York Giants – Mark Herzlich, OLB Boston College

- The Giants could use a coverage linebacker that can play the run like Herzlich.

15     Chicago Bears – Anthony Castonzo, OT Boston College

- Castonzo can play both tackle spots and possibly both guard spots as well. Either way, the Bears are going to need more talent on their line.

16     Pittsburgh Steelers – Nate Solder, OT Colorado

- I am not personally this high on Solder, but his size and athletic ability is going to be very intriguing to teams and the Steelers are going to need some new tackles. No way they keep Flozell for more than a year.

17     New England Patriots – Justin Boren, OG Ohio State

- Got to love having two first round picks. The Pats could have used a young guard even before Mankins and the FO started negotiations.

18     Dallas Cowboys – DeAndre McDaniel, S Clemson

- Could be the final piece to nail down the defensive secondary for the Cowboys.

19     Washington Redskins – Bruce Carter, OLB North Carolina

- He helps replace the aging Andre Carter at OLB in their 3-4 look and allows Orakpo to move down to the defensive end playing OLB in their 4-3 look, upgrading two spots with one pick

20     Houston Texans – Greg Romeus, DE Pittsburg

- Could drop if he continues to take some plays off, but has the talent to be a big time pass rusher which would make a nasty team with Mario Williams.

21     Tennessee Titans – Stefen Wisniewski, C Penn State

- This move allows Amano to go back to playing LG and Harris back to being a quality back up.

22     Green Bay Packers – Joseph Barksdale, OT LSU

- Even if Bulaga moves back out to tackle, the Packers still need to find someone to go on the other end of the offensive line. And if Bulaga stays at Guard, then they’ll need one even more.

23     Miami Dolphins – Jerrell Powe, NT Ole Miss

- I’m sure Randy Starks will play admirably as the de facto NT this season, but being able to add Powe’s talent and move Starks back to end would make them even more dangerous.

24     Philadelphia Eagles – Mike Pouncey, C/OG Florida

- The Eagles could use some help on their interior line, plus Andy Reid is noted for his love of taking lineman early and often.

25     New York Jets – Terrance Toliver, WR LSU

- Holmes is going to be their best receiver as long as they can keep him clean off the field. However, Braylon Edwards may prove to be too inconsistent and Cotchery is better operating as the 3rd WR. Toliver has the athletic ability, but needs to be more consistent in his catching and concentration to stay up this high.

26     Baltimore Ravens - Greg Jones, ILB Michigan State

- Ray Lewis may just play forever, but in this scenario, there are no Offensive lineman or corner backs worth this spot and Jones could team up and learn from Ray in the Ravens 3-4.

27     New Orleans Saints – Jeremy Beal, DE/OLB Oklahoma

- He is as big as Alex Brown, but might be a player in the same line as Mathias Kiwanuka for the Giants who plays more OLBer on first and second and down on the line for passing downs.

28     Cincinnati Bengals – Evan Royster, RB Penn State

- Cedric Benson may not be reliable off the field and Bernard Scott isn’t a do it alone back.

29    San Francisco 49ers – Noel Devine, RB West Virgina

- Devine would complement the bigger Gore and Dixon while also being a receiving and return threat.

30     San Diego Chargers – DeMarcus Love, OT Arkansas

- Plays in a pass first pro system at Arkansas and would help even if McNeill comes back.

31     Indianapolis Colts – Pernell McPhee, DT/DE Mississippi State

- Has the speed that the Colts look for out of their front four and the size to play outside on early downs and move in on passing downs.

32     Minnesota Vikings – Rodney Hudson, OG Florida State

- The Vikings are starting to get pretty old and unless a bunch of juniors come out, they might not have a chance at a top quarterback, so getting better up front on offense should be a top priority.

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Teams #9-10 on the NCAA cross country pre-season rankings for women:

Emma Coburn & Shalaya Kipp (Source: Yardbarker.com)

10. Colorado

The Buffalos were touted as a potential top five team a year ago as Jenny Barringer eyed an individual title.  Unfortunately Barringer had her infamous collapse and the team struggled to a 20th place finish.  This season, coach Mark Wetmore brings back a strong squad that includes many who had excellent track campaigns.  Sophomore Allie McLaughlin was the top freshman in the NCAA in 2009 coming in 5th at nationals.  She didn’t compete outdoors, but has always been a strong cross country runner going back to high school and should be looking for another top 10.  Emma Coburn continued to progress in the steeplechase this spring as she lowered her PR to 9:51.86 and placed second at NCAA’s.  Following closely in the steeple is Shalaya Kipp, who broke 10 minutes twice and claimed fifth place at nationals in that event.  Rounding out the scoring squad for CU are senior Laura Thweatt, junior Katie Cumming, and sophomore Laura Tremblay.

