Category: 2017 NFL Draft

  • RSP Boiler Room No.46: Baylor WR K.D. Cannon

    RSP Boiler Room No.46: Baylor WR K.D. Cannon

    One play can tell you a lot about a player. This double move from Baylor’s K.D. Cannon says a lot about what he can do and what he should eventually learn as a future professional.  Make no mistake, K.D. Cannon has some skill with double moves. His go-to route is the stop-and-go. Cannon can come…

  • RSP Boiler Room No.45: WR James Washington, Oklahoma State

    RSP Boiler Room No.45: WR James Washington, Oklahoma State

    Washington had a 9-catch, 296-yard, 2-touchdown performance against Pitt in mid-September. Waldman puts one of those plays under the RSP microscope. I’ve seen James Washington a number of times but this was the first time I studied him formally for the Rookie Scouting Portfolio. There’s a lot to like. What was especially good about the…

  • RSP Boiler Room No.44: RB Corey Clement, Wisconsin

    RSP Boiler Room No.44: RB Corey Clement, Wisconsin

    Clement’s performance against LSU is a showcase of 2nd-level vision, indirect balance, and functional agility. I haven’t gotten far enough into Corey Clement’s tape to tell you if he’s a future NFL starter. I haven’t seen evidence of starter-caliber speed and his third-down game needs work. I’ll go as far as saying that if Clement’s…

  • RSP Boiler Room No.43: Attacking the Target w/Isaiah Ford, Zay Jones, and Josh Reynolds

    RSP Boiler Room No.43: Attacking the Target w/Isaiah Ford, Zay Jones, and Josh Reynolds

    Isaiah Ford is a dangerous receiver. He could become lethal if he learns something that the less explosive Zay Jones and Josh Reynolds incorporate into their route running.  Note: The second play where I comment on Ford’s route depth may not be the best example but I stand by it. There’s a valid argument that the…

  • RSP Boiler Room No.42: Nick Chubb Part II-Penetration & Cuts

    RSP Boiler Room No.42: Nick Chubb Part II-Penetration & Cuts

    The second of three Boiler Room episodes scheduled on Chubb, Waldman examines situations that aren’t all “Saturday Pretty” but they meet the requirements for “Sunday Gritty.”  I still have a lot of backs to watch for the 2017 NFL Draft. I’ve studied multiple games of next year’s potential headliners: Dalvin Cook, Wayne Gallman, Samaje Perine, James…

  • RSP Boiler Room No.41: WR Cooper Kupp

    RSP Boiler Room No.41: WR Cooper Kupp

    Cooper Kupp’s 246-yard, 3-TD performance against Oregon is a display of a receiver with an integrated arsenal of moves with his hands and feet.  The video below does not have audio narration. I experimented with closed caption/subtitles. If you watch these regularly, tell me what you think of this variation (love it/hate it/indifferent). Here’s the…

  • RSP Boiler Room No.40: Low Rider, RB Leon Allen

    RSP Boiler Room No.40: Low Rider, RB Leon Allen

    This clip from Western Kentucky’s 6’0″, 235-lb. runner is no highlight, but it’s the kind of play that keeps highlight makers on the field.  Short-yardage plays have their own special category in football–especially for runners. One of the most important traits of a great short-yardage runner is finding small creases and exploiting them. One of the…

  • RSP Boiler Room No.39: RB Shock Linwood, Space Player

    RSP Boiler Room No.39: RB Shock Linwood, Space Player

    One-on-one work in space involves a strong integration of physical skills and on-field awareness. Linwood has it.  I need to see more exposures of Linwood’s top-end speed and how he executes a greater variety of play calls before I have a definitive opinion on his NFL prospects. But one thing Linwood does well is combine…

  • RSP Boiler Room No.38: RB Brian Hill And Gap Aggression

    RSP Boiler Room No.38: RB Brian Hill And Gap Aggression

    One of my favorite under the radar RB prospects is Wyoming RB Brian HIll. This episode of the Boiler Room examines good decision-making and execution of a gap play.      For more about gap/zone running, read Chad Spann’s piece. For analysis of skill players in the 2017 draft class, pre-order a login for the 2017…

  • RSP Boiler Room No.37: RB Royce Freeman, Oregon

    RSP Boiler Room No.37: RB Royce Freeman, Oregon

    The 6’0″, 230-pound Freeman has the size, pad level, and footwork to hang on Sundays. Find out what he needs to learn in order to thrive.  The ability to shorten one’s stride is a big part of setting up blocking schemes. Freeman has this skill but find out what he’s missing that he’ll need to…