Minnesota Vikings 2005 Draft coverage and picks. A round by round list of the teams 2005 draft picks and a profile of each player.
Minnesota Vikings Draft order is as follows:
Round 1: Picks 7 & 18
Round 2: 17 (49)
Round 3: 16 (80)
Round 4: 11 (112)
Round 5: 18 (154)Traded to Washington, along with the 120th pick for the
112th pick in the 4th round.
Round 6: 17 (191)
Round 7: 5 (219)
Troy Williamson | Erasmus James | Marcus Johnson | Dustin Fox | Ciatrick Fason | C. J. Mosley | Adrian Ward
Round 1, Pick 7 (from Oakland)
Troy Williamson, WR South Carolina
Position: WR
Class: Jr
School: South Carolina
Conference: SEC
Ht., Wt.: 6-1.5, 203
40 Time: 4.38
OVERVIEW
A gifted receiver who possesses outstanding speed, Williamson developed into
the Gamecocks' big-play artist as a junior. A proven deep threat, he also
proved capable of carrying the ball out of the backfield in addition to
excelling on special teams as a kickoff returner and gunner on the coverage
units.
Williamson was a Prep Star All-American selection and rated the fifth-best
wide receiver prospect in the Atlantic Region by that scouting service as a
senior at Silver Bluff High School. He was a Mr. Football finalist in the
state of South Carolina and led the team to back-to-back state championships
as the squad rolled up thirty straight victories. He caught 21 passes for
500 yards and rushed for 890 yards as a senior. Williamson also excelled in
track, twice winning the state titles in the 100 and 200-meter dashes.
Williamson played in every game, starting five contests as a true freshman.
He caught 17 passes for 491 yards (28.9 avg) and four touchdowns while
adding 47 yards on three carries (15.7 avg) and 74 yards on three kickoff
returns (24.7 avg). In 2003, Williamson started ten games at split end. He
hauled in 31 passes for 428 yards (13.8 avg) and two touchdowns, including a
school and Southeastern Conference record 99-yarder. He also handled the
bulk of the team's kickoff return duties, gaining 268 yards on 14 attempts
(19.1 avg).
As a junior, Williamson accounted for a career-high 835 yards on 43
receptions with seven touchdowns. He also had seven kickoff returns for 105
yards (15.0 avg) and 30 yards on four carries (7.5 avg). He closed out his
career with 91 receptions for 1,754 yards (19.3 avg) and thirteen touchdowns
in 34 games. His 1,754 yards rank seventh on the school's all-time record
list. Williamson also gained 101 yards on twelve carries (8.4 avg), 447
yards on 24 kickoff returns (18.6 avg) and recorded four solo tackles on
special teams.
ANALYSIS
Positives … Tall, long-limbed athlete with a good frame than can
carry additional weight …
Has long, toned arms, good bubble and very good flexibility and knee bend …
Hard worker and the type that will fight for the ball … Shows suddenness and
acceleration getting into his routes and has the size and strength to bust
through the jam … Can drop his weight and accelerate out of his breaks …
Shows very good double cut ability … Can find the soft spot in the zone and
adjust readily to man coverage … Does a good job of finding the sideline and
adjusting to keep his feet in bounds … Has the quickness to come back for
the ball … Has a smooth open field stride and that second gear needed to
race past defenders after the catch … Has the flexibility and body control
to adjust to the ball in the air … Gets good hand placement and moves well
to either his left or right … Gets in and out of his breaks with some
fluidness and uses his size to his advantage in jump ball situations.
Negatives … Will position block to seal off, but lacks aggression and
is not the type who will use his strength to shock and control the defender
… Has very good speed, but is a bit of a long strider rather than a receiver
that has short quick feet … Not as quick in short routes as the smaller
receivers and is best when having space to operate … Has adequate hands, but
struggles to adjust to the over the shoulder tosses … Can come back for the
ball, but does not show great stop-and-go action (momentum sometimes takes
him out of the play, as he overruns the ball) … Sometimes takes soft angles,
especially on upfield routes.
INJURY REPORT
2003: Left the Mississippi game early in the second quarter with a thigh
bruise.
