College Football Nation: Carlton Mitchell
The NFL's fortnight of drafting -- what, it was only three days? Really? -- came to an end this weekend. I already touched on the first-round results on Friday. Here's a look at where Big East players went the rest of the draft, with some quick comments on each pick:
Second round
No. 37: Nate Allen, S, South Florida, to Philadelphia: No surprise here, as Allen was mentioned as a possible first-rounder at various points.
Third round
No. 65: Jerome Murphy, CB, South Florida to St. Louis: Here is proof that college production isn't always the most important thing to NFL scouts. Murphy struggled against some of the Big East's better receivers, but he has great physical tools and hopefully will find his niche in the pros.
Fourth round
No. 99: Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati, to St. Louis: If you watched any Bearcats games the past two years, you know that the Rams got an absolute steal. Think Sam Bradford will like having Gilyard around?
No. 101: Mike Williams, WR, Syracuse, to Tampa Bay: He was a first-round talent who was lucky to get picked this high given his off-the-field issues.
No. 107: Marcus Easley, WR, UConn, to Buffalo: Easley had great workouts, and though some thought he would go higher than this, it's still a great story for a guy who was a walk-on this time a year ago.
Fifth round
No. 157: Arthur Jones, DT, Syracuse, to Baltimore: Jones was talked about as a possible first-rounder earlier in his career. This is a great value pick for a player who will always give maximum effort.
Sixth round
No. 177: Carlton Mitchell, WR, South Florida, to Cleveland: Mitchell looked impressive in his workouts, but falling to the sixth round makes you question if he made the right choice in skipping his senior year.
No. 182: Nate Byham, TE, Pittsburgh, to San Francisco: The best blocking tight end in the Big East during his career.
No. 204: Tony Pike, QB, Cincinnati, to Carolina: Pike has to be disappointed that he fell this low and that he was drafted by the same team that took Jimmy Clausen a couple rounds earlier.
Seventh round
No. 226: George Selvie, DE, South Florida, to St. Louis: How much would you have bet against the notion that Selvie would be a seventh-round pick at this time last year? Selvie's production dropped after his breakout sophomore year, and now he'll have to prove himself again.
No. 227: Dorin Dickerson, TE, Pittsburgh, to Houston: Surprised to see Dickerson go this low after his great Combine performance. He's a tweener who needs the right team to showcase his skills.
No. 231: Selvish Capers, OT, West Virginia, to Washington: Capers has a lot of talent and potential.
No. 237: Ryan D'Imperio, LB/FB, Rutgers, to Minnesota: The Scarlet Knights' linebacker was drafted as a fullback although he never played it in college.
No. 238: Ricardo Mathews, DT, Cincinnati, to Indianapolis: Mathews didn't get as much attention on the Bearcats' defense as some other players but had a nice senior season.
No. 249: Robert McClain, CB, UConn, to Carolina: McClain had four interceptions last year and also served as the team's punt returner.
Here's a handy-dandy list of NFL Draft picks per Big East school:
South Florida: 5
Rutgers: 3
Cincinnati: 3
Connecticut: 2
Pitt: 2
Syracuse: 2
West Virginia: 1
Louisville: 0
And, finally, some notable players who weren't drafted (I'll have more later on those who signed free-agent contracts): Andre Dixon and Lindsey Witten from UConn; Aaron Webster and Alex Daniels from Cincinnati; Scott Long from Louisville; and Jarrett Brown from West Virginia.
Second round
No. 37: Nate Allen, S, South Florida, to Philadelphia: No surprise here, as Allen was mentioned as a possible first-rounder at various points.
Third round
No. 65: Jerome Murphy, CB, South Florida to St. Louis: Here is proof that college production isn't always the most important thing to NFL scouts. Murphy struggled against some of the Big East's better receivers, but he has great physical tools and hopefully will find his niche in the pros.
Fourth round
No. 99: Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati, to St. Louis: If you watched any Bearcats games the past two years, you know that the Rams got an absolute steal. Think Sam Bradford will like having Gilyard around?
No. 101: Mike Williams, WR, Syracuse, to Tampa Bay: He was a first-round talent who was lucky to get picked this high given his off-the-field issues.
