NFL Draft Preview: Jerel Worthy
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LISTEN: Jim Miller and Adam Ruff break down Jerel Worthy's draft stock
Late first round or early second?
For former Spartan defensive tackle Jerel Worthy, the draft experts are varied, which is sure to make for an anxious wait in New York City.
Some experts have him going 25th overall to the Broncos or 31st to the Patriots. Some have him being selected 28th overall by the Green Bay Packers to be the heir apparent to Cullen Jenkins. Others meanwhile, don't have his name even being called in the first round.
And while there may be no universal science to how teams make their selections on draft day, the scattered opinions on Worthy's landing point in the draft kind of sums up what many experts say about him.
According to Spartan Network Football Analyst Jim Miller, who will be covering the NFL Draft for Sirius Satellite radio, word on the street right now is that Jerel is being labeled as inconsistent.
"Let's face it, he led the Big Ten in defensive linemen in offsides," Miller conceded. "Is that over-aggressive play? What's going on there with Jerel Worthy?
"In terms of his discpline and his mechanics, I think some NFL scouts question that about Jerel Worthy. And a lot of it is just due to the fact that he's young."
It's a common thread with a majority NFL draft talent. That talent is raw.
There are only a few players who could make an immediate impact on any team in any given draft, so most guys need to go where their talent can be harnessed, cultivated and then allowed to flourish. It's one of the reason's you see so many draft day busts, or late round surprises.
While Worthy's consistency may be questioned, his talent is undeniable. In fact, he may be the most talented defensive tackle in the draft. Served with double teams throughout his final two years in East Lansing, Jerel still performed at an extremely high level. Especially against the top teams.
Back in October, when the Spartans were getting ransacked early by the Badgers, it was Worthy who turned the tide of the game. He jumped the snap count of Russell Wilson and blew into the back field, throwing Heisman finalist Montee Ball through the back of the end zone. The next play resulted in a safety.
And it's that talent and explosiveness that makes him very attractive to NFL scouts.
"We have seen him make explosive plays like that where he just blows up the center and the guard, and he's in the backfield," admits Miller. "It speaks of his strength, his explosion, his burst. Now can you get that on every single play from Jerel Worthy."
The talent of Jerel Worthy is undeniable, and because of it, he'll no doubt be on the field come this September.
But which team wants the opportunity to harness his talent and turn him into a consistent NFL force?
JEREL BY THE NUMBERS
**Started 38 of 40 career games
**107 career tackles
**27.5 career tackles for loss (13th in MSU history)
**12 career sacks (12th in MSU history)
WORTHY HIGHLIGHT REEL
Back in January when Jerel held his press conference to announce that he would forgo his his senior season at MSU, I put together a highlight reel on his career.
Here's Jerel's career in about 3 minutes!
OTHER SPARTAN DRAFT DAY DREAMS
On Monday, Jim Miller and I previewed the NFL draft stock of free safety Trenton Robinson.
Yesterday, Jim Miller and I discussed the pros and cons of receivers Keshawn Martin and B.J. Cunningham at the next level.