Derek Sherrod Scouting Report Compendium

[Lurker64]

Measurables:
Height: 6053
Weight: 321
Arms: 35 3/8"
Hands: 11"
40: 5.18
20: 3.01
10: 1.81
Reps: 23
Vert: 28"
Broad: 8'01"
Shuttle: 4.63
3-Cone: 7.43

(TT's target OL score better than 4.65 in the short shuttle and better than 7.65 in the 3-cone).

[Lurker64]

National Football Post.

A tall, long-armed athlete who possesses good overall size and length for the position. Exhibits above-average balance, range and body control on his kick-slide from a two-point stance. Does a nice job reaching the corner, staying somewhat compact with his footwork and is fluid changing directions in space. Possesses good natural flexibility, but struggles to consistently keep his pad level down through the play, has a tendency to get upright at times Has improved his patience and hand placement as a puncher this season, quickly getting in and under opposing defenders and doing a better job sticking though contact. Does a nice job working to stay engaged, is playing with better leverage this season and can get under defenders while keeping his frame clean through pass pro. But, can still be bullied into the backfield at times, gets himself into trouble against physical rushers because of his higher pad level and isn't the most compact of punchers.

Exhibits a good initial burst out of his stance in the run game, understands angles and has the ability to quickly zone step and seal defenders away from the play. Looks natural on the move, is quickly able to get out of the second level, drop his pad level and hit a moving target. But isn't overly dominant on contact. Allows defenders to work their way off his blocks and doesn't have the type of power or mental makeup to simply lock out and drive opposing linebackers into the dirt. Needs to do a better job with his hand placement on contact in the run game as well. Too often keeps his hands too low when asked to engage and can be easily swatted on at the point. However, does exhibit good body control and footwork on the move when trying to mirror on slide-down blocks or get around and reach.

Impression: A smooth, graceful blocker with good range, change of direction skills and quickness in both the run and pass game. Needs to learn to play a little lower, but has the ability to mirror in space and possesses the makeup of a starting left tackle in the NFL.


Grade: 7.0 (Becomes a starter during his rookie year… Becomes a solid NFL player who has no real weakness… Can’t be exploited or consistently taken out of games.)

[Lurker64]

ESPN:

Overall Football Traits

Production: 2
2007: Split time in 11 games at right tackle. 2008: Started 10 games at left tackle. 2009: Started all 12 games at left tackle. 2010: Started all 13 games at left tackle.

Height-Weight-Speed: 2
Possesses prototypical height and has more bulk than the average NFL offensive tackle. Top-end speed is slightly above-average. Few offensive linemen in 2011 class have longer arms (35 3/8') or bigger hands (11').

Durability: 2
Missed season opener against Louisiana Tech in 2008 due to a foot infection. Also missed some practice time during last seasons' preseason camp due to a knee injury. But he started all 25 games at LOT during his final two seasons at MSU.

Intangibles: 3
Mature and grounded individual. Excels in the classroom. Reserved and leads by example. Not as confident as NFL teams would like to see.

Offensive Tackle Specific Traits
Pass Protection: 2
Possesses good length and relatively light on his feet. Gets good depth with initial set. Does a nice job of shuffling and mirroring to stay in front of rushers. Lacks an explosive punch but uses hands well in combat. Can ride speed rushers past the pocket with long arms. Lacks an elite anchor though and can be rocked back on heels by explosive power moves.

Run Blocking: 2
More of a positional blocker than a road grader. Does not possess a great power base and struggles to stay low and generate leverage at the point of attack. On the other hand, gets into sound position and uses length well to seal defenders and open up running lanes. Lacks elite balance and can fall off blocks as result. Moves fairly well in space but struggles when having to adjust to throw on moving targets in the open field.

Awareness: 2
More instinctive as a run blocker than in pass pro at this point. Does a nice job of identifying and covering up targets when pulling around edge or down the line. Also displays good timing to come off of combo blocks to cover LB's at second level. Struggles to quickly recognize defensive line movement and can get out of position as result. Flashes ability to pick up pressures from the second and third line of defense.

