Lance Zierlein doesn’t think [tag]Chris Ogbonnaya[/tag] is shooting off draft boards into the first round, but he thinks the former Longhorn tailback could have a good pro career ahead of him:
Possible Steal – Chris Ogbonnaya, Texas: He’ll be drafted late if he is drafted at all, but there are several things working in his favor. While his top-end speed is limited and he’s not the shiftiest back, his ability to play in zone schemes will create opportunities for him. He has terrific hands out of the backfield and is a willing pass protector. He’s also not afraid to put his helmet done and get physical if need be. He could be a better pro than college player.
Zierlein is also a big fan of defensive end [tag]Henry Melton[/tag] and loves his size/speed combo:
Possible Steal – Henry Melton, Texas: Melton is a former running back who has played DE for only one year. Obviously he has above average feet and quickness for the position and Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp believes Melton has a chance to be a very good pass rusher on the next level if he continues to develop. If Melton wouldn’t have crushed it at the Texas pro day, he would have been more under the radar than he is right now.
Name: [tag]Brian Orakpo[/tag]
Position: Defensive End
Height: 6-3
Weight: 263 pounds
Hometown: Houston, TX
Strengths: Chiseled athlete with explosive first step, he is the best pure pass rusher in the draft. Uses his hands to fight off blocks and tries to stripe the ball on every sack. Not great versus the run, but not a liability either. Tireless worker in the weight room. Absolutely destroyed OU’s Phil Loadholt when they played, who at the time was considered a first day pick.
Weaknesses: Can get swallowed by bigger tackles, maybe he is too reliant on his speed rush? Has had knee injuries for the past two years, and he tends to play high which leaves him susceptible to re-injury. Originally weighed 215, Orakpo is now up to 263; so his frame may be maxed out. Will give up several inches to NFL tackles, which really hampers his leverage. Despite all his impressive measurables, could stand to gain some lower body strength so he can drive through blockers that engage him.
Overall: Elite pass rushing talent, teams would be better served letting him be a speed rusher than trying to make him an OLB. The knee is troubling, but none of his injuries were really serious. Might get swallowed by tackles at the next level in the run game, but his burst will give him a chance to get to the QB. May not be Mario Williams, but could be Dwight Freeney.
Projection: 1st round, pick 8-15
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Name: [tag]Roy Miller[/tag]
Position: Defensive Tackle
Height: 6-1
Weight: 310 pounds
Hometown: Killeen, TX
Strengths: A classic plugger, he mans the middle and controls it. For a big guy he makes a lot of plays in the backfield and was impossible to single-block for basically the entire season. Tireless motor, Miller never seems to stop driving up the field. Very underrated in his career, he could step in and start for a lot of 4-3 teams his first year.
Weaknesses: Short, he’ll give up inches basically every play at the next level. Less than great burst, so don’t look for him to generate much of a rush. Could be a tweener, he’s not heavy enough to be an absorber (takes on two blocks every play) nor is he explosive enough to be a consistent pass rusher.
Overall: Doesn’t jump out of the gym or pass the eyeball test, but he always seemed to be around the ball. May not be cut out to be a 3-4 nose, but could be very good as a 4-3 DT. You can find prospects with better numbers, but I bet you they don’t work as hard. Miller will be a steal for someone.
Projection: Late 2nd/Early 3rd round
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ESPN is ranking the top players in the Big 12 in their conference blog and they recently placed Texas wide receiver [tag]Jordan Shipley[/tag] the 18th best player in the conference. Here’s their thoughts on Shipley:
Why he was picked: After struggling with injuries most of his career, Shipley blossomed as the Longhorns’ leader in all-purpose yards last season, producing 119.2 yards per game. Shipley snagged 89 receptions for 1,060 yards and a team-leading 11 touchdown receptions. He also made history as the first player in school history to score touchdowns by reception, kickoff return and punt return in the same season. But he is most widely known for his season-saving 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Oklahoma, which turned momentum around after the Sooners had jumped to a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter. Shipley is one of the most versatile members on his team as a kickoff and punt returner and a holder on all of Texas’ placements.
What 2009 will hold: If Shipley can recover from his shoulder surgery, he could develop into one of the nation’s biggest receiving weapons. It will be up to him to emerge as Colt McCoy’s prime target this season after sharing the role with Quan Cosby last season. If McCoy and the Longhorns are as prolific passing as last season, it’s not out of the question that Shipley could potentially catch 100 or more balls. That kind of season would be pivotal in the Longhorns’ hopes at making their first Big 12 championship game appearance since 2005. And it would also cement Shipley’s place among the top receivers in the school’s history.
Other Longhorns
#27 – Adam Ulatoski
#32 – Earl Thomas
#37 – Chris Hall
I’m not sure when or if Texas running back [tag]Chris Ogbonnaya[/tag] is going to be drafted in this weekend’s NFL Draft, but no matter what this young man is going to be successful in life. The official site has yet another great article on Chris’ life and academics off the football field:
When Chris Ogbonnaya came to Texas in 2004, he wasn’t totally sure how he’d fit into the Longhorn football program, but one thing was certain. He was going to take advantage of the opportunity, both on the field and off. The results of five years of hard work were All-Big 12 honors both athletically and academically, two degrees and a chance to play in the NFL. Ogbonnaya will share those experiences as the student-athlete speaker during the 2009 Academic Awards Presentation on Monday at the Frank Erwin Center.
