2009 NFL Draft
30 Best Undrafted Players
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CFN 2009 Draft Central
& Team-by-Team Picks and Analysis
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2009 NFL Draft Breakdown and Analysis
1st Round
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2nd Round
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3rd Round
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4th Round
| 5th Round
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6th Round
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7th Round
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2007
Top Undrafted Players |
2008 Top Undrafted Players
1.
Darry Beckwith, LSU LB 6-0,
235
A leader and a star on a national champion, Beckwith
has the attitude and the experience to grow into a good starter.
However, he went from being a hot prospect who was an underground
favorite to challenge Rey Maualuga and James Laurinaitis for the top
inside linebacker slot, but his mediocre workouts ended all of that. He
played at LSU far faster than he timed in quickness and agility drills
at the Combine and doesn’t have the basic physical talents to be
anything more than a decent starter. This isn’t an Ali Highsmith
situation, Beckwith won’t fall completely off the map, there appears to
be a hard ceiling on what he’ll become.
CFN Value Rank:
Third Round
CFN Position Rank:
5
2.
Otis Wiley, FS Michigan
State 6-2, 210
Put him at strong safety and he’ll be a
disaster. Put him at free safety and he could be a Pro Bowl performer
with a little bit of time. Great in run support and tough enough to be
like an extra linebacker, he sniffs out running plays and always makes
the stop. However, he’s not known for being a tough player and has had
injury issues. With his size and his range, he could be all over the
field making plays if he’s given the chance, but he’ll likely be used
early on in nickel and dime packages. If he can stay healthy, he could
be a late steal.
CFN Value Rank: Fifth Round
CFN Position Rank:
9
3.
Gerald Cadogan, OT Penn State 6-5, 310
Very smart and very good, Cadogan doesn’t need
a whole bunch of work, especially as a run blocker. Eventually, he
should be a strong guard and could be a superstar if he moves inside.
He’ll be tried out at tackle early on, and he should be fine on the left
side with the ability to hold his own by doing everything correctly.
However, as big as he is and as good as he was in college, there’s a
hard ceiling on what he can do as a tackle. Lacking great athleticism,
he can be penciled in from day one at right tackle, but he’ll be fine on
the left for at least a short stretch.
CFN Value Rank:
Third Round
CFN
Position Rank: 10
4.
John Parker Wilson, QB Alabama 6-2,
220
While he might not go to many Pro Bowls and he isn’t going to
be a franchise quarterback to build an offense around, Wilson has the
potential to be the type of quarterback who leads a good team to great
things simply by being smart and by not screwing up. With a great mind
and good decision-making skills, he’ll be able to handle the pro
playbook right away and he could flourish if he gets some steady
coaching. He had three different offensive coordinators to deal with at
Alabama and he still managed to produce, but without a big-time arm and
with average mobility there will be a limit on what he can do. Put in
the right setting on a team with a great defense, so there won’t need to
be shootouts every week, he could exactly the type of move-the-chains
player who can eventually take a team deep into the playoffs … but not
the Super Bowl.
CFN Value Rank: Third Round
CFN Position Rank: 4
5. Dannell
Ellerbe, LB Georgia 6-1,
235
Sort of pigeonholed as an inside linebacker, Ellerbe
could become fantastic if he moves to the outside. One of the most
athletic inside prospects in the draft, he has tremendous range, flies
to the ball, and has no problem in pass coverage. He’s not all that
physical and he’s not the most instinctive playmaker, so if he’s able to
run and chase down the play, he’s fine. If the play comes right at him,
he’s in trouble. He can be powered over. His stock dropped a bit after a
mediocre senior year, but that was partly due to a knee problem. Once he
gets into an NFL camp, and assuming he’s healthy, he could turn out to
be a major find if he’s put in the right spot.
CFN Value Rank:
Fourth Round
CFN Position Rank: 7
6.
Mitch King, DE/DT Iowa 6-1, 275
“I wish I could
put your heart into some of my players’ bodies.” While King might not
exactly be Rudy, if he was about two inches taller and about 15 pounds
heavier he might warrant top five overall consideration.
Ultra-productive, he’ll never stop working and he’ll never stop trying
to make plays. He’s not a true defensive tackle at the next level, but
he could be a whale of a 3-4 end who’ll always make a team on hustle and
practice production. The limitations are too great for him to ever
become a star, but he could be a good starter if surrounded by big-time
talent.