AGILITY
4.38 in the 40-yard dash … 2.61 20-yard dash … 1.6 10-yard dash … 6.99
three-cone drill … 37-inch vertical jump … 33-inch arm length … 9 3/8-inch
hands … 21 Wonderlic score.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Silver Bluff (Jackson, S.C.) High School … All-American selected
and rated the fifth-best wide receiver prospect in the Atlantic Region by
Prep Star … Mr. Football finalist in the state of South Carolina … Played
for back-to-back state high school state champions that rolled up 30
straight victories … In Silver Bluff's 21-20 victory over
Batesburg-Leesville in the State AA championship game, he ran for 189 yards
and had three touchdowns … Finished his senior year with 21 catches for 500
yards and 890 yards rushing … Consensus All-State selection … Named Class AA
Player of the Year by The High School Sports Report … Two-time 100 and
200-meter dash state champion in track.
PERSONAL
Hotel Restaurant & Tourism Management major … Born 4/30/83 … Resides in
Jackson, South Carolina.
Round 1, Pick 18
Erasmus James, DE Wisconsin
Position: DE
Class: Sr
School: Wisconsin
Conference: Big Ten
Ht., Wt.: 6-4, 266
40 Time: 4.85
OVERVIEW
Regarded as one of the premier pass rushers in college football, Erasmus
James made a successful recovery from a career-threatening hip injury
suffered prior to the 2003 season.
This is not a player that took your everyday path to college football
notoriety. Born on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts (his father is press
secretary to the nation's prime minister), James moved to The Bronx, New
York, and grew up there as a child. He then moved to Florida as a high
school freshman, where he became a standout basketball player, but was
convinced to try football in his senior year.
The Badgers are lucky he did, as the UW coaches saw him at an all-star game
in Florida and the rest, as they say, is history. In James' one season on
the gridiron at McArthur (Fla.) High, he earned third-team All-State honors
after posting 53 tackles with 14 sacks and 23 stops for losses.
James was academically ineligible in 2000, but appeared in every game as a
reserve right defensive end in 2001, collecting 36 tackles (20 solo) with
six sacks, seven stops for losses and three forced fumbles.
He took over the right defensive end spot as a junior in 2002, registering
17 quarterback pressures, four sacks, seven stops for losses and 52 tackles
(32 solo), despite playing later in the year by a knee sprain.
A hip injury during 2003 preseason drills kept him on the sidelines for the
entire season. He returned to action in 2004, shifting to left end, and was
having a solid season until suffering an ankle sprain against Purdue that
would force him to sit out the Northwestern game and limit his action
against Minnesota. James finished the season with 36 tackles (27 solo), a
career-high eight sacks, 11.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage and seven
pressures.
In 36 games as a Badger, Erasmus totaled 124 tackles (79 solo) with 18 sacks
for minus-120 yards, 25.5 stops for losses of 145 yards, 28 quarterback
pressures, seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and six pass
deflections.
ANALYSIS
Tall, lanky athlete who needs to add bulk and muscle tone to his frame. Has
very good quickness off the edge, showing effective pass rush moves to
escape the offensive tackle and pursue the play in the backfield.
While he is picking up the technological aspects of the game, he is still
learning, as he is not quite as instinctive to blocking schemes as he should
be.
Shows good hand usage to stack and shed with leverage and reach. Can string
plays out and force the action back inside and shows very good wrap-up
tackling technique. James struggles a bit to get good leverage vs. the
larger blockers, but showed in 2004 that he could improve in this area with
increased strength.
His burst off the edge makes him a player that offensive tackles must always
account for. Will always give good effort and will not hesitate to make arm
tackles in he can't get good position.
Very effective on stunts to the inside, as he has the hand quickness to make
decent rush moves on the blocker. Needs to use his hands better to defeat
low blocks, but improved in that area during 2004.
Shows good lower leg drive and power versus the run and has the lateral
agility to work through trash and traffic to get to the ball. Has developed
effective rip, swim and club moves to split double teams. Does a good job of
stringing out plays and forcing the action back inside.
Shows suddenness working the inside stunts and uses his hands to slip off
the offensive tackles coming off the edge. Has good timing and leaping
ability to deflect passes at the line of scrimmage.
His hip injury in 2003 and other assorted ankle and knee problems will
always be an issue. This could scare off a few teams. Needs to dedicate the
bulk of his spare time to increasing his strength, but he proved in 2004
that he can be a difference maker, if he can stay healthy.
INJURY REPORT
2002: Did not start against Michigan (11/12) as he was bothered by left knee
tendonitis, but saw some playing time.
