It’s a tale as old as time. Tom Brady a 6th round pick. Kurt Warner, an Arena Football star who went Undrafted in the 1994 NFL draft. So who really will be next? The way Bleeping Idiots see’s it, there may be many to follow in these f

ootsteps. Below you will see the player profiles for my top 3 sleeper players at each position in the upcoming NFL draft

Top 3 Sleeper QB’s of 2011

1.) Pat Devlin QB, Delaware

Height- 6-4

Weight- 220

Pat Devlin has had a long road. The former Penn State recruit out of Downingtown East High school began the 2010 season with Delaware with a major chip on his shoulder. Devlin was highly recruited to Penn State, no doubt being hooked in with promises of starting and continuing the Lions legacy as he led them to glory. Devlin soon found out that the road to glory wasn’t as easily paved as he previously believed. Arriving at Penn State in 2006, Devlin and the coaching staff thought it wise to redshirt his 2006 season in order to better prepare for his future with the lions. Devlin began the 2007 season as 3rd on the depth chart behind Anthony Morelli, and the talented, athletic, Daryll Clark and saw very little action. But as the 2008 season approached, a glimmer of hope began to arise as Devlin was in a race for he #1 spot with the more athletic Daryll Clark. However, Devlin was never able to secure that elusive QB1 spot. So he decided to transfer to Delaware. Devlin Had great success at Delaware, and in the 2010 season, he threw for 3,000 yards, 22 td’s and only 3 interceptions, along with an impressive 68% completion percentage. He finished with his career at Delaware with 5,696 yards, 38 td’s, and 12 interceptions. An impressive ration of 3.16 td’s per every interception. Devlin has definitely created some buzz for himself in this years draft making him not as much a sleeper as he once was, still the fact that he is coming out of Delaware makes him the top of this list.

Strengths

• Great Size. The prototypical build for a QB, standing at 6-4 and weighing 220.
• Impressive Athleticism for his size
• Possesses an absolute cannon of an arm. Can make all the throws. Throws the deep out better than most Qb’s I have seen
• Great accuracy

Weaknesses

• Sometimes has to much faith in his arm, will make risky throws into coverage because he knows he can get away with it. But he won’t be able to sneak some of those throws in at the next level
• Footwork. Sometimes Devlin shows perfect footwork in the pocket, but other times, his footwork struggles, he will throw off of a straight leg from time to time, relying on his arm strength rather than planting for the throw, because of this his accuracy suffers.
• Level of competition. He lit it up at Delaware, but can he do it against the top players in the nation?

Projected Draft Status- I think Devlin will hop up teams draft boards if he has a strong showing at the combine. I project Late 2nd – Early 3rd Round (Bengals, Cardinals, 49ers, Titans, Jaguars)

2.) Mitch Mustain QB, USC,

Height- 6-2

Weight- 220

Mustain has had a long and very unproductive road, never quite living up to all of the potential he promised coming out of Springdale High School. The buzz surrounding Mustain was immense as he arrived at Arkansas in 2006, and won the starting QB job as a true freshman when he replaced Robert Johnson late in the teams first game against USC, a losing effort. Mustain led the Razorbacks to a record of 8-0, winning every game for the rest of the season. From there, it was all downhill for Mustain as he was benched for sophomore Casey Dick, who was said to have more experience.

After his benching, and the conclusion of the 2006 season, Mustain Decided to transfer. Mustain finished his Arkansas career with 894 yards, 10 td’s, and 9 ints, with a completion percentage of 56.2% A far fall from his high school glory.

Mustain transfered to USC in the 2007 season and in accordance to NCAA transfer rules, he was required to sit out the whole season, using it as a redshirt. Mustain never was able to grasp on at USC though, as in the 2008 season he battled with Aaron Corp for the job of backing up Mark Sanchez. Even after Sanchez declared for the draft, Mustain still could not secure that starting gig. In the 2009 season, Mustain Battled it out with Matt Barkley for the starting job. However, Pete Carrol decided to hand the reigns to true freshman Matt Barkley, and as a result, Mustain spent another season as a backup. 2010 saw more of the same for Mustain as he again backed up Barkley. In his career at USC, Mustain accumulated 495 yards, 2 td’s, and 3 ints, with a completion percentage of 58%

Strengths

• Mustain is a flat out winner. Since taking over the QB job in his freshman year of highschool, Mustain has led his teams to a record of 61-3 with his only collegiate loss coming in a 2010 start for USC.
• Solid Build
• Good Arm Strength
• Great football IQ
• Accurate on the run

Weaknesses

• Very little tape on Mustain
• Makes ill advised throws
• Footwork is a concern
• Not as athletic as teams would like to see
• Struggles with accuracy from time to time. One throw will look like an NFL throw, and the next a high school throw.

