One Scout's Profile: Alex Okafur....

[NewColtsFan]

The scout is Kevin Weidl of Scouts Inc from ESPN Insider.   Scouts Inc is more widely associated with Todd McShay.   But there are other scouts working there as well.    Weidl has NFL scouting experience.

 

Here's his write-up of Okafur.   I'm posting this since Okafur is a favorite of several fans here.  Scouts Inc has Okafur with a grade of 74, which is a mid-3rd round grade.

 

I'm also posting to give you an idea of how a scout sees a player, as opposed to how a fan sees a player.    Big difference.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Alex Okafor, DE, Texas (Scouts Inc. Grade: 74)

Okafor is 6-4½, 264 pounds and has long enough arms. He has put up quality production numbers in his career -- 12.5 sacks in 2012 and six as a junior. But if you look at him on tape and look at those sacks this year, it can be a little deceiving. He had two sacks against Ole Miss and West Virginia as well as a season-high 4.5 sacks against Oregon State. Those offensive lines were a bit underwhelming on tape, though, and when he faced more quality competition, he was held in check for the most part.

 

The one game that sticks out to me was the Oklahoma game. The lack of production in that game was low, with one assisted tackle and one pass breakup. And the Longhorns got trounced 63-21. Besides the lack of production, what concerned me the most was the lack of effort Okafor showed against the Sooners. That's the biggest issue. He looked uninterested, and I didn't see a great effort from a senior in the Red River rivalry, the biggest game on the schedule for the Horns. I didn't see him going a million miles per hour, and that's a problem. You want to see effort all the time.

 

I also see some inconsistencies firing off the ball and playing with proper pad level as a pass-rusher. There are flashes in which he converts speed to power and shows the ability to dip and bend the edge. But with those flashes comes the question of why we aren't seeing this type of effort and ability on every play.

 

There's been talk of his being an early-second-round, late-first-round pick, but I feel better for him as a third-rounder. I don't think his tape matches up with the hype right now.

[Nobody]

Why do you keep saying Okafur?

[NewColtsFan]

"O"    "U".....

 

 

Oh.....    you.....!!!!

[LockeDown]

How in the world has Gav...err, one of the other posters not posted on this yet?

[Gavin]

Fact of the matter is any single one person, be it scout or average joe can point to a single play where a player did not look good or a player even looked great and say Oh such and such looks like a high round pick or such and such looks like a low round pick, fact is he has experience standing up in a 2 point stance just like he does in a 3 point stance (not that it matters though because Manusky and Pagano have proven they will play to there players strengths) for a rush linebacker if Damontre Moore is gone I would not hesitate getting him in the first if we go rush linebacker, He has a first round grade for a reason

[wig]

How did I know Gavin would be in here saying he's a top ten pick?

[NewColtsFan]

Fact of the matter is any single one person, be it scout or average joe can point to a single play where a player did not look good or a player even looked great and say Oh such and such looks like a high round pick or such and such looks like a low round pick, fact is he has experience standing up in a 2 point stance just like he does in a 3 point stance (not that it matters though because Manusky and Pagano have proven they will play to there players strengths) for a rush linebacker if Damontre Moore is gone I would not hesitate getting him in the first if we go rush linebacker, He has a first round grade for a reason

 

That's just the point, Gavin...

 

He does NOT a first round grade with some scouts.   

 

I'm sure there are some teams that view him as a 1st rounder.

 

And some that will view as a 2nd rounder...

 

And some that will view him as a 3rd rounder.

 

But there is no consensus that Okafar has a 1st round grade.    Contrary to your belief.

[BOTT]

That's just the point, Gavin...

 

He does NOT a first round grade with some scouts.   

 

I'm sure there are some teams that view him as a 1st rounder.

 

And some that will view as a 2nd rounder...

 

And some that will view him as a 3rd rounder.

 

But there is no consensus that Okafar has a 1st round grade.    Contrary to your belief.

It's almost a consensus that isn't a 1st rounder

[Gavin]

NFL.com

CBS Sports

NFL Draft Scout all have him as a bottom of the first top of the 2nd 

The Football Expert has him going in the late 1st

 

The only one that dont have him there that I pay any attention to at all is ESPN Scouts Inc and its hard to take them serious when they have  

 

D.J. Fluker 

Tyler Eifert 

Ezekial Ansah 

 

All ahead of Jarvis Jones

 

I get he had a medical issue but multiple doctors have apparently cleared him and if that is the case not a one of those players mentioned above could logically be rated higher then Jones in my opinion

[Dustin]

NFL.com

CBS Sports

NFL Draft Scout all have him as a bottom of the first top of the 2nd 

The Football Expert has him going in the late 1st

 

The only one that dont have him there that I pay any attention to at all is ESPN Scouts Inc and its hard to take them serious when they have  

 

D.J. Fluker 

Tyler Eifert 

Ezekial Ansah 

 

All ahead of Jarvis Jones

 

I get he had a medical issue but multiple doctors have apparently cleared him and if that is the case not a one of those players mentioned above could logically be rated higher then Jones in my opinion

 

I think the reason they're in front of Jones is because of his medical history.

[NewColtsFan]

I think the reason they're in front of Jones is because of his medical history.

 

I think so too....   because Jones has been top-5//top-10 with Scouts Inc for much of this year.

 

He also missed the combine.

 

I suspect he'll go up soon enough on the latest re-ranking once he's had his pro day, assuming he does well.