2003: Sat out the year after he injured his hip during the first week of
summer drills (8/03).
2004: Missed the Northwestern game after he was forced to leave in the third
quarter of the Purdue contest (10/16) with a left ankle sprain that resulted
from a chop block. He returned to action vs. Minnesota (11/06), wearing a
brace to protect his foot, but left at halftime. James continued to have
problems with his ankle the rest of the year, missing several practices in
the week leading up to the Outback Bowl contest vs. Georgia.
AGILITY
4.75 in the 40-yard dash. … 325-pound bench press. … 600-pound squat. …
340-pound power clean. … 34.5-inch vertical jump. … 33 5/8-inch arm length.
… 9 ¾-inch hands. … Right-handed. … 15/37 Wonderlic score.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended McAarthur (Hollywood, Fla.) High, playing football as a senior for
coach Keith Franklin. … First-team All-District and second-team All-Broward
County choice, adding third-team All-State accolades on the gridiron. …
Participated in the Dade vs. Broward All-Star Game and the Broward County
North vs. South contest. … Named the school's outstanding defensive lineman.
… Credited with 53 tackles, 23 stops for losses and 14 sacks in his senior
year. … Also excelled in basketball.
PERSONAL
Criminal Justice and Sociology major. … Son of Evrine James. … Born 11/04/82
in Saint Kitts. … Resides in Hollywood, Florida.
Round 2, Pick 49
Marcus Johnson, OG Ole Miss
Position: OG
Class: Sr
School: Ole Miss
Conference: SEC
Ht., Wt.: 6-6.5, 321
40 Time: 5.54
OVERVIEW
An imposing physical specimen, Johnson is a player who knows how to use his
size to his advantage. The team captain started 45 games at right guard and
three other contests at right tackle during his four-year career with the
Rebels. He received the J. Richard Price Courage and Compassion Award, which
is presented annually to the rising senior lineman who, in the opinion of
his coaches, has demonstrated extraordinary courage and unusual compassion
in their dedication to the team and Ole Miss.
Johnson lettered three times in football at Coffeyville High, earning
All-State, All-Division, All-District and All-Area honors as an offensive
tackle and also saw action on the defensive side of the ball as an end,
posting 60 tackles with four sacks as a senior. He followed his brother,
Belton (1999-2002), to Mississippi and has started every game he has played
in (46) at Ole Miss.
With Belton (now with Cincinnati) lining up at right tackle, Johnson started
at right guard in 2001, earning Freshman All-American (fourth-team) honors
from The Sporting News. He and his brother were key players on an offensive
line that was second in the Southeastern Conference in the fewest sacks
allowed (14) as Ole Miss generated over 350 yards of total offense in
8-of-13 games, including at least 450 yards in four contests in 2002.
In 2003, he again started every game at right tackle, paving the way for an
offense that helped Ole Miss rank first in the SEC in scoring (34.0 ppg),
passing (286.0 ypg), and total offense (433.2 ypg) and set school season
offensive records for points scored (442), touchdown passes (31), passing
yards (3,718), passing yards per game (286.0), first downs (295), offensive
plays (940), total offense (5,631) and total offense per game (433.2). In
2004, he did not allow more than two tackles in any game, including shutting
out his opponents completely in the Wyoming and South Carolina clashes.
ANALYSIS
Positives … Has a wide body, with a barrel chest, long arms and legs.
… High-cut athlete who shows adequate flexibility, playing strength and
explosion. … Does a good job of using his size to gain advantage vs. the
smaller defenders. … His hand punch and field awareness are two of his
better qualities, as he showed improvement in 2004 in bringing his hands up
quicker coming off the ball to keep defenders off his chest. … When he locks
on to a defender, he can easily ride his man off the play. … When he stays
low in his pads, he can come off the snap with enough initial quickness to
gain advantage. … His hand extension allows him to gain leverage and while
he might lean into the defender at times, his size is an advantage when he
attempts to make reach blocks. … His wingspan and kick slide pose problems
for edge rushers, as Johnson shows the foot speed to retreat and seal off. …
He keeps his balance setting up in pass protection and gets good placement
to lock on to the defender's jersey. … Short sets and anchors very well and
has good pad level for his height, bends his knees to gain position. … When
he climbs to the second level, he shows good strength at the collision point
and has torque with defenders. … Plays with a good physical nature and
finishes well at.