No. 107: Marcus Easley, WR, UConn, to Buffalo: Easley had great workouts, and though some thought he would go higher than this, it's still a great story for a guy who was a walk-on this time a year ago.
Fifth round
No. 157: Arthur Jones, DT, Syracuse, to Baltimore: Jones was talked about as a possible first-rounder earlier in his career. This is a great value pick for a player who will always give maximum effort.
Sixth round
No. 177: Carlton Mitchell, WR, South Florida, to Cleveland: Mitchell looked impressive in his workouts, but falling to the sixth round makes you question if he made the right choice in skipping his senior year.
No. 182: Nate Byham, TE, Pittsburgh, to San Francisco: The best blocking tight end in the Big East during his career.
No. 204: Tony Pike, QB, Cincinnati, to Carolina: Pike has to be disappointed that he fell this low and that he was drafted by the same team that took Jimmy Clausen a couple rounds earlier.
Seventh round
No. 226: George Selvie, DE, South Florida, to St. Louis: How much would you have bet against the notion that Selvie would be a seventh-round pick at this time last year? Selvie's production dropped after his breakout sophomore year, and now he'll have to prove himself again.
No. 227: Dorin Dickerson, TE, Pittsburgh, to Houston: Surprised to see Dickerson go this low after his great Combine performance. He's a tweener who needs the right team to showcase his skills.
No. 231: Selvish Capers, OT, West Virginia, to Washington: Capers has a lot of talent and potential.
No. 237: Ryan D'Imperio, LB/FB, Rutgers, to Minnesota: The Scarlet Knights' linebacker was drafted as a fullback although he never played it in college.
No. 238: Ricardo Mathews, DT, Cincinnati, to Indianapolis: Mathews didn't get as much attention on the Bearcats' defense as some other players but had a nice senior season.
No. 249: Robert McClain, CB, UConn, to Carolina: McClain had four interceptions last year and also served as the team's punt returner.
Here's a handy-dandy list of NFL Draft picks per Big East school:
South Florida: 5
Rutgers: 3
Cincinnati: 3
Connecticut: 2
Pitt: 2
Syracuse: 2
West Virginia: 1
Louisville: 0
And, finally, some notable players who weren't drafted (I'll have more later on those who signed free-agent contracts): Andre Dixon and Lindsey Witten from UConn; Aaron Webster and Alex Daniels from Cincinnati; Scott Long from Louisville; and Jarrett Brown from West Virginia.
What to watch in the Big East, Week 12
November, 19, 2009
11/19/09
8:28
AM ET
By
Brian Bennett | ESPN.com
1. The fight for the Gator Bowl: If UConn wins at Notre Dame, there's a very good chance the Irish will finish 6-6. That would guarantee that the Gator Bowl takes a Big East team and will open up another postseason spot for a league team -- which the Huskies might be able to claim. All of the Big East should be rooting for Connecticut this week, not that it wasn't already doing so.
2. UConn's running game against the Notre Dame defense: Navy ran for 348 yards against the Irish. Pitt piled up 193 yards on the ground versus the Domers. UConn's offense begins with its massive offensive line and revolves around the powerful 1-2 punch of Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon. The Irish defensive front can be pushed around and often has. Running the ball not only helps the Huskies move the chains but also keeps Notre Dame's offense off the field. Speaking of which ...
3. Jimmy Clausen vs. UConn's secondary: When we last saw the Huskies, they were getting steamrolled for 711 total yards and 480 passing yards by Cincinnati. Perhaps the bye week gave Randy Edsall time to shore up the coverage problems. It better have, because if not, Clausen, Michael Floyd and Golden Tate could play pitch and catch all day.
4. Zach Frazer vs. his old team: Charlie Weis didn't think Frazer was good enough to play quarterback for Notre Dame. Ironically, Frazer can now help bring an end to Weis' tenure in South Bend. The UConn quarterback and ex-Notre Dame transfer must keep his emotions in check and stay away from his previous interception problems.
