Arnold is a prototype offensive linemen when he is healthy, but he hasn't had a single healthy season, yet. If he can have a season without a major injury, he could be an All-American and a first-round pick. I hope he gets it. If he gets hurt again, no one will risk a first-day pick. I think.
We have atleast 2 first round picks next year. Dorsey & Doucet. They are the only seniors that will go in the first round. Tyson Jackson will be a first rounder if he comes out, and I think there's a good chance of that. Beckwith has the potential to be a first rounder after next year, but we'll see how much hype he gets through the season. I expect him to come back (as of now). So far this off-season, Highsmith has been getting a bit more attention. Highsmith lacks the size to be a first round pick.
I think Dorsey and Arnold are virtual "locks" for the first round...of course, that's barring injury to Arnold who's been beat up as of late. Ali, undeservingly, doesn't seem to gather as much national attention as he should, so, having said that, my gut feeling is that he's going to be a player that the scouts SAY has 1st-round potential, but unexplainably goes in the high-to-mid 2nd round. Chevis Jackson is a very good cover corner, but remember, Corey Webster was one of the most decorated CB's in school history, and he teamed with Travis Daniels to form what was considered the BEST CB duo in the nation...yet Webster was the 11th pick in the 2nd round, and Daniels was a 4th round pick...Jackson doesn't have fewer flaws in his game than those 2 did. Tyson Jackson is great--but we were all high on Chase Pittman, and who thought he would fall ALL the way to the 7th round? Early needs to be the new "go-to-guy" and have a Dwayne Bowe-type season if he wants to equal what Clayton, Bowe and Buster have done before him. Again, as much as we all appreciate Early and recognize his abilities, the fact that he's not as tall as the 3 former WR's that went in the first round lead me to believe that he'll be like Devery, where there are a lot of teams high on him, but none with the guts to take him 1st round and he instead goes 2nd round. As for Flynn...well, if guys like Beck from BYU and Stanton from Michigan State can get drafted on the first day, then so to can Flynn. Beck came from a school that, by-and-large, still use the same offense that Crowton uses so Beck had polished stats. Throw in the fact that one of the positives annalysts said about Beck was his "intangibles" as being "well-liked", makes "smart decisions" and a "team player"....Well, same goes for Flynn. As for Stanton. Well, Stanton made HORRIBLE decisions throughout the course of the season. You think JR made bad throws and misread converages too much???? Well, check out replays of Stanton's performances against Notre Dame, Michigan, INDIANA and Ohio State....ALL Spartan loses in which Stanton either threw more INT's than TD's or was held to less than 150 yards passing....but the NFL likes his athleticisim. Flynn, quietly, is one of the most atheletic QB's in the nation....just ask Miami. So if Flynn even matches LSU's 11-2 record from '05 and '06--even if he averages 200 yppg passing...as long as his TD:INT ration doesn't near .500, and he averages around 20-30 ypg rushing, he'll match the draft spots of Beck and Stanton. So...IMO, I see next year's Draft-entry Tigers shapping up like: Glenn Dorsey -- High-mid 1st round Will Arnold -- POTENTIAL high-mid 1st round if healthy Early Doucet --POTENTIAL low 1st rounder, but probably high 2nd-3rd round. Chevis Jackson --POTENTIAL low 1st rounder, but, like cover-corner Chris Houston from Arkansas, he'll probably be a mid 2nd rounder. Tyson Jackson -- Marquise Hill wasn't a 1st-rounder, and IMO, Jackson won't be either--although I'd love it if he were--but I'm guessing anywhere from 3rd-6th round Matt Flynn --could go anywhere from 2nd round - 7th round, and with the way the NFL draft treats QB's, I wouldn't be surprised which round he would go.
I would never consider an OG a lock for the first round. It won't be unexplainable. He lacks the size, and he dissapears at times in games. Beckwith will outshine him. He'll be a mid-second round pick at best. Good point. I don't know who it was, but there were people talking about Chase being a first round pick. I thought Chase would be a 5th round guy, but after his dissapointing Senior Bowl, 7th wasn't a suprise. Tyson Jackson will be a first round pick. He's twice the athlete of Chase Pittman or Marquis Hill. Possibly, but Early's a different type of receiver than those guys. With what he brings to the table, height shouldn't be much of an issue. Deverey shouldn't have even been a second round pick. First day, very possible. First round, very doubtful.
And that's why I enjoy having dialoge with you, CParso! "Point-counter-point". :thumb: But it's clear that both of us don't want to get caught up in biased conclusions that every Tiger player entering a draft is first-round material.
flynn is about 6'2" 220 right? when was the last time a qb was drafted in the first round that was not of pocket-passer size or an incredible scrambler? flynn's pretty good on the run but he's no vy, vick or mcnabb. id say first round is near impossible. some teams might really want him but will take their chances that he drops.
Bowe - 58 yarder against Fresno St. Davis - 51 yarder against Arkansas. Im not criticizing Doucet, he's one of my favorites. But the truth is one weakness would burn him in the draft. And to me, he has 2 "weaknesses", 1 is height, if he would have been 1 inch taller, it would have been great, 2 is his speed. I dont think he's a 4.4 guy.
if thats all you could come up with in the sr seasons of two first-rounders, then my point has been made (or, more accurately, others' points that i agree with).
