Last NFL Draft Comments

      Listening to NFL Draft experts has been amusing to me, but my real interest is what colleges these drafted players come from. Not that I am familiar with every football playing college in the country, but I find it refreshing just how much pro scouting departments do, in turning over every stone. When Clay Belton (University of Findlay) signs as a free agent with the Miami Dolphins, I am impressed with the scouting departments work.
      Also with every draft, following the players with Ohio high ties who get drafted in the first seven rounds is really interesting. All have a story, and I know most of the stories, or at least parts of the stories. Amazingly, too, they all come from different backgrounds.
      John Simon - Cardinal Mooney - Ohio State - Baltimore - 4th round. Did a blog on John. Really liked him at Cardinal Mooney. Read the blog to find my comments.
      Zac Dysert - Ada - Miami (Ohio) - Denver - 7th round. A steal for Denver. Watched him at Ada High School throw the ball almost every down. Strong arm. Athletic. At Miami had probably with worst supporting cast of any QB in the Draft. Felt sorry for him against Kent State his freshman year. Huge upside.
      Micah Hyde - Fostoria - Iowa - Green Bay - 5th round. Excellent athlete at Fostoria High School. Actually played QB and DB. Starter in basketball and baseball. Needed to get bigger and stronger. Natural instints as a DB at Iowa. Excellent anticipation. Really believe he plays with all of his ability.
      Travis Kelce - Cleveland Heights - Cincinnati - Kansas City - 3rd round. Excellent athlete. Thought he even played some QB in high school. Tough competitor. Had some off the field issuses at UC. Left the team. Given second chance. Excellent blocking TE and ball catcher. Tough. Has worked hard getting his personal life together.
      Eric Herman - Toledo Central Catholic - Ohio - New York Giants - 7th round. Solid OL guy coming out of high school. Short, but really developed at OU. Played freshman year and made himself a draft choice. Example of "hard work pays off." Honestly, surprised me and , maybe Ohio University how good he became after high school.
      Brian Winters - Hudson - Kent State - New York Jets - 3rd round. Have always liked him. Big, strong and really good feet coming out of high school. Good bender at left tackle. Played early at Kent State. Needs to play hard every down. Physical tools are there. Like his future.
      Le'Veon Bell - Groveport Madison - Michigan State - Pittsburgh - 2nd round. Watched high jump 6'1 and he had "no clue" what he was doing. Ran between the tackles well. Needs top speed, but has burst through LOS. Power back. Made himself better. Durable. Might be able to be a three down back for the Giants.
      Tank Carradine - Cincninnati Taft - Florida State - San Francisco - 2nd round. Actually went to Illinois. Entered a JUCO. Finished at Florida State. Athletic big DE. Runs well. Strong. In high school - a specimen. Academics hurt. A dominating player in high school, but never in condition. Has the toughness for the NFL.
      Spencer Ware - Cincinnati Princeton - LSU - Seattle - 6th round. An excellent QB at Princeton, but 5'10-215. Tough strong runner. Gamer. Needed to get away from Cincinnati handler influence and did. I worried about his RB ability, but  was wrong. Durable at LSU. Needs to be careful away from football. Hope he does well.
      Right or wrong, I sometimes use the NFL Draft as example for college prospects who do not get "signed" by a college that both they or their parents want them to attend. In Ohio,  Michigan, Notre Dame, or Ohio State seem to be the "bench mark" programs.  As I tell "kids" all of the time, a scholarship is a scholarship. Work hard in college, and who knows. Most of the time, "if you are good enough, someone will find you." Up to you to compete and become the best that you can be.