NFL DRAFT BUZZ WEEK 1

Keep up with my weekly NFL Draft Buzz from each week of the College Football Season. Here, you will find critical information on the draft stocks of legitimate NFL prospects. -Mike Band

Florida State cornerback Patrick Robinson (Sr.) will likely be a first round pick and one of the first corners off the board in April. He's very athletic, he will run in the 4.3's at the combine and he has developed a great football mind under longtime defensive coordinator, Mickey Andrews. Since Andrews took over the defense in 1984, his defenses have produced 18 first round picks and nine top 10 selections. In Monday’s game vs. Miami, Robinson and the FSU secondary allowed Jacory Harris (So.) and company to generate 386 passing yards. In Robinson’s defense, his receiver was targeted only five times. When Miami came out in multiple receiver threats, Robinson was asked to play man coverage on an island. However, of the five pass attempts in Robinson’s direction, two were caught for gains of over 15 yards, and another was flagged for a costly pass interference call. Robinson also missed an important open field tackle on 3^rd and long during a 4^th quarter drive that led to a Miami touchdown. His presence in run support was lackluster, recording only one solo and two assisted tackles. Robinson will need to make a better contribution if he wants to remain one of the top cornerback prospects in the country. For now, he remains a surefire first round pick, but based on what I saw in live action, I would be reluctant to use a top 10 pick on him. Time will tell.

Miami middle linebacker Darryl Sharpton (Sr.) heads into the season with a 4^th round projection from the guys at nfldraftscout.com. Unfortunately, he remains the 3^rd most talented linebacker on the team and becomes the odd man out in nickel packages. One thing I’ve learned: NFL teams will not use a draft selection on a two-down linebacker, especially when the player is only 235 lbs. He will likely go undrafted.

Oklahoma State cornerback Perrish Cox (Sr.) looks to be the only prospect from OSU who could hear his name called in the first day of the draft. Since 1986, no OSU defender has been drafted within the first 2 rounds that wasn’t a cornerback, with the exception of Kevin Williams (9th overall in 2003). Cox demonstrated the tools needed for the next level with his performance against 13^th ranked Georgia. Cox was all over the field last Saturday, both in pass coverage and in run support. He possesses great size at 6’0, 195 lbs, shows great closing speed in coverage, and still manages to be the #1 kick return option for the Cowboys of OSU. Cox translates very well at the next level and has the potential to hear his name called in round one. NOTE: Cox was recently arrested for driving without a license. He will not receive a punishment from the University; however, don’t expect NFL teams to let this go during formal interviews. Since Goodell took over the reigns as NFL commissioner, very few teams will reach on someone with a police or character history.

The last time a Syracuse defender was selected in round one of the NFL Draft; 2002 when Dwight Freeney was taken 11^th overall. Defensive tackle Arthur Jones (Sr.) will likely follow in Freeney’s footsteps and become a top 20 selection next April. Since his sophomore season, Jones has cemented himself as a playmaking tackle who excels both against the run and as a pass rusher. He has the size and technique that will lead to success at the next level. Jones was stellar against Minnesota last Saturday, recording five tackles and one for a loss. He fits best in a 43 defense, though NFL teams will not rule out the possibility of using him as a 34 defensive end, similar to Evander Hood of last year.

Surprisingly, Jones was not the only NFL prospect on the field last weekend. Wide receiver Mike Williams (Sr.) was terrific in his first game back after being academically ineligible for the 2008 season. The 6’2, 204 lbs. receiver showed excellent body control, strength and route running abilities which led to seven catches for 94 yards and one touchdown. He did, however, drop two catchable balls which he let into his body. Williams was matched against Minnesota’s Traye Simmons (Sr.), and played well against a potential April draft pick. Williams has the talent of a 1^st round pick, but will likely end up in the early 2^nd round.

Running back Delone Carter (Jr.) also looked good against Minnesota. His 90 yards on 23 carries allowed Syracuse to manage the game early on which led to a Syracuse halftime lead. Carter was extremely nifty and virtually “slippery” displaying the elusiveness and vision NFL scouts crave. This is Carter’s first year as a starter, which means he has little wear and tear on his body thus far. He’s a guy you must keep your eye on for 2011.

Although quarterback Greg Paulus (Sr.) played great in his Syracuse debut, he will not be considered a draftable player by NFL scouts. Paulus hasn’t played football since his high school sophomore season.

Alabama defensive tackle Terrence Cody (Sr.) was less than adequate last Saturday night vs. Virginia Tech on Saturday night. Cody was double teamed early on and taken out of action all together. His double teams did help generate a pass rush from other spots along the line, which is something of positive note, yet Cody wasn’t on the field for most of the 4^th quarter, especially in definitive passing situations. If Cody wants to play at the next level, he must show that he can play on all three downs as well as through four full quarters. Otherwise, the 1^st round projection that some have said could be very wrong next April.

FRESHMAN WATCH: Highly touted FSU cornerback Greg Reid has already cemented himself as the starting nickel back as a true freshman. He intercepted a pass as well as recording three solo tackles in his new role. Look for him to get more playing time as the season wears on… NC State cornerback Rashard Smith looked very good in his college debut. Smith was not a high prize recruit from last winter, yet the 5’11, 175 corner and return man recorded four tackles and one sack against South Carolina. Smith holds down the nickel role on a defense that held South Carolina to just seven points. Unfortunately, NC State couldn’t put together more than three… This will be Florida middle linebacker Brandon Spikes’ (Sr.) final season in blue and orange, but it looks like the Gators have found his future replacement in this year’s recruiting class. True freshman linebacker Jon Bostic has the body, speed and instincts to become a Gator great. Although it came against Charleston Southern, Bostic still showed why he was one of the top rated linebackers in the country last season.

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Check out my #1 rated mock draft from the 2009 NFL Draft here:

http://draftace.com/mikeband/2009finalmockdraft.htm