5. The battle for New York: As Syracuse has fallen, Rutgers has risen. Doug Marrone has made no secret of his desire to gain back the recruiting ground that the Orange surrendered to the Scarlet Knights during the Greg Robinson years. One way for Marrone to accomplish that is by beating Rutgers on the field in what should develop into a pretty spirited rivalry in the next few years. But Syracuse is at a major disadvantage this year.
6. Blitzing Paulus: Did you see how confused B.J. Daniels and his offensive line were against Rutgers last Thursday night? Daniels is a redshirt freshman with more college experience than Syracuse quarterback Greg Paulus. So how will Paulus handle the designed-to-confuse pressure schemes that Greg Schiano's defensive staff will fire at him? Paulus has 14 interceptions, more than any other Big East quarterback. Rutgers is tied for second nationally in takeaways. This could get ugly.
7. Kragthorpe's last stand?: Louisville is technically still alive for a bowl bid, which may be Steve Kragthorpe's only chance of keeping his job past this year. But to get to the postseason, the Cardinals will have to win at South Florida, something they've never done. I wouldn't expect an announcement on Kragthorpe's status next week if Louisville loses, but it wouldn't be totally surprising either.
8. South Florida's defensive line vs. Louisville's O-line: The Cardinals' offensive line has been outmatched at times this season, just plain brutal in other stretches. It got overpowered often by Syracuse last week. So this should be a great matchup for the Bulls' defensive front, which played valiantly at Rutgers despite having to spend way too much time on the field. I'd be stunned if South Florida doesn't have at least three or four sacks in this game.
9. B.J. Daniels: Let's face it: Daniels had an awful game at Rutgers, and at times this season he has failed to keep his composure on the sidelines. Louisville's defense has been playing well the last couple of weeks but still has trouble getting consistent pressure on the quarterback. Daniels ought to be able to make some plays, even if his favorite receiver -- Carlton Mitchell -- is still out of the lineup with an ankle injury.
2. UConn's running game against the Notre Dame defense: Navy ran for 348 yards against the Irish. Pitt piled up 193 yards on the ground versus the Domers. UConn's offense begins with its massive offensive line and revolves around the powerful 1-2 punch of Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon. The Irish defensive front can be pushed around and often has. Running the ball not only helps the Huskies move the chains but also keeps Notre Dame's offense off the field. Speaking of which ...
3. Jimmy Clausen vs. UConn's secondary: When we last saw the Huskies, they were getting steamrolled for 711 total yards and 480 passing yards by Cincinnati. Perhaps the bye week gave Randy Edsall time to shore up the coverage problems. It better have, because if not, Clausen, Michael Floyd and Golden Tate could play pitch and catch all day.
4. Zach Frazer vs. his old team: Charlie Weis didn't think Frazer was good enough to play quarterback for Notre Dame. Ironically, Frazer can now help bring an end to Weis' tenure in South Bend. The UConn quarterback and ex-Notre Dame transfer must keep his emotions in check and stay away from his previous interception problems.
5. The battle for New York: As Syracuse has fallen, Rutgers has risen. Doug Marrone has made no secret of his desire to gain back the recruiting ground that the Orange surrendered to the Scarlet Knights during the Greg Robinson years. One way for Marrone to accomplish that is by beating Rutgers on the field in what should develop into a pretty spirited rivalry in the next few years. But Syracuse is at a major disadvantage this year.
6. Blitzing Paulus: Did you see how confused B.J. Daniels and his offensive line were against Rutgers last Thursday night? Daniels is a redshirt freshman with more college experience than Syracuse quarterback Greg Paulus. So how will Paulus handle the designed-to-confuse pressure schemes that Greg Schiano's defensive staff will fire at him? Paulus has 14 interceptions, more than any other Big East quarterback. Rutgers is tied for second nationally in takeaways. This could get ugly.
7. Kragthorpe's last stand?: Louisville is technically still alive for a bowl bid, which may be Steve Kragthorpe's only chance of keeping his job past this year. But to get to the postseason, the Cardinals will have to win at South Florida, something they've never done. I wouldn't expect an announcement on Kragthorpe's status next week if Louisville loses, but it wouldn't be totally surprising either.
