RB Anthony Aldridge: First Undrafted Rookie signing?

[Popcorn Sutton]

Anthony Aldridge - RB - Houston

http://www.chron.com/commons/persona.html?newspaperUserId=coogcrewdustin&plckController=PersonaBlog&plckScript=personaScript&plckElementId=personaDest&plckPersonaPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3AcoogcrewdustinPost%3A0b1f7a85-daa8-4be4-b4a6-2658cb0ff640

ESPN Player page:

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=147494

[Bronco LB 59]

A speedster who compliments the Torain pick quite nicely. A home run hitter if he sticks.

[skpac1001]

Nice highlight from Aldridge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPW61dJaFi4&feature=related

[kdissette]

We should really sign Dragonovich. Hes a punter out of North Dakota State. I didnt see him get drafted, but he is the top rated punter, and Ive seen him punt and he has a canon for a leg

[eddie mac]

Anthony Alridge WR Houston

STRENGTHS
There is nothing not to like about the way Anthony plays the game of football. He is quick and fast and has excellent hands. He runs great routes and looks to be very smart. Anthony will put his body on the line to make a play and is a good blocker. He will be an excellent return man for the team that drafts him because he has the ability to score from anywhere on the field at any time. I call him Anthony (Lightning) Alridge because he can score a TD as quick as lightning can strike.

NEEDS TO IMPROVE
Anthony is vertically challenged and will need to bulk up. The truth is Anthony is a specialty player and not a starter. He is a match-up nightmare as a slot WR, but will have problems as a full time WR because of his lack of bulk to take the pounding.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 2
Like I said, Anthony is a match up nightmare for defensive coordinators. As a slot receiver, he is too fast for a LB to cover and too quick for most safeties. If you put him in motion and keep him away from the bump and run, he will kill a defense on third down. Anthony has fun when he plays, but don’t be fooled -- this kid plays hard on every down and on every play. He seems to handle the pressure of responsibility with ease. In fact, he likes the limelight but not in a way that it shows up his teammates. He seems to be very team oriented. Anthony is a specialty player who can impact a game without touching the ball a whole hell of a lot. Drafting player with Anthony’s talents in the second or third round is one of the smartest things a team can do. You add speed and quickness to your third down offense as well as to your Special Teams return game, which is impacting two areas of your team with one draft choice. Do you really expect to do more than that when you draft a player in a draft? Anthony (Lightning) Alridge can score a TD as quick as lightning can strike.

Huddle Report Feb 08


Aldridge was also rated as a late 4th rd pick in PFW's list. Looks like this kid is a bit on the light side for RB though and will be another slot WR/ST candidate.

[Popcorn Sutton]

2000 plus combined yards and 19 touchdowns

[eddie mac]

We should really sign Dragonovich. Hes a punter out of North Dakota State. I didnt see him get drafted, but he is the top rated punter, and Ive seen him punt and he has a canon for a leg

AP already reported that Denver have agreements in place with 2 kickers (hopefully one is a punter) but Shanahan wouldn't say who until contracts are signed.

[Popcorn Sutton]

Anthony Alridge WR Houston

STRENGTHS
There is nothing not to like about the way Anthony plays the game of football. He is quick and fast and has excellent hands. He runs great routes and looks to be very smart. Anthony will put his body on the line to make a play and is a good blocker. He will be an excellent return man for the team that drafts him because he has the ability to score from anywhere on the field at any time. I call him Anthony (Lightning) Alridge because he can score a TD as quick as lightning can strike.

NEEDS TO IMPROVE
Anthony is vertically challenged and will need to bulk up. The truth is Anthony is a specialty player and not a starter. He is a match-up nightmare as a slot WR, but will have problems as a full time WR because of his lack of bulk to take the pounding.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 2
Like I said, Anthony is a match up nightmare for defensive coordinators. As a slot receiver, he is too fast for a LB to cover and too quick for most safeties. If you put him in motion and keep him away from the bump and run, he will kill a defense on third down. Anthony has fun when he plays, but don’t be fooled -- this kid plays hard on every down and on every play. He seems to handle the pressure of responsibility with ease. In fact, he likes the limelight but not in a way that it shows up his teammates. He seems to be very team oriented. Anthony is a specialty player who can impact a game without touching the ball a whole hell of a lot. Drafting player with Anthony’s talents in the second or third round is one of the smartest things a team can do. You add speed and quickness to your third down offense as well as to your Special Teams return game, which is impacting two areas of your team with one draft choice. Do you really expect to do more than that when you draft a player in a draft? Anthony (Lightning) Alridge can score a TD as quick as lightning can strike.

Huddle Report Feb 08


He's a runningback... ???

