NFL Draft, Day 2: 10 AM EST, 7 AM PST.
Worrell Williams Highlights from david cutcliff on Vimeo.
Round 1 is up and Alex Mack is on his way to Cleveland, where he will get a chance to duel with old enemies in Rey Maulauga and Keith Rivers at Cincy. It seems around football circles, he was valued more than the highly versatile Duck center Max Unger; Unger wasn't picked until late in the 2nd round to Seattle.
Now we're onto the meat and potatoes. Although the big guns have been hired, the 3rd through 7th rounds can offer so many opportunities at rebuilding a team from the bottom up. Follett and Morrah are the likeliest Bears to be drafted. Worrell, Rulon and Anthony all have shots too. Nate and Will are dark horses. We'll see what happens.
Before clicking through to the comment sections, ponder this question: Which Golden Bear moving on will have the best pro career? Answer this poll and elucidate on your answer in the comments.
After the jump are all the links from yesterday, along with danzig highlight reels for most of the players up for grabs.
Rulon Davis Highlights from bob gregory on Vimeo.
Rulon Davis (Click for Remembering the Seniors Profile)
Interviews: Yahoo Sports, Cal Bears Examiner, The Football Expert, Daily Cal
Strengths: Decent athlete...Great height and bulk...Extremely long arms and big hands...Strong...Powerful tackler...Stout at the point of attack..Does a nice job in pursuit...Has a non-stop motor...Very tough...Hard worker.Weaknesses: Below average speed and quickness...Is not very explosive and lacks a burst...Raw technician...Not a top pass rusher and repertoire of moves is limited...Durability is a concern...Is older than the average prospect.
Fanbases/teams interested in Rulon: New England, Oakland, Indy, Buffalo (maybe it's just that one fan, fami1y_first who keeps on posting Bears players. Not that I don't mind the coverage...wooo! MORE GOLDEN BEARS IN BUFFALO!)
Wrecking Crew 2008 - Cal's Linebackers from jack bauer on Vimeo.
Zack Follett (click for Remembering the Seniors profile)
Interviews: Daily Cal, Scout, Examiner
Strengths:
Very physical with good strength...Reliable tackler...Excellent in pursuit...Does a nice job versus the run...Can take on and shed blockers...Good pass rusher and blitzer...Has a burst to close...Very intense and competitive...A big hitter...Has a non-stop motor...Superb instincts...Hard worker...Tough and durable...Has a lot of special teams potential... Productive and really had a terrific senior campaign.
Weaknesses:
Just average size and bulk...Stiff and not a great athlete...Doesn't play real fast...Has some health and durability concerns...Sub par change of direction skills...Too aggressive at times...Lacks fluid hips...A liability in coverage...Marginal ball skills...Struggles in space ... Limited upside.
Fanbases/teams interested in Follett: San Francisco, Buffalo, Houston, Arizona, Oakland, New Orleans, Indianapolis
Worrell Williams (Click for Remembering the Seniors Profile)
Strengths: Good athleticism...Is quick and agile with a burst...Decent bulk and a solid frame...A reliable tackler...Able to deliver the big hit...Good strength...Works through traffic well...Has a great motor...Intense and competitive...Versatile...Durable and experienced...Good bloodlines.Weaknesses: Shorter than you'd prefer...Does not have great timed speed...Lacks fluid hips...Average, at best, in coverage...Questionable instincts and awareness...Is too aggressive at times...Has trouble getting off blocks.
Anthony Felder (Click for Remembering the Seniors Profile)
Strengths:
Very athletic...Above average speed, agility and quickness...Excellent strength...Reliable tackler...Outstanding range...Intelligent with great instincts and awareness...Smooth in coverage...Offers some positional versatility...Fantastic work ethic...Lots of experience...Still has upside.
Weaknesses:
Does not have the size that you look for...Has trouble taking on and shedding blockers...Marginal pass rush ability...Isn't a big hitter...Does not make many impact plays in coverage...Durability may be an issue.
Will Ta'ufo'ou Career Highlights from danzig on Vimeo.
Will Ta'ufo'ou (Click for Remembering the Seniors Profile)
Sports Illustrated Draft Profile:
POSITIVES: Explosive lead blocker who flashes skill handling the ball. Quick off the snap, accelerates into blocks and fundamentally sound. Displays good footwork in pass protection, picks up blitzes and squares into defenders. Gets out front and creates space for running backs. Works hard to finish blocks. NEGATIVES: Average strength and really does not get much movement run blocking. Looks small for 250 pounds. Rarely asked to handle the ball. ANALYSIS: Ta'ufo'ou is a hard-working fullback who's also been very effective on special teams in college. He has the skill set to find a home as a number two fullback on a roster, and Ta'ufo'ou presents himself as a special teams demon.
Fanbases/teams interested in Will: Cincinnati
Cameron Morrah (Click for Remembering the Seniors Profile)
Strengths:
Very athletic...Good speed and quickness...Soft, reliable hands...Great body control and ball skills...Decent leaper...Runs good routes...Able to separate..Strong...Is not afraid to work the middle...Still has upside.
Weaknesses:
Just average size and bulk...Isn't very elusive and won't do much after the catch...Questionable instincts and awareness...Isn't much of a blocker...Not real tough or physical...Durability...Limited experience.
Nate Longshore (Click for Remembering the Seniors Profile)
Stories on Longshore: CC Times, Examiner