Sizing up Minnesota’s Pro Day
Mar 3, 2014, 7:27 PM | Updated: 7:27 pm
The Arizona Cardinals’ scouting tour began in full force at the NFL Combine, but the whirlwind truly picked up Monday as the team was in attendance of their first team Pro Day of the scouting season at the University of Minnesota for a closer look and discussions with the Golden Gophers.
While Minnesota isn’t a hot bed for college football prospects, they do have two names Cardinals fans need to know about.
Ra’Shede Hageman, DL 6-6 310lbs
One of the bigger physical freaks in this draft season, the question with Hageman is if his game will ever match up to his eye-popping physique and athletic prowess.
Long limbed and broad chested, Hageman possess a rare combination of length and power in his upper body.
At times he is dominatingly quick off the snap and can penetrate and disrupt with ease.
Hageman lined up at every position in the Minnesota defensive front four and won. Whether it was rushing the passer as a defensive end lined up out wide or playing in a two-gapping run defense, stacking a shedding double teams of guards and centers, Hageman has experience and experienced success all over the line.
The problem with Hageman is he doesn’t win consistently enough, but instead has flurries of dominance mixed with gaps of being invisible, being washed out and down, and just not being a factor enough.
Day one prospect
Brock Vereen, S 6-0 199lbs
The fluid Vereen is an interesting prospect because he offers the versatility that defensive coordinator Todd Bowles loves.
Lining up at both safety and cornerback throughout his career, he has displayed good range and solid coverage ability in man and a good understanding of zone concepts.
Vereen is adequately built but with short arms, small hands and a smaller than desired frame, there are concerns about if he can play safety in the NFL because of his physique. He’s not quite long enough to cover NFL tight ends, meaning he may not be more than a nickel-type corner.
Vereen is an outstanding special teams player who will make it to and succeed in the NFL because of it, but the question is if he can he be more than that.
Day three prospect
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