Toughness: 3
More finesse than power and toughness. There are questions about his mental toughness but the biggest concern is with his lack of power. Will work to sustain blocks. Effort is not an issue. However, does not have a killer mentality and needs to be more aggressive with play. Do not see much of a mean streak on tape.

(3 is "average", 2 is "above average)

[Lurker64]

SI

Biography: Three-year starter at left tackle awarded all-Conference honors as a senior.

Positives: "Athletic blind side tackle with a lot of upside. Plays with good lean, keeps his hands active throughout the action, and stays square. Better than average quickness off the edge, can slide his feet, and is a terrific position blocker who seals defenders from the play. Fluid moving around the field, quick out to the second level, and redirects to linebackers, taking them from the action. Blocks with good knee bend and pad level."

Negatives: Possesses average strength at the point of attack and struggles to finish off opponents. Much better pass protector than run blocker.

Analysis: "Sherrod has been a consistent player at Mississippi State and possesses all the skills necessary to develop into a left tackle at the next level. He'll need time to physically mature and add strength to his frame, but he is one of the better blind side tackle prospects in this draft."

Grade: 2.92 (First-Year Contributor -- Prospect that has the ability to make plays from the get-go and start early into his rookie season. )

[Lurker64]

CBS Sports

Pass blocking: Good initial quickness. Eases out of his stance and has the lateral agility and balance to mirror the defender. Good hand strength and has long arms that he uses to latch onto and control his opponent. Generally plays with good knee-bend and leverage, but can lose his anchor when he tires. Can become fundamentally lazy and lean into the defender; gets knocked off-balance and gives up the inside lane. Should improve in this area with greater focus on his technique, but has an upside-down triangle build due to broad shoulders and relatively narrow hips, making him top-heavy and susceptible to being overpowered. Among his better attributes is his recognition. Recognizes the blitz coming and gets a good initial pop on his primary target (defensive end) before passing him off to the guard and working his way outside to catch the rushing linebacker or stunting defensive tackle.

Run blocking: Comes off the ball too high and lacks the pad level and power to consistently knock defenders off the line. Good quickness and hand strength to turn and seal off defenders from the play. Good recognition to release from double-team and get out to the second level. Scouts would like to see him finish blocks with more authority before releasing.

Pulling/trapping: Good initial quickness to release to the second level, but has only average agility to re-direct in the open field. Locates his target, but has to do a better job of anticipating where the defender is going. Isn't fluid enough to change direction and hit the moving target. Too often extends his arms, "catching" the linebacker, which could result in penalty flags when playing against NFL-caliber athletes. Good trap blocker due to his initial quickness, big frame and recognition.

Initial Quickness: Good, though not elite, initial quickness off the snap. Has the agility and long arms to handle most right defensive ends (and thus remain at left tackle), but due to the fact that he is a bit top-heavy and lacks elite balance, is susceptible to quick jab-steps outside and spin or counter moves back to the inside. Is quick enough in the running game to turn and seal off the defender, creating a wall from which the running back can bounce off from.

Downfield: Gives good effort to block downfield. Above-average straight-line speed, though his average balance keeps him from being as effective at the second level as his speed and size would indicate. Gets in the way of defenders and has the wingspan to alter their path, but struggles re-directing his charge.

Intangibles: Was one of 16 players to win the storied National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame (NFF) Award, which includes a post-graduate $18,000 scholarship. Earned his degree in business with a 3.54 GPA. Is the third Bulldog to win the award and the first since 1989. Team leader voted a captain in 2010. A four-year member of the M-Club, MSU's student-athlete community service organization, he has spent considerable time with the youth of Mississippi. He has served breakfast at Sudduth Elementary School, participated in Sudduth's Kids Fair and read to local students to promote literacy. He has also organized a Thanksgiving food drive.