8. South Florida's defensive line vs. Louisville's O-line: The Cardinals' offensive line has been outmatched at times this season, just plain brutal in other stretches. It got overpowered often by Syracuse last week. So this should be a great matchup for the Bulls' defensive front, which played valiantly at Rutgers despite having to spend way too much time on the field. I'd be stunned if South Florida doesn't have at least three or four sacks in this game.
9. B.J. Daniels: Let's face it: Daniels had an awful game at Rutgers, and at times this season he has failed to keep his composure on the sidelines. Louisville's defense has been playing well the last couple of weeks but still has trouble getting consistent pressure on the quarterback. Daniels ought to be able to make some plays, even if his favorite receiver -- Carlton Mitchell -- is still out of the lineup with an ankle injury.
Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett
I went undefeated last week for the fifth time in the last six weeks, but it's not much to brag about. There were only three games, all featuring heavy favorites at home (and I didn't exactly peg the way the games in Morgantown and Cincinnati would shake out). Besides, there's no time to boast when four hotly contested games will test my prognosticating ability this week.
Thursday
Rutgers 21, South Florida 19: The Bulls have more offensive firepower than the Scarlet Knights, but they'll be missing their best playmaking receiver in Carlton Mitchell, who's out with an ankle sprain. Rutgers' defense is improving each week, and I believe that Greg Schiano's complicated blitz schemes will befuddle freshman quarterback B.J. Daniels. There's still the matter of how the Scarlet Knights will score enough points, but I see a big play off a turnover or on special teams making the difference as South Florida loses its fourth straight in this series.
Friday
Cincinnati 30, West Virginia 21: The Mountaineers are not coming into this important game on a high note, having seen their offensive prowess decline and having several players bruised and banged up. Not a good situation going into a hostile Nippert Stadium. Whether it's Zach Collaros or Tony Pike leading the charge -- and both will see time at quarterback -- the Bearcats are going to score points, and they're more equipped to handle a speed-based spread offense than they are a power running game like UConn's.
Saturday
Pitt 35, Notre Dame 33: Regular readers of this blog won't be surprised with this pick, since I've been saying since the offseason that Pitt would win this game. I'm a little more nervous for the Panthers because of Notre Dame's loss to Navy; no doubt the Irish will be desperate coming to Heinz Field. And that offense can really score. Even though they had just 21 points against Navy, the Irish never punted, got to the red zone six times and rolled up more than 500 yards. But Notre Dame's Swiss cheese defense will have just as many problems stopping Pitt's versatile attack, and the Panthers will find a way to win just as they did last year in South Bend.
Louisville 17, Syracuse 14: For most of the year, I would have said Syracuse was the better team and would beat Louisville for a third straight year. But given all of the Orange's roster depletions -- losing start defensive tackle Arthur Jones was the latest blow -- I have to give the edge now to the Cardinals, who pushed West Virginia to the wire last week on the road. This won't be a pretty game or one that many people will want to watch, but it could be the last chance for an '09 victory for either school.
Last week: 3-0
Season: 45-8 (85 percent)
I went undefeated last week for the fifth time in the last six weeks, but it's not much to brag about. There were only three games, all featuring heavy favorites at home (and I didn't exactly peg the way the games in Morgantown and Cincinnati would shake out). Besides, there's no time to boast when four hotly contested games will test my prognosticating ability this week.
Thursday
Rutgers 21, South Florida 19: The Bulls have more offensive firepower than the Scarlet Knights, but they'll be missing their best playmaking receiver in Carlton Mitchell, who's out with an ankle sprain. Rutgers' defense is improving each week, and I believe that Greg Schiano's complicated blitz schemes will befuddle freshman quarterback B.J. Daniels. There's still the matter of how the Scarlet Knights will score enough points, but I see a big play off a turnover or on special teams making the difference as South Florida loses its fourth straight in this series.
Friday
Cincinnati 30, West Virginia 21: The Mountaineers are not coming into this important game on a high note, having seen their offensive prowess decline and having several players bruised and banged up. Not a good situation going into a hostile Nippert Stadium. Whether it's Zach Collaros or Tony Pike leading the charge -- and both will see time at quarterback -- the Bearcats are going to score points, and they're more equipped to handle a speed-based spread offense than they are a power running game like UConn's.
