in his final two seasons, former Notre Dame tight end John Carlson caught 87 passes for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns. At the combine he ran a 4.88 40-yard dash, which he bettered with a 4.72 at his Pro Day. But is that all teams will take into account when evaluating this Golden Domer? Click to see what x-factors may play a role when grading this tight end... When scouting or an evaluating a prospect, there is a laundry list of skill sets which are considered—some as simple as height and weight, others more nuanced such as instinct and character. One of the easier items to check off is production—does a prospect put up the numbers or not? But is it really that easy? At times we forget that football is a team sport and that a player’s productivity depends heavily on those around him. Upon first examination, former Notre Dame tight end John Carlson looked like two different players in 2006 and 2007. As a junior, the Minnesota native averaged 13.5 yards per reception on his way to 634 yards on 47 receptions. Heading into his final campaign in South Bend, Carlson was among the top tight ends on most draft boards—if not the best. However, he failed to average double digits per catch (9.3 yards per) this past season, as his numbers dropped to 40 receptions for 372 yards—he didn’t exactly put his best foot forward as scouts scribbled their notes. What were they writing? Why did Carlson’s numbers dip? The most obvious answer is Brady Quinn. “It’s impossible to replace a player like Brady Quinn…really with anyone,” Carlson said in a phone interview. “He’s a special player, he’s incredibly talented…a great leader. His resume is complete.” To make matters more difficult, the Irish were forced to play a true freshman at quarterback for much of the season. And while Carlson and other former Fighting Irish players that I have spoken to have all given a vote of confidence to Jimmy Clausen, one need look no further than Quinn himself to see the difference between a freshman signal caller and seasoned senior. Unlike presidents, quarterbacks are sure to get better with experience. Quinn certainly made the Irish faithful wish they could have had four more years. Good read link to rest of story http://www.nfldraftbible.com/Latest/x_factor_john_carlson.html