[Lurker64]

Draftcountdown.com

Strengths:
• Ideal height and good bulk with large hands
• Quick and agile with above average athleticism
• Light on feet. Able to slide and mirror laterally
• Good footwork, balance and body control
• Technically sound and uses his hands well
• Understands positioning and angles
• Great pass blocker and can protect the edge
• Does a solid job in the run game as a drive blocker
• Effective in space and can get to the second level
• Smart with excellent instincts and awareness
• Mature, hard working and a leader
• Is tough and has proven to be durable
• Tons of experience versus top competition

Weaknesses:
• Just average strength and overall power
• Doesn't have real long arms but adequate
• Will get tall and lose leverage at times
• Not overly stout at the point of attack
• Has some trouble anchoring and sustaining
• Isn't a dominant road grading run blocker
• Not overly aggressive and may lack a killer instinct

Notes:
Was a three-year starter at left tackle for the Bulldogs and served as a team captain --- Brother, Dezmond, also played at Mississippi State as a tight end (2003-2007), spent some time with the Pittsburgh Steelers and is currently with the Las Vegas Locomotives of the UFL --- Also had scholarship offers from schools like Florida, Miami (FL), Notre Dame and Michigan --- Saw extensive action in a backup capacity as a true freshman in '07 --- Missed one game with a foot infection in '08 --- Was named 1st Team All-SEC in 2010 --- Also excelled in the classroom, graduating Cum Laude with a degree in business and receiving the NFF Scholar-Athlete Award --- The type who does everything well but nothing great --- Possesses both the physical tools and intangibles that you look for in a left tackle prospect --- Not particularly flashy but very consistent and arguably the best all - around blocker in this class.

[Lurker64]

Foxsports.com

A three-year starter and team captain at Mississippi State, Sherrod has a reputation as a player who does everything well but nothing great. He has the prototypical size to play left tackle in the NFL, and he's very light on his feet, moving as well as any bookend in the draft. Sherrod has very long arms that help him divert pass rushers from the pocket, though he can occasionally be susceptible to power moves. In the running game, he's not a mauler, but that doesn't mean Sherrod can't be effective. He gets into sound position right off the snap and seals his defender immediately. He can get to the second level, though he doesn't always fare well against moving targets. While Sherrod is seen as one of the more intelligent players among this year's offensive line class - he graduated with a 3.54 GPA in business administration and won a postgraduate scholarship - scouts worry that he sometimes brings his classroom demeanor onto the field. Along with a lack of aggressiveness, Sherrod could stand to add some upper-body strength to better balance his above-average mobility. Sherrod received plenty of interest from Baltimore, Indianapolis and Chicago at both the Senior Bowl and NFL scouting combine, so don't be surprised if he ends up blocking for one of those three playoff teams. He could go as high as the early 20s, but a lack of one elite skill will keep Sherrod from being one of the first two blockers off the board.

If anybody has anything else good, go ahead and post it. Might as well put these all in one place.

[vince]

JSO

Green Bay - Here's comments from GM Ted Thompson shortly after the pick of OT Derek Sherrod of Mississippi State:

•"I'm happy about it. We think we got really good value to get a big man that late in the draft."

•Not sure where he'll play yet. Might be able to play LT, but not committing to that. Sort of like Bryan Bulaga.

•Felt 10 through 45 there were a lot of good players. "We were pretty comfortable sitting there and watching. We felt the board was deep enough."

•Said he talked to teams early on. "We had some conversations, but it wasn't a lot."

•"Very bright guy, very articulate. I think you guys will like him."

•Said he thinks he has a chance to be a complete player. "He's played against some good competition, too."

•As for the tackle position, feels OK. Used to talk to Ron Wolf about getting quality big men especially this late in the draft.

•Got a few calls about teams moving back, but wasn't really interested. Liked his options at 32.

•Talking about RBs, "There are a lot of different type of running backs. A lot of guys run from spread offenses and it's hard to project. Others play in other offenses. Usually, they can come in and play right away."

•Thompson said it's not unusual that the Patriots traded back at the position they were in at No. 28 because that's their history.

[vince]

Green Bay -- Here's offensive coordinator Joe Philbin:

•"I think he's an excellent prospect to work with."

