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Kiper: Stock Watch

Big Board constants Peterson and Jones battled, and both confirmed suspicions

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By Mel Kiper
ESPN Insider



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In a battle of Big Board stars, both Patrick Peterson and Julio Jones managed to look good.


The much-ballyhooed matchup between Alabama WR Julio Jones and LSU CB Patrick Peterson didn't disappoint. Jones was able to come away with six catches and a touchdown against Peterson but managed just 51 receiving yards. And six of those yards came on a short pass in which fellow Bama wideout Darius Hanks ran interference for Jones and Peterson had no chance to make a play.

Everyone knows what a terrific cover corner Peterson is. He has a great feel, he possesses top ball skills and he closes quickly. This season, he's also proven to be a lethal punt/kick returner, averaging 18.8 and 27.0 yards respectively. What does not get as much mention is he's also as good a tackler at the position as you will find at the college level. Jones usually has the physical edge on every corner he faces. That was not the case on Saturday. At 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, Peterson is bigger than most safeties and, as he showed against the Crimson Tide, he very much enjoys the physical aspects that go along with playing the game. It's just one more thing for NFL scouts to like about him.


Dont'a Hightower | LB | Alabama
Prior to suffering a serious knee injury against Arkansas in September of last season ('09), Dont'a Hightower looked to be someone who could end up with a similar pro grade to that of teammate and fellow linebacker Rolando McClain. Usually it takes two years to come all the way back from the type of injury he sustained, and perhaps Hightower has a little ways to go. What has been lacking from the 6-3½, 258-pound, third-year sophomore this season is impact plays. While it's true that McClain was part of a much better and veteran-laden defense, he produced 14.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks and 2 interceptions last season. Through nine games this season, Hightower has 2.5 tackles for loss, zero sacks and zero interceptions. In the first half versus LSU, he did manage to show you the type of all-around player he is capable of being. During the first 30 minutes of play, he was in on a number of run stops. He was able to generate some heat on the quarterback both via the blitz and as a defensive end. And he showed that he could break down in space and make the tackle in coverage.

While you like to see players maximize their talent before leaving early for the draft -- and he has not done that -- the fact Hightower has already suffered a serious injury as a collegian likely means that his name will be in the 2011 draft. At this point, I would not expect it to be called until the second day. But at that point, he could end up being a very nice investment for a team. You roll the dice with the hope that with another year removed from the injury he can start to become the type of presence on a consistent basis that his talent indicates he should be. His size makes him ideally suited for a defense that operates out of a 3-4 base.


Chris Owusu | WR | Stanford
As if the Stanford offense wasn't already formidable enough, it became even more so on Saturday with the return to top form of 6-2, 195-pound junior wideout Chris Owusu. After a so-so freshman year, he looked like a totally different player at the start of the 2009 season. Along with the improvement he showed as a receiver (finished second on the team with 37 receptions for an 18.4 yard average and 5 touchdowns), he also proved to be a dynamic kick returner (31.5 yard average, which was fifth best in the country). Bothered by a variety of injuries this season, Owusu entered the game against Arizona with just 15 receptions. But he showed you a little bit of everything against the Wildcats as he hauled in 9 catches for 165 yards and a touchdown. He did a nice job of selling the hesitation move, which resulted in a 45-yard touchdown reception. He showed you impressive run-after-catch ability. And there were no issues with ball security as has been the case in years past. He also had a nice kick return that was wiped out by a penalty. The one thing going forward that Owusu needs to prove is that he can remain in one piece. Along with the assortment of injuries he's had this year, he also suffered a torn knee ligament as a freshman. But make no mistake, you will be watching him in the future on Sundays.


Brandon Weeden | QB | Oklahoma St.
With Oklahoma State QB Zac Robinson exhausting all of his eligibility, it was only natural to think that there would be a drop-off at the quarterback position for the Cowboys in 2010. To say that 6-4, 221-pound junior Brandon Weeden has exceeded expectations is a major understatement. Selected by the Yankees in the 2002 draft, he came into the season with just 27 pass attempts under his belt. Weeden had an impressive debut versus Washington State and has maintained that level of play throughout the season. In the Cowboys' 55-28 drubbing of Baylor, he set school records for most completions (34) and passing yards (435) in a game. He can make all the throws, has pocket presence and seems adept at throwing on the move. He's accurate (completing 67.2 percent of his passes), and he shows pretty good game management skills (there's only been one game this season in which he's come out on the negative side in terms of touchdowns to interceptions). The obvious drawback is the time spent playing baseball that resulted in him arriving on campus much older than your normal freshman (he just turned 27 in October). But Chris Weinke went on to become a fourth-round pick as a 28-year-old senior at Florida State and if this young man continues to get better and performs at a similarly high level in 2011, I see no reason why he can't end up being an intriguing middle- to later-round type prospect.


D.J. Williams | TE | Arkansas
Two seniors for Arkansas whom I watched closely in their blowout win over South Carolina were TE D.J. Williams and OT DeMarcus Love. Williams put himself on the radar of NFL scouts as a sophomore, when he led the Razorbacks with 61 catches for an 11.9 yard average and three touchdowns. Other than lacking top height for the position (6-2, 248 pounds), he possesses everything else it takes to be a good contributor in the passing game at the next level. He has very good athletic ability, good hands and he does a nice job of finding openings in the defense. While he'll never be known for being one of the better blocking tight ends in the game, he is a willing one.


DeMarcus Love | OT | Arkansas
Early on with the Razorbacks, Love made a name for himself at guard. These days, he can be seen operating at both left and right tackle. There is little doubt that he possesses both the size (6-5, 315 pounds) and overall talent to develop into a solid starter in the league. A holding call notwithstanding, there were a number of occasions against the Game****s where Love simply dominated the opposition at the point of attack. The key for him is paying attention to detail in terms of making sure his hand placement and footwork is where it needs to be.


Michael Mauti | LB | Penn St.
A young player for Penn State on the defensive side of the football who got my attention in the Nittany Lions' 35-21 comeback win over Northwestern was 6-2, 230-pound, third-year sophomore linebacker Michael Mauti. In that game, he had 11 tackles and a game-high 3 tackles for loss. A U.S. Army All-America selection as a senior at Louisiana's Guy LeCompte High School, his 2009 season was over before it got started due to a torn ACL suffered in August. Showing little lingering effects from the injury, he currently ranks second on the team with 60 stops. Versus the Wildcats, I liked the energy he brought to the football field. He did a good job of anticipating where the play was going, and he proved to be a sure tackler.
 
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