All in all, Mustain remains a toss up, but here at bleeping idiots, we advise to keep an eye on Mitch Mustain. He very well may be one of those players who is far more productive in the NFL than he was in College

Projected Draft Status- 6th Round (Raiders, Cardinals, Titans, Seahawks, Saints)

3.) Tyrod Taylor, QB, Va Tech

Height- 6-1

Weight- 212

This is my personal favorite in the list of draft gems as I have extremely high hopes for Tyrod Taylors NFL career. Taylor was an absolute star at Hampton High School throwing for 5,144 yards and 44 td’s and rushing for an additional 2,545 yards and 56 td’s. Coming out of high school, Tyrod attended the Elite 11 qb camp and was awarded the “Best Feet on a QB” award. He was the #1 rated dual threat qb, and the #3 Ranked overall QB in the nation.

The expectations were extremely high for Taylor as he arrived at Va Tech. In freshman training, he ran a 4.5 in the 40 yard dash.

Taylor never disappointed. He spent his freshman and Sophomore years at Va Tech sharing time with Quarterback Sean Glennon. During those years, Taylor flashed that incredible athleticism that made him the #1 ranked dual threat QB. He accumulated 1,158 yards rushing and 13 td’s. Taylor struggled in the pass game however, completing only 55% of his passes with 7 td’s and 10 int’s.

Taylor entered his Junior season as the unquestioned starter. After spending the whole off season working on his footwork, and accuracy, Taylor showed off a much improved arm. He completed 57% of his passes, for 2,311 yards with 13 td’s and 5 int’s. Taylor also engineered one of the greatest wins in team history vs. Nebraska.

In his junior season, Taylor was asked to hold off on running the ball because if he were injured, Tech would be left without a capable backup. In his senior season however, the reigns were removed and Taylor was let loose. After 2 heartbreaking losses in a row against Boise St. and James Madison. Taylor showed his leadership skills by calling a captains meeting and rallying the troops. The players rallied around Taylor and he led them to an 11 win streak to finish out the season. Taylor was sharp in the pass game, showing accuracy he had not yet shown. He also looked much faster and more agile than ever before. Taylor finished his senior campaign with a 60% completion percentage, 2,743 yards, 24 td’s, and 5 int’s. He also added 659 yards rushing and an additional 5 td’s.

Taylor in the next in a line of QB’s to come out of Hampton Roads VA. Following the likes of Michael Vick, Aaron Brooks, and Marcus Vick. Both Brooks and Michael Vick were able to produce at the next level and I believe Taylor will as well. Many scouts have him listed as a WR for the upcoming NFL Draft, but a closer look at Taylors strengths and weaknesses show otherwise.

Strengths

• Unparalleled athletic ability in comparison to the other QB’s in this draft.
• Extremely quick. Much quicker than he is fast, has agility and burst that is eerily similar to that of Michael Vick
• Great acceleration
• Incredible Arm strength
• Solid intangibles as proved in his Senior season when he rallied his team to come back from an 0-2 start to finish the season 11-2
• Phenomenal Footwork, moves in the pocket extremely well, and almost always gets his feet in the right position to deliver an accurate throw
• Always looks down field when scrambling. This is a player that warrants all of the comparisons he gets to Michael Vick, but this is the major thing that separates them. Where Vick would look to take off and run, Taylor is already more polished than Vick was. Taylor scrambles with his eyes down field, waiting as long as possible for a Receiver to break open before he decides to tuck it in and run. Don’t believe me? Check out his plays against Standford in the Orange bowl, or his comeback against Nebraska in the 09 season.

Weaknesses

• Decision making can be called into question
• Not ideal size for a QB, and will have balls batted down by the D linemen
• Struggles with accuracy from time to time, especially down field
• Durability? Has been known to get banged up from time to time
• Tends to trust his legs to much sometimes and as a result will bail out of the pocket before a play develops. He has much improved on this over the years, but will need a little more improvement

Overall, Taylor is going to be one to watch. He has made enormous strides over his 4 seasons at Va Tech and shows great promise if an NFL team is willing to give him a shot at QB. He will give you everything he has on every play. Even though he has struggled with accuracy from time to time, I have also seen him make throws that no one else in College football could make. Keep an Eye out for Tyrod Taylor

Projected Draft Status- 5th round pick (Eagles, 49ers, Saints, Bengals)

Our standards of choosing players are as follows…

Quarterback

• Agile
• Quick Burst
• Average ability to pass the football

Running Back

• Must be able to handle the ball in open field
• Have the ability to throw

Wide Receiver

• Able to adapt to different scenario’s
• 1 must have the ability to throw

Tight End

• Good blocker
• Effective in red zone

Offensive Line

• Great protection for agile quarterback

Quarterback

Winner: Michael Vick

Although Michael Vick may not technically be in the NFL at this time, there is no denying Vick’s skill set.  Never before has the NFL seen a more dynamic QB than Michael Vick on the run.  Vick would take over the QB position which in the wildcat offense is typically played by a RB. However, with Michael Vick’s 4.4 speed and his top notch acceleration and agility, combined with his ability to throw the football, makes him a much more dangerous threat in the wildcat QB slot.

