Troy Kropog v. Fenuki Tupou - YOU DECIDE 2009

Another position which has garnered a great deal of attention from Colts fans is Offensive Tackle.  Tony Ugoh has not received shining reviews as yet and Ryan Diem is arguably on the downward slide of his career.  Ugoh must prove himself this year or expect to move inside, over to RT, or sit on the roster as a back-up.  Diem has to piece together a second healthy season in a row and hopefully show Colts fans that when he's on an offensive line which has some cohesion and manages to stay healthy, he is still a solid RT in the NFL.  Even if both players succeed in doing so, there is little by way of OT depth on the team.  Sure, some fans believe Dan Federkeil has the talent to play RT and we all know that Charlie Johnson is serviceable but most are not sold that he is a starting caliber talent at either tackle position. 

If the Colts look to fill other weak spots on the first day, they may feel a need to get an early start at the position on the 2nd day of the draft.  Take a closer look at Troy Kropog and Fenuki Tupou, two 3rd Round prospects who might draw the Colts interest.  Which player would you select?

Troy Kropog - Tulane

Photo
Combine Video

6'6", 309 lbs.
5.30 40 Yard Dash, 4.84 20 Yard Shuttle, 7.65 3-Cone Drill
30 Inch Vertical Jump, 21 Bench Reps
33.5 Inch Arms

SENIOR SEASON STATS:
90 Key Blocks, 14 TD Resulting Blocks, 9 Downfield Blocks, 2 Sacks Allowed

INJURIES:
2005: Did not play in the team's final three games due to shoulder and elbow issues.
2006: Started vs. Houston in September, despite playing with a high ankle sprain suffered in August camp.
2007: Did not play vs. Alabama-Birmingham in October with a shoulder sprain.

ANALYSIS:

NFLDraftScout.com, TFYDraft.com

Strengths: Eases out of his stance in pass protection. Good lateral quickness and balance to mirror the defender. Good depth on his kick-step and can accelerate laterally if beaten off the snap. When he uses his hands, can be effective latching on and riding the pass rusher wide. Good burst off the snap to block down and to get to the second level. Flashes agility in space to block on the move. Good effort and surprising straight-line speed to make blocks downfield.

Fundamentally sound lineman who stands out in pass protection. Blocks with a wide base, keeps his feet moving and makes good use of angles. Quickly gets his hands into defenders, stays square and seals opponents from the action. Flashes good hand punch and knocks defenders from their angle of attack. Effectively uses body positioning to seal the edge and protect his quarterback. Uses all his assets to their maximum and plays intelligent football.

There is little not to like about Kropog's strengths.  An OT prospect with good lateral quickness, good hand punch, and good depth on his kick-step to get deep against speed rushers is the kind of pass-blocking the Colts covet.  Showing an ability to get to the second-level as a run blocker is also something the Colts are looking for and will certainly make Kropog worthy of a look.

Weaknesses: Only marginal initial quickness off the snap for pass protection. Often beaten off the snap and has to rely on his kick-step and speed to recover. Marginal upper-body strength to sustain blocks. Absorbs, rather than delivering blows while in pass protection and can be walked back into the pocket. Better blocking on the move than as a drive blocker. A bit thick around the middle. Could struggle with the adjustment in speed at the NFL level.

Average run blocker who must improve the strength of his base. Struggles handling big opponents. Neither fluid nor effective in motion.

The weakness of most concern is that it seems Kropog will lose physical battles with DL who bull-rush or plan to push him back into a rushing lane.  As it is, one of the biggest weaknesses of the Colts run-blocking (of which there were many last year) is in short-yardage rushing situations.  While Kropog may have the lateral quickness and ability to seal, if he is unable to hold his ground, keep interior running lanes open or hold the pocket open for Peyton to step up and make throws downfield, he may struggle as an every game starter at either OT position.  With this weakness and the best pass-rushers on the left side of the offensive line it is likely Kropog is only a potential RT.

PROFESSIONAL SCOUTING REPORT - Dave-Te' Thomas, CBSSports.com

Dave-Te' Thomas Biographical Information

Body Structure:  Has a big frame that is still developing and could add another 15 pounds of bulk. He is high-cut, with a thick chest, good arm length and long legs. Has adequate upper-body muscle development (not a hard-muscled type), but displays a good bubble with decent thickness in his thighs and calves.

