Grant Mason
Senior
Cornerback
6’0, 192
Positives:
Mason is an aggressive cornerback who plays with a lot of passion. His short
area quickness and break on the ball skills are solid and he is not afraid to
come up and support the run. His experience at receiver and decent instincts
enhance his ball skills and play making ability. Mason also has experience as
a return man. Size and potential are a plus.
Negatives:
Mason lacks the second gear and deep speed needed to exceed at
cornerback in the NFL. The 2005 season was his first year as a starter and he
is still raw at the position. Though he is willing in run support, he sometimes
struggles getting off blocks when teams run at him. He sometimes doesn’t
take good angles in pursuit and will lose assignments from time to time. He
also isn’t overly physical at the line of scrimmage and may never be more
than average at pressing opposing receivers. Mason gets turned around and plays
catch up too often.
Overall:
Mason will make it into a camp somewhere and may sneak into the later rounds
based on his football smarts. He has some physical restrictions but for the
most part, he has some nice potential if a team wants to spend the time with
him. His chances of getting drafted aren't high, but his playing days may not
be over yet.
NFL Comparison:
Hank Poteat, New England Patriots
The Others:
Leo Henige had some good experience under his belt at guard. He
is a hard working, short area run blocker that can be powerful at the point
of attack. However, past injuries to his knees have likely spelled the end to
his football career. The injuries caused him to fall out of shape, become stiffer,
and further limit his mobility. Henige didn’t quit while he was at Michigan
and may give it a go if a team is interested.
The same can be said for middle linebacker Scott McClintock. At the beginning
of the year, his prospects of being drafted were realistic. However, the emergence
of David Harris and more injuries caused McClintock to rarely see the field
last season. Like Henige, he may not want, or even get a chance to play at the
next level.
Draft Profile Archive:
Pat Massey
Gabe Watson
Pierre Woods
Jason Avant
Matt Lentz
Adam Stenavich
Tim Massaquoi