CFN Value Rank: Fifth Round
CFN Position Rank: 10
7. C.J. Spillman, FS Marshall
6-0, 195
Fast, fast, fast. He makes up for a lack of bulk with blazing 4.45 speed
and 41.5” vertical leaping ability. He’s not going to tackle anyone and
he has a problem staying healthy, but he’s a willing run supporter
who’ll give it a shot when he has to step up and make a stop. As
athletic as he is, he doesn’t always play like it and will get beaten
against the pass. His money will be made early on as a special teamer.
He’ll be a star gunner.
CFN Value Rank: Fifth Round
CFN Position Rank: 15
8.
Edwin Williams, C
Maryland 6-2, 308
A durable leader who could be a starter
in the right system, he’ll plow over people in the running game, won’t
get hurt, and will work his tail off to be good. He’s the type of player
and person you want in the middle of your line, but he’s limited in pass
protection and lacks the quickness and athleticism to be more than a
block of granite on the inside. While he might get overdrafted on high
character, his limitations will show up quickly if he has to deal with
any above-average NFL interior pass rusher.
CFN Value Rank:
Fourth Round CFN Position Rank: 7
9.
Jeremiah Johnson, RB Oregon 5-9, 210
Johnson took
over the spotlight, at least part of it, when Jonathan Stewart took off
early for the NFL and showed why he could be every bit as good a pro.
Durability is his problem with a torn ACL and a shoulder problem in the
last two years, but he was terrific when he was on the field. He’s a
short, compact runner who is like a pinball when he works inside and is
good at keeping his legs moving on the outside. He’ll get on the move
and get six yards without looking like he wasn’t doing much to get
there. While he didn’t time well, he plays fast and can crank out yards
in big chunks. Pac 10 defenders hated to try to track him down. Even
with all of his upside, he’s not big enough to be an every down runner
and has huge durability concerns.
CFN Value Rank: Fourth
Round
CFN Position Rank: 6
10.
Emmanuel Cook, FS South Carolina 5-10, 205 (Jr.)
Very athletic with good
quickness and nice range, he has the basic skills to be an NFL free
safety. A more than willing tackler, he’ll do whatever is necessary to
get into the mix to bring a player down and he doesn’t miss any stops.
Unfortunately, he’s not a strong safety and he’s a liability against the
pass. He doesn’t make things happen when the ball is in the air and
struggled to stay with the most marginal of receivers. If he’s used as a
run stopper, he’ll fight his way onto a team, but he’ll strictly be a
situational defender who could be picked apart in passing situations.
CFN Value Rank: Fifth Round
CFN Position
Rank: 16
11.
Arian Foster, RB Tennessee 6-1, 225
With
an interesting combination of speed, size, and proven production, Foster
is a good runner who can run, catch, and block equally well. However, he
has to show he can bring it game in and game out. Consistency was a
major problem, even though he became one of the most productive runners
in the history of Tennessee. He’ll look great at times and will make
scouts wonder why he’s not being thought of as a first day prospect, and
then will come the devastating fumble. There’s too many positive traits
to not be a tantalizing pick, but the flake factor could be too much to
keep him from reaching his potential.
CFN Value Rank:
Fourth Round
CFN Position
Rank: 11
12.
Michael Bennett, DE Texas A&M
6-4, 270
The
brother of Dallas Cowboy tight end, Martellus, Michael has all the
talent in the world and could become a star if he gets with the right
coach and if he wants to become a player. However, he doesn’t play up to
his potential. If the light is on, he’s a regular into the backfield and
he could grow into a deadly pass rusher with the quickness to work on
the outside in a 4-3 and the size to be great in a 3-4. He needs to go
full blast all the time and show he wants to put in the work to be a
major talent. If he does, he could be a steal. If he doesn’t make a push
to improve, he could quietly be out of the league in a big hurry.
CFN Value Rank: Fifth Round
CFN Position Rank: 15
13.
Ashlee Palmer, LB Ole Miss
6-2, 225
A tremendous athlete who hits well and is strong
in pass coverage, he has the ability to be like another safety in
passing situations and he has the burst to become a pass rusher. What he
doesn’t have it size, checking in at around 225 pounds and not likely to
get much bigger. As long as he’s not asked to take on blockers on a
regular basis and can roam free to get to the ball, he should be a very
productive steal in the mid to late rounds. However, he has to want it.
He has to become the type of player who’ll eat and sleep football, and
he has to overcome his size with a spark-plug type of attitude.
CFN Value Rank: Sixth Round
CFN Position Rank: 13
14.
Jonathan Casillas, LB Wisconsin
6-1, 225
A terrific athlete who’s all over the field all
the time, he’s one of the fastest linebackers in the draft ripping off a
4.5 in the 40. Great in pass coverage, he’s able to stay with backs in
pass patterns without a problem and he’s able to avoid blocks by getting
around them before anyone can lock on. He can only be on the weakside
and he can only survive in space. His money will be made in passing
situations and will struggle when plays are run right at him. However,
he has the tackling ability to be a big producer in the right system.
