With all the buzz flying about in regards to risers and fallers in the 2013 NFL Draft, which is just a week away, NFL Network analyst Charley Casserly joined "NFL AM" Thursday morning to break down the draft's most overrated and underrated players.
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Casserly, if you remember, is the former Houston Texans general manager who foolishly* selected Mario Williams over Reggie Bush in 2006.
Overrated Prospects
» BYU defensive end Ziggy Ansah
Casserly pointed to a lack of experience in saying he doesn't see Ansah as a top-10 pick.
"My concern with him is I call him a 'rope player,' by the numbers. He is a straight-line guy." Casserly said. "I don't see a lot of instincts in him. I don't see a lot of second reactions in him. Can he learn that with his limited football background?"
» West Virginia wide receiver Tavon Austin
Casserly believes Austin's biggest impact will come on special teams and compared him to Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dexter McCluster, pointing to Austin's slight size at 5-foot-8, 174 pounds.
"I see him as a role guy, a game-plan guy, a guy who will play in the slot," Casserly said. "Bigger corners, which is almost anybody that is in the league, will give him problems on press; and on downfield plays he'll have trouble contesting the ball."
» Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert
While Eifert is the No. 1 tight end, according to Casserly, he doesn't believe Eifert is worthy of a top-15 pick, where some mocks have projected the Notre Dame player.
"I don't see the blocking ability or the true speed," Casserly said. "He's more of a build-up speed guy. I like him in the second-half, the later part of the first round, not the top part of the first round. Solid player."
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» Alabama running back Eddie Lacy
This is another situation in which Casserly believes a prospect is the top player at his position, just not a first-round pick.
"Durability is my biggest question," Casserly said. "I don't know how long this guy can stay healthy and he didn't really have a lot of big games at Alabama, with a ton of talent around him. More talent than he'll probably have with the NFL team he'll end up with."
» Florida International safety John Cyprien
There has been a buzz about the Florida International safety, but Casserly doesn't believe Cyprien is a first-round pick.
"He misses an awful lot of tackles," Casserly said. "I think he makes mistakes on play action. At times, I question what he sees and I see some stiffness in him in man-to-man coverage."
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Underrated Prospects
» Georgia linebacker Alec Ogletree
Casserly said Ogletree has Pro Bowl talent as an outside linebacker in a 4-3 defensive scheme.
"If his off-field problems weren't there, this guy would be easily in the top half of the draft," Casserly said.
» Georgia cornerback Sanders Commings
Scouts must not like the Georgia Bulldogs, because Casserly believes Commings isn't getting the recognition he should as a second-round prospect.
"He is a physical guy, he presses well," Casserly said. "I think this guy has a lot of talent, and in a draft that has about 20 second-round cornerback/safeties, this is the guy who is getting missed."
» Connecticut cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson
Casserly said he wouldn't be shocked to see Wreh-Wilson sneak into the end of the first round.
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"Fast, physical, plays the zone very well," Casserly said. "Good enough hips to show you some man-coverage, but they didn't do a lot of man at UConn."
» LSU linebacker Kevin Minter
The LSU prospect's game film shows Minter might be the best inside linebacker in the draft, Casserly said.
"He's under 6 foot, he ran (40-yard dash) in the 4.8s, but when you watch him on tape he plays faster than that," Casserly said. "He's a more athletic guy than Manti Te'o. I think he's a better prospect than Te'o, too."
» Michigan State running back Le'Veon Bell
Casserly sees Bell as a second-rounder who can be used in a multi-back system as a grind-it-out runner.
"He's an instinctive guy, move-the-chains-type guy, not necessarily a big-play guy, but I like him better than Montee Ball from Wisconsin who gets a lot more recognition and publicity," Casserly said.
Follow Kevin Patra on Twitter @kpatra.
