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A top OT shows he belongs, and another Ohio State WR looks capable of Sundays
By Mel Kiper
ESPN Insider
Currently ranked as my No. 2 senior offensive tackle available for the 2011 NFL draft, Boston College's Anthony Castonzo certainly didn't hurt his stock with his performance on Saturday.
The fact prior to college he not only played football but also played basketball and participated in track and field gives you an idea as to how good an athlete he is. He made a very favorable initial impression on the BC coaching staff, becoming the first true freshman in a decade to start along the offensive line. As a sophomore, he made the switch from right to left tackle, where he has remained. In the Eagles' win over Syracuse this weekend, he did a very nice job as a run blocker, helping freshman back Andre Williams amass 185 rushing yards. Castonzo was firing off the football, playing with very good leverage and finishing blocks well. When looking at him as a future pro, he'll need to get stronger but he has the athleticism and technique you look for in a blindside pass protector.
Dane Sanzenbacher | WR | Ohio St.
This weekend, Ohio State WR Dane Sanzenbacher once again showed why he will be playing on Sunday in the very near future. On the surface, three catches for 71 yards and a touchdown is nothing earth-shaking. But if you watched the game, you realize just how good he was. As a junior, he proved to be an excellent complement to DeVier Posey, finishing with 36 receptions for a 15.8 yard average and six touchdowns. Able to build on that momentum, his 52 receptions for a 17.1 yard average and 10 touchdowns this season are all tops on the team. As he showed against Michigan, he has very good hands. He's also a very good route-runner, capable of making big plays in the vertical passing game. He has no problem giving up his body to make the catch. And lastly, you love a guy who is a more than willing blocker, which Sanzenbacher was on Saturday.
Torrey Smith | WR | Maryland
Speaking of wide receivers, no one performed any better than Maryland's 6-foot, 200-pound junior, Torrey Smith. In the Terps' 38-31 win over NC State, he had 14 catches for 224 yards and 4 touchdowns. As a redshirt freshman, the attention-getter was his 25.9 yard kick return average. He actually set the ACC record for a single season with 1,089 kick return yards overall. Also capable of making a contribution in the passing game, he finished with 24 catches for a 14.0 yard average. Elevated to the role of feature wideout the following year, his reception total increased to 61. His 2,192 all-purpose yards was the second-best mark in ACC history. Along with possessing good size and excellent speed, Smith is also very strong. His 355-pound power clean is the top mark in school history by a wideout and his 550-pound squat is second in school history by a wideout. And he has the receiving skills to match (65 catches for a 16.1 yard average and 12 touchdowns this season). While the likes of A.J. Green, Julio Jones, Jon Baldwin, Michael Floyd, Ryan Broyles and others garner most of the attention in the junior class, Smith has developed into a heck of a football player in his own right.
Derrick Locke | RB | Kentucky
Interested in getting another look at 5-8 1/4, 185-pound senior RB Derrick Locke, I had the chance to take in some of the Tennessee versus Kentucky game. After getting off to a good start (rushed for more than 100 yards in their first four games), he suffered a shoulder injury in the Wildcats' sixth game against Auburn and found himself on the sideline the next four weeks. In his first game back against Vanderbilt, Locke quickly reverted back to old form, rushing for 145 yards on 22 carries. While he did have a costly fumble against the Volunteers, overall I liked what I saw. What gives him value as a late-round possibility is his blazing speed and versatility. Along with making a contribution as a runner and a receiver, he's also proven to be a terrific kick returner through the years. That's where I can see him paying immediate dividends as a rookie.
Ladarius Green | WR | Louisiana-Lafayette
In Louisiana-Lafayette's 23-22 win over Louisiana-Monroe, another impressive effort was turned in by the Ragin' Cajuns' Ladarius Green (6 receptions for 120 yards and a touchdown). While not nearly the household name others are at the position in the 2012 class, NFL scouts who work that area of the country are becoming very familiar with him. Green was thought of highly enough by the people in charge of the John Mackey Award that he was named to the list in 2009. At 6-5, 230 pounds, he operates like an extra wide receiver on the football field. Witnessed by his 18.0 yards per catch average this season, he's a constant threat to make something happen over the deep middle. With the talent necessary to become an effective H-back type in the pros, he's someone whom NFL scouts will definitely be keeping tabs on next season.
Ronnell Lewis | OLB/DE | Oklahoma
A talented sophomore on the defensive side of the football who got my attention over the weekend was Oklahoma's 6-2, 238-pound sophomore Ronnell Lewis. As a freshman, he made a name for himself as a very good special-teamer, finishing tied for tops on the Sooners with 11 tackles in that capacity. Although listed as a linebacker, the Sooners used a three-man front for most of the game and had him operating at defensive end. He made his presence felt against the run, showing good pursuit skills. He was able to generate some heat on the quarterback with one of those occasions resulting in a deflected pass that was intercepted. And he still found time to make his presence felt on special teams. The talent is certainly in place for him to have a breakout 2011 season.
