Future NFL Prospect of the Week

Mark Ingram
RB Alabama

5'10" 212 lb.
Sophomore

Week 10 vs. LSU
22 rushes for 144 yards, 5 recs for 30 yards

Well, we had John Clay here last week and yet another Sophomore running back turned on the burners and made his mark (no pun intended) and that was the star Alabama running back Mark Ingram. It is just astounding to think that Alabama might be better off when Glen Coffee declared early for the NFL because now Ingram is getting the bulk of the carries and he is making teams pay.

Ingram went up against a pretty stout LSU defense and he ripped em' to shreds, it seemed that every time he got ball in his hands, be it on a hand off or a reception it was like he was always going for a first down and gaining huge chunks of yardage at a time. LSU didn't have an answer for him and he single handedly saved the game for McElroy who made some really bad mistakes but had them glossed over because of a big play to Julio Jones and a win against #9 ranked LSU.

Ingram will be an amazing back in the NFL as he can do everything and more that a team wants their running back to do. He can catch, run and block and he will no doubtedly be a first round selection whether he comes out two years from now or after his senior season, he'll only get better and the team the drafts him will be getting a stud in this writer's honest opinion.

-Matty

Future NFL Prospect of the Week

Brandon Spikes
LB Florida

6'3" 258 lb.
Senior

Week 6 vs. LSU
11 tackles, 2.5 sacks, FF

Brandon Spikes is a mountain of a man at linebacker, he has prototypical NFL MLB size and plays with incredible intensity and range. In the LSU game, Spikes took control of the interior and he was nearly unblockable coming on the pass rush and stuffing the run. Hilt and Hebert couldn't seal him in space and he was able to run free and cause all sorts of havoc against LSU.

Spikes offers scheme versatility for NFL teams as being able to play ILB in a 3-4 or a 4-3. He has the speed to play sideline to sideline, he can make tackles in the run game and stuff it behind the line of scrimmage, he is a solid blitzer as is evident with his 2.5 sacks against the LSU front five and he is deceptively good in coverage. He will no doubt be an early 1st day selection and probably an early candidate for DROY 2010, he'll provide a team with an immediate upgrade and provide an immediate impact.

-Matty

Future NFL Prospect of the Week

Chad Jones
S Louisiana State

6'3" 231 lb. Junior

Week 4 vs. Mississippi State
7 tackles, 1 pass break up
93 yard PR TD


Louisiana State fans every should be thanking their lucky stars for the two sport athlete that is Chad Jones as he may have kept their National Championship hopes alive for at least another week by keeping them undefeated by narrowly edging out the Mississippi State Bulldogs 30-26 in a knock down drag out. Chad Jones put the Tigers ahead with an amazing 93 yard punt return for a score and then on the goal line was the reason that Anthony Dixon and the QB Lee didn't celebrate a huge upset win as he was in the right place at the right time to deflect a play action pass to the tight end that would have sealed the win and helped on 4th and an inch with the game saving tackle.

Jones is a speedy and athletic safety who can also play in the box, off the hashes or in center field. He is an absolute beast at 6'3" and 230 lbs. he is built like Taylor Mays but may have better field awareness. He's only a junior right now but the future is bright for Jones if he continues to make plays like he has. No doubt LSU will rely on him when Tim Tebow and Joe Cox try and shred the Tiger defensive backfield.

BREAKING NEWS: LSU WR Demetrius Byrd In Intensive Care After Car Accident

The Shreveport Times reports that LSU WR and NFL draft hopeful Demetrius Byrd was in a car accident this past Sunday and is in intensive care at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida and LSU sports information director Michael Bonnette confirmed the report.

Demetrius Byrd is a prospect in the lines of past great LSU WRs like Early Doucet, Craig Davis, Dwayne Bowe and so forth as he is an explosive player, solid blocker and a team player who was an integral part of LSU's National Championship run in 2007.

Byrd himself is probably a 4th-5th round pick based on pure talent alone and we here at All Day Football hope he has a quick recovery.

UPDATE:

According to Pro Football Talk, Byrd remains in stable condition at the intensive care unit of Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital and has been receiving hourly CAT scans to monitor his condition.

Per the source, Byrd injured his shoulder and ear lobe and incurred several scratches and bruises on his face and arms. But, we have been informed that Byrd is going to be okay.

Hospital officials have reported no change in Byrd’s condition since earlier this morning when he was listed as stable.

-Matty

LSU Pro Day

Per NFL Prospect analyst Gil Brandt:

The LSU Pro Day was held in Baton Rouge on Monday with 24 NFL teams attending, including the entire Saints coaching staff. A total of 15 NFL position coaches attended, including defensive line, offensive line, linebacker and defensive back coaches.

One of the hottest prospects from LSU, DE Tyson Jackson (6-4 1/8, 296 pounds), did 20 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press and participated in position drills, but otherwise stood on his times from the NFL combine. Another top prospect, LB Darry Beckwith (6-0 1/8, 234 pounds), put up 40-yard dash times of 4.70 and 4.63 and he participated in position drills, but aside from that he stood on his combine times..

G Herman Johnson (6-7 1/8, 356 pounds), an intriguing player due to his incredible size, had a 26 1/2-inch vertical leap with a 7-foot, 10-inch broad jump and times of 5.01 in the short shuttle and 8.58 in the three-cone drill. He had 24 reps on the bench press.

A surprise performance came from DE Kirston Pittman (6-2 5/8, 250 pounds), who didn’t attend the combine. He turned in 40 times of 4.69 and 4.72, and had a 30 1/2-inch vertical and an 8-foot, 8-inch broad jump. He had a 4.45 time in the short shuttle and a 7.64 time in the three-cone drill. He put up 28 reps on the bench press.

Players ran indoors on FieldTurf. In all, 15 players worked out at an extremely well-organized event that went quickly. Here are other notables:

WR Demetrius Byrd (6-0 1/2, 196 pounds) had times of 4.47 and 4.50 in the 40. He had a 35 1/2-inch vertical and a 9-foot, 9-inch broad jump with times of 4.52 in the short shuttle and 7.08 in the three-cone drill. He did not lift.

FS Curtis Taylor (6-2 1/4, 207 pounds) ran the 40-yard dash with times of 4.52 and 4.55, and he stood on the rest of his numbers from the combine.

FB Quinn Johnson (6-1 1/4, 250 pounds) had times of 4.72 and 4.75 in the 40, and produced a 7.65 time in the three-cone drill. He stood on the rest of his numbers from the combine.

Of the entire LSU contingent I believe only Tyson Jackson has the potential to go first round and I think he goes top 10. But that is me and I personally love the kid, I would have had him mid first round last year had he came out and he's only gotten better. As for the remaining LSU players, Darry Beckwith and Herman Johnson could potentially both be late 1st day selections, Kirston Pittman and Curtis Taylor are likely mid 2nd day selections and Quinn Johnson is probably a mid to late 2nd day selection based on the need for FBs becoming minimal.

-Matty