A Sea Of Red

http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/app ... /804210325

DRAFT DAY: Around this time last year, Browns fans and C-Town-area sports pundits were debating the merits of Adrian Peterson, Brady Quinn and Joe Thomas. Meanwhile, the only source of more than just an educated guess, the Orange and Brown Report and their Scout.com NFL expert, Adam Caplan, pegged Thomas as the one with the higher slot on the team's draft board. So it's only fitting that an abbreviated preview of an abridged Browns draft should begin with the sleeper pick Caplan has been touting in recent weeks: Liberty linebacker Vince Redd, a long-armed Willie McGinest clone who, at 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds, projects as a 3-4 outside linebacker and edge rusher. Redd transferred from Virginia after violating team rules, which I don't think is easy to do there, so he has big-time talent but a character red flag. The Browns' interest is no secret: TFYDraft.com's Tony Pauline, writing for Sports Illustrated's site, cited General Manager Phil Savage's "special trip" to see Redd's pro-day workout. The Browns have had some luck with those guys: Eric Wright looks to have been pretty well vetted after showing similarly poor judgment as a 20-something.

Another from SI http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/f ... /sleepers/

Vince Redd, OLB, Liberty: Redd is an imposing defender who looks like a man amongst boys on the field. Twenty NFL teams have worked out Redd, a prospect who can play outside linebacker or defensive end. Cleveland Browns general manager Phil Savage made a special trip to scout Redd at his first pro-day workout.

Let's put it this way: I haven't had an NFL team since the Colts left Baltimore, but I'll be pulling for which ever team signs Vince.

Cider Jim wrote:Let's put it this way: I haven't had an NFL team since the Colts left Baltimore, but I'll be pulling for which ever team signs Vince.

Coming from one of his professors, that says a whole lot about those "character issues."

im sure GMTM wet his pants after reading this thread

bigsmooth wrote:im sure GMTM wet his pants after reading this thread

He heard about it for the first time at the spring game tailgate and his face was priceless.....

It's what I get for not being around that much right now!!! Savage is one of the best GM's... No doubt about it I will be one happy camper if we get Vince... Since we have no picks on Day 1, Savage has been making trips to players who we will draft in rounds 4-7. BTW this is the year for us... If we don't make the playoffs this year I don't know when we will....I will save my smacktalk for Jan 09:)

Let me add that one of the Texans' top scouts lives in near Blacksburg and as a result the franchise has always had a Virginian tilt. I wouldn't be surprised to see that continue on draft day as well.

Don't kill my joy Sly!!!!

Vince is far from the unknown property that some of these journalists are portraying him to be.

He has his own thread on the St. Louis Rams message board as well. Looks like the word is getting out there.

flameshaw, the link, please provide us with the link!

From Scout ...

Sobo's Players of Interest #15: Vince Redd

By Brent Sobleski
OBR Draft Analyst
Posted Apr 22, 2008


The linebacker took four years to launch, but could winds up an early pick on day two of the draft. What has pro scouts so excited? Here's Sobo's take, as well as that of Tom Marino, an NFL scout with 30 years of experience...


Vince Redd LB Liberty

SOBO SEZ: NFL teams are always looking for late round gems. Scouts meticulously scour the entire countryside for these much sought after prospects, and more often than not a few physically talented prospects of note present themselves from small schools.

Liberty’s Vince Redd is arguably one of the hottest and the fastest rising properties for teams which employ a 3-4 defensive front. The former Division I-AA standout is a 6 feet 6 inches tall 262 pound outside linebacker with previous experience in the system, which is rarely used at the college level.

Click Here for Full Story

The guy doesn't know how to spell or punctuate, but he gives an interesting take on our man Vince:

Tom Marino, NFL Scout: OVA transfer. I liked this players athletic ability, direction change and potential as a edge pass rusher in a 3-4 scheme. Good stride length to top of the rush and bend and use of hands to alter course and finish. Active within the running game showing both range and instincts. Good wrap up tackler. Possible end in 4-3 scheme.