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=147494

[eddie mac]

He's a runningback... ???

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=147494

Different sites have him ranked at different positions. For me though 175lbs is far too light for an HB.

[Bronco LB 59]

Wesley Woodyard is coming to Denver according to someone on Broncomania:

http://forums.denverbroncos.com/showthread.php?t=115350

[colonelbeef]

His stats are ludicrous..

6.2 yard average per carry and 14 rushing td's? 5 receiving td's as well? Wow

[Popcorn Sutton]

Different sites have him ranked at different positions. For me though 175lbs is far too light for an HB.

Yeah, that is really small.

[Dr. Broncenstein]

Wesley Woodyard is coming to Denver according to someone on Broncomania:

http://forums.denverbroncos.com/showthread.php?t=115350

Flippin Sweet

I've had my eye on him all of last year.... was hoping we'd draft him.

[Bronco LB 59]

Different sites have him ranked at different positions. For me though 175lbs is far too light for an HB.

Darren Sproles has made some big plays for San Diego. Not saying Aldridge is on the same plane, but I hope he gets a fair shake here. You give him a huge cutback lane, and he's the guy that can break the big one from anywhere on the field. Even Selvin Young isn't much of a home run hitter with all his quickness and smooth cutting ability.

[eddie mac]

http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/anthony-alridge?id=742

Analysis
Positives: Lacks the size you want in a receiver and is certainly too small to be a tailback, but has a lean, muscular frame with good upper body definition and room to carry at least another 10 pounds of bulk with no lose in his blazing quickness...Has a tight abdomen and good lower body strength, surprising second-level defenders with his ability to break arm tackles...Dangerous threat any time he touches the ball, as he can go the distance from anywhere on the field, in any way he touches the ball -- rushes, catches, returns...Outstanding perimeter runner with the rare speed, explosion and second gear to beat most defenders to the end zone...Has excellent acceleration and a good concept for taking angles, changing speeds and redirecting in a flash...Shows natural hands and good ball skills to catch away from his frame...Possesses the ability to redirect and has sudden foot quickness...Has good lateral movement, but is more effective taking the ball and shooting right up the gaps, rather than try to dance around the backfield with it...Has good eyes, instincts, awareness, and alertness on the field...Loves to compete and is extremely tough for a guy who is so undersized...Responds to challenges and is the emotional leader on the team....For a small athlete, he absorbs tackles well and will instantly bounce back up...Has outstanding initial quickness and exceptional vertical speed to get downfield...Shows good field awareness and vision as a runner...Looks to take the ball outside, but has the vision and instincts to see the field and turn it up if the cutback is there... Though he's a raw route-runner, he gains separation by using his exceptional playing speed and natural quickness...Has the ability to catch the ball on short routes and get upfield, showing the sudden short-area acceleration to beat angles and to pick up big gains...Catches the ball when given the opportunity, showing good hands to secure the ball without using his body as a crutch...Will run quick or vertical routes at the next level and has the speed to stretch the field, showing good hands and adequate ball skills to snare deep balls, but will struggle to make plays downfield due to his poor size...Has the ability to adjust to the ball and make the tough catch...Can quickly accelerate to pick up yards in a hurry and shows good elusiveness, but lacks playing strength and size to break tackles...As a kickoff returner, his rare explosive speed makes him a threat to go the distance any time he touches the ball...Has rare burst and acceleration to get into the wedge and come out the other end, showing homerun ability...Durable athlete who has never missed a game due to injuries.



Negatives: Shows only adequate ability to adjust to the ball as a receiver...Gets by in the classroom, but has to work at it...Lines up in the slot and is uncovered when he splits out...Relies on his speed and quickness to release from the line because he is extremely small and has only adequate playing strength...Runs wheel routes and short-area control routes to get open...Lacks good playing strength and size to fight for tough yards and while he is willing, he struggles to out-combat defenders to catch the ball in a crowd... Struggles as a blocker due to his poor size and limited playing strength...As a kickoff returner, he lacks size and playing strength to break tackles...When he gets too tall in his stance, he is quickly impacted and pushed back into the rush lanes...Needs to do a better job of protecting the ball and distributing it away from the defender when running in the open...Will drop a few easy catches, as he tries to run before having the ball firmly in his hands...When he tries to get too creative, he loses focus on the defenders and can be attacked from behind.



Compares To: ROSCOE PARRISH-Buffalo...Alridge is not the typical receiver type and he does not have the bulk to be an every-down back. He is an efficient kickoff returner, but lacks the strength to power through tackles. Yet, as Conference USA teams found in 2007, if you give him an inch he will turn it into a big gain. With his explosion, look for him to continue to play on special teams, be used as a slot receiver and also get a few carries on third-down situations. He's six points waiting to happen, if he can bulk up, get stronger and translate his speed to the NFL football field.


