Who's this guy?

[superfan]

Injuries and mediocre bench numbers seem to be the biggest knocks from what I've seen.

I found Havner's pre-draft posts -- they were on rivals.com. My previous post contained some inaccuracies -- I read it months ago and my memory was a little off.

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=1144&CID=524989

[HarveyWallbangers]

I remember him being slow. Is that true? I was thinking that he didn't seem like a good fit for the Packers. He sounds like a special teams player.

[Bretsky]

You should know. Nutz drafted him for the Dragons squad. I think he was cut though.

The Dragons are a hell of a lot better than the Packers and our head coach is superior as well.

B

[superfan]

I don't get it. This guy was 1st team All-American and a Butkus award finalist as a junior, and he wasn't drafted following his senior year. Anybody know what happened to him as a senior?

Here's Havner's resume following the 2005 season --

- Led UCLA in tackles for the 2nd straight season
- named UCLA defensive MVP
- chosen for the Senior Bowl
- chosen for the Shrine Game
- Butkus award semifinalist (1 of 10, Best Collegiate Linebacker)
- Lombardi award semifinalist (1 of 12, best collegiate lineman)
- Bednarik award semifinalist (1 of 12, Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year)
- Lott trophy quarterfinalist (1 of 15, Defensive Impact player of the Year)
- 2nd team All Pac-10

He is in great company on these award lists -- most were high draft picks. I don't get why he went undrafted either.

[superfan]

I remember him being slow. Is that true? I was thinking that he didn't seem like a good fit for the Packers. He sounds like a special teams player.

From his blog:

"UCLA had its Pro Day on Thursday morning and it went really well. I really wanted to do the 40-yard dash again and was much more pleased with my time.

I ran a 4.55 the first time and a 4.56 the second time (ran in low 4.6's at the NFL Combine). That was my personal best and about the same time I had hit before in my training. Hopefully getting a 4.5 up on the board will help my draft stock."

I think you may be right about his speed. What's the target for an NFL LB -- low 4.5s?

[SD GB fan]

4.5 is considered fast. hawk runs a 4.6.

[woodbuck27]

Havner's hopes - NU grad has sights set on Saturday's NFL draft



Former Nevada Union and UCLA linebacker Spencer Havner is learning that the waiting is the hardest part. Havner is hoping to hear from an NFL team on Saturday saying it has drafted him.


By Stacy Hicklin, stacyh@theunion.com

April 28, 2006

If Spencer Havner owned a crystal ball, he'd most certainly be taking advantage of it right now. Because being able to see what his future will look like after the next few days would make his life a whole lot less stressful.

Instead, the Nevada Union graduate and UCLA product waits anxiously for something he's prepared the majority of his life for - getting drafted to play in the National Football League.

The past few months have been a whirlwind of activity, but come Saturday or Sunday, Havner will finally know the direction he's headed.

Peruse the mock draft sites or listen to draft talk and the so-called experts have Havner, an outside linebacker, going anywhere from No. 30 to No. 90. No two pundits or sites are the same.

The difference in a signing bonus between the two aforementioned picks can range from anywhere from $4-5 million to the $700,000 ballpark.

"No one can predict when I'll be picked," Havner said.

"Everything on me right now is like a crap shoot. That's why it's been so nerve wracking.

"I hate all the (mock drafts) with a passion. None of them know what they're talking about. All of the projections are what they (the people who run the sites) think - not what the teams think."

Right now, the players drawing the most attention at Havner's position are Ohio State's A.J. Hawk, Iowa's Chad Greenway and Florida State's Ernie Sims.

Havner's goal, however, is to be taken within the first three rounds (the first day of the draft). The entire draft is seven rounds long.

And his dream situation?

To field a call from the Oakland Raiders informing him that he is one of their draft picks. Havner is a longtime Raiders fan and would like play close to home.

The Raiders are one of the teams Havner feels has taken a special interest in him, along with the Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars and Washington Redskin.

