NFL Draft 2011: Offensive Sleepers, Which Acorns Will Be Picked Up?
By now most "draftniks" and even casual followers of the NFL Draft know the top line prospects who are available this April. With everyday that passes it will be harder to find an individual who doesn't know the names Cam Newton, Blaine Gabbert, Patrick Peterson, Nick Fairley, Julio Jones, etc.
However, what about the player labeled with the overused term of "sleeper"? Or, as Miami Dolphin General Manager Jeff Ireland famously or infamously once remarked, "I can tell you we'll be aggressive and committed to turn over rocks like I've always done, and pick up "acorns" along the way."
In this case, the sleeper or acorn is the player who isn't well known (at least to the public), isn't well publicized, and is drafted after the first couple of rounds, but yet pays benefits to a team for years to come.
Perhaps the ultimate acorn is the New England Patriots' Tom Brady, who was selected in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft with the 199th pick overall. All the future Hall of Famer has done is lead the Pats to three Superbowl victories while throwing for nearly 35,000 yards and racking up 261 touchdowns in his 11-year career.
Fortunately for other NFL teams, there are several "acorns" that can be picked up later in the draft. Some in recent years include running back James Starks (2010, sixth round), Marques Colston (2006, seventh round) and (Jared Allen 2004, fourth round).
For now, I am going to look at just the offensive side of the ball. Later, I'll come back with some defensive players to keep an eye on.
1. Will Rackley, Guard/Tackle, Lehigh
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Simply put, Rackley is one of my favorite players in this draft. Playing for a small school in the Patriot league combined with less than ideal size (Rackley is a little over 6-3) will probably keep him out of the draft's top couple of rounds.
However, there isn't much else not to like about the four-year starter. He was the best offensive linemen on the field at the East-West Shrine Game because he locks onto defenders with big strong hands and doesn't let go or disengage.
Rackley is agile enough to be effective as a pulling guard and also fits as a right tackle. Rackley doesn't necessarily explode off the snap but he isn't at his best as a drive blocker anyhow.
Scouts love this player because they know he just won't give up on plays unlike some linemen when they are initially beaten.
2. Nathan Enderle, Quarterback, Idaho
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Enderle is a true acorn found under the rocks because he has clearly been forgotten in favor of the Colin Kaepernick's, Andy Dalton's, and Ricky Stanzi's of the world. But in reality, Enderle deserves to be talked about in the second tier of quarterbacks in this draft.
First of all, he is a four year starter with ideal size (6-5, 240 pounds). Now consider that he comes from a pro-style offense and won't have that difficult transition coming from a spread or shotgun based attack. Enderle is intelligent, has improved his game each season and has the arm to make most throws.
He will struggle with some intermediate to deep patterns, but most quarterbacks do to some extent. He has experience audibling and going through receiver progressions. One concern is that he may stay in the pocket too long.
Enderle figures to come off the board somewhere in round four or five and would be a valuable developmental prospect there.
3. Edmund Gates, Wide Receiver, Abilene Christian
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Gates has some question marks including a dismissal from junior college on his resume. He also turns 25 in June but he is a blazer who catches with his hands instead of his body (that's a good thing). Abilene Christian has a recent pedigree of turning out NFL players in Johnny Knox and Danieal Manning.
Gates doesn't run great routes yet and may have to make his initial contribution as a returner which shouldn't be a problem for this fourth or fifth rounder.
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4. Jeff Van Camp, Quarterback, Florida Atlantic
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I probably wouldn't even look at Van Camp if another Florida Atlantic quarterback, Rusty Smith, didn't have a few starts for the Tennessee Titans last season.
But Van Camp has a much better arm than Smith and replaced the former Owl at Florida Atlantic. There are major concerns about Van Camp's side arm delivery, accuracy and mobility but a team could do far worse than selecting the 6-5, 220 pounder with significant upside in round seven.