Saturday
Pitt 35, Notre Dame 33: Regular readers of this blog won't be surprised with this pick, since I've been saying since the offseason that Pitt would win this game. I'm a little more nervous for the Panthers because of Notre Dame's loss to Navy; no doubt the Irish will be desperate coming to Heinz Field. And that offense can really score. Even though they had just 21 points against Navy, the Irish never punted, got to the red zone six times and rolled up more than 500 yards. But Notre Dame's Swiss cheese defense will have just as many problems stopping Pitt's versatile attack, and the Panthers will find a way to win just as they did last year in South Bend.
Louisville 17, Syracuse 14: For most of the year, I would have said Syracuse was the better team and would beat Louisville for a third straight year. But given all of the Orange's roster depletions -- losing start defensive tackle Arthur Jones was the latest blow -- I have to give the edge now to the Cardinals, who pushed West Virginia to the wire last week on the road. This won't be a pretty game or one that many people will want to watch, but it could be the last chance for an '09 victory for either school.
Last week: 3-0
Season: 45-8 (85 percent)
Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett
Put some backspin on it.
Team of the week: South Florida. The Bulls won a Big East road game and cracked the polls for the first time this season, joining Cincinnati as the only league teams to be ranked in 2009.
Best game: Slim pickings from a short week. I guess the honor will go to West Virginia's 35-24 win over Colorado, which at least featured a lot of big plays.
Biggest play: For the second week in a row, it's a Cincinnati interception in the red zone. This time JK Schaffer saved the Bearcats from having a really tight game on their hands by picking off a Miami pass in the end zone late in the third quarter.
Best call: And for the second straight week, it's a pass play dialed up by South Florida's Mike Canales. This time, he opened the second half with a play action bomb that resulted in B.J. Daniels' 85-yard touchdown pass to Carlton Mitchell. That set the tone for the rest of the game.
Big Man on Campus (Offense): Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia. He was nearly unstoppable against Colorado, running for 220 yards on 22 carries, including a 77-yard score.
Big Man on Campus (Defense): Nate Allen, S, South Florida. He had eight tackles and a pair of interceptions at Syracuse to continue his strong season.
Big Man on Campus (Special teams): Scott Kozlowski, P, West Virginia. Kozlowski averaged 48 yards on four kicks, including a 56-yarder.
Worst Hangover: Louisville. The Cardinals were geeked up to beat Pitt, breaking out new uniforms and staging a black-out in front of a sold-out crowd. The fans wished they could black out the second half, in which the Panthers outscored Louisville 24-0.
Strangest moment: On two separate occasions in the first quarter of the Syracuse-South Florida game, one team turned the ball over only to have the other team give it back on the very next snap.
OK, time to pay it forward. (games listed in descending order of interest and importance):
Connecticut (3-1) at Pittsburgh (4-1, 1-0 Big East): Could be an early contender elimination game. We'll found out which of these teams is a serious threat in the league race.
West Virginia (3-1) at Syracuse (2-3, 0-1): The Mountaineers have owned Syracuse the past several years, but the Orange are a bit feistier these days.
Southern Mississippi (3-2) at Louisville (1-3, 0-1): Two old-school rivals meet, and that's appropriate because Louisville has been playing like it's back in the mid-1980s again.
Texas Southern (1-4) at Rutgers (3-1, 0-1): I will pay attention to this game because it's part of my job. Anyone else doing so will need a similar excuse.
Byes: Cincinnati, South Florida
Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett
Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia: Devine carried 22 times for a career-high 220 yards and a touchdown in the Mountaineers' 35-24 win over Colorado on Thursday.
Jacob Ramsey, RB, Cincinnati: Ramsey carried 12 times for 103 yards and three touchdowns in Cincinnati's 37-13 win at Miami.
Greg Romeus, DE, Pittsburgh: Romeus had 3.5 of the Panthers' six sacks in a 35-10 win at Louisville on Friday night.
Carlton Mitchell, WR, South Florida: Mitchell had six catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns in the Bulls' 34-20 win at Syracuse.
Nate Allen, S, South Florida: Allen had eight tackles and two interceptions in the Bulls' victory.
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