Early Top 5 UW OOS Prospects for '09

[Bernini]

1. FS Justin Turner, Ohio For 2 cycles our primary needs have been defensive tackle and safety. For 2 cycles we've failed to address those positions even remotely at an adequate level. For 2007 it looked like we had a pretty good haul with 3 safeties, 2 of which were very talented (Peake and Landingham). None of those players are on our roster anymore. In 2008 we seemed to be targeting an extroardinary number of players which projected to safety. We struck out on most, and in the end, based on watching film, IMO only one we secured will translate to that position. That player is Shelton Johnson. T.J. Williams looks like an offensive and special teams player. I don't really trust Kevin Claxton to cover a lot of space, and he'll end up at linebacker, or be yet another free safety. Cromartie and Devin Smith look like true cornerbacks. There will be a huge void at free safety after Carter graduates in 2009. The project of converting athletes and cornerbacks into free safeties hasn't been a particularly fruitful one. I want a true free safety finally and Justin Turner is a stud.

2. DE Craig Drummond, Illinois Drummond already weighs 260 pounds as a junior so the Badgers could convert him inside to fill the gaping hole there. Drummond looks like an absolute tank. Stood out amongst the top linemen in the nation at the Army All American Combine, so you know he's good. Plays with a mean streak. If there was any difference speed/quickness wise between us and the SEC schools we've faced the last couple years, it was on the defensive line. Our skilled players have been very comparable. Drummond would have helped sneak through the cracks so Ainge did have all day to throw the football.

3. WR Keenan Davis, Iowa Davis had awesome numbers as a junior. Plays small for a receiver who is 6'3" and I mean that in a positive way. He's very quick off the line of scrimmage. Explodes off his cuts. Is relatively elusive running after the catch. Most players who are that tall half to rely mostly on outrunning cornerbacks straight up the field or winning a jump ball; in order to create a big play. Davis is essentially a dual thread wideout. Hopefully the Iowa Hawkeyes kid on here who's always reporting his status is genuine in asserting his interest in the Badgers is legit. We could develop skill players like these in Wisconsin if we actually threw the ball once in a while. I mean this kid is from Iowa for God's sake. With a big city in Milwaukee and a larger population, we have twice the athletes in our midst.

4. QB Jon Budmayr, Illinois Budmayr should be favored over Watkins because he's the more polished prospect right now. I might favor Watkins if we didn't take a QB who has had more success than running it in 2008 (Phillips). Watkins similarly has potential with his arm but might be more of a threat running the football right now. Budmayr put up amazing numbers through the air last season and compliments to the Badgers for having the foresight to offer him early. On film he makes passing the football look effortless. Can sling it a distance from nearly any position. Has excellent mobility in the pocket. I don't think he'll be a particularly big running threat on the next level, but maybe that's a positive. When he scrambles out of the pocket the intent usually will be to pass. You can carve out more yardage through the air than on the ground. I was one of the bigger Donovan supporters, but his instincts were to run the football outside of the pocket just because he had that ability. Budmayr isn't quite as adept so his instinct will be to throw.

5. RB's Teric Jones/Hersey Jackson, Michigan Jones ran the fastest time of any player at the All American combine posting somewhere in the 4.3's. He has the ideal compact frame of a running back at his age level. When you watch him on film check out how quickly he can cut. He can jump cut between and over defenders. The burst in limited space is possessed as is the aforementioned top speed. Badgers could use another game breaker like him. He'd be a nice compliment to a power back like John Clay.

[img]Also would like to land a bigger guy ala Hersey Jackson who has potential as a fullback, but also could spell Clay as another battering ram. He put up silly numbers for a sophomore in 2006 and his tape from that season is very impressive. Great feet and top speed for a kid of his size. Of course is very difficult to tackle. Hersey is very high on the Badgers. Top 2 backs that I've seen in Michigan, even better than Caper, IMO. Similar situation to Jonas Gray vs. Mark Ingram Jr. for 2008. The running backs coming out of Michigan the last couple of years has been amazing and Alexander needs to take advantage.[/img]