Runner Up: Seneca Wallace

Seneca is a close second, but does not possess as much pure running talent as Michael Vick does.

Troy Smith

Pat White

Vince Young

Running Back

Winner: Ronnie Brown

Ronnie Brown is an athletic freak, he combines his 230 pound frame with sub 4.4 speed into one unbelievable athlete.  Brown showed last season while running the wildcat that he possess the necessary vision to fulfill this role. Brown also possesses the ability to cut loose and throw the football down field, which is important when filling the slot of the RB in a wildcat offense. Brown is a tenacious runner once he gets a full head of steam and at this position in the wildcat, he will receive the ball with a running head start. Our advice to oncoming defenders…goodluck

Runner Up: Ladainian Tomlinson

This was a tough call, as there were 3-4 RB who would really make great wildcat RB’s however, due to Tomlinson’s 5 star caliber talent, and his ability to throw the football, he assumes the role of runner up.

Darren McFadden

Michael Bush

Reggie Bush

Adrian Peterson

Wide Receiver

(2) Winner: Larry Fitzgerald and Brad Smith

Most people reading this are probably saying to themselves “Brad Smith!?!?” but we believe he is the best option to have as the secondary receiver in the wildcat offense.  This is because the secondary receiver in a wildcat offense is a very versatile position, he may run routes, comes around for a reverse, or take a pitch and throw the ball down field. In college, Brad Smith was the first Division 1-A player to pass for 8,000 yards and run for 4,000 yards in his career. All these skills combined are why Brad Smith becomes the best choice.

(2) Runner Up: Calvin Johnson and Antwaan Randle El

Matt Jones

Hines Ward

Joshua Cribbs

Devin Hester

Tight End

(2) Winner: Kellen Winslow and Antonio Gates

(2) Runner Up: Chris Cooley and Tony Gonzalez

Offensive Line

Winner(s): Jason Peters, Joe Thomas, Jake Long, Alex Brown, Jeff Saturday

1.) Devin Hester - For many obvious reasons this Superstar Kick Returner is the best in the business. Hester isn’t the fastest man in the league, but Hester’s acceleration, vision, and cutting ability is what sets him apart from the rest of the league. Hester holds the record for Most touchdown returns in a season(6), Most Touchdown Kick and Punt returns in a season(6), Most touchdown returns as a rookie(6), Most touchdown returns in one game (2). Hester also held the Longest Play in NFL History that he shared with Nathan Vasher until Antonio Cromartie took it. Hester was recently rewarded with a fresh contract for $30 million with $15 million guaranteed. In Hester’s contract, he has incentives for $10 million roster bonus if he reaches the level of a #1 receiver.

2.) Reggie Bush -Reggie Bush became a phenom at USC with his own personal highlight real in each game. Reggie Bush recorded 100 catches in a season as a running back in New Orleans. Bush has a Barry Sanders-Like stopping ability that allows him to change directions effortlessly. Reports have Bush recording a 4.33 40 time.

3.) Antonio Cromartie – Cromartie is a record holder with the Longest Play in NFL History of 109 yards. This is the only record in the NFL that can, and never will be broken. Cromartie recorded a franchise-record 10 interceptions in 2007. Cromartie has a combination of size and speed that allows him to jump, cover, tackle, and dominate other players.

4.) Joshua Cribbs - The undrafted return man in Cleveland has made a name for himself on the opposing team’s scouting report. Cribbs has made it his job making people miss on punt/kick returns in 2007. Cribbs has the ability to make one cut and the next thing you know the opposing team is chasing behind him.

5.) Vince Young – Vince is 6’5 233. Unbelievably big, unbelievably fast, and unbelivably strong… Young has deceivingly fast speed due to his long stride. He is another open field runner that has the ability to just straight out run past you.

6.) Randy Moss – Randy Moss is a freak of an athlete… Reports are that Moss recorded a 4.25 40 Yard Dash, and rumors of a 4.13 40 in High School. Moss has an unbelievable jumping ability that allows him to “Moss” his defenders by jumping over them and pulling the ball out of the air. Highlights of Moss will prove to you that he is a top NFL athlete. Randy Moss holds records of most TD receptions as a rookie(17), and single season TD record(23).

