It seems every year during the NFL Draft there seems to be some draft picks that will leave you scratching your head. Not for any other reason than some teams reach on certain draft picks. Two seasons ago the Vikings and Titans drafted Christian Ponder and Jake Locker in the first round when most draft analysts’ projected them to be there in the second or even third round. Here is a look at the top five overrated players that teams may reach for.
1. Matt Barkley, Quarterback, Southern California
It would really be easy to say any of the quarterbacks in this year’s draft are overrated but for me one of which stands above the rest in this category. As Chris Dougherty pointed out in his scouting report Barkley isn’t overly athletic and his decision making is questionable.
Barkley played for a Southern California team that seems to be in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, much like that of the Jets and Cowboys. One thing that doesn’t help him is the perception of USC quarterbacks. Matt Leinart, Matt Cassel and Carson Palmer are a few USC quarterbacks that he may be compared against come April.
This past season Barkley did pass for over 3,200 yards and 36 touchdowns however he did it with a team very rich in talent. Not as impressive as say someone the likes of Jordan Rodgers who played at a less talented school in a much tougher conference. This is not an attempt to take anything away from Barkley; he is as NFL ready as a prospect can be.
2. Eric Fisher, Offensive Tackle, Central Michigan
Fisher is a mountain of a man but might be a little undersized to play tackle. Yes he is 6’7 but he is just south of 300 pounds. Most likely he will put on the weight making the transition to the NFL game from Central Michigan.
While I truly believe he is a top talent especially at the tackle position however not sure he belongs in the conversation of a top ten pick. He seemed to stand out at the Senior Bowl earlier this year but that was just one occasion. In college he did oppose defenders in a less talented conference. He will get to prove his worth next season.
3. Barkevious Mingo, Defensive End, Louisiana State
Mingo seems to be one of the ends coming out of college this next season and he is highly regarded. While he did play at Lousiana State in the truly competitive South Eastern Conference he did not provide a lot of production. Only 4.5 sacks in 13 games for the Bayou Bengals, Mingo was outplayed by Sam Montgomery who isn’t as highly regarded as Mingo.
Mingo needs to work on shedding blockers in the run game and using his hands more in pass rush. His frame is of as some concern as well; at 250 pounds he is a little small to be an every down pass rusher. He more fits the mold of a 3-4 linebacker much like Demarcus Ware or Clay Matthews.
4. Kenny Vaccaro, Safety, Texas
Texas didn’t have a good season by their standards, but Vaccaro seemed to stand out for an underperforming Longhorn defense. He did average seven tackles a game but did not force many turnovers. Vaccaro is the type of player who needs to be in the box not trying to cover receivers.
Two issues that I see with his game is the lack of big plays by this safety and his maturity level at this stage. He seems to get frustrated after big gains and as he showed in the Alamo Bowl he is not afraid to throw a punch. It would be a shame if he was taken ahead of a player like Matt Elam.
5. Ezekial Ansah, Defensive End, Brigham Young
Many of the casual fans may not have heard of Ansah until the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. While he did stand out in the game he is a little green in terms of experience. Ansah only got the opportunity to play when teammate Eathyn Manumaleuna went down with a knee injury. He was a track star at BYU before joining football in 2010.
He is getting the comparisons to Jason Pierre-Paul due to the fact that he didn’t play football until college much like fellow draft hopeful Margus Hunt. He is not anywhere near the pass rusher that Pierre-Paul was at South Florida and this should cause him to fall into the second round.