Burls' Kid's...FINAL MOCK.

[Superman]

"It is my opinion that Holmes is as good a prospect as anyone in this draft, specifically because he's a year ahead of them."

 

Meh, maybe Im just pickin here (I probably am) but I think Holmes is as good as any Center in this draft(Not nearly as good as ANY Olineman in this draft in my opinion both Matthews and Robinson are stronger then Holmes coming out and Matthews technique was superior )....except a possible healthy Bryan Stork......But I disagree that it has absolutely anything do with being a year ahead of any O Lineman in this draft, Thats like saying Satele is better then Holmes because Satele has been in the league several more years. It would be very hard for Khaled Holmes not to be at least as good as Satele......Though that would be a big disappointment in of itself just to be as good. Can Holmes be better? No doubt about it but I dont think he was coming out and may not be his second year in the league...His first year starting...Hopefully, I defintily think we have to find out however....But I'd still jump all over Bodine in a trade down to the 4th if we can pull that off

 

Well experience matters, if it's coupled with talent and ability. Satele is a bum, so his experience is irrelevant. 

 

I think Holmes has talent and ability. He spent a year working on his body, practicing against pro competition, and working with pro coaches and teammates. To me, that's HUGE. He doesn't have on-field experience yet, but the other aspects still matter.

 

Something to consider is how much improvement a player makes in their first pro offseason. Coming out of college and getting ready for the draft, you don't have time to work on your craft. You spend two months after the season healing and getting ready for the Combine, which isn't really football related (that's especially true of Holmes, since he was coming off of surgery). You fly around the country doing interviews and private workouts. It's not really conducive to getting better as a player. Then after the draft, you're trying to learn the playbook, but you also have to move to a new city, meet new people, you have the rookie symposium, you get some true football work at OTAs, but then you get worn down with camp and preseason. The rookie wall starts having an effect sometime in early November, if not sooner. It's a real grind, nonstop, from the time you declare for the draft to the end of your first season.

 

It's only after that season that a player has time to let his body heal, then really work on breaking it down and building it back up in the offseason. He doesn't have the distraction of scouting and selling, so he can really get comfortable with the playbook and concepts. He has pro teammates he can work with. He knows what camp will bring, and how to prepare himself for it. And so on... That's why you look for a big jump from Year 1 to Year 2.

 

So I think having that year pushes Holmes up a notch. If you think he has talent and ability, and you add the year of pro exposure, he should be more ready than anyone we could draft this year. I don't think any interior linemen outside of XSF and maybe Zach Martin would be an improvement over Holmes for 2014. Personally, health aside, I'd take Holmes over Martin if they were in the same draft. I'd probably have Richburg over both because he finishes better, but again, Holmes has that year of pro exposure.

 

All JMO

[Burls' Kid's]

He was hurt in 2011, and 2012 too-

 

"Holmes missed time during the 2012 season with an ankle injury. That slowed him throughout the year. He also suffered a shoulder injury which caused him to miss USC's 2011 spring practices."

 

Plus-

 

"If Holmes has a weakness in terms of his physical skills, it's his strength. He was not tested in the bench press this offseason due to a pectoral injury, but he clearly struggled with stronger defensive tackles in college."

 

Then he missed the whole 2013 Colts season due to injury.  I'm not sold on his durability. If he's hurt, we're only as good as his backup.

 

Can't disagree with that.

[Superman]

He was hurt in 2011, and 2012 too-

 

"Holmes missed time during the 2012 season with an ankle injury. That slowed him throughout the year. He also suffered a shoulder injury which caused him to miss USC's 2011 spring practices."

 

Plus-

 

"If Holmes has a weakness in terms of his physical skills, it's his strength. He was not tested in the bench press this offseason due to a pectoral injury, but he clearly struggled with stronger defensive tackles in college."

 

Then he missed the whole 2013 Colts season due to injury.  I'm not sold on his durability. If he's hurt, we're only as good as his backup.

 

You said you wanted heart and determination. He played through injuries his last two years at USC. And he didn't miss last season due to injury. He got hurt in camp, but was healthy later on. He was just behind schedule due to missing most of camp. Yes, he has a varied injury history, no ignoring that. But he's healthy now.

 

And about his backup? Most teams don't carry a true backup center, as I mentioned earlier. That means you have to have some versatility on your roster. Again, I'd love Bodine. But if Thomas is healthy -- and I don't know that he is or will be -- he's likely our second center, and we move someone else in at guard. No question we have injury concerns, and that's not encouraging. But you only carry 9 linemen in most cases. We have ten on the roster now, and I think we'll pick up another 3-4 between the draft, UDFA and veteran FA after June 1. There will be competition, and there will be depth. I just don't think we should use our top pick there.

 

Also, I think I've read that scouting report you quoted about Holmes struggling with stronger tackles. I don't remember where it's from, but I believe it was mostly positive, and the criticism is a bit of a nitpick. The only tackle he really struggled with was Star Lotulelei, who destroyed the entire Pac-12. Holmes has also put on an extra 15 pounds or so since he left USC. He should be bigger and stronger.

[DarkHorseColts]

Also, I think I've read that scouting report you quoted about Holmes struggling with stronger tackles. I don't remember where it's from, but I believe it was mostly positive, and the criticism is a bit of a nitpick. The only tackle he really struggled with was Star Lotulelei, who destroyed the entire Pac-12. Holmes has also put on an extra 15 pounds or so since he left USC. He should be bigger and stronger.

 

Star did tear him up pretty good in the early going in that game. But Holmes was playing on a bum ankle and I thought he recovered and acquitted himself pretty well after the horrible start.

 

There are question marks with Holmes. Hopefully we like the answers.

[Superman]

Star did tear him up pretty good in the early going in that game. But Holmes was playing on a bum ankle and I thought he recovered and acquitted himself pretty well after the horrible start.

 

There are question marks with Holmes. Hopefully we like the answers.

 

They also started double-teaming Star. Dude is a load, and is going to be one of the best linemen in the league for a while. Great defensive linemen know how to get theirs. Jonathan Ogden was one of the best tackles in history, but he couldn't handle Dwight Freeney, because Freeney was a great pass rusher. That's just the way it goes.