2007 SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFT
When: July 12, 2007
Where: Conducted by conference call
How it works: Unlike the regular draft, it a team is interested in selecting a player it submits a 'bid' indicating which round it would take the player. The player is then awarded to the team indicating the highest round. If two or more teams indicate the same round, the player is awarded to the team with the highest pick in that round at the 2007 draft. If a team is awarded a player in the supplemental draft, they forfeit their pick in the corresponding round at the 2008 draft. Players which are not selected in the supplemental draft become free agents able to sign with any team.
Players available
Jared Gaither, LT, Maryland… 6-8, 350, JR… Entered the 2007 summer supplemental draft when he was declared academically ineligible for the upcoming season; technically would only have been a true junior this fall, but is eligible to jump to the pros because he attended a prep school for a year after high school. Imposing physical presence with the potential to be a shut down LT at the next level; indeed, may be about the closest thing to current Baltimore Pro Bowler Jonathan Ogden to come along in a while, but is still just starting to scratch the surface of his talent; relative newcomer to football who was a basketball player in high school and actually originally signed to play hoops with South Carolina before switching to football; played only one year of prep football and that at DT; tall player with a huge wingspan; naturally strong with good athletic skills including a 36-inch vertical leap which would have been three inches more than the highest figure at this year’s combine; may not time all that well in the 40, but is very nimble on his feet; slides around the pocket with ease and can change directions; has excellent balance and can change directions; athletic knee bender, but needs to concentrate on keeping his pads low all the time; not exactly a road grader but is a solid enough run blocker who gets good position and locks on with long arms; did not allow a sack in 2005 when he started every game at LT for the Terps replacing an injured Stephon Heyer; maturity came into question last fall, though, when he reportedly sulked and got into the coaches’ doghouse after being moved to RT when Heyer was granted another year of eligibility; was suspended briefly at camp last fall and was later suspended from last year's bowl game for violating team rules, although it likely related to missing classes; also battled some nagging injuries late last season… Based on pure physical potential, Gaither may be the best supplemental draft prospect since Bernie Kosar was taken with what turned out to be a #1 pick overall back in the late 1980s, but is a real wild card because of concerns about his level of maturity and work ethic. Complicating the decision for many teams will be the fact that the 2008 draft looks like it will be relatively deep at OT. Teams that use a supplemental pick will, of course, lose their selection in that round at the 2008 draft and teams thinking about bidding on Gaither with an early supplemental choice will have to try and project where they will pick next April and which OTs are likely to be available at that time.
Paul Oliver, CB, Georgia… 5-10.5, 195, SR, 4.58… Productive all-SEC cover corner who like Gaither, opted to enter the supplemental draft because he was going to be academically ineligible this fall; had been thought of as a potential early to mid second rounder, but had a disappointing pro day workout late last month. Oliver had been listed at over 6 feet and almost 210 pounds by the school, but actually measured in at under 5-11 and just 195 pounds. Worse for Oliver, he only ran in the mid-to-high 4.5 range for the 40, with at least one team reportedly timing him in over 4.6 seconds. Oliver also didn’t score all that well in some of the other tests posting just a 33-inch vertical leap and a 3-cone-drill time of over 7.3 seconds. For the record, that time in the 3-cone drill would have been the second worst among CBs at this year’s scouting combine, while the vertical leap would also have been in the lower third of combine participants at the position. That said, Oliver did show good footwork and ball skills; he also has the ability to turn and run with most receivers; he also has long arms and the size and strength to battle taller receivers for the ball when its in the air; he’s also an excellent tackler in the open field; and while that 40 time was relatively slow the consensus is that Oliver plays faster; indeed, if he was a little taller teams might actually start to think about Oliver as a potential safety; only started one year at UGA where he had 57 tackles and picked off three passes; also limited Georgia Tech WR Calvin Johnson, the second player selected at the 2007 draft, to 2 catches and 13 yards in the Dawgs’ regular season finale this past fall. … After his disappointing workout, Oliver probably compares now to Daymeion Hughes, the very productive Cal CB who wasn’t taken until the comp picks in the 3rd round (96th overall) after a series of poor workouts prior to the draft. Oliver doesn’t have Hughes’ instincts, but he is still a very physical corner who is an excellent tackler and will be targeted by teams holding extra mid-round picks at the 2008 draft.
Chris Patrick, OT, Nebraska… 6-4.5, 303, SR, 5.20… While UGA’s Oliver stock slid because of a poor workout, the Huskers’ Patrick saw his status rise after a solid workout. Indeed, there were some reports that Patrick was timed in the 40 in around 5.10 seconds, For the record, only 2-3 offensive linemen timed better at the combine. Later reports, though, suggest that Patrick’s time was actually closer to 5.30 but even that time would have put him in the top half of this year’s combine offensive lineman. Patrick also did 31 reps bench-pressing 225 pounds and turned in a 27-inch vertical leap, again both of which compare favorably with the numbers posted at the combine. Indeed, Patrick is a very good athlete who came to Nebraska as a DE and brings a lit of that nasty defensive temperment to the OL. While Patrick was Nebraska’s starting LT last season, he isn’t all that big at a bulked up 300-plus pounder, and the consensus seems to be that he’d be better suited to playing OG at the next level. In fact, actually only started two games for the Huskers, but because of his experience at OT might have a little extra value because of his versatility. Still its hard to see many teams be being willing to part with anything more than a very late round pick to acquire Patrick.
Robert Armstrong, DT, Morgan State… 6-4, 319, SR… Certainly has the size to play at the next level; also has some decent some short-area quickness; also has some pass-rush potential for an interior defender; however, underwent pretty serious back surgery a couple years ago and later was suspended from Maryland for unspecified reasons… free-agent type..
Mark Washington, DE/LB, Texas State… 6-4, 255, SR, 4.58… Signed originally at Arizona; has decent size and an explosive first step and good closing speed, but has never been that productive posting just 3.5 sacks last season, although he played out of posirion as an undersized DT. If he doesn’t make it in football Washington may have a future as a poet as he’s had some of his work published...free agent type.
