Yesterday's post included two possible third-round prospective offensive linemen that the Arizona Cardinals could possibly target in this year's NFL Draft. Seth Cox from The Sports Headquarters put together some great notes on both Brandon Brooks and Mitchell Schwartz and both of them would bring some much needed qualities to this Cardinals football team.
Going deeper into the draft, there are even more possible diamonds in the rough that the organization could very well have on their board. After the jump, I will give you two more names that Seth suggested to me and some scouting notes on each.
Zebrie Sanders is another 3rd round offensive tackle coming out of Florida State. He is a large player that fits the Russ Grimm mold, standing in at 6'6" and 320 pounds. At the NFL Combine, he showed great athleticism by running a 5.41 second 40-yard dash, an 8.15 second 3 cone drill and he even had 28 reps of 225 pounds on the bench.
Here are some notes from Seth on Sanders:
- Huge frame with room to grow that also has massive reach of almost 35in arms.
- Excellent, natural athlete with good bend, flexibility and quickness.
- Good pass protection technique.
- Has to get stronger at the point of attack and finishing plays.
- Questions on his desire.
Sanders is a natural athlete that can come in and play the right side until he gets strong enough to move over to the left side. He has a chance to be an above average left tackle in this league, maybe even cracking the top 12, but there are question marks that can't be overlooked including his strength and more importantly, his desire is more than a worry.
Are the Cardinals willing to take a gamble on a guy that runs so hot and cold? I am not really a fan of Sanders for the Cardinals. I am not sure the team wants to take on someone that may or may not have the desire to be a star in the league.
Having the determination and motor to excel in this league is often something that can be overlooked. If Sanders lacks that desire, then in now way, shape or form do I want him on this team.
The next player that Seth brought to my attention is Brandon Washington, a guard that played at the U, otherwise known as the University of Miami. Washington is 6'3", weighing 320 pounds with 33" arms. He has good size and arm length to be an interior lineman in the NFL.
During the Combine, he ran a 5.19 second 40-yard dash, an 8.22 second 3 cone drill and he also had 28 reps on the bench.
Here are Seth's thoughts on Washington:
- Naturally built and strong throughout his body.
- Thick lower half that is well defined.
- Super athletic, not just for his frame, but for any offensive lineman.
- Great bend, quickness and set in kick step and getting depth in pass protection.
- Explosive at pulling that shifts his weight well and dominates defenders.
- Needs to play with a lower, more aggressive pad level.
- Footwork is raw, and relies on his athleticism way to much instead of technique.
Will get over drafted because of how many tools he has in the toolbox (bad pun I am sorry). Has the ability to come in, learn and play backup for a while and then take over and become a dominant type guard.
Can he turn his potential into starter gold? Is he someone the Cardinals can mature, something they haven't been able to do under this regime?
To me, Washington sounds like a project player. With all the holes on the roster and the fact that the Cardinals do not have a 2nd round pick this year, can the team afford to spend such a valuable pick on a player that will take time to develop? It is possible, but it is also a risk.
What are your thoughts on Zebrie Sanders and Brandon Washington? Would you like to see the Cardinals draft either of these two players? Tomorrow, we will dive into more players, but the next ones will be 4th round prospects.
Tell us what you think in the comments section. To check out more of Seth's draft expertise, check out his website, The Sports Headquarters.
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