Nevada Union football coach Dave Humphers reported that a scout from the Chicago Bears came to the high school one day to talk about Havner. Humphers has also received questionnaires about Havner's character and history from the Raiders and the Green Bay Packers.

While actually being drafted is the best part of the process in Havner's eye, he reports that the worst part was the NFL Combine.

Havner was one of more than 330 draft prospects invited to the NFL Combine, which was held in Indianapolis at the end of February. At the Combine, athletes go through fitness and skill exercises, along with team interviews, psychological testing and extensive x-ray work to detect any possible injuries.

"The combine is the worst part (of the process)," Havner said.

"They make you strip off your clothes and get on stage in front of all the scouts. It's kind of like a meat market.

"Then they run you through all the psychological testing and interviews. And it isn't until the fourth day (after getting very little sleep) you run, jump and perform. They set you up for failure."

Despite his dislike for the experience, Havner felt he made a good showing.

Asked in retrospect whether he wished he would have gone out for the draft after his junior year after having led the Pacific 10 conference with 125 tackles - Havner does not hesitate in saying no.

"I feel good about my decision," Havner said.

"I know I'm ready now. Last year I had some nagging injuries that would have hurt me going into the Combine. And I was able to get my degree (in history)."

In his final season this past fall at UCLA, Havner recorded 99 tackles, leading the team with 66 solo tackles, along with 15 tackles for a loss, two sacks and two fumble recoveries.

Throughout his collegiate career, Havner was a Bednarik, Lombardi and Butkus Award semifinal finalist and a Lott Trophy quarterfinalist.

Local excitement

If all goes according to plan this weekend, Havner will become the first western Nevada County football player drafted in more than a decade.

In recent history, two other former Miners, both of whom played at Cal, have been involved in the draft process. In 1992, Steve Gordon, a center, was drafted by the New England Patriots in the 10th round. And in 2000, linebacker Matt Beck looked to be a sure pick in the draft out of Cal, but as the weekend came and went Beck was left undrafted.

"You have to have the passion and the ability to focus," Humphers said.

"You have to work hard day after day and month after month to accomplish your long-term goals.

"That's what Spencer has done. He's put himself in a position to play football for a living in the NFL."

When talking about Havner's draft prospects, a huge smile paints Humphers' face as he laughs and points to goosebumps that spring up on his arm. He adds that watching the draft this weekend will be like the Super Bowl for him.

Havner plans to begin his day Saturday at a barbecue with family in Placerville and then head up to Grass Valley to spend more time with his family in the afternoon and evening.

[woodbuck27]

Spencer Havner Height: 6-4 Weight: 243 40 Speed: 4.65 V
Position: Outside Linebacker College: UCLA Final Grade: F 5.5


GM JR Scouting LLC Grading Scale/Key:

http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2006/key

SUMMARY

Havner was a very disappointing player to grade because he is a highly publicized college linebacker with tremendous measureables, but he does not make any real impact plays and nearly all his tackles are made downfield chasing in pursuit. He definitely looks the part when you see him walking around on the field and he is a smart player who consistently reads and reacts to the play well. He sniffs out misdirection plays well. While he has good strength to take on blocks at the point of attack and has flashed the ability to shed and make plays at times, most of the time he struggles to get off the block in time and does not make plays when he has to defeat a blocker.

Once he reads the play, he accelerates to full speed quickly and if he has a clear path to the ball, he has the playing speed and closing burst to chase down the ball carrier from behind,

but if there is traffic, he can't get through it consistently to make plays.

Overall, Havner lacks athleticism, but with his toughness, smarts, instincts, acceleration and playing speed, he could be a good backup linebacker in the NFL who will do a good job on special teams.



STRONG POINTS

Havner is a smart and instinctive linebacker who consistently reads and reacts quickly to the play. He accelerates to full speed fast and has the playing speed to chase down plays in pursuit when he has a clear path to the ball.

He flashes very quick fill into the hole and can get into the backfield to make/disrupt the play before it gets started.

He has good strength and has shown the ability to hold ground vs. lead blockers, flashes the ability to shed and make tackle.

woodbuck27: Well then, what is it?