•Not sure what spot he'll play. "I think we'll figure out all those pieces, how they fit together when he gets here." Said he hasn't talked yet about moving him to guard. "We'll have to see how he fits in."

•"I watched Derek on tape. I think he's a very good fit. I'm not going too far down the road, 10 years from now. We're excited that he's here."

•Said running game at Miss. St. is different, but you can see him go to the second level and move his feet well.

•Watched Alabama game and really liked the way he competed. Some of the things he did in the second level "really excited us." Liked the way he got to the second level and sustained his blocks.

•Played in a great conference. Saw him play on the road against Alabama and was impressed with how he handle it..

•Feels good about his young players that he has on the roster. "Marshall (Newhouse) and Nick (McDonald) , we don't know as much as far as playing in games. You like to think will make a big jump from Year One to Year Two. Derek is a young player with a lot of ability."

•When or if they're going to practice with rookies, he'd like to get Sherrod in.

•Said Mississippi State ran the ball a lot, but they were in the shotgun a lot and did a lot of power scheme. Some moving and pulling. More of a gap blocking team than what the Packers do.

Some tidbits from the Packers draft:

•Sherrod will wear No. 78. Allen Barbre was the last draft pick to wear that number.

•Teams can send playbooks home with the rookies, but the Packers won't. They'll wait to get the players in for rookie orientation (provided there is one).

•LB Clay Matthews said on his Twitter account, "Protect the franchise!:

•From OL T.J. Lang: "Welcome to the bay Sherrod"

•DE Cullen Jenkins, a free agent to be, was active on Twitter: "Hmmm. Wonder who would want me. So many good DLinemen in da draft."

•And he answered, "Maybe" to this question From Matt_Likes_Beer: Good DEs but GB didn't take one. Glimmer of hope?

[vince]

Green Bay -Here are some comments from Packers first-round pick Derek Sherrod:

•On the wait until the 32nd pick: "It was a little bit of a long wait. I'm very happy with the pick."

•On whether the Packers had shown particular interest in him: "Not actually. It's a really great program and the organization is definitely a great one. I'm very excited to come there."

•On whether he can play left or right tackle "I'm very confident in that). I played both positions at my career in Mississippi State. I'm confident I can flip around and play where they want me to."

•Were the Packers on the phone with you before their pick even came up? "They called me a couple minutes before the pick. I knew a little before they made the pick."

•Were you worried about having to wait until Friday to get picked? "Throughout the whole thing I always kept my faith, once GB decided to pick me i was really excited."

•Did you watch the Packers in the Super Bowl? "Yeah, i watched the Super Bowl. It's a really hard-working team. Everybody from where I'm from was rooting for the Packers. They had the Lombardi trophy in their sights and they went and got it."

•Where were you when you got picked and were you affected by the storms that ripped through the South? "I watched it in my hometown in Columbus, Mississippi. We experienced a power outage last night. but luckly there was no physical damage. But some nearby towns were devastated."

•Is it true that you didn't give up a sack in all four years and is that the strength of your game? "I gave up a few my freshman and sophomore years. That's definitely a part of my game. I make sure every single down I win that down. I make sure I dominate my opponent."

•Are you looking forward to meeting Aaron Rodgers? "I'm definitely looking forward to meeting Aaron Rodgers."

•How would you describe yourself as a player? "I'm an all-around guy. I think I can do everything. I don't give up sacks, I've been a very successful player at Mississippi State. I'm a very athletic, intelligent player."

•What can you improve on? I feel like I can improve my strength. You can always get stronger. I can always learn more about the game of football."

•What would you be doing if you weren't playing football? "I'd probably go back and finish my Master's. That's one of my goals that I want to acheive."

•Do you feel you're more of a cerebral player than a physical one? "I feel like I'm (physical). As an offensive lineman, you have to be big, strong and nasty. You can'tt walk into the NFL and not be that way. "

[mraynrand]

JSO

Green Bay - Here's comments from GM Ted Thompson shortly after the pick of OT Derek Sherrod of Mississippi State:


•Felt 10 through 45 there were a lot of good players. "We were pretty comfortable sitting there and watching. We felt the board was deep enough."