7.) Michael Vick - Well this one would be easy… He isn’t exactly an NFL player at the moment, BUT I thought he deserves some recognition for his athleticism.Vick’s skills on the field come from him being a deadly threat in the open field. He has the shifty ability to avoid a crowd of tacklers, and the acceleration to burst through tight openings. Vick became the first ever quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, Vick also set the record for most Yards per Carry(8.4), Vick has a number of more records for 2 rushing tandem’s of QB and RB. He is a different breed of quarterback never before seen…

A new weekly story I will be blogging every week is Bleeping Idiot of the Week, choosing the one person each week I feel that just not up-to-par in the sports world.

This week’s Bleeping Idiot is Marcus Vick, no not Michael Vick, his younger delinquent brother and the other former Virginia Tech Quarterback who has had a few run-ins with the law and problems in life. Marcus also had a temporary career with the Miami Dolphins in 2007. Police reports say a bicycle patrol officer(aka Lance Armstrong cop) saw Vick and a female involved in an altercation in a car around 2 a.m. The officer confronted them and offered assistance, then asked Vick for his driver’s license. Police say Vick then sped away, but was stopped minutes later. Vick was charged with DUI, misdemeanor avoiding police, reckless driving, driving on the wrong side of the road, and driving a suspended license. C’mon, call a cab next time with some of that dog betting money and save yourself from another headline on every major sports network.

This kid has to get his life together, I don’t understand why he is not doing what he’s best at(besides getting in trouble) playing football. It makes me wonder why guy’s like him aren’t playing in Canada or in the Arena league. Do they think they are to good for it? Or is he just having to much fun driving around drunk at 2 a.m. Below is a timeline with Marcus’s troubles on and off the field at VT, he also was charged with waving a gun at 3 teenagers in a McDonald’s parking lot during an altercation.

The first thing I thought when I read about this incident, is that I feel terrible for his mother Ms. Vick. Her two children had all the potential in the world to succeed in life, a great education and they were two of the best athletes in the nation. I guess they just grew up with the wrong crowd and got involved with the wrong types of people. I completely understand that they are human’s too, and everyone makes mistakes, but there has to be a point where he realizes its time to grow up…

Marcus get your life together…

Timeline of Trouble Marcus Vick’s on- and off-field problems since he enrolled at Virginia Tech in 2002:
– Associated Press

Sept. 2, 2003
Suspended for one game by coach Frank Beamer for undisclosed reason.

Feb. 17, 2004
Arrested without incident and charged with four misdemeanors — three for allegedly allowing the underage girls to have alcohol and one for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old at a January party. Released on $2,500 bond.

May 14, 2004
Convicted of three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and sentenced to 30 days in jail and fined $2,250. Found innocent of having sex with the 15-year-old.

July 3, 2004
Charged with reckless driving and possession of marijuana after a traffic stop about 25 miles east of Richmond at 2:30 a.m. Police said he was clocked at 86 mph, 21 mph above the speed limit, and that the vehicle stunk of marijuana.

July 6, 2004
Indefinitely suspended from football team for off-field problems.

Aug. 3, 2004
Suspended from the university for the 2004 season on same day he pleads guilty to reckless driving and no contest to marijuana possession in New Kent. Is fined $300, has driver’s license suspended for 60 days and is placed in a first offender program on the marijuana charge, requiring that he perform 24 hours of community service, undergo drug counseling and random drug tests, and give up his driver’s license for six months.

Sept. 13, 2004
In plea deal, pleads no contest to one misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Receives 30-day suspended jail sentence, is fined $100, ordered to perform 24 hours of community service and stay away from the teenage girls.

Jan. 17, 2005
Cleared to rejoin football team and re-enroll at Virginia Tech.

Oct. 1, 2005
Leads No. 3 Hokies to 34-20 victory at West Virginia, and makes obscene gesture to fans who have been calling him names related to past problems throughout the game. He apologized a day later.

Dec. 17, 2005
Pulled over by police in Hampton for driving 38 mph in a 25 mph zone and driving with a suspended license.

Jan. 2, 2006
Leads Virginia Tech to a 35-24 win over Louisville in Gator Bowl. In the game, he stomped on the left calf of Cardinals All-American defensive end Elvis Dumervil, the NCAA sacks leader. Claims the incident was accidental and that he apologized to Dumervil, who denies ever receiving apology.

Jan. 6, 2006
Is kicked off team at Virginia Tech for legal trouble and unsportsmanlike conduct in Gator Bowl.