Cider Jim wrote:flameshaw, the link, please provide us with the link!

Ask and ye shall receive.

http://www.stltoday.com/forums/posting. ... y&t=534167

Crud, gotta be a member!

no, I think he just gave a bad link. If you click around a little bit you can find your way to the forums and there is a thread on "Vincent Red".

Lang showing Vince some love in this morning's fishwrap:

Vince Redd doesn’t want to hear about how much his draft stock has skyrocketed during the spring...He doesn’t buy that the Web site NFL Draft Scout has Redd projected as Liberty’s first NFL pick since Fred Banks in 1995. If Redd is drafted this weekend (Liberty coach Danny Rocco said he thinks Redd will go in the fifth round), he would become the sixth LU player drafted and first in 13 years...

Redd, who played two seasons at Virginia before transferring to Liberty, ran the 40-yard-dash in 4.56 seconds, had a vertical jump of 39 inches and a broad jump of 9-10. The number that concerns most NFL scouts, though, is Redd’s weak showing in the 225 test. He completed just 13 reps at the weight in the bench press.

http://www.newsadvance.com/lna/sports/c ... i_do/4332/

I knew the bench press thing would be an issue for Vince, but hopefully at least one team will see past it. He is stronger than his bench press numbers indicate. The thing that works against him there is actually one of his best assets as a football player.... his long arms. It's a matter of simple physics. To complete a bench press rep, he has to move the weight a lot farther than a 6'2 guy with stubby arms and a barrell chest who weighs the same as him. Look at Godsil and Gillespie. I'm not saying Vince is that strong, but if he were, he would not be able to bench what they do. Next year Godsil is going to face the exact opposite situation. He'll blow them away with his bench press reps, but they will question whether a guy 6'2 can play OL in the NFL.

Mike understands that he has some special positives, some negatives that he can't do anything about (ht.), and some areas that he wants to work on. Now that he completed spring ball without any set backs to a leg which was fresh out of the boot and surgery (March), he can now concentrate on those areas in a more controlled environment, as opposed to live scrimages. He needs to reclaim and improve his movement and change of direction, which he will be concentrating with Coach Bill this summer. (Summer starting May 11th). The center position is the most demanding OL position in terms of intelligence, and he is pretty good at reading defenses at the line, through to the safeties. He shows up to the FOC hours before practice or wt. sessions, to spend time with Coach Wach or by himself studying film.
Having said this, his #1 priority is game 1 vs. N. Greenville on Aug. 30th. He understands that the team needs to be focused early, playing as a unit on both sides of the ball. Last years early struggles with WM, Elon, and Toledo cost them come playoff time. The "Unfinished Business" concept that the team has adopted points to the importance of the early games.

I think Mike is going to have a great senior year, and I also think there will be NFL teams who will see all the tangible and intangible assets he brings to the table despite not having prototypical size.

Back to Vince.................. sub 4.6 40, 39" vertical and 9'10 standing broad jump; are you kidding me!!! If he doesn't work out on defense, some team should definately look at him as a tight end. When we were discussing the possibility of his playing Bball this year someone scoffed at the suggestion that Vince is more athletic than Alex McLain. There is no way Alex could do those things. I'm not sure Smitty has a 39" vertical.

6' 2" is not that much of an impediment at center. It would probably keep him from playing guard or tackle at the next level. But centers tend to be in the range.

I can't see any NFL scout not knowing that long armed guys have trouble with the bench. It comes up every year.

I am assuming that Vince hasn't worked that extensively with Coach Bill on his Bench because of the limited time here at Liberty. But an NFL team will target that area because it is one that definitely has potential for development. The things he currently brings to the table are amazing.

I think Vince has the best chance to get drafted. Hopefully several will sign as FAs. On NFL.com you can select by "College" and Vincent is our only player listed.