Negatives … Has a developing frame that needs to add more strength
and bulk to his lower body. … Flashes good quickness off the snap, but gets
a little too erect in his stance and loses body control in attempts to block
on the move (reason why scouts project him moving to tackle in the pros). …
Can set with an adequate base and punch and while he shows a decent kick
slide, he cannot accelerate with his feet in order to sustain. … Struggles a
bit vs. the speed rush and counter moves. … Relies too much on his upper
body strength to combat his opponent, but once he locks on to a defender
with his hands, he can maul him. … Needs to develop better foot speed, as he
seems to die when trying to move upfield. … Spends too much of his time
leaning and pushing the defender rather than locking on to wall off. … Makes
a solid effort to block on the backside, but he lacks the body control to
readily adjust. … While he has the size to possibly move to offensive
tackle, he lacks the leg drive and lower body strength to maintain position
vs. the bull rush. … He has good quickness off the snap, but will false step
at times. … When he leans into the defender, he can be beaten by quick
lateral movement. … Has average agility, but will lose his balance at times.
… Can pull, but struggles to adjust in space.
INJURY REPORT
No injuries reported.
AGILITY
5.48 in the 40-yard dash … 3.11 20-yard dash … 1.85 10-yard dash … 4.71
20-yard dash …
7.71 three-cone drill … 27.5-inch vertical jump … 8'8"broad jump … Bench
pressed 225 pounds 21 times … 35 ½-inch arm length … 9 ½-inch hands … 17
Wonderlic score.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Coffeeville (Miss.) High School, playing football for coach Perry
Liles … First- team Clarion-Ledger All-State pick and member of the
newspaper's Top 40 list … Also earned All-Division, All-District, and
All-Area honors … Chosen to Super Prep's All-Dixie team … Three-year starter
who played offensive tackle and defensive end as a junior, while seeing
playing time at both guard and tackle on offense and end and nose tackle on
defense during senior season … On defense as a senior, he was credited with
60 tackles, including four quarterback sacks … Earned three letters in
football.
PERSONAL
Criminal Justice major … Named to the U.M.A.A. Honor Roll in the Spring of
2002 … Son of Glenda Smith … Brother, Belton, was an offensive lineman at
Mississippi from 1999-2002 and is presently playing for the Cincinnati
Bengals … Born Marcus Allen Johnson on 12/01/81 … Resides in Coffeeville,
Mississippi.
Round 3, Pick 80
Dustin Fox, CB Ohio State
Position: CB
Class: Sr
School: Ohio St.
Conference: Big Ten
Ht., Wt.: 5-11, 191
40 Time: 4.52
OVERVIEW
Played in 47 games as a Buckeye and made 37 starts. … has started 28
consecutive games at the boundary corner … was named to a second-team spot
on the All-Big Ten team last season, but is still a vastly underrated player
… is a true leader and one of the most consistent performers on the team …
gives the Buckeyes a rock-solid veteran in the defensive backfield … has
seven career interceptions and 217 tackles to his credit … has ranked first
and second the last two seasons, respectively, on the team in solo tackles …
came to Ohio State as a safety, but was moved to cornerback as a freshman. …
40-inch vertical jump … named to the CoSIDA District IV All-Academic team
each of the past two years … is a three-time OSU Scholar-Athlete.
ANALYSIS
An instinctive prospect with solid size/speed numbers and excellent
intangibles, Fox is coming off a disappointing senior campaign. And though
it was marred by injury, scouts still wonder about his potential for the
next level. Previously displayed himself as a potential first-day pick but
now a late-round choice who will fight to see action as a nickel back in the
NFL.
POSITIVES: Tough, feisty defensive back with a good head for the position. Alert, displays good ball awareness and immediately locates the pass in the air. Leads the defensive secondary, hard working and takes on bigger opponents defending screen passes. Positions himself to make a play on the ball and does a nice job reading receivers' eyes.
NEGATIVES: Quick out of his backpedal and prefers to side shuffle
down the field. Marginal playing speed and struggles staying downfield with
opponents. Consistently playing catch-up.
INJURY REPORT
No injuries reported.
AGILITY
4.45 seconds in 40-yard dash. … Seven bench reps at 225 pounds. … 43 1/2
vertical leap.
