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Eric Stoner: How I Grade Quarterback Play
If you feel like you have no idea where to start when trying to project a quarterback, this will get you going. Written by Eric Stoner Matt’s Note: Eric submitted a 10-page analysis of Marcus Mariota, which includes this section below on how he grades quarterback play. As he suggested, the article could be broken into two…
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Futures at Football Outsiders: The Knife, the Pencil, and Rookie Rankings
I hate rookie rankings. You love rookie rankings. It’s a beautiful relationship. Seriously, I hate rookie rankings. It’s a black-and-white expression of 18 to 24 months of research and analysis that has more than 500 shades of grey. Why in the hell would I want to distill it to a “yes-he’s-good”/”no-he’s-not” proposition? Because as much…
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Fantasy Feast Podcast (Ross Tucker & Evan Silva): Eatin’
I had the good fortune to join Ross Tucker and Evan Silva on their Fantasy Feast Podcast this morning. Here’s what we covered: How good evaluation practices go beyond rankings and provide perspective about player fit with team. Jaelen Strong and why elements of the diverging viewpoints are both correct. Why I share a similar…
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RSP Film Room No.35: Alabama S Landon Collins
GM Jr.’s Josh Liskiewitz visits the program and shares his assertion that the Crimson Tide safety is not the first-round value many believe. If attending the Senior Bowl to study players was like a year of elementary school, Josh Liskiewitz and I have known each other since the first grade. When I invited Josh on the show 6-8…
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Futures: Deep Diving for Small-School Sleepers
TE James O’Shaughnessy, WRs Darius Davis and Dezmin Lewis, and RB Zach Zenner are small-school players worth monitoring. By Matt Waldman In his recent article on CSU-Pueblo quarterback Chris Bonner, Mike Tanier referred to me and Optimum Scouting’s Eric Galko as “deep divers” of the draft analyst community. With my caps and “seafarer” grooming, I…
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RSP Film Room No.33: TCU LB Paul Dawson
Among Eric Stoner’s talents is his experience playing and coaching linebackers. The contributing writer for the RSP blog joined me Sunday morning for a look at Dawson, who was considered a top linebacker prospect before his disappointing combine performance. Should we throw out the numbers or does the tape underscore the data? Here are some…
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2015 RSP Preview: “On the Hybrid TE Revolution”
Just wrapped up the first draft of the Tight End chapter for the 2015 Rookie Scouting Portfolio. I shared a little of it informally on Twitter last night. Here’s a more fully-formed taste of some of the commentary you get along with the rankings, reports, and analysis of the RSP available for download April 1.…
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RSP Film Room No.32: Kenny Bell Redux w/Turron Davenport
How does one evaluate physical and mental toughness? Watch Turron Davenport and I study three games of Nebraska WR and Combine Stud Kenny Bell. Film session No.32 is the second time I’ve featured Kenny Bell, but even if you saw the first session there’s more to see from the second look. This second look mimics…
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Three-Cone Drill Podcast
Rivers McCown and Danny Tuccitto have a fun podcast that delves into football and beyond. I think the “beyond” is why they enjoy having me on the Three-Cone Drill. Zook watched enough sub par quarterbacks this year to earn the surgery that he needed. The RSP’s loyal assistant left parts of his teeth in the…
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Futures: Kentucky Edge Men Bud Dupree and Za’Darius Smith
By Matt Waldman Football is simple. It’s a game of running, hitting, throwing, and catching. And in this simple worldview of the game, Bud Dupree and Za’Darius Smith are incredibly similar football players. Both are big, strong athletes with the job of protecting the edge of a defense while threatening the edge of the offense.…