#10 - equal value after 10? Interesting.

[Guiness]

#10 - equal value after 10? Interesting.

I was thinking the same thing.

[Lurker64]

I was thinking the same thing.

The "elite" or "high first" tier was really shallow this year. The "mid-first to mid-second" tier was correspondingly very fat. I noticed this as well when trying to figure out rankings.

[Guiness]

The "elite" or "high first" tier was really shallow this year. The "mid-first to mid-second" tier was correspondingly very fat. I noticed this as well when trying to figure out rankings.

Ya, but it implies that Watt (drafted at #11) graded out pretty close to Sherrod and, say, Heyward. That's saying something.

Well, re-reading it, maybe that's not what he was saying, but it's the initial impression it left me with.

[packrulz]

It was the safe pick; it was the sound, smart choice.

Packers General Manager Ted Thompson had some tempting options available to him when he went on the clock at pick number 32, the final pick of the first day of the NFL Draft.

Available to Thompson were a couple of tantalizing pass-rushers, Clemson’s Da’Quan Bowers and Arizona’s Brooks Reed. In a game that increasingly is built around the pass and the pass-rush, Bowers and Reed are the kinds of players that can make your heart beat faster. Oh, the things you could do with them.

Thompson, however, stuck to his value board. Instead of a pass-rusher, Thompson selected a pass-blocker, Mississippi State offensive tackle Derek Sherrod.

Why? Probably because there were nearly no negatives to selecting Sherrod. He’s a big, athletic and accomplished blindside pass-blocker. What’s not to like?

Oh, one more thing, and this may have been what sealed the deal in Thompson’s mind: With the selection of Sherrod, on the heels of having drafted Iowa tackle Bryan Bulaga a year ago, Thompson may have provided quarterback Aaron Rodgers with the pass-protection a franchise quarterback needs for the remainder of Rodgers’ career.

Isn’t that a nice thought? It’s the kind of thought that gives a general manager a warm feeling in the days immediately following the draft, as he runs his picks back through his head over and over, grading his performance secretly, honestly.

Nothing beats keeping your star quarterback on his feet and healthy. It allows you to sleep at night.

Pretty good run blocker too! We should have book end tackles for years to come: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju-J_2oajto&feature=fvwrel

[bobblehead]

This fits the TT mold as a 4 year player as well. Also a smart guy by all accounts. The thing I like is that you can build strength pretty easy, but building athleticism....not so much. Now I KNOW we can count on our OL coach to bring him up to speed.

The one other point I noted was the report that said he had an upside down triangle build. That means he will probably always be more susceptible to the power bull rush, but the good news is that its the speed rushers that generally hurt a QB, the bull rushers just collapse the pocket. He sounds like a Clifton clone with good knees, we should be so lucky.

[SkinBasket]

I'm always more interesting in the pictures, so I can tell if he's smart or dumb or racist.

http://blogs.clarionledger.com/msu/files/2010/10/tcl-5rdnwlidrr71gfggf197_layout.jpghttp://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/1102/nfl-combine-2011/images/derek-sherrod.jpghttp://media.scout.com/Media/Image/90/907405.jpg

I've looked into his internet soul and have seen a kind, intelligent man who knows how to be who he has to be when he needs to be him.

[RashanGary]

Hahaha. Good read, skin.

[RashanGary]

After reading TT, JP and Sherrods comments, I'm liking the pick more and more.

On a side note, TT said it's about 45 deep. If one of those guys slips to the 50-55 range, Ted might be tempted to shoot up and get the last player out of that B+ tier. Hopefully a DL. If we had another excellent OL and DL from this draft, we're looking stacked going forward.

[ND72]

Remember, Ted isn't saying the current 10-45 picks were of equal value, he is saying guys 10-45 on his board are of equal value....maybe a trade up in round 2???