HIGH SCHOOL
First-team Division I Associated Press All-Ohio selection on defense as a
junior and senior … three-time All-Federal League … SuperPrep first-team
All-American … three-year starter at free safety … 12 interceptions in his
career … started at tailback as a senior and rushed for 1,351 yards and 10
touchdowns … 2,500 yards rushing and 38 touchdowns in his career … played in
the inaugural National High School All-Star Game … four-year letterwinner in
track.
PERSONAL
Communications major … Son of Randy and Jean Fox … brother Derek played
football at Penn State and for the Indianapolis Colts … uncles Kenny Kuhn,
Dick Kuhn, Mark Stier and Tim Fox played football at Ohio State (all started
and Tim was a first team All-American) … person he most admires is his
brother, Derek … married this past summer to Nicole Troyer, who works in the
OSU football office.
TOP
Round 4, Pick 112 (from Washington)
Ciatrick Fason, RB Florida
Position: HB
Class: Jr
School: Florida
Conference: SEC
Ht., Wt.: 6-0.5, 207
40 Time: 4.65
OVERVIEW
A model of consistency, Fason played in every game during his career (38),
earning 15 starts. He became the first Florida runner to lead the
Southeastern Conference in rushing since 1993. Fason is also only the
seventh player in school history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season.
Fason was one of the nation's elite prep running backs at Fletcher High
School. He gained consensus All-America recognition in 2001 from Parade,
Prep Star and SuperPrep. National Bluechips, SuperPrep and Prep Star rated
him one of the two top running backs in the country. He also earned
prestigious Class 5A Mr. Football in Florida honors and was a four-time team
MVP. Fason rushed for over 7,400 career yards and completed his career as
the state of Florida's fifth all-time leading rusher and tops in Northeast
Florida history. He rushed for over 2,000 yards twice -- 1999 and 2001.
Fason was so intent on attending the University of Florida that he verbally
committed on Signing Day 2001 and did not visit any other schools. He saw
action in every game as a true freshman in 2002, but only carried the ball
nine times for 27 yards and a score. Despite sharing playing time with Ran
Carthon and starting only two games, Fason ranked second on the team with
583 yards and three touchdowns on 84 carries (6.9 avg) in 2003. He also
gained 142 yards with three scores on 11 receptions (12.9 avg).
With Carthon having graduated, Fason took over the starting tailback duties
in 2004. He earned All-Southeastern Conference first-team honors from the
Associated Press, as he led the conference in rushing. He had the sixth-best
single-season rushing total in school history with 1,267 yards on 222
carries (5.7 avg), adding 10 touchdowns on the ground. He ranked third on
the squad with 35 receptions for 266 yards (7.6 avg) and a pair of scores.
Fason closed out his career with 315 carries for 1,877 yards (6.0 avg) and
14 touchdowns. He also hauled in 46 passes for 408 yards (8.9 avg) and five
scores.
ANALYSIS
Positives: Has good upper-body muscle development, good bubble,
adequate chest thickness, thick calves and a frame that can carry some
additional bulk … Shows good flexibility, quickness, balance and leaping
ability … Displays quick initial movement and has the lateral agility to
gain advantage when turning the corner … Has enough awareness to pick and
slide through the holes and make the initial tackler miss … Has adequate
speed to hit the seam and shows good acceleration on his cuts … Not a
shake-and-bake type, showing more weave in his running style … Does make an
effort to secure the ball before running and fumbling is not an issue … Has
the foot quickness and flexibility to stretch and extend for the pass at its
high point … Good route runner who shows some flashes of quickness coming
out of his breaks … Has natural hands and is very effective at getting to
off-target throws … Not a face-up type of blocker, but usually does a decent
job cut blocking in the open … Lacks the timed speed to elude, but his
slashing style and hip wiggle generally helps him escape the pile.
Negatives: More quick than fast, having only adequate timed speed …
Lacks the strength to move the pile, but does show good balance and the
ability to pick and slide through trash … Has enough speed to get through
the hole and make the first tackler miss, but in an open-field foot race, he
will need at least a step on the opponent in order to gain big yardage … Not
used as a lead blocker, as he can be pushed back through the hole … Does a
marginal job of picking up the blitz, as he does not show a lot of intent in
this area.
INJURY REPORT
No injuries reported.
