Interview with Alex Brown of OptimumScouting.com

With the college football season almost over it’s time for the draft process to begin, to tie in with the draft build up we have conducted an interview with Alex Brown. Alex is the Head Central Scout for http://www.optimumscouting.com/ due to his role questions have been limited to certain conferences. Hopefully this interview will provide you with a number of names to keep an eye on over the draft build up that you were previously unaware of and answer a number of questions regarding the 2013 draft class.

1. Back near the end of September you wrote "Geno Smith is every bit, worthy of the top 5 pick that RG3 warranted.” How do you currently feel about Smith's chances of being a top 5 pick?

I still feel Geno Smith is worth a top 20 pick and will likely go in the top 5 when the dust has settled. With the CBA as it is, teams in need of a franchise quarterback won't hesitate to pull the trigger on Smith if he's available at their draft slot and atop their quarterback rankings. After Smith's explosive start to the season, I could just sense him pressing and forcing the issue with his reads, attempting to make the "big play" instead of the "right play". In terms of arm talent, ball placement, anticipation, athleticism and pocket presence, Geno Smith has it all. I've tempered my excitement, but haven't jumped ship regarding Geno Smith as a prospect.

2. There seems to be a consensus that no quarterback is good enough in terms of value to go number one overall, so do you see teams picking spots 1 to 5 trying to trade down?

While I agree that no QB will earn a top overall pick grading, again, as stated in the previous answer, if a team needs a franchise quarterback, they will not hesitate to pull the trigger.

3. Who are the best five techniques available in the draft that could replace Justin Smith of the 49ers in the long term, would Sheldon Richardson be one?

First off, Justin Smith is arguably the best pure 5-technique in the entire NFL, so you'll have to look at both free agency and the draft in order to properly replace that type of productivity and dominance.

To me, Sheldon Richardson is best suited outside as either a RDE in a 4-3 or inside at a 3-tech position, where you can fully utilize his rare quick twitch athleticism, plus first step and developed pass rushing skills. More of a gap shooter and penetrator, Richardson would not be ideally suited for a 3-4 in my opinion, but it should be noted that he is the type of physical specimen that will likely be considered to be "scheme-diverse" by NFL evaluators.

John Jenkins from Georgia has experience at the 5-tech, but seems to play much more tentatively and passive outside, absorbing blocks and not engaging with hands immediately off the snap. Jenkins should be considered as a true nose tackle in an odd man front and a shade nose tackle for teams employing a 4-man front.

Alabama's Jesse Williams is similar to Jenkins in the sense that he also has experience outside, alternating from the nose and end positions in Bama's 3-4 scheme. Williams moves better laterally than Jenkins and possesses excellent balance for a thick-bodied tackle, and could be a strong candidate to fill your 5-technique position in the latter part of round one. Growing up as a rubgy player in Australia, Williams made an effortless transition to the game of football and has done nothing but showcase elite anchoring skills, powerful arms and hands to work himself free of blockers, as well as the movement skills to track down the football.

Likely out of San Francisco's draft range (should he declare) is Florida's Sharrif Floyd. Having an impressive get-off and surprising bend for a defensive lineman of his size and bulk, Floyd would certainly be among the top rated 5-techniques. Floyd has experience outside and inside in a 4-3 scheme, can stack and shed almost at will, in addition to having penetrating ability as a rusher. Floyd should be a top of the first round pick.

Read the rest of the interview here on the v2journal here: http://v2journal.com/interview-with-alex-brown-of-optimumscouting.html

Before people point it out it's Margus Hunt and Barrett Jones in the two pictures not the people the captions say, this will hopefully be fixed shortly!

Wow some fantastic answers there. Cracking work derby.

So far i'm only through the preview on here and there is some great depth of answer.

Pr4wn wrote:Wow some fantastic answers there. Cracking work derby.

I wish I could take the credit for the answers but thanks. Hopefully we will be having a second one with him nearer to the draft.

crazy_dave23 wrote:So far i'm only through the preview on here and there is some great depth of answer.

I hope you enjoyed the rest?

I did enjoy the rest... though the answer to my question was one of the shortest.

Nice to see someone explain things fully.

great job derby really detailed answers to my questions, knew they were good

Brilliant stuff Derby!

This is the start of me finding out about the draft class!

Great answers from Alex, really in depth stuff.

Thanks Derby

Thanks for the positive feedback guys.

Well niner when you ask 1,000,000 questions a few are going to be good.