Injury Report
No injuries reported.

[Popps]

Nice highlight from Aldridge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPW61dJaFi4&feature=related

Holy ****!!

[GoHAM]

http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/anthony-alridge?id=742

Analysis
Positives: ...Has the ability to adjust to the ball and make the tough catch...


Negatives: Shows only adequate ability to adjust to the ball as a receiver

???

[2KBack]

a situational bolt of lightning, I'm sure they can find a use for him.

[Atlas]

Wow that guy is fast. I think Mike Bell might as well go look somewhere else for a job. He has just been squeezed out of a roster spot by this draft.

[2KBack]

Wow that guy is fast. I think Mike Bell might as well go look somewhere else for a job. He has just been squeezed out of a roster spot by this draft.

Man, he may not be alone, this draft has unearthed some impresive talents

[long beach bronco]

Aldridge, Barrett, Royal, Woodyard, Williams, Hillis...........It does look like a few jobs are on the line.

[Bronco Billy]

Yeah, that is really small.

Glyn Milburn was 5'9", 175.

[2KBack]

you know, as small as he is, he didn't have any major injuries. The NFL is a different beast though

[long beach bronco]

I'm sure the coaching staff will put him on a weight program for him to gain at least 10 to 20 pounds. IF that happens, this dude will be sick and uncatchable in the open field.

[maher_tyler]

Different sites have him ranked at different positions. For me though 175lbs is far too light for an HB.

It's not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog..sorry had to say it. Don't let size fool you, look at Doom!!

[Atlas]

Glyn Milburn was 5'9", 175.

Vaughn Hebron was small too but he was a vaulable player on Denver's Superbowl teams and he had a great career.

[TallyBronco]

Glyn Milburn was 5'9", 175.

Beat me to it. That was my first thought after reading the scouting report. This guy might be a little faster though. Worth a look in camp.

[s0phr0syne]

This thread isn't the best place, but since they did profile him a while back, I just wanted to throw some props out to draftguys.tv--after watching all their little episodes, I really enjoyed watching the draft and seeing where many of the players they covered ended up going.

Aldridge is one of many players that I would never have even heard of without watching through their episodes.

Draftguys's Episode on Aldridge (http://www.onnetworks.com/videos/draftguys-tv/profile---anthony-alridge---rb)

[CBF1]

What did the kid run a 40 in??? He ran away from those guys like they were standing still.

[Williams]

Career Statistics
Year GP Att Yds Avg TD Rec Yds TD
2003 DNP - - - - - - -
2004 DNP - - - - - - -
2005 12 9 39 4.3 0 13 295 3
2006 14 95 959 10.1 8 19 274 1
2007 13 259 1,597 6.2 14 42 428 5
Totals 39 363 2,595 7.1 22 74 997 9


10.1 YPC in 2006! :o

[CBF1]

I just found it 4.37 40

[2KBack]

What did the kid run a 40 in??? He ran away from those guys like they were standing still.


Looks like his official was 4.36, something tells me his acceleration is off the charts

[Broncoman13]

Holy ****!!

No ****!!!

I watched a couple others as well.

Here is a good example of him using his blocks. The commentator is an idiot and says he did it "all by himself", not hardly! But he did very well setting up and using his blocks on this screen play. Kid has some slick moves and he is a RB with decent receiving skills.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ff7fS06deQ&feature=related (Vs. Oregon)

[Broncoman13]

Receiving skills on display:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5duOAT***Q&feature=related

[Mediator12]

Alridge is a serious threat from anywhere on the field, but alas his size was a major concern to Teams. I took Darius Reynaud instead of Alrdige in the OM mock Draft because of that, but I really had him high on my list as a KR/PR/Ath.

BTW, his nickname in college was "Quick Six" ;D

[footstepsfrom#27]

Wow...that's some serious explosion. This dude is 7 pounds bigger than DeSean Jackson BTW... He looks like a punt/kick return specialist. I could see him lining up in a 4 receiver formation with him in the slot one one side and Royal on the other.

[Old Dude]

One way or another, we are gonna get ourselves a bona fide punt/kick returner this year.

[crowebomber]

Before DWil, Milburn was our last game breaking returner. Aldridge and Royal give us some awesome weapons in the return game.

[broncosteven]

Glyn Milburn was 5'9", 175.

I liked Glyn, didn't Shanny cut him in 95?

[crowebomber]

I liked Glyn, didn't Shanny cut him in 95?

I'm pretty sure he was traded to Detroit, but he might have been cut. He just couldn't break a tackle in the running game, but we missed him on returns after he left.