AGILITY
4.65 in the 40-yard dash (4.57 wind-aided) … 4.24 20-yard shuttle … 12.07
60-yard shuttle … 6.72 three-cone drill … 36-inch vertical jump … 9-foot-10
broad jump … 30-inch arm length … 8 7/8-inch hands.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Fletcher (Jacksonville Beach, Fla.) High School, playing football
for coach Joe Reynolds … Gained consensus All-America recognition in 2001,
including Parade, Prep Star and SuperPrep … National Bluechips, SuperPrep
and Prep Star rated him one of the two top running backs in the country …
Also earned prestigious Class 5A Mr. Football in Florida honors and was a
four-time team MVP … Rushed for over 7,400 career yards and completed his
career as the state of Florida's fifth all-time leading rusher and tops in
Northeast Florida history … Rushed for over 2,000 yards twice -- 1999 and
2001.
PERSONAL
Social and Behavioral Sciences major … Son of Barbara Fason … Born Ciatrick
Antione Fason on Oct. 29, 1982, in Atlanta, Ga. … Resides in Jacksonville
Beach, Fla.
TOP
Round 6, Pick 191
C. J. Mosley, DT Missouri
Position: DT
Class: Jr
School: Missouri
Conference: Big 12
Ht., Wt.: 6-2, 314
40 Time: 5.1
OVERVIEW
Calvin Michael Mosley, Jr., is a player who is blessed with excellent size,
speed and athleticism, all the tools you look for in a top-line player. He
was a standout defensive lineman at Waynesville (Mo.) High School. He
garnered all-state accolades in 2000 and was ranked among the top defensive
line prospects in the country by Rivals.com. The three-time first-team
all-district selection recorded 21 quarterback sacks and 267 tackles during
his career. As a senior, he registered 97 tackles and 10 sacks. Mosley was
also one of the top high school track athletes in the shotput, finishing
third in the shot at the Missouri high school state meet in 2000.
In his first year at Missouri, the coaches decided to redshirt C.J. so he
could improve his strength in the Tigers' conditioning program. He played in
every game, starting the first three and final two contests of the 2002
season at nose guard. Mosley finished that year with 39 tackles (29 solos),
three sacks, eight stops for losses, three pressures and a forced fumble. He
started eleven games at nose guard in 2003, earning second-team All-Big
Twelve Conference honors. C.J. was credited with a career-high 67 tackles
(44 solos), as he produced six sacks, 16 stops behind the line of scrimmage
and seven pressures.
In 2004, Mosley was a first-team All-Big Twelve selection by the Associated
Press, as he was a lynchpin on a Tiger defense that ranked second in the
league and 14th nationally in total yardage allowed (301.36 per game).
Mosley helped Mizzou's defense become one of the nation's most improved, as
he registered 61 tackles (38 solos) on the year, including 14 stops for
losses, 12 pressures and 6.5 quarterback sacks. He also recovered two
fumbles and was named the team's Defensive Lineman of the Year.
In 36 games at Missouri, C.J. started 27 times. He recorded 167 tackles (111
solos) with 15.5 sacks for minus-91 yards, 38 stops for losses of 137 yards,
22 quarterback pressures, two fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles, three
pass break-ups and a blocked kick.
ANAYLSIS
Mosley has a developing frame with excellent quickness, functional strength
and above average change of direction agility and flexibility. He could add
at least another twenty pounds of bulk with no drop-off in speed. He shows a
good burst in his movements, but would not consider it explosive. C.J.
struggles some with double teams and is prone to get a little out of
control. His momentum sometimes will see him get taking out of the play, as
he does not have good stop-and-go action. He seems to be more effective at
the nose, playing over the center one on one, as he shows the ability to get
an edge on the shoulder of the blocker.
C.J. is a versatile player with experience at the nose and is a quick-twitch
type with the ability to read keys and locate the ball. He can stack and
flatten out when he plays at a low pad level, but when he gets high in his
stance he does not react well to blocking pressure as he will let the
opponents attack his feet or get into his body. He is the type of player
that performs better on the move than when sitting and reading. He will
hustle in pursuit to string plays out.
On the pass rush, C.J. can push the pocket and shows good swim, club, rip
and counter moves to combine with his quickness to flush out and pressure
the quarterback. His lateral agility is evident in his pursuit and he is a
solid wrap-up tackler who does a good job of sliding laterally. He relies a
lot on his quickness to get an edge, using his body control to lean and his
spin moves to avoid the blocker when shooting the inside gaps.