9. Stanford

Alex Dunne (Source: Yardbarker.com)

After a few “down” years for a program that won multiple national titles in the early 2000’s, coach Jason Dunn brings a team with great potential back in 2010, but will need a number of key players to stay healthy.  Alex Gits showed tremendous talent her fresman year of track in 2008, running 33:19.12 for 10k and finishing third at NCAA’s in that event.  Since then, she’s struggled with a number injuries that have set her back.  Sophomore Alex Dunne was one of Stanford’s top runners throughout last season but has also suffered injuries that cost her her indoor and outdoor seasons.  Junior Stephanie Marcy (8th at NCAA 10k) and sophomore Kathy Kroeger (5th at NCAA 5k) both became track All-Ameicans and look to carry their success to cross country.  The biggest recruit that the Cardinal landed is Jessica Tonn from Paradise Valley, Arizona.  Tonn was a multiple-time Foot Locker qualifier in high school and should be in contention for a spot on the scoring squad along with junior  Georgia Griffin.

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Just as we counted down the top 10 men’s teams last week, we present the NCAA cross county pre-season rankings countdown this week for the women.  Here are two teams that just missed out on our top 10 but should be looked out for.

Honorable Mention:

Virginia:

Coach Jason Vigilante’s Cavaliers came in 15th at the 2009 NCAA meet and did even more work on the recruiting front to bring in top talent.  Senior Catherine White was one of the nation’s best cross country runners a year ago, finishing 4th at nationals, first the Southeast regional, and runner-up at the ACC meet.  Senior Stephanie Garcia and junior Morgane Gay both have all-ACC honors from 2009 to their names and will be important contributing members of the team.  Vigilante has recruited multiple-time Foot Locker qualifer Chelsea Ley and 10:16 two-miler Kathleen Stevens to attend school in Charlottesville as part of the nation’s second-best recruiting class.  Expect those two to contend to make the top seven squad.

Georgetown:

The traditionally middle-distance power Georgetown returns a group of young talent that could propel them to a top 10 finish at nationals.  Front running for the Hoyas is Emily Infeld, multiple-time All-American including 8th at cross nationals last year.  Infeld also had a strong spring campaign while redshirting that yielded a 4:13.61 1500m PR.  Returners 3-5 from 2009 are all sophomores: Emily Jones, Kirsten Kasper, and Rachel Schneider.  Coach Pat Henner brought in a strong mid-distance recruiting class ranked 5th by Flotrack headlined by Joanna Stevens, twin sister of Virginia’s Kathleen.

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Rahim Moore-S- UCLA

6-1 196lbs Junior

Stats:

2008- 60 tackles, 4 pass breakups, 2 INT,

2009- 48 tackles, 4tackles for loss, 1 sack, 10 INT, 1 forced fumble, 7 pass breakups

Pros:

Rahim Moore is already an experienced player while only entering his Junior season.  He has started all 25 games since his freshman season.  He plays in the Pac-10 conference that boasts many different types of offensive schemes including USC’s pro style.  Moore enhances his physical abilities with his hard work and training.  Moore is the prototypical centerfielder and excels in coverage.  He has rare natural instincts for the position that allows him to always be in the right position.  His ability to diagnosis a play quickly permits him to be the playmaker that he is.  And on the rare occasion he doesn’t recognize a play developing he has the speed and range to get himself into the proper position.  Last season he brought in 10 interceptions while breaking up 7 passes.  He is the true definition of a ball-hawk!

Cons:

Moore isn’t the biggest of safeties and could struggle with durability; however that hasn’t been an issue in college.  His lean stature limits his potential as a hard hitting safety but he isn’t afraid to take on a ball carrier.  Most of his experience has been in zone coverage and has not been asked to play man often.  In the NFL he might be asked to man up on a slot receiver or a tight end and this could take some adjusting for Moore.

Thoughts:

We like Moore a lot and feel he has a bright future in the NFL.  Right now he sits just outside our Big Board but if he opens the season strong you could see him shoot up the board.  Moore’s ability to create turnovers is something that NFL teams covet and this could propel him to the upper parts of the April draft.

Projected Round:

I think Moore is on the 1^st round bubble but there is a high demand for safeties in the NFL so he could solidify a first round status with a good season.

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