The NFL Draft continues to roll along, as we’re in the middle of the fourth round. Some teams opted to beef up their defenses -- including the selection of All-American Philip Thomas -- while the Colts and Packers opted to improve the interiors of their offensive lines.
2013 NFL Draft results: Sean Porter, Phillip Thomas picked
The Washington Redskins got an All-American, taking Phillip Thomas out of Fresno State, while the Packers dipped into the Ivy League for a guard.
Here’s a look at how picks 118-122 turned out:
No. 118, Cincinnati Bengals: Sean Porter, LB, Texas A&M
The 6’1, 229-pound outside linebacker is a little bit smaller than you’d expect from the position, but the Aggie makes up for it:
Porter may not be a classic edge rusher, but he’s an athletic linebacker with experience playing in both the 3-4 and 4-3. He’s undersized for his position, however, and gets caught in the wash at the line of scrimmage at times. Before switching to a role as a 4-3 outside linebacker, he racked up 9.5 sacks and 17 tackles for a loss as a junior in the 3-4.
No. 119, Washington Redskins: Phillip Thomas, S, Fresno State
Thomas didn’t go to a big name school, but he was enough of a force to earn unanimous All-American honors.
Thomas was quickly rising up the ranks in 2011 before breaking his leg and injuring his ankle in the process. He came back strong this season, showing off the same speed and range that he displayed early in his career. Thomas’ biggest issue will continue to be tackling. He’s not known as a heavy hitter and will likely be a free safety in the NFL.
No. 120, Minnesota Vikings: Gerald Hodges, LB, Penn State
Hodges was part of a Penn State linebacker corps that helped the squad win eight games in the wake of scandal and sanctions.
Hodges has been a dependable playmaker in the Penn State front seven for the past several seasons. He started every game for the Nittany Lions in 2011 and 2012, racking up back to back 100 tackle seasons and living up to the high standard set at “Linebacker U.” Hodges was originally a safety, so he’s a bit undersized for an NFL linebacker. However, his biggest strength is his athleticism, which allows him to stick with running backs and tight ends in coverage.
No. 121, Indianapolis Colts: Khaled Holmes, C, USC
The third center off the board and second in the fourth round, Holmes snapped for Matt Barkley from high school through college.
There’s some obvious upsides to Holmes: he’s smart both off the field and on it, which is pretty important for a guy responsible for reading NFL defenses. He’s versatile, with the ability to play multiple positions on the offensive line. And he’s got a reputation for standing up for - and to - his teammates to make sure everybody’s on the same page up front. But the drawback is probably his strength. He had a habit of losing one-on-one matchups with stronger players like Lotulelei, and there’s an awful lot of stronger players in the NFL. He’s taller than your average center at 6’3, which almost hurts his leverage. When he attempted the bench press at the NFL Combine, he strained his pectorals, unable to do more than 13 reps.
No. 122, Green Bay Packers: JC Tretter, G, Cornell
The Packers opted to boost the inside of their line with the first -- and possibly only -- Ivy League player in the draft thus far:
A relative unknown, Tretter wasn’t recruited highly and entered Cornell as a 237-pound tight end. After playing sparingly for two seasons, he bulked up all the way to 305 pounds and switched to becoming an offensive lineman, winning the starting job at left tackle. Tretter produced well for the Big Red, being named to the All-Ivy League team and earning an invitation to the Senior Bowl. He was unable to participate in the game due to a broken nose.
Tretter lacks the size to play OT and may have to be shifted to the interior line, but the athleticism and work ethic makes him an intriguing developmental prospect.
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