ESPN’s Tom Luginbill previews the NFL Draft

ESPN college football analyst Tom Luginbill joined The Late Nick Mendola program Thursday evening to examine Blaine Gabbert’s draft stock, the top defensive line prospects, and where Jake Locker stands, among other topics.
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Full audio:Tom Luginbill on The Late Nick Mendola
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On Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert:
“I think he’s got a chance to be special. I really do. Coming out of high school, he was our No. 1 ranked overall guy but suffered an injury the second week of his senior season and didn’t play the rest of the year. Then he comes on and matures at Missouri. He’s got athleticism. He’s got size. He’s got arm strength. I think there are some concerns about his ability working from under center because he’s been primarily a spread shotgun guy. But I just don’t know with the defensive linemen that are available, where there, in my opinion, are far more definitives right now, if you go the Gabbert route.”
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On if there is a ‘No-Doubt Franchise QB’ in this draft:
“No, I don’t. Andrew Luck was in a different category all on his own. There’s still big questions with Ryan Mallett when the game is on the line. I think there are accuracy-wavering questions with him as well. Jake Locker will go out on pro day and he will be so unbelievably impressive physically that it’s gonna sway NFL scouts and coaches away from watching the tape. Gabbert has the fewest red flags right now and I think that’s what stands out about him. Is he ready? That remains to be seen. He hasn’t had his best performances against the stingiest of groups. I can’t believe, with the defensive linemen that are available, that you would go quarterback here unless you had a guarantee of getting Andrew Luck.”
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On who are the top three defensive linemen in the draft:
“Nick Fairley. Da’Quan Bowers. And Marcell Dareus. Dareus gives you the best option as an end in a three-man front. But if he’s in a four-man front, he’s gonna have to move to one of the tackle spots. There is no doubt about that. I believe that Fairley can be a force in a three-man front because he’s gonna be over 315-320 in a couple years. I think he can anchor. He can occupy blockers and be that zero technique, but he’s also got the versatility to line up in the one and the three in the four-man front. Da’Quan Bowers, for my money, is the most versatile, athletic, and valued defensive lineman prospect in this class. Much in the same way Ndamakung Suh can affect a game, Da’Quan Bowers can do the same thing by lining up at any one of the four defensive linemen spots on a four-man front. That’s what he brings to the table. Bowers was a 1200 yard rusher as a tailback coming out of high school at 6’4″, 265 lbs. That’s the guy I go with. That would be my personal choice, with Fairley a very, very close second, and Marcell Dareus third, if you were going to rank the top three.”
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On Jake Locker and if there’s a big gap between him and Luck:
“To some degree. With Jake Locker, what you’ve got is a player that has played with a very porous offensive line. And he has played on a poor defensive football team. In his defense, he has really had to manufacture some plays and when you’ve had to do that on a consistent basis, the other end of the spectrum is gonna hit you too, and that’s when you start forcing plays. When he’s in a position when you can simplify things in front of him, it’s when he’s at his best. His physical tools are not the problem. What’s gonna be scrutinized with Jake Locker are his intangibles, not so much his competitiveness, but his intangibles, and heavily, in comparison to Luck, whose’ you don’t need to look past what you’re seeing on tape. I think that’s what separates the two.”
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On Davonte Shannon and Dominic Cook’s draft prospects:
“I think you’re probably looking at second day picks or free agent evaluations. And a lot of that is gonna depend on how those guys perform from a pro day standpoint and how they’re gonna perform if invited to the NFL combine, to try and make that statement and elevate their stock. Having done two Buffalo games, I know both those guys made an awful lot of plays in both outings. So, it’s not gonna be from a lack of being seen or exposed, but it’s gonna be about whether or not people feel it’s the right fit. ”
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On if Kansas fans are off Turner Gill’s back:
“I believe so. Here’s the thing that I look at in college football with coaches. When you get hot and make that jump, and I’m not saying that Turner Gill has necessarily made the wrong decision here, but when you get hot, and your star is rising, if you take the wrong job, your star will drop twice as fast as it took to rise. I hope that’s not the case with Turner Gill. I think he provided a spark and got those guys to buy in late, but that’s a tough job. It is a tough job. And with Nebraska now leaving the conference, you’re still having to compete with Missouri, Iowa State, and Kansas State, for players in Texas where the rest of the conference either resides in or borders upon, and that’s a challenge for any team outside of the state of Texas in the Big 12.”

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