 Player Profile |
The University of Iowa 2007 NFL Draft Preview by bryan@footballdialogue.com The following is a listing of Iowa Hawkeye players who are eligible for the 2007 NFL draft and a little bit of commentary on each. Scott Chandler-TE-6'6 258--Chandler started out his career with the Hawkeyes a little slow but he picked it up in his junior and senior seasons and really produced well. What Chandler has going for him is his size. He is huge and can use his size to his advantage in catching the ball or blocking especially in short yardage and red zone situations. Chandler can also run fairly well after the catch. He is a smart athlete with a good head on his shoulders and can play the game well. Chandler needs to work on his blocking ability some and can get that training in the NFL. He also needs to get stronger. Chandler might be the second taken in the draft if he has great workouts and a solid combine. He could be very solid player in the NFL and has a ton of starting potential. Calvin Davis-WR-6'0 195--Davis had an average injury riddled college career but had his productive moments. The upside to Davis is that he has good speed and good size for a wide receiver and can catch the ball effectively. The obvious downside to Davis is that he is injury prone and may not last an entire NFL season. Davis might find his way into a practice squad somewhere in the NFL but he most likely won't be drafted. Mike Elgin-OG/C-6'3 279--Elgin had a pretty decent senior season with the Hawkeyes playing center but isn't the greatest of all lineman in the draft. Some of the things that Elgin is good for include his ability to push defenders out of the hole and does pretty well at run blocking. He does lack the ideal NFL size to play the position and isn't strong or very athletic overall. He is smart player but lacks the ideal size and ability that most would look for in a NFL Center. Elgin should go undrafted but could wind up on a practice squad at some point. Mike Jones-OG-6'4 296-Jones played pretty solid football for the Hawkeyes during his college career and could make somewhat of an impact on some team in the NFL. Jones has the ability to play both tackle and guard and protect well in the passing game and open up holes for the running backs. He has good techniques and good balance and can direct defenders well. He is also a leader and a very intelligent football player. What Jones lacks is the ideal size and strength that would be needed to play both positions in the NFL. He would also make a much better guard then he would a tackle. Jones could be picked up in the second day of the draft providing he has strong off season workouts but it looks more likely to land somewhere in the NFL as a free agent after the draft. Miguel Merrick-SS-5'10 202--Merrick had a decent career with Iowa but nothing spectacular or outstanding. Merrick is had some good moments while with the Hawkeyes but his talent level and physical attributes may not fit in the NFL. His upside includes a great strength and a desire to play hard on every play. However, there is less upside to Merrick than there is the downside as Merrick does not have great range and doesn't move well towards the play either. He also has some problems tackling the ball carrier and doesn't tackle aggressively. He also gets himself out position too often. Merrick might be able to make able to make it on an NFL team's practice squad but right now, he lacks the tools and the production to be drafted. Edmond Miles-OLB-6' 227-Miles had a solid but not spectacular career at Iowa and spent his final season with the daunting task of replacing 2006 first round draft pick Chad Greenway. Miles might find he is a better fit at the safety position than at linebacker. He is very strong and can take on blockers effectively. He doesn't possess the ideal size that you look for in a linebacker but could possibly make it on special teams somewhere in the NFL. Miles probably won't be drafted but could land somewhere as an undrafted free agent. Marcus Paschal-FS-6'0 202--After coming to Iowa as quarterback Paschal was switched to the free safety position and played fairly well there. He had a good senior season and a good career but he was hobbled by leg and knee injuries a good part of the time. He appears to be fully recovered from those injuries but they still will remain a big part of any evaluation that an NFL team does on him. Paschal is good at tackling and wrapping up on the tackle and has good range. He also has great awareness in coverage. Injuries might force Paschal to become an undrafted free agent but he should get a look by some NFL teams. Kyle Schlicher-K-5'8 178--Schilcher had a fairly good career with the Hawkeyes but of course had his up and down moments as most kickers do. Schlicher doesn't have the strongest leg when compared to some of the kickers available but he is pretty accurate especially within the 40 yard line. He does have enough strength to kick the ball into the end zone on kickoff as well. He has the unfortunate problem of not being too high in the national spotlight and therefore might get overlooked but if he has a good set of workouts he could either get picked up in the later rounds or get signed as an undrafted free agent. Drew Tate-QB-6'0 191--After a great 2005 season and earning the reputation of being a playmaker, Tate's performance fell off a bit in 2006 and after being considered to be a potential NFL quarterback (backup) Tate has fallen to the point where he might not even get drafted in the 2007 NFL Draft. What Tate does do well is that he is a very competitive player who likes to win. However, sometimes this competitive nature has got him into trouble as has his emotional play. He does have a strong arm but doesn't see the field too well and sometimes throws the ball up for grabs. Tate can also move around well in the pocket and can take off and run when needed. Overall, Tate is mechanically marginal with a passion for the game but he stands to become an undrafted free agent would could wind up as a practice squad player somewhere in the NFL. Marshall Yanda-OG-6'4 295--After having a solid career in the NFL, Yanda appears ready to enter the 2007 NFL Draft as a potential prospect. Yanda does have some experience playing the right tackle position which might make him a little more valuable in the NFL and could help propel him to a higher pick in the draft. What Yanda does well is that he blocks well but not on the move. He also plays well athletically but can get beat by speed rushers and needs to work on his blocking basics. He does explode out of the stance quickly and moves well from side to side. Yanda's size and strength are two things that will hurt him when teams evaluate him but he does have some room to improve in those areas and could become a solid backup guard in the NFL or even a starter. |
