The Rams got their man in the first round of this years draft. Carriker will come in and be an iunstant starter most likely and he will help out on an improving defense.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Rams Select Shackleford in 6th round Doesn't look very promising for Kendrick Shackleford. The negatives out weigh the positives. He will have to really show something to make the teams opening day roster, may see the practice squad this season. He didn't get that much experience at Georgia.
OVERVIEW Finally given an opportunity to start in 2006, Shackleford awarded the coaching staff for its patience by dominating the competition from the strong-side tackle position. With the massive blocker leading the way, the front wall allowed only 17 sacks for the season. Shackelford attended Villa Rica High School, where he was an Atlanta Journal-Constitution Top 50 in Georgia and Class AAA first-team all-state selection. He added Times-Georgian All-Area honors as a senior, repeating those honors in both football and basketball during his junior season. He was named all-region in basketball and was selected the 2001 squad's Most Improved Player. Shackelford enrolled at Georgia, where he provided reserve duty at tackle for the school's 10-3 team in 2003. He was the recipient of the team's Iron Man Award in 2004 while serving mostly as a reserve, starting one game against Vanderbilt. He was second string at strong-side tackle in 2005, appearing in every game. As a senior, he started every game for the Bulldogs, producing 52 knockdowns. ANALYSIS Positives: Has a thick frame with muscular arms, big gut, large thighs and calves, thick ankles and big feet … Shows great balance and lower body strength to maintain position vs. the bull rush … Has the long arm reach to engulf smaller edge rushers and knows how to use his frame to lean, push and wear down the bull rusher … Despite his size, he is efficient on pulls and traps, taking good angles and locating linebackers to neutralize on the move … Comes off the snap with great force, jolting the pass rusher back … Lacks timed speed, but uses his burst off the snap to gain leverage over the defender … Maintains contact on the move and is able to create huge holes with his explosiveness … Plays with good body control when called upon to trap block … Has a good running motion for a player of his size … Shows good arm extension and power in pass protection and the foot agility to slide out to neutralize the edge rush. Negatives: Lunges and over-extends at times when his initial move fails to lock onto a defender … Needs to improve his hand technique (has the power, but seems to drop his hands too quickly on contact) … Short-arm blocks and his large frame sometimes poses problems when he has to go down low … Needs to be quicker recoiling and resetting his hands … Appears too stiff in his hips to run with a fluid stride … also must use his hands better to avoid tacklers at his legs (can be taken down easily when attacked low). Compares To: Kevin Barry, Green Bay Packers … Like Barry, Shackelford can play either tackle position … Neither is known for his foot speed, but both do an efficient job of holding off the bull rush by using their size to lean into and occupy the defender until the play is completed. INJURY REPORT No injuries reported. AGILITY TESTS Campus: 5.3 in the 40-yard dash … 460-pound bench press … 25-inch vertical jump … 8-foot-3 broad jump. Combine: 5.33 in the 40-yard dash … 1.88 10-yard dash … 3.09 20-yard dash … 5.05 20-yard shuttle … 8.35 three-cone drill … 24½-inch vertical jump … 8-foot-6 broad jump … Bench pressed 225 pounds 28 times. HIGH SCHOOL Attended Villa Rica (Ga.) High School, playing football for head coach Lynn Rowe … Atlanta Journal-Constitution Top 50 in Georgia and Class AAA first-team all-state selection … Added Times-Georgian All-Area honors as a senior, repeating those honors in both football and basketball during his junior season … Named all-region in basketball and was selected the 2001 squad's Most Improved Player. PERSONAL Child and Family Development major … Born Feb. 2, 1985 … Resides in Villa Rica, Ga.