Name: [tag]Henry Melton[/tag]
Position: Defensive End
Height: 6-4
Weight: 269 pounds
Hometown: Grapevine, TX
Strengths: Taller, heavier and boasting a faster 40 time than [tag]Brian Orakpo[/tag], Melton is an intriguing prospect. Holds his ground well against the run and is can get up the field well against the pass. Has great feet for a big guy, which comes from his history as a running back. May just be scratching the surface of his potential.
Weaknesses: For all his measurables, only had four sacks in his only season as a full-time starter. Doesn’t have a lot of pass rushing moves, basically just relies on his athleticism. His initial burst is not nearly elite, so it’s totally possible he could wind up running into piles at the next level. In his former life as a running back, he seemed to prefer to use his athleticism to avoid contact rather than use his size to overpower tacklers; that sure doesn’t bode well for teams drafting him to crack heads in the trenches.
Overall: More of a prospect rather than product, Melton is simply just a talent at this point. His impressive numbers will probably get some team to reach for him, but whoever gets him will have to be patient with his development. Might be best served as in the “other guy” role, playing opposite an elite rusher like Mario Williams or Jared Allen.
Projection: 4th or 5th round
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Name: [tag]Quan Cosby[/tag]
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 5-9
Weight: 196 pounds
Hometown: Mart, TX
Strengths: With his Superglue fingers and disciplined routes, the Quan probably was the Horns’ second most valuable offensive player. Adjusts well when his quarterback in on the move, catches the ball in traffic and is a very enthusiastic downfield blocker. Quick enough to get initial separation and makes both the routine and the acrobatic catches, rarely suffering a concentration lapse. Very mature player who leads by example. Strong enough to consistently beat jams, and can go up and get the ball over taller corners. All things considered, he was one of the most clutch players in the [tag]Mack Brown[/tag] era.
Weaknesses: Small, only 5-9 and seems to have short arms. Quicker than he is fast, he couldn’t consistently get deep in college. Played in the spread, so he saw lots of single coverage. Just okay after the catch, if a DB wraps up he can’t power through. May be vulnerable to press coverage at the next level. Age (2926) is a concern to some.
Overall: Due to the long careers many receivers have, age should not be a determining factor. Probably will be a #3 receiver early in his career, but with his discipline and effort he should be able to beat nickel backs and find soft spots in zone. Teams that employ the 3 WR sets would be well served to give him a look. Same size and speed of Wes Welker… just saying.
Projection: 4th or 5th round
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The McAllen Monitor is reporting that former Horn [tag]Ramonce Taylor[/tag] is headed to the Canadian Football League. Taylor will reportedly sign with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after playing in only one game in arenafootball2 with the Rio Grande Valley Dorados. Excellent news for Taylor as the CFL is definitely a step up from afl2, and living in Winnipeg certainly sounds better than living in Hidalgo, Texas.
No other confirmation of the story is available at this time.
Posted April 11th, 2009 by Brian
Filed under: Basketball
ESPN The Magazine scours the depths of YouTube and ranks the top Kevin Durant clips on the Internet, they chose a good one for number one. Check out “Kevin Durant Evolution”:
Posted April 10th, 2009 by Brian
Filed under: Basketball, Feature, Recruiting
Avery Bradley is ESPN's new #1 ranked player.
Future Longhorn [tag]Avery Bradley[/tag] has been all over the country and all over your television the last few weeks during the McDonald’s All-American Game, slam dunk contest and leading his team to the NHSI tourney victory. He didn’t fail to impress, playing very well in practice and the Mickey D’s game and taking home the NHSI tournament MVP. The experts at ESPNU/Scouts Inc. certainly noticed, they’ve made Bradley their number one overall player.
ESPNU’s analysis of Bradley’s ascension to the top of the rankings is below:
In our eyes, explosive athlete Avery Bradley has emerged as the No. 1 player in the land. He was named the MVP of the National High School Invitational in Washington, D.C. He guided Findlay to victories over Mountain State Academy, No. 8 Montrose Christian and No. 1 Oak Hill Academy. In each of those games, it was evident that Bradley was the difference.
Bradley is the most complete player in the class and is a difference-maker both offensively and defensively, which is rare. This young man has steadily risen up the rankings since last season. Initially it was his defensive play that propelled him. Bradley plays with great intensity each and every possession, and from a defensive standpoint he is an absolute lockup on-the-ball defender, the best in his class. He uses his length with superior quickness and intelligence to force the offensive player into bad situations. He is committed to keeping his man out of the lane, chasing him off screens and contesting jump shots.
While Bradley built his reputation as a defender, the strides he made on offense are what enabled him to ascend to the top of our rankings. He excels in the open floor, often grabbing a rebound, running with it and finishing with a dunk. In the half court, he works hard to get open and takes what is given without hunting down shots. His midrange game is outstanding, both off the dribble and off the catch. Of late, he has hit the 3-point shot with regularity, which would make him hard to guard with an already strong dribble drive and pull-up jumper. This young man scores, defends and makes everyone around him better. He leads his team to wins and, more importantly, championships.
Bradley may already be one of my favorite Longhorns and he’s not even on campus yet. He’s an incredible athlete who loves the game and it shows in his effort on both ends of the court. Having a star player who is also a leader and an excellent defender instantly will make the Horns a 2009-2010 title contender.
The three Texas 2009 signees are listed below:
| Name | Pos. | Stars | Rank | Ht | Wt | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avery Bradley | SG |  |
1 | 6-3 | 175 | Henderson, NV |
| Jordan Hamilton | SF | |
8 | 6-7 | 210 | Los Angeles, CA |
| Shawn Williams | SF | |
53 | 6-7 | 215 | Duncanville, TX |
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