5. Damien Berry/Graig Cooper, Running Backs, Miami
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If you have read some of my other draft articles, you know that I have a special fondness for Maryland running back Da'rell Scott, but I am going to leave him off this acorn list because I think his 4.3 40 clocking at the NFL scouting combine drew plenty of attention and I have covered Scott plenty.
The pair of Hurricanes' running backs are intriguing to me. Berry has good size at 5-11, 215 pounds and has at least a few qualities that I want in a running back.
He keeps his legs churning and usually will end up with positive yardage because he will win a lot of battles through contact with defenders. Berry also didn't fumble at Miami. He just ran a 4.45 at the Hurricanes Pro Day.
After three seasons, during which Cooper ran for over 2,200 yards and averaged 5.2 yards per carry, he tore his ACL late in the 2009 season during the Champs Sports Bowl. Predictably, he struggled in 2010 in rushing for just 165 yards. But scouts noticed more pop in his running during the East-West Shrine week and then Cooper posted a top time in the 20-yard short shuttle and three cone drill at the scouting combine.
You can begin to see that Cooper's explosive and pre-injury form is returning.
Either back could be a bargain if selected in the final couple of rounds in the draft.
6. Carl Johnson, Guard/Tackle, Florida
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Johnson has several concerns. He has been suspended and character is a question mark. He is not very athletic and will be in trouble if he can not do a better job in space. So why might he be an acorn worth picking up in the draft's later rounds?
Because 6-5.5, 360 pound guys with three foot long arms don't grow on trees. In a short area, he can destroy defenders and that might be enough for a right guard in angle-blocking scheme that values a mammoth mauler.
Julius Thomas, Tightend, Portland State or Jordan Cameron, Tightend
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The fact that I have two former basketball players who have a combined two starts between them listed as possible acorns tells you a few things. First of all, this years crop of tightends is pretty thin. Ok, let's stop being nice. They are awful.
Also, the success of the San Diego Chargers' Antonio Gates has teams looking for the next basketball player to turn into a great tightend.
But, the reason that Thomas and Cameron could develop is because they have outstanding frames and athletic ability to be multi-purpose threats at the next level. Neither one projects strictly as an H-Back, wide receiver or extra blocker.
8. Cecil Shorts, Wide Receiver, Mount Union
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Shorts, like Gates, comes from a school with a recent reputation for turning out a good player. The Colts' Pierre Garcon also played for the Purple Raiders.
Shorts doesn't necessarily have Garcon's speed (Shorts only ran a 4.59 at the combine) but he just produces on the field. He has 63 career touchdowns and can line up at several spots on offense. If he can hold up physically, he looks a very desirable fit for the Wildcat, or another change of pace scheme.
9. Jeff Maehl, Wide Receiver, Oregon
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Jeff Maehl is not going to win any foot races. He ran a pedestrian 4.62 at the scouting combine.
Jeff Maehl is not going to intimidate anyone with his size. He's probably generously listed at 6-0, 181 pounds.
Jeff Maehl is going to run absolutely perfect routes. Maehl ran the three cone drill in 6.42 seconds, the fastest time ever registered at the NFL scouting combine. He also blazed the 60-yard shuttle in 10.87 seconds.
But to get a real appreciation of this special player you need to watch the following video.
Now, tell me whether you think that Maehl can play in the NFL. I know USC thinks he can.
10. Jordan Todman, Running Back, Connecticut
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This player isn't a typical acorn as several draftnicks think very highly of Todman and he has been well publicized, but his 5-9, 195 pound frame probably means won't be selected higher than the third or fourth round selection.
If that's the case some team is going to get darn good value for their selection because Todman can just flat out run the football. There aren't many small backs out there carrying the ball 334 times for just under 1,700 yards, which is what Todman did in 2010.
Todman has an upfield burst, and he will run between the tackles when necessary. Lindy's Sports Pro Football Draft Preview compared him to the Philadelphia Eagles LeSean McCoy and that is a pretty good match.
My memory of Todman is him just running past, through and every which way against Notre Dame in a Huskies 33-30 overtime win in 2009. I remember being impressed by his unrelenting effort on seemingly every carry. That's the kind of player you want on your team.
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