Mosley has functional strength at the point of attack, but will struggle to
disengage from combo blocks. He is better able to make plays vs. the run
when on the move, stunting or slanting. He can get off blocks on occasion to
make the inside play, but vs. the double team he needs to learn to defeat
one blocker instead of trying to fight both.
He has a powerful hand swipe, but needs to use his hands more consistently
to control and get off blocks. You can see that he has the ability to throw
and jerk the blockers, but he sometimes stays on his blocks too long. Still,
Mosley has surprising speed for a player of his size. He has good counter
moves and is very effective coming off twists or in his bull rush. His
quickness off the ball allows him to get up field and put steady pressure on
the quarterback.
Mosley shows the instincts to locate the ball and he has the feet to work
down the line. He shows the body control to lean and work the edge and can
play with leverage. There is no doubt about his natural athleticism and
talent, and his production is what it should be. C.J. is developing a good
mental makeup in terms of instincts, because he is almost always the first
defensive lineman moving at the snap and will not wait until he can see the
ball clearly before he gets moving towards it. He just has that natural
sense and feel for the ball.
He made marked improvement in 2004 in taking on the offensive guards at the
point of attack, holding his ground and then using torque to toss the
blocker and make the play. Mosley shows the body control and acceleration to
close on the ball. He has the ability to flatten and squeeze vs. the down
block and has developed better leverage vs. reach blocks. With added
strength, combined with his natural speed, he could develop into a very
effective under tackle at the next level.
INJURY REPORT
No injuries reported.
AGILITY
4.99 in the 40-yard dash … 380-pound bench press … 535-pound squat …
328-power clean … 29½-inch vertical jump … 32 3/8-inch arm length … 9
5/8-inch hands.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Warrensville (Mo.) High School, playing football for coach Rick
Vernon … Earned
All-state accolades in 2000 and was ranked among the top defensive line
prospects in the country according to Rivals.com … Three-time first-team
all-district choice who recorded 21 quarterback sacks and 267 tackles during
his three-year career … Recorded 97 tackles and 10 sacks … Was also one of
the top high school track athletes in the shot put, as he finished third in
the shot at the Missouri high school state meet in 2000.
PERSONAL
Hotel and Restaurant Management major … Son of Calvin, Sr. and Angela Mosley
… Father is in the U.S. Army … Born Calvin Michael Mosley, Jr., on Aug. 6,
1983 … Resides in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
Round 7, Pick 219 (from Oakland)
Adrian Ward, CB UTEP
Position: CB
Class: Sr
School: UTEP
Conference: WAC
Ht., Wt.: 5'10, 170
40 Time:
OVERVIEW
Recorded 39 tackles (36 solos), six pass breakups and a tackle for loss in
2003 … Had a team-leading three interceptions (for 18 yards), all in a
four-game span … Had a 19-yard pick against Sam Houston State … Also had
interceptions at SMU and at Hawaii … Tallied his season-best eight stops
(seven solos) in the season finale versus Fresno State … Seven tackles (six
solos) against San Jose State … Had five stops in two games (versus
Louisiana Tech, at Boise State) … Closed out the year by picking up 22
tackles in the final four games … Broke up two passes in two games (at
Hawaii, against San Jose State) … Added a tackle for loss versus the
Spartans.
JUNIOR COLLEGE
Played at Chabot College in Hayward, Calif. in 2001 and 2002 … A first team
all-state and all-conference player in 2002 when he posted 50 tackles, 20
pass breakups, eight interceptions and a blocked field goal … Also had a
97-yard interception return for a touchdown, a school record, versus
Sacramento City College … Named the 2002 Chabot College Defensive Player of
the Year … Named a 2002 preseason Top-101 junior college prospect by
JCfootball.com … A first team all-conference pick in 2001.
HIGH SCHOOL
Played his prep ball at Hayward High School … Earned one varsity letter in
2000, splitting time at cornerback and wide receiver … Tallied four
interceptions and three kickoff returns for TDs as a senior, earning All-Bay
Area recognition … High school coach was Casey Moreno … Three-year varsity
letterwinner on the Hayward basketball team, earning all-area and all-league
honors as a combo guard his senior campaign … Honor roll student in high
school.
PERSONAL
Parents are Michael and Priscilla Ward … Has two brothers and one sister …
Full name is Adrian Michael Ward … Nickname is "Age" … Born July 1, 1982 in
Berkeley, Calif. … Sociology major.