College Bowl Preview: Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
January 1, New Orleans
Florida (12-1) vs. Cincinnati (12-0)
FOX, 7:30 p.m. CST
FLORIDA
#5 CB Joe Haden, 5-11, 191 pounds – Although he’s not officially announced he’s leaving the Gators, everyone associated with the program and Haden believe he’ll announce his intention to enter the draft early next week. Haden was first-team All-America and All-SEC in 39 games, Haden has eight interceptions, 212 total tackles, 4.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss. He also forced three fumbles and has one blocked kick. This season h has four interceptions and three sacks with 62 total tackles.
Evaluation – Top-flight athlete with all the skills that teams look for on the corner. He’s fast, fluid, has quick feet and good strength for his size. There is work that must be done on his fundamentals and foot work Very competitive, but does not appear to dwell on mistakes or on plays where he’s beaten. Only so-so when he’s supporting the run, but he has shown the ability to fire off the edge on the blitz. Haden should go in the top half of the first round, maybe top 10 and possibly top five.
#51 ILB Brandon Spikes, 6-3, 252 pounds – An All-SEC first team selection by the conference coaches, Spikes has played 47 games and made big contributions to the Florida defense. He has six interceptions, and he scored touchdowns on four of those. He has 301 total tackles, 30.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. This season he has two interceptions, including a 41-yard return for a TD against Florida International. Spikes has 62 total tackles and three sacks, all of those coming against LSU.
Evaluation – Spikes has been the leader of the Gators defense for several years now. He plays the game aggressively and in the fact of his opponents, even his teammates if he felt that was necessary. Very instinctive player, who can cut through the junk and find the ball and where the play is going and do it quickly. He does not possess top end speed, but is very quick. Spikes missed the ’08 season opener because of a foot injury. Otherwise, he has been very durable. He will be selected in the middle of the first round.
#8 DE Carlos Dunlap, 6-6, 293 pounds – An All-SEC first-team selection, Dunlap will decide after the Sugar Bowl whether he’s going to leave Florida with a year left to play. In 38 games with the Gators, he has 81 total tackles, 17.5 sacks, 24 tackles for loss. He’s also very good at blocking kicks, and has four in his career. This season he has 35 total tackles and seven sacks. Dunlap missed the SEC Championship Game against Alabama when he was arrested on a DUI charge, but he’s been reinstated for the Sugar Bowl.
Evaluation – Big-time athlete, gifted with size, strength and very good speed for a player as big as he is. For his size, he moves very well and can make plays all over the field. Dunlap is quick enough to disrupt plays in the backfield, and can catch them downfield. Strong motor and he uses his hands very well in fighting off blocks. Maturity concerns because of the DUI charge, but Dunlap should be a first-round pick.
#81 TE Aaron Hernandez, 6-2, 252 pounds – Just a junior, Hernandez was the winner of the John Mackey Award as the best tight end in college football. That honor figured to hasten his entrance into the NFL, which will be decided sometime in the week after the Sugar Bowl. In 39 games, he’s caught 102 passes for 1,271 yards and 11 touchdowns. This season he caught 59 balls for 739 yards and four TDs, with a seven-catch, 120-yard performance against Vanderbilt.
Evaluation – Hernandez has all the tools to be a tight end in a Colts-like offense. As a blocker he’s OK; as a route runner and receiver, he’s top notch, as evidence by the Mackey Award designation. In a year where a lot of tight ends could have won the award, it’s testimony to his skills and what he can do for an offense. He’s viewed right now as a second-round pick, but he could improve that standing in the Super Bowl and at the Combine if he decides to come out.
#15 QB Tim Tebow, 6-3, 246 pounds – The first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy, Tebow is a living legend in the world of college football and will go down as one of the most gifted players in the history of the game. During his career, he missed time only in the ’09 season because of a concussion. In 54 games, he ran for 2,896 yards on 678 carries with 56 touchdown runs. He completed 630 of 960 attempts for 8,803 and 85 TD passes. That’s 141 total touchdowns and he averaged 216.7 offensive yards per game.
Evaluation – whoever makes the decision to select Tebow will get one of the best athletes and best persons to ever come through the NFL Draft. His intangibles are through the roof and have to be big factors in making a decision. Just how he fits in an offense is another matter. Any team that wants to select him and try to turn Tebow into a drop-back passer is going to get very frustrated. A coach or coordinator who is creative and not stuck in the conventional thinking of the NFL can make Tebow a huge offensive influence. There’s so much disagreement on his future in the pros that Tebow could go anywhere from the middle of the first round to the end of the third round.
CINCINNATI
#1 WR Mardy Gilyard, 6-0, 182 pounds – Second-team All-America and first-team All Big East, Gilyard was also voted the Big East Conference’s special teams player of the year. In 47 games for the Bearcats, he caught 197 passes for 2,962 yards and 25 touchdown catches. He also returned 21 punts for a 12-yard average with a touchdown and 85 kickoffs for a 28.9-yard average and four TD returns. He also blocked two kicks. This season he caught 80 passes for 1,150 yards with 11 TDs, plus he returned a punt 53 yards for a score and two kickoffs went back for touchdowns. Against Illinois, he scored five touchdowns on offense and special teams and came back a week later and scored three against Pitt in what was essentially the Big East Conference title game.
Evaluation – Size is the only thing keeping Gilyard out of the top 10 prospects for the 2010 NFL Draft. Everything else is what teams are looking for in receivers. He produces, he plays hard and he’s a clutch player. His ability as a returner makes it possible he could come in and help at two positions. Think of Gilyard as a poor man’s DeSean Jackson. He should be a late first-round pick.
#15 QB Tony Pike, 6-6, 209 pounds – An injury to his left forearm knocked Pike out during the ’09 season. He took a helmet on the arm, where he already had a plate from a previous injury. It stopped what was a magical season for Pike and the Bearcats offense. With his favorite receiver Mardy Gilyard, Pike was climbing up the draft boards of many NFL teams before the injury. In 26 games, Pike completed 394 of 637 passes for 4,848 yards, 46 TD passes and 20 interceptions. He ran 87 times for 140 yards and three TDs. This season in nine games, he threw for 2,350 yards, 26 TDs and six INTs.
Evaluation – Pike’s draft slot will be decided by his play against the Florida defense in the Sugar Bowl, his performance at the Combine and personal workouts. If he continues to improve and show his skills, he has a chance to elevate himself into the second, maybe even late first round.