[mraynrand]

Remember, Ted isn't saying the current 10-45 picks were of equal value, he is saying guys 10-45 on his board are of equal value....maybe a trade up in round 2???

I don't understand your first point, but I agree that a trade up in the second seems likely. The Packers just have so much depth, that it's to their advantage to try for fewer, hopefully better picks at this point. Maybe in a year or two as the depth thins a little, you go back to roster-filling draft pick accumulation, but take that compensatory pick, etc. and move up to 35-40 and get that pass rusher.

[Lurker64]

Remember, Ted isn't saying the current 10-45 picks were of equal value, he is saying guys 10-45 on his board are of equal value....maybe a trade up in round 2???

The problem is that if we trade up high in round 2, we'd be crossing a tier. We'd have to give up a lot (Packaging #64 and #96 gets you up to about #50). A more reasonable trade up spot would be about #57 (Seattle's pick). That would only cost roughly our non-compensatory fourth with maybe our sixth round pick thrown in.

[mraynrand]

The problem is that if we trade up high in round 2, we'd be crossing a tier. We'd have to give up a lot (Packaging #64 and #96 gets you up to about #50). A more reasonable trade up spot would be about #57 (Seattle's pick). That would only cost roughly our non-compensatory fourth with maybe our sixth round pick thrown in.


Good point. If Thompson moving up (and how much he gives up to move up) will tell us a lot about what he thinks of 1) team depth, and 2) the need for a particular player/position.

[King Friday]

He sounds like a Clifton clone with good knees, we should be so lucky.

That what it seemed to me as well...this kid seems to have some of the same knocks on him that Clifton had coming out of Tennessee, but Chad certainly turned out to be a great player.

[mission]

So do we like this guy?

Don't know much about him other than seen his name mentioned a lot and that he has pretty good size/length.

[vince]

Team captain, didn't give up a sack in 2 years, long, athletic, built for ZBS, protect the franchise, ...

Not much not to like. Looks like a solid, solid value pick at an important position of need.

[mission]

Team captain, didn't give up a sack in 2 years, long, athletic, built for ZBS, protect the franchise, ...

Not much not to like. Looks like a solid, solid value pick at an important position of need.

Thanks. Yeah, it just seems like one of those solid, makes-sense kind of picks that I'm OK with. Can't go wrong with protecting the best player on your team.

[RashanGary]

They have a tape out with every offensive snap of Southern Miss vs Kentucky. I watched Sherrod.

One thing I notice about really good OT's, they slide, plant, punch, slide, plant, punch in a very natural rhythmic way. Bulaga had that coming out of Iowa. The guy hoodie drafted this year had that. When that punch is coordinated with the steps, it knocks guys back and really adds to the pass set.

Sherrod didn't have that. He seemed to put his arms out, but there wasn't much impact. He didn't have a regular slide/plant/punch technique, at last not a powerful pronounced one like some other guys. Instead of punching guys back, he just kind of stayed in front of his guy and moved back slowly into the QB. It was good enough in college, but if he doesn't knock Julius Peppers back a step, he'll go right through him.

I think Sherrod is much more of a project than Bulaga. Bulaga had good coaching and good technique from day 1. I think there is a reason teams like to draft OL from pro-style systems. Sherrod is a naturally huge guy, he's a great athlete, he's a hard worker, smart guy and he's pretty good already, but I think it's going to take a year before we really want him protecting AR's blind side. Unlike Bulaga, he seems to have a couple glaring technique holes in his game coming out. That's probably why he fell to us. Teams never know how a guy will transition if they didn't see him do it in college.

[Tarlam!]

Only gave up sacks in his first college season... I don't care how he does it or whether he does it from left or right tackle, as long as he keeps that up, I'll be fine with him.

[HarveyWallbangers]

They have a tape out with every offensive snap of Southern Miss vs Kentucky. I watched Sherrod.

I hope you didn't watch Southern Miss vs. Kentucky and think you saw Sherrod. :)

[RashanGary]

Well, whatever school he's from :)