ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has studied players with Georgia connections as he prepares for his first prime-time NFL Draft show.
One player who has caught Kiper's eye is Morehouse tackle Ramon Harewood.
"I'm a big Harewood fan," Kiper said. "I think he could be a right tackle or he could be a guard."
Harewood, at 6-foot-6 and 353 pounds, certainly has NFL size.
A native of Barbados, he started playing football three years ago. Before that, he was more at home playing cricket, rugby and volleyball.
A team looking to develop an offensive lineman could turn to Harewood in the late rounds of the NFL Draft, which will be held April 22-24.
Thomas to Baltimore
Kiper believes that Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas will be selected by the Baltimore Ravens, who have had trouble developing wide receivers. The Ravens have the 25th pick in the first round.
Thomas would get to learn under Derrick Mason and Anquan Boldin, if he's selected by the Ravens.
"He needs a little time," Kiper said. "He's coming off a broken foot. He comes from a run-oriented offense where they just basically threw him [screens] and let him run and use that 6-3, 220-pound frame or they'd throw it up deep to him ... in the NFL he's got a lot to learn about route running and the route tree."
Burnett to Seattle
Kiper has Tech safety Morgan Burnett headed to Seattle in the second round of the draft.
"I thought he had a better year, two years ago," Kiper said. "People kind of found him and steered away from his area."
Weatherspoon to Arizona
Several mock drafts have the Falcons selecting Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon. But Kiper and others have them taking Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham.
"[Weatherspoon is] going in the 20s, somewhere in there," Kiper said. "That's why I have him going to Arizona at 26."
Graham would be a first
In his two previous drafts, Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff has steered clear of players from the Big Ten. Graham played in the Big Ten.
Here’s a conference breakdown of Dimitroff’s 19 picks:
- Pac-10: Tackle Sam Baker (USC), safety Thomas DeCoud (California), linebacker Robert James (Arizona State) and cornerback Wilrey Fontenot (Arizona).
- ACC: Quarterback Matt Ryan (Boston College), guard/tackle Garrett Reynolds (North Carolina), linebacker Spencer Adkins (Miami) and defensive tackle Vance Walker (Georgia Tech).
- SEC: Cornerback Chevis Jackson (LSU), running back Thomas Brown (Georgia), tight end Keith Zinger (LSU), and defensive tackle Peria Jerry (Mississippi).
- Big 12: Linebacker Curtis Lofton (Oklahoma) and safety William Moore (Missouri).
- Big East: Wide receiver Harry Douglas (Louisville).
- Western Athletic: Cornerback Christopher Owens (San Jose State).
- Big Sky: Defensive end Kroy Biermann (Montana).
- Atlantic 10: Defensive end Lawrence Sidbury (Richmond).
- Southern: Cornerback William Middleton (Furman).
About the Author
