Potential NFL Talent

He's 15th in the country in average yards per punt.

Last year he was 27th.

He can certainly be a top 10 punter in the NCAA his senior year.

I don't care if he strikes them with his backside. I'll take those numbers.

You may not care how he strikes them (and neither do I if they hit the ground and roll 20 yards like they have been to pad his numbers) but the NFL will care which is why he isn't NFL talent.
 

You may not care how he strikes them (and neither do I if they hit the ground and roll 20 yards like they have been to pad his numbers) but the NFL will care which is why he isn't NFL talent.

2013 All Big Ten Honorable Mention

He misses a couple, but I'm not sure why you think they all bounce 20 yards. That's not sustainable and he wouldn't be a top 15 punter if he relied on that because half of them would bounce the wrong way.
 

2013 All Big Ten Honorable Mention

He misses a couple, but I'm not sure why you think they all bounce 20 yards. That's not sustainable and he wouldn't be a top 15 punter if he relied on that because half of them would bounce the wrong way.

Go back and re-watch the games. He miss hits more than he hits well. And no the ball doesn't bounce backwards 50% of the time, that is not how it works. Punters punt the ball differently when they want it to stop dead like for example kicking at a goal line vs when they are punting to kick it far.

Only 2 punters get drafted every year. There is no way he should be on the list of NFL prospects.
 

Long time lurker, first time poster. FWIW I'm charting the Gophers' senior prospects this year as a regional guy for a scouting service.

Damien Wilson will get a 3rd or 4th round grade. He plays a solid all around game and has good instincts. His size and long arms will attract interest.

Eric Murray will get a 3rd or 4th round grade. He's been up and down this year but at his best he can take away a decent #1 or #2 receiver for long stretches. Good height and physicality.

Other than those two, no draftable guys. Epping and Wells should be snapped up quick in free agency and stay with a squad at least through training camp. Olson, Thompson, and Botticelli will probably be low end free agents that stick around for a few weeks

So you're saying Cobb not only won't get drafted but isn't even a UFA prospect? Cmon now, lol.
 

Go back and re-watch the games. He miss hits more than he hits well. And no the ball doesn't bounce backwards 50% of the time, that is not how it works. Punters punt the ball differently when they want it to stop dead like for example kicking at a goal line vs when they are punting to kick it far.

Only 2 punters get drafted every year. There is no way he should be on the list of NFL prospects.

Good thing 49% of the punters on this list weren't drafted.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/player/_/stat/punting/sort/puntYards
 


It is still very early to tell but in terms of the Mortell simply because it appears his leg is NFL caliber but his mechanics or performance is still iffy. There may be a special teams coach that identifies a qwerk in his mechanics, is confident enough to draft him, and thus makes him NFL material. The likelyhood of that happening however is still yet to be seen and up for speculation.
 

Good thing 49% of the punters on this list weren't drafted.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/player/_/stat/punting/sort/puntYards

Good thing you didn't read the OP where he said which kids could earn draft spots. But i'll humor your statistic. So 4 punters then each year (2 drafted (51%) and 2 undrafted (49%) are essentially NFL talent. Is Mortell in the top 4? Not even close. Is he top 4 in the B1G yes he has the top avg barely but I doubt he will end the season there. As you said eventually some will not bounce favorably for him.

Go back and watch his punts. He has 1 each game that is nice. 1 that is maybe OK and the rest are just horrible line drive low kicks that are so bad the return man can't even get close to catching them and then they bounce 20 yards to pad his stats. Either you just plain haven't watched his kicks, or maybe you don't understand what a good punt is?

EliteOPinionGuy may be right and maybe a different coach could fix his mechanics but right now he is no where near NFL caliber in his consistency. NFL guys may shank one every once in a while but the rest of their punts they at least can get up in the air which is something that Mortell cannot do consistently.
 

senior prospects

Seniors who may or will get NFL Looks:

LB Wilson 6'2" 249, Great size/speed/instincts might be a better Ilb in a 3-4. Again if he runs 4.75+ 4th round or later. If he runs under a 4.7 he could go in the 3rd.

RB Cobb 5'11" 229, reminds me of Shon Greene one cut runner with great balance. If he runs a 4.6+ i see 4th round or later, If he can run under 4.6 he could see the 3rd round.