By Mel Kiper
ESPN Insider
Currently ranked as my No. 2 senior offensive tackle available for the 2011 NFL draft, Boston College's Anthony Castonzo certainly didn't hurt his stock with his performance on Saturday.
The fact prior to college he not only played football but also played basketball and participated in track and field gives you an idea as to how good an athlete he is. He made a very favorable initial impression on the BC coaching staff, becoming the first true freshman in a decade to start along the offensive line. As a sophomore, he made the switch from right to left tackle, where he has remained. In the Eagles' win over Syracuse this weekend, he did a very nice job as a run blocker, helping freshman back Andre Williams amass 185 rushing yards. Castonzo was firing off the football, playing with very good leverage and finishing blocks well. When looking at him as a future pro, he'll need to get stronger but he has the athleticism and technique you look for in a blindside pass protector.
Dane Sanzenbacher | WR | Ohio St.
This weekend, Ohio State WR Dane Sanzenbacher once again showed why he will be playing on Sunday in the very near future. On the surface, three catches for 71 yards and a touchdown is nothing earth-shaking. But if you watched the game, you realize just how good he was. As a junior, he proved to be an excellent complement to DeVier Posey, finishing with 36 receptions for a 15.8 yard average and six touchdowns. Able to build on that momentum, his 52 receptions for a 17.1 yard average and 10 touchdowns this season are all tops on the team. As he showed against Michigan, he has very good hands. He's also a very good route-runner, capable of making big plays in the vertical passing game. He has no problem giving up his body to make the catch. And lastly, you love a guy who is a more than willing blocker, which Sanzenbacher was on Saturday.
Torrey Smith | WR | Maryland
Speaking of wide receivers, no one performed any better than Maryland's 6-foot, 200-pound junior, Torrey Smith. In the Terps' 38-31 win over NC State, he had 14 catches for 224 yards and 4 touchdowns. As a redshirt freshman, the attention-getter was his 25.9 yard kick return average. He actually set the ACC record for a single season with 1,089 kick return yards overall. Also capable of making a contribution in the passing game, he finished with 24 catches for a 14.0 yard average. Elevated to the role of feature wideout the following year, his reception total increased to 61. His 2,192 all-purpose yards was the second-best mark in ACC history. Along with possessing good size and excellent speed, Smith is also very strong. His 355-pound power clean is the top mark in school history by a wideout and his 550-pound squat is second in school history by a wideout. And he has the receiving skills to match (65 catches for a 16.1 yard average and 12 touchdowns this season). While the likes of A.J. Green, Julio Jones, Jon Baldwin, Michael Floyd, Ryan Broyles and others garner most of the attention in the junior class, Smith has developed into a heck of a football player in his own right.
Derrick Locke | RB | Kentucky
Interested in getting another look at 5-8 1/4, 185-pound senior RB Derrick Locke, I had the chance to take in some of the Tennessee versus Kentucky game. After getting off to a good start (rushed for more than 100 yards in their first four games), he suffered a shoulder injury in the Wildcats' sixth game against Auburn and found himself on the sideline the next four weeks. In his first game back against Vanderbilt, Locke quickly reverted back to old form, rushing for 145 yards on 22 carries. While he did have a costly fumble against the Volunteers, overall I liked what I saw. What gives him value as a late-round possibility is his blazing speed and versatility. Along with making a contribution as a runner and a receiver, he's also proven to be a terrific kick returner through the years. That's where I can see him paying immediate dividends as a rookie.
Ladarius Green | WR | Louisiana-Lafayette
In Louisiana-Lafayette's 23-22 win over Louisiana-Monroe, another impressive effort was turned in by the Ragin' Cajuns' Ladarius Green (6 receptions for 120 yards and a touchdown). While not nearly the household name others are at the position in the 2012 class, NFL scouts who work that area of the country are becoming very familiar with him. Green was thought of highly enough by the people in charge of the John Mackey Award that he was named to the list in 2009. At 6-5, 230 pounds, he operates like an extra wide receiver on the football field. Witnessed by his 18.0 yards per catch average this season, he's a constant threat to make something happen over the deep middle. With the talent necessary to become an effective H-back type in the pros, he's someone whom NFL scouts will definitely be keeping tabs on next season.
Ronnell Lewis | OLB/DE | Oklahoma
A talented sophomore on the defensive side of the football who got my attention over the weekend was Oklahoma's 6-2, 238-pound sophomore Ronnell Lewis. As a freshman, he made a name for himself as a very good special-teamer, finishing tied for tops on the Sooners with 11 tackles in that capacity. Although listed as a linebacker, the Sooners used a three-man front for most of the game and had him operating at defensive end. He made his presence felt against the run, showing good pursuit skills. He was able to generate some heat on the quarterback with one of those occasions resulting in a deflected pass that was intercepted. And he still found time to make his presence felt on special teams. The talent is certainly in place for him to have a breakout 2011 season.