CFN Value Rank: Fifth Round
CFN Position Rank: 15
15.
Alex Boone, OT Ohio State
6-7, 325
A
mega-disappointment considering his raw skills, Boone has a large frame
and the strength to go with it as a blaster for the running game and an
occasional dominant force. Occasional. He’s not consistent, is a bit of
a prima donna, and he has major character issues in the eyes of most of
the NFL types. If he gets the right attitude and decides he wants to do
the dirty work on his technique, he could be a ten-year starter on the
right side. As is, he’s a good-chance pick just because of his size.
CFN Value Rank: Fifth Round
CFN Position Rank: 12
16.
Greg Isdaner, West Virginia 6-4,
325
After leaving college early, he needs to find the right fit to
succeed. He can’t do much on the move and he’s not going to do much in a
finesse offense, even though he was fantastic for the West Virginia
spread attack. He’s a very big, very powerful run blocker who’ll spend
his time pounding away for a power running game. His stock wouldn’t have
gotten much higher had he stayed around another year. He’s never going
to get any quicker.
CFN Value Rank: Sixth Round
CFN Position Rank: 6
17.
Kory Sheets, RB Purdue
5-11, 205
Sheets is an ultra-confident player who has
the speed and the potential to be a third down back, but he’s going to
have to work for it. Scouts will love his ability to cut on a dime and
be gone in a flash, but he’s not tough enough to be an every down back
at any time. Attitude could be a problem; he thinks he’s better than he
is, and there are major red flags about his work ethic. Despite the
concerns, his speed and quickness are good enough to be a prospect worth
taking a chance on. If he’s able to prove he’s a team-first guy and is
willing to show in day one of mini-camp that he’s willing to get his
nose dirty, he could be a steal.
CFN Value Rank: Fifth
Round CFN Position Rank: 13
18. Hunter Cantwell, QB Louisville 6-5, 235
The hot unknown coming into this year, after spending years playing
behind Brian Brohm, Cantwell only occasionally showed off why he was
considered such a tremendous prospect by so many scouts. He has the
size, the arm strength, and the look, but he didn’t produce. While his
arm strength alone will get him on a team, he’s going to have to show
far better touch to stick. A statue, his decision-making ability will
need to be spot on to get the ball out of his hands in a hurry and to
avoid getting killed.
CFN Value Rank: Sixth Round
CFN Position Rank: 10
19.
Pannel Egboh, Stanford
DE 6-6, 275
The hope was that he’d progress into a major
prospect as a senior, but it didn’t happen. He has the size and he has
enough skills to warrant a long look as a 3-4 end, but he needs work.
With unrefined pass rushing moves and not a good enough motor to make
things happen by effort alone, he has to find something he can do well
early on in camp. If he wasn’t great as a college player, what’s he
going to do as a pro?
CFN Value Rank: Sixth Round
CFN Position Rank: 17
20. Greg
Carr, WR Florida State 6-5, 215
Why didn’t Florida State throw
jump balls to Carr on every other play? If nothing else, he scared the
heck out of secondaries. Underutilized at times, he had one thing he
could do and he did it very well. However, he’s a one-trick pony. He’s
not nearly physical enough for his size, doesn’t go over the middle, and
he’ll get shoved around. It’s all about what he can do on the goal line
and if he can become a specialist. Throw it up, let him go get it as a
possible matchup nightmare, and let him work outside the hashmarks.
CFN Value Rank: Sixth Round
CFN Position Rank: 18
21.
Zach Potter, DE Nebraska 6-7, 280
A very tall, very
good tackler who has the room to add another ten pounds without losing a
thing, the upside is limitless. And then there’s the quickness; he moves
like a linebacker showing off stunning feet and leaping ability at the
Combine. However, he doesn’t translate the athleticism to the field and
doesn’t do enough to get into the backfield. If he can it the weights
hard and develops some better moves, he could be a very cheap version of
Tyson Jackson.
CFN Value Rank: Fifth Round
CFN Position Rank: 19
22. Drew Willy, QB Buffalo 6-3, 215
A
four-year starter, Willy went through the ringer and came through with a
nice reward leading UB to a MAC title. A steady leader with a good
passion for the game and good enough arm strength to get by, he’s a
can’t miss No. 3 quarterback on a roster and a possible No. 2. He
doesn’t move well out of the pocket and he needs to get a lot stronger,
but he’s a good worker who’ll do whatever he can to try to make it. He’s
the type of player you want leading your scout team for a few years
before hoping he can develop into a steady game-manager-type of passer.