G Epping 6-2 318, not sure how athletic he is.. late round pick.

S/CB Wells 6 200, seemed to play better at safety than corner. Possible free agent type who could stick because of special teams. Doubt he runs faster than 4.65 .
 

Seniors who may or will get NFL Looks:

LB Wilson 6'2" 249, Great size/speed/instincts might be a better Ilb in a 3-4. Again if he runs 4.75+ 4th round or later. If he runs under a 4.7 he could go in the 3rd.

RB Cobb 5'11" 229, reminds me of Shon Greene one cut runner with great balance. If he runs a 4.6+ i see 4th round or later, If he can run under 4.6 he could see the 3rd round.


G Epping 6-2 318, not sure how athletic he is.. late round pick.

S/CB Wells 6 200, seemed to play better at safety than corner. Possible free agent type who could stick because of special teams. Doubt he runs faster than 4.65 .

Wells is interesting because he's probably played better at S but this year has been used as a hybrid safety/nickel guy and done well, but he has CB size in the NFL and he hasn't been able to stay healthy. I definitely think he's faster than a 4.65 and would put him around the 4.5 range. Speed has never been his issue, health has been
 



I have not been impressed with Wells's body of work; don't get me wrong, he's a decent player, but I don't see NFL talent. Perhaps my assessment is due to his injuries.

As much as I love Cobb, I see him as a 4th-7th round pick b/c of his apparent lack of upper end speed.
 

As much as I love Cobb, I see him as a 4th-7th round pick b/c of his apparent lack of upper end speed.

Yes, when Cobb runs a 4.7-4.8 at the combine, that will scare most NFL teams away.

I also have a theory that this is why Cobb has been worked hard, with 30-35 carries per game this year. Cobb and Kill are realistic, and know that this could be his last year of football.
 

I also have a theory that this is why Cobb has been worked hard, with 30-35 carries per game this year. Cobb and Kill are realistic, and know that this could be his last year of football.

Maybe, but I think it also has to do with the fact that he was rarely used his first two years.
 

There is no way David Cobb runs a 4.7 to 4.8 time in the fourty

Yes, when Cobb runs a 4.7-4.8 at the combine, that will scare most NFL teams away.

I also have a theory that this is why Cobb has been worked hard, with 30-35 carries per game this year. Cobb and Kill are realistic, and know that this could be his last year of football.

Does he have elite track speed, or sprinter speed no, but the guy is not a slow 4.7 to 4.8 as suggested here. I would be willing to bet a 4.58 to 4.62 range is more than likely his true speed in pads. What will be important to the scouts is the fact that he doesn't get tackled on first contact and his shuttle times, cutting ability and vision. They are going to want to see if is a good pass catcher, that will be what factors in most when the pro scouts start judging him at the combine. I'm not saying Cobb is an above the 4th round guy, he is likely 5th to 7th round guy to free agent. Keep in mind he likely will go to one of those agility and speed camp training centers after first semester to prepare for the combine.
Teams are going to like his make-up and that he will test well on those other non-athletic tests, and the fact that he has been a winner the two years he has played in college.
 



Rumor is that Murray will declare early, so I've done eval for him as well. He's pretty highly thought of among Midwest/B1G scouts.

Cobb will be a low priority FA signing if that. May just be best to call it a career.

He will very likely run 4.70+ with poor shuttle and three-cone scores. He unfortunately doesn't have NFL chops.
 

Rumor is that Murray will declare early, so I've done eval for him as well. He's pretty highly thought of among Midwest/B1G scouts.

Cobb will be a low priority FA signing if that. May just be best to call it a career.

He will very likely run 4.70+ with poor shuttle and three-cone scores. He unfortunately doesn't have NFL chops.

Me smells a troll.
 

You honestly think Cobb is that slow?

Rumor is that Murray will declare early, so I've done eval for him as well. He's pretty highly thought of among Midwest/B1G scouts.

Cobb will be a low priority FA signing if that. May just be best to call it a career.
I believe the Murray stuff, he get's thrown at and still recovers well and makes plays and with his size the agents and coaches might even indicate to him that he should enter the draft.