[NewColtsFan]

NFL.com

CBS Sports

NFL Draft Scout all have him as a bottom of the first top of the 2nd 

The Football Expert has him going in the late 1st

 

The only one that dont have him there that I pay any attention to at all is ESPN Scouts Inc and its hard to take them serious when they have  

 

D.J. Fluker 

Tyler Eifert 

Ezekial Ansah 

 

All ahead of Jarvis Jones

 

I get he had a medical issue but multiple doctors have apparently cleared him and if that is the case not a one of those players mentioned above could logically be rated higher then Jones in my opinion

 

I don't know how to break this to you...

 

But on some of the websites you site,  they've got  Fluker, Eifert and Ansah ahead of Jones too.

 

Sorry.

 

Also....   on The Football Expert website,  the Okafar write-up,  the one that lists him as a late 1st rounder, is from Jan 5.   More than two months ago.

 

But, on their latest Big Board,  he's not on their top 32, and not in their next group of "almost top 32" players.

 

One last thought....  

 

Most draft websites are simply not very good.   Just being able to point to a website and saying "this website says this guy is rated high"  isn't enough.    I appreciate that on some level it can hard to differentiate the good from the not so good...   but most,  are simply not very credible.

[BOTT]

NFL.com

CBS Sports

NFL Draft Scout all have him as a bottom of the first top of the 2nd 

The Football Expert has him going in the late 1st

 

The only one that dont have him there that I pay any attention to at all is ESPN Scouts Inc and its hard to take them serious when they have  

 

D.J. Fluker 

Tyler Eifert 

Ezekial Ansah 

 

All ahead of Jarvis Jones

 

I get he had a medical issue but multiple doctors have apparently cleared him and if that is the case not a one of those players mentioned above could logically be rated higher then Jones in my opinion

Except nobody at NFL.com actually has him as a first rounder.....not Maylock, Bucky Brooks, Gil Brandt, Daniel Jeremiah or Charles Davis

[NewColtsFan]

Except nobody at NFL.com actually has him as a first rounder.....not Maylock, Bucky Brooks, Gil Brandt, Daniel Jeremiah or Charles Davis

 

Actually, their draft section does....   they've got grades out for all prospects and Okafur has an 85.   Right on the border of 1st round/2nd round.

 

All I've tried to stress is that there is no unanimity on Okafar.    Honestly,  there is not that much unanimity on most players.

 

Everybody sees the same thing differently.    That's a constant theme in scouting, in all sports.

 

Some will see Okafar as a 1st rounder.   Some in the 2nd,  and some even in the 3rd.    That's not as surprising as it might seem.

[BOTT]

Actually, their draft section does....   they've got grades out for all prospects and Okafur has an 85.   Right on the border of 1st round/2nd round.

 

All I've tried to stress is that there is no unanimity on Okafar.    Honestly,  there is not that much unanimity on most players.

 

Everybody sees the same thing differently.    That's a constant theme in scouting, in all sports.

 

Some will see Okafar as a 1st rounder.   Some in the 2nd,  and some even in the 3rd.    That's not as surprising as it might seem.

I know their draft tracker does, but nobody knows who does it. If you look at the individual mocks/ranking you won't find anybody that puts him in the first

[NewColtsFan]

I know their draft tracker does, but nobody knows who does it. If you look at the individual mocks/ranking you won't find anybody that puts him in the first

 

 

Yes.  good points by you.    I'd LOVE to know who does their draft section.   I really, really would.   But, it's a mystery.

 

And you are correct that no one in their Mock Draft section has him in the first.    By the way,  for me at least,  their mock draft section is very hit and miss.    Because while some of these people are clearly better at personnel,  some others are less talented in this area and I don't think they should be doing mock drafts.

 

I think having too many people doing too many mock drafts under-cuts the impact of it for me.

 

For example, at ESPN,  it's just Kiper and McShay.    Now, ESPN is huge and they could have a dozen different people doing mocks.   But they don't.   They don't muddy it up with everyone else.   Just Kiper and McShay.   And, frankly, for me,  that's the way I prefer it.    

 

But, that's a personal view,  and your mileage may vary!!

[The Peytonator]

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/college_player_scouting_report.html&player=40176

 

Just goes to show you how one scout's opinion can vastly differ from that of an armchair scout's.

[NewColtsFan]

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/college_player_scouting_report.html&player=40176

 

Just goes to show you how one scout's opinion can vastly differ from that of an armchair scout's.

 

 

Well....   that scout's view,  as stunning as it was,  was far more surprising than I would have expected.

 

At the top of the page Okafur has received a grade of 4.5.    Which,  according to their grading scale pegs him as a 6th round pick.

 

I'd be beyond shocked if most scouts had him graded that low.     That just seems amazingly low to me.   

[Gavin]

NFL.com has him pegged as a bottom of the 1st talent, Ill trust there judgement and my own eyes 

[coltsfanatic24]

Okafor is bad vs the run and setting the edge not worth a 1st round pick.

[KX14]

Okafor, is not a good fit in the 3-4 hybrid defense the Pagano plays. He's a little small to play a DE on a 3-4 Defense, Although he would be a great fit on a 4-3 Defense.

 

I believe they should take Cooper from UNC or DJ Fluker from Alabama. Help build a good offense line to protect Luck.

 

But if they do want a 3-4 DE They should take a guy like golston in the 2-3 rounds because they wont get the top DE/DT's in the 1st round.