-
RSP Film Room No.96: QB Patrick Mahomes (Texas Tech) w/ ITP’s Mark Schofield
We debut a new format for the show where the guests answer an RSP Film Room questionnaire and do homework on the prospect. The RSP Film Room idea originated as an opportunity for me to get to know all the great writers in this draftnik arena. I’ve learned a lot from my guests, formed new…
-
RSP Boiler Room No.79: QB Patrick Mahomes (Texas Tech) – Off-Script Pass Placement
The Texas Tech-Oklahoma tilt featured some great trick-shot passing from Patrick Mahomes. The RSP Boiler Room examines one of those plays and why it bodes well for the QB prospect. I get it. You’re afraid of your team drafting a gunslinger. They’re unpredictable. They make dumb mistakes. Their brand of football gets sloppy. Many of…
-
Senior Bowl Practice Wrap: Defense – 2017 NFL Draft Prospects
The week of Senior Bowl practices is a worthwhile evaluation period. NFL coaches take teaching drills seriously and are encouraging but demand improvement. Many of these players are facing the best competition they’ve seen all season. However, it’s important to understand the limitations of the week. Practices are non-contact and repetitions are limited. This year’s…
-
Senior Bowl Practice Wrap: Offense – 2017 NFL Draft Prospects
Conclusions from this week of practices. As someone who studies film yearlong, the Senior Bowl has a different purpose for me than those in the media who are just getting acquainted with prospects. While I haven’t studied every player before traveling to Mobile, I’ve usually seen 85-95 percent of them. The Senior Bowl offers a…
-
Senior Bowl Day 2: Offense – 2017 NFL Draft Prospects
It was an action-packed day for both teams. Continuing the theme that players are on different development tracks and coaches recognize it, there’s no better place to begin on Day 2 than with the South wide receivers and Al Saunders.The work that the venerable receiving coach of the Browns revealed great intel on each of…
-
Senior Bowl Day 2: Defensive Practice Report – 2017 NFL Draft Prospects
The second day of Senior Bowl practice confirms first impressions and highlights the players who quickly grow comfortable with newer concepts and better competition. We’re still seeing limited repetitions in non-contact situations but, many players take a day to understand a drill they haven’t seen in college or fully assimilate the alignments and schemes they’ll…
-
RSP Film Room No.95: QB Deshaun Watson (Clemson) – Reading the Field
The idea that Watson doesn’t read the field is bunk. An NFL employee that I have an opportunity to talk with frequently asked me what I thought about Deshaun Watson after his National Championship Performance. The bottom-line verdict: While I’m still studying him, I haven’t seen any major flaws with his game that should make…
-
RSP Film Room NO.94: RB Joe Mixon (Oklahoma) – Extended Look
A deeper look at Mixon’s footwork and on-field decision-making. My business is about the evaluation of NFL talent at the skill positions. The scope of that business isn’t the evaluation of that prospect’s character. I’ll write editorials about it. I’ll share my life experiences as it relates to character. And I’ll philosophize about leadership, the…
-
RSP Film Room No.92: WR Chris Godwin (Penn State) – Extended Look
Some players are sneaky-good. The Penn State junior who declared for the draft is one of them. Chris Godwin didn’t wow me with his Rose Bowl performance, but what I saw in this game helped me I understand why he chose to leave Penn State this year. Godwin does some things that are difficult to…
-
RSP Boiler Room No.70: QB DeShone Kizer (Notre Dame) – Post Snap Reaction Timing
Life on the field happens fast for a quarterback—even for those fortunate enough to have the game slow down for them. When it comes to analyzing quarterback prospects, you can’t avoid a conversation about mechanics. There are so many physical techniques involved with throwing the football, it can be hard to keep up with them…