"He will very likely run 4.70+ with poor shuttle and three-cone scores. He unfortunately doesn't have NFL chops.
"

I'm not buying that Cobb is 4.7+ or higher, that and with his cutback ability that he will score really poor in the shuttle or 3 cone scores drill, but to each his own in evaluation I guess.
A kid that is geting better at football in hitting holes, has dropped substantial weight and improves with each game and is Damien Wilson's cousin (another kid that is getting better each game, shares genetics), and he Cobb should just call it a career in football because an annoymous Midwest scouting service guy say's he doesn't have NFL chops. I know he is not an elite speed guy but the kid makes plays and has want to, something you don't teach on evaluation charts.
Running back may not be a premium position but if Cobb is a low priority free agent then some NFL team is going to get one hell of a steal of a football player when it is all said and done.
I have seen backs with way better straightline speed and supposed superior talent and physical tools fail a lot more than David Cobb ever has.

If I'm a betting man I'm betting on David Cobb making it to the NFL and actually playing. If Marquies Gray(even if fringe back up position or special teams) making a few bucks, can get an NFL job, David Cobb can get an NFL job.
 

Rumor is that Murray will declare early, so I've done eval for him as well. He's pretty highly thought of among Midwest/B1G scouts.

Cobb will be a low priority FA signing if that. May just be best to call it a career.

He will very likely run 4.70+ with poor shuttle and three-cone scores. He unfortunately doesn't have NFL chops.

Cobb will be drafted.
 

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Rumor is that Murray will declare early, so I've done eval for him as well. He's pretty highly thought of among Midwest/B1G scouts.

Cobb will be a low priority FA signing if that. May just be best to call it a career.

He will very likely run 4.70+ with poor shuttle and three-cone scores. He unfortunately doesn't have NFL chops.

If you really are a scout, which just about everything you've said thus far leads me to believe the contrary, then I think you are the one who should maybe call it a career.
 

I love Cobb, our success is due largely to his workhorse durability and result to quit at first contact. I'm a Gopher fan first.

He's just not that talented. He's the type of player that scouts will always "like" but when it comes time to make those draft picks and camp cuts he will be lost in the shuffle.

I expect him to have a very similar combine to Antonio Andrews out of WKU last year. Another very productive college back that can't make the transition to the next level.
 

I'm going to interject here and say that Denard Robinson is currently a starting NFL running back. David Cobb > Denard Robinson.
 



I love Cobb, our success is due largely to his workhorse durability and result to quit at first contact. I'm a Gopher fan first.

He's just not that talented. He's the type of player that scouts will always "like" but when it comes time to make those draft picks and camp cuts he will be lost in the shuffle.

I expect him to have a very similar combine to Antonio Andrews out of WKU last year. Another very productive college back that can't make the transition to the next level.


Time for you to stop pretending.
 

I'm going to interject here and say that Denard Robinson is currently a starting NFL running back. David Cobb > Denard Robinson.

He also ran 4.43, verted 36.5", and had a 20 yard shuttle of 4.22, fastest among RBs at the combine. That's an absolutely elite athlete who was always special in the open field as a ball carrier. There are outliers, but the majority of RB1s and RB2s on NFL rosters have at least 1 or 2 top tier athletic talents.

Not trolling, just saying. RBs like Cobb don't translate well to the NFL and he won't be a hot commodity at the draft or in free agency.
 

Assuming same guy, he posts a lot on FootballFutures.com and goes to the U.

This is true. I've also been charting the Gophers offense and defensive prospects through tape review for a scouting service.
 

I don't doubt what jshowers is saying is true. David Cobb doesn't have the speed to bust long runs college, how is he going to fare in the NFL when everyone is twice as fast?

Even so, he's a very productive college back and I love that he's a Gopher. Who cares if he's an NFL back or not.
 

I don't doubt what jshowers is saying is true. David Cobb doesn't have the speed to bust long runs college, how is he going to fare in the NFL when everyone is twice as fast?

Even so, he's a very productive college back and I love that he's a Gopher. Who cares if he's an NFL back or not.

Cobb probably cares for one.
 


Cobb's a smart guy. I'm sure he's been realistic all along that his, along with most college players, chances to play in the NFL are slim.

That doesn't really change the fact that I'm sure he cares whether or not he makes it to the league.

FWIW, I think you two are completely wrong. Cobb my lack elite speed (although he is far from slow) but his incredible vision helps lessen that deficiency.
 




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