WEAKNESSES

Havner is a straight-line athlete who is stiff and struggles to change directions quickly.

This causes him to over-run tackles in pursuit because he runs very upright. He lacks the flexibility to bend down and protect his legs from low blocks/traffic and it causes him to really struggle to move through traffic.

If he does not have a clear path to the ball, he rarely makes a play. He does not look smooth or fluid dropping off the ball into zone coverage and struggles to change directions fast. He can't stay with running backs in man coverage because he consistently loses a step out of cuts and allows separation. [b]


woodbuck27:

Yea yea OK. He did all this stuff and he didn't do anything.

What it was is moot, as now it's... What's it going to be?

Let's see what he's got with this second chance.

[superfan]

Outstanding finds, Woody, thanks!

Bottom line is that he is probably one of those guys who is a much better college player than a pro player, but overall I really like giving him a look, considering there is little to no risk in doing so. We can assume based on his production that he at least has decent football instincts. Which, as we've heard many, many times, can't be taught.

[woodbuck27]

RE: Redskins

http://nfldraft.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=1164&CID=540877

[superfan]

So...

"...he does not make any real impact plays..."

Yet as a senior he was responsible for 15 tackles for loss (more than one a game) two sacks, and two fumble recoveries?

So what -- they were all a result of him simply falling on the guy after he was already down? I don't get it. Sounds like he's a decent impact player to me.

MJZiggy, I'll bet you never dreamed your original post would create this much response!

[superfan]

4.5 is considered fast. hawk runs a 4.6.

Thanks for clarifying, SD GB fan.

[woodbuck27]

OLB - Spencer Havner Video:

He looks athletic to me.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...39765704580799

and Chat fr.Washington Redskins Fan Forum:

http://www.thewarpath.net/redskins-film-room/12372-spencer-havner-video.html

[woodbuck27]

Outstanding finds, Woody, thanks!

Bottom line is that he is probably one of those guys who is a much better college player than a pro player, but overall I really like giving him a look, considering there is little to no risk in doing so. We can assume based on his production that he at least has decent football instincts. Which, as we've heard many, many times, can't be taught.

It certainly was prudent to bring him in for a decent look superfan.

Obviously Ted Thompson isn't pleased with something at OUR LB position and we can only watch this to see where it may go.

I really hate that TT just up and canned Ahmad Carroll and maybe Havnner will be a guy on ST's as certainly Ahmad Carroll was announced productive for us there. AC also looked really good late in 2005 returning kicks.

Now news on Koren Robinson not good as he got three months,,,** but I havn't followed up on that. So I'm ignorant as to how that plays out for us and KR in the immediate future.

** just got to that and he's back in Green Bat from Court appearance in Washington State and he'll play against "the RAMS"... good !

I'm not impressed with punt returning and Charles Woodson being "a wanna be" there. I'm not impressed with eithr Wooodson or Al Harris.Nick Collins seems to be suffering the Sophomore Jinx and Marquand manuel just plays badly.

OUR Scondary is dreadful to date. Really shocking/hard to imagine they would be this ugly.

OUR secondary is a mess.

Ted's looking like "a cat chasing it's tail".

[packmac]

This move makes me wonder if the stage could be setting up to see if Barnett would move over to OLB.

I happen to think Barnett has been one of our better players over the last few years but I've noticed a bit of an attitude at the "I'm staying at this postition don't try to move me" remarks.

Since the potential in Hawk is greater than the skills of Barnett today, and since nobody really knows what Hodge can do (although I believe there is a pretty big upside to him) could the plan be to totally revamp this Linebacker core and let Hawk become the leader of this defese?

Don't get me wrong, if Barnett is going to be a team player I don't want to get rid of him, but it seems to me his trade value would be higher now as opposed to 2009 when his contract is up. If we could get a high pick, or running back...maybe Jerry Porter...could be fun. Hopefully Barnett will move over...I think he was OLB in college when he stood out anyway.