Those aren’t negatives; he’s a quarterback that someone will want to
have around the team.
CFN Value Rank: Free Agent
CFN Position Rank: 11
23. Nathan Brown, QB
Central Arkansas 6-1, 220
Tremendously productive, albeit at a
lower level, Brown is a fantastic athlete who threw for 31 touchdowns
and four interceptions last year to get on the radar. Great on the move
and with a decent accurate arm, he has the potential to shine with a
Jeff Garcia-like career in a West Coast attack. Extremely tough, he’ll
take a beating and will always come back for more, but he has some major
flaws. He’s not big, needs to totally rework his funky throwing motion,
and doesn’t have an NFL deep arm. Even so, he could be a nice flier to
take for someone hoping to hit the jackpot in a dink and dunk attack.
CFN Value Rank: Fifth Round
CFN Position Rank: 12
24.
Devin
Moore, Wyoming 5-9, 185
Moore wasn’t exactly on the radar, and then he
showed off tremendous speed in off-season workouts to open up the
possibilities. A smallish scatback, the possibilities are endless for an
offensive coordinator with any sort of creativity since Moore will do
anything needed to help the team. A true leader, he was named the
team-captain twice and is as reliable and durable as they come. His lack
of size hasn’t been a problem as far as holding up, but he’s not built
to be an every down back. Not a strong runner, he’ll only be effective
outside the tackles and as a special teamer, but he could become a
killer third down back and kick returner.
CFN Value Rank:
Sixth Round CFN Position Rank: 16
25. Anthony Parker, OG
Tennessee 6-2, 300
A very good, versatile college blocker, he’s a good athlete when healthy
and could produce at either guard spot or even move to center. However,
he’s not all that strong and he has major issues with his knees. He
needs to hit the weight room for more functional strength to stick in
the league on the inside. He’ll likely be a career backup.
CFN
Value Rank: Sixth Round
CFN Position Rank: 8
26.
Brandon Walker, OG Oklahoma 6-3,
305
The unsung star of the great Oklahoma
line, Walker was the team’s best run blocker, even better than Duke
Robinson, and has the potential to be a major steal. Very athletic and
great at finishing off his blocks. His lateral movement is average and
he’s not an engulfing road grater, but he has the skills and the fight
to find his way on a roster. He’ll open some eyes in camp.
CFN
Value Rank: Sixth Round
CFN Position Rank: 9
27.
Andy Kemp, OG Wisconsin 6-5, 315
While he’ll never be a Pro Bowl
performer, put him on the line and let him go as a nice cog for the next
decade. He’s a tough-as-nails player who moves extremely well for his
size, but he could stand to use a little technique work. He can get
bigger and not have a problem. He’ll be just as good at 325 as he’d be
at around 310. With a little bit of work, he could be a nice steal and a
good value pick.
CFN Value Rank: Fifth Round
CFN Position Rank:
10
28. Cornelius
Lewis, OT Tennessee State 6-4, 330
Huge, on bulk alone he’ll get a long look after an
ultra-productive career at the lower level. The former Florida State
Seminole dominated at Tennessee State showing good athleticism and
tremendous strength. Able to play either tackle or guard spot, he should
find a job somewhere. However, there’s a question about whether or not
he’ll wilt under the pressure and toughness of being an NFL caliber
lineman. If he has the right attitude and is willing to get tough, he
could be a steal.
CFN Value Rank:
Sixth Round
CFN Position
Rank: 16
29.
Kevin Ogletree, Virginia 6-2,
190 (Jr.)
It was a bit
of a shock when he said he was leaving early, and no one at Virginia
appeared to be too upset. A brutal knee injury limited a one-time
promising career, but he did a decent job and had some big games when he
was on the field. Extremely fast, he had a great Combine and now could
be used as a deep threat, even though he didn’t do much field-stretching
for the Cavaliers.
CFN Value Rank: Sixth Round
CFN Position Rank:
30. Ramon Foster, OG
Tennessee 6-5, 325
Really big and really versatile, he can
either be a pounding run blocker or a tough tackle. Massive, he gets by
on his girth and his strength and toughness, but he’s not going to move
too much. Great in a phone booth, he’ll push everyone around that he can
get his hands on and is a wily blocker. Because he’s able to step in for
a stretch at tackle, even though he’ll spend most of his time at guard,
he’ll likely stick around because of his versatility.
CFN Value
Rank: Sixth Round
CFN Position Rank: 11