Mike Kafka and Eric Decker: 2010 NFL Player Profiles

Mike Kafka—6'3" 216 lbs., Quarterback, Northwestern, Fifth to Seventh Round Pick

Pros

Mike Kafka shows great intelligence on and off the field. He constantly makes good decisions in the pocket but is even better out of the pocket. He has fairly good size and great athleticism, which scouts will surely notice come Combine time. Kafka has good accuracy and only gets better later in the game when it matters most.

Cons

Kafka was only a one year starter at Northwestern, so he is still a relatively raw talent. He does not have the elite arm strength to make it in the NFL. When throwing deep, Kafka’s passes often have too much air and lose a tight spiral. Kafka was also part of a spread offense in college. This will be a huge deterrent to some teams.

Our Take

A strong showing at the East-West Shrine Game certainly helped Mike Kafka. His chances of being drafted were very small before the game, but he proved to be much better than many scouts thought. Kafka’s intelligence and consistency will be highly noted come draft day.

Eric Decker—6'3" 220 lbs., Wide Receiver, Minnesota, Third to Fifth Round Pick

Pros

Decker was a terrific college receiver, who often overpowered college cornerbacks. He has great size—6’3”, 220 lbs—and a great set of hands too. Decker runs very crisp, precise routs, which allows him to use his size to his advantage. Many scouts have been surprised with how athletic Decker is.

Cons

Decker suffered from torn ligaments in his left foot. The only way to fix this injury is surgery. Unfortunately, this will cause Decker to miss all of the pre-draft workouts, which will deeply affect his draft status. This will also cause a big concern for Decker’s speed. He has always had questionable top-end speed, and this injury may slow him even more.

Our Take

Decker proved himself in college by putting up consistent All-Big 10 stats. His skill set should translate into a good NFL wide receiver. Decker could eventually become a solid No. 2 receiver in the NFL if he puts forth the effort.