Athletic Ability: Has very good quickness for a player his size and can consistently clock under 5.0 in the 40-yard dash. Shows good agility coming out of his stance and the low pad level with good hip snap to change direction fluidly when redirecting in pass protection. Because of his foot speed, he shows good ability to play in space. Plays with good knee bend and flexibility for a player his height. A solid leverage player with the ability to play with a wide base. Demonstrates a good initial burst off the snap, along with the sustained speed to consistently get into the second level. Is a quick-twitch type with the body control to recover when he loses balance, showing fluidness in his lateral moves. Best served playing on the move, as he does not have the ideal brute power you look for from a left tackle working in-line.

Football Sense: Shows good ability to pick up plays from the chalkboard and take it to the field with minimal reps. Shows good awareness on the field, displaying the vision to quickly locate blitzers and pick up stunts and games. Relies on technique and savvy to compensate for a lack of ideal strength (due to previous shoulder issues). A self-starter who does not need to be pushed and is a dependable pass protector, but he needs to show more aggression.

Character: A solid citizen who comes from a supportive family. Personable with good leadership skills, sort of a "coach in training" for his ability to communicate and mentor younger teammates. Mature, with no off-field issues and while he shies away from attention, football is a very important aspect in his life.

Competitiveness: Can play with a nasty streak. A tough competitor who will battle until the whistle. A very productive second-level blocker and while he has worked to improve his strength, he is more of a finesse technician rather than mauler. Works to finish and has the vision to lock up secondary targets once he neutralizes his man. A sound pass protector who is known more for his consistency rather than being aggressive and dominant. Rarely quits on the play and is patient waiting for the plays to develop...

Work Habits: Very good work habits, putting in the extra hours in his rehab from shoulder problems. Does everything the coaching staff asks and loves to play the game, showing quiet but solid leadership skills. An overachiever who works hard in all aspects of his game. A good blue-collar type, plays with pain and takes well to hard coaching. Steady performer who gives the same effort in practice and the weight room. Good upper-body strength, but his past shoulder issues had prevented him from improving his power base until after the 2007 season.

ATHLETIC REPORT GRADE: 6.37

Initial Quickness: Shows very good snap quickness and field vision coming off the snap. Fluid in his kick-slide and has very good quickness out of his stance to lock on and control a lethargic defender. Even when he is occasionally late off the snap, shows the pad level and balance, keeping his hands inside his frame while working to gain advantage. Good suddenness working into the second level, showing the alertness in the passing game to slide his feet and mirror edge rushers with no wasted motion. Explodes with a flat back and strikes well with his head and arm action to slide and fit. A classic knee bender with the lateral agility to prevent opponents from beating him around the corner. Because of strength issues, he might be better suited for right tackle, but he does show the lateral agility to get out quickly vs. the edge rush.

Balance/Stays On Feet: Kropog has the lateral movement and feet to do a stellar job moving on pulls and traps and getting into the second level. It is rare to see him overextend; he's especially conscious of keeping his feet on the move. Very effective playing on his feet and uses his hands well to lock on and control the defender, thanks to playing with a wide base. Does a solid job of sticking and staying with his man, as he works hard to finish once engaged. With his low pad level, he is effective at generating the functional leg drive needed to plow a smaller defender into the ground. Will need to improve his leg strength for the next level to prevent the stronger defenders from pushing him back.

Explosion/Pop: Has explosive hands and adequate upper-body strength but must generate the lower-body power needed to drive defenders off the ball as a run blocker. Uses his hands to joust with defenders and delivers a solid hand punch, showing loose hips needed when moving into the second level. Even with his adequate strength, he is good at getting surge for movement, thanks to his ability to roll his hips. Does not have the brute strength to sustain blocks for long.

Run Blocking: Doesn't have the size to lock on and grind it out with more physical defenders, but in 2008, his position technique has seen him do a solid job of using his size to take over defenders, lock on and battle to the whistle. What he lacks in brute strength, he makes up in good hand usage and a decent punch. He has the ability to wall off and screen edge players, but must improve his base power in order to finish at the next level. Still, with his explosion and quickness, he can generate enough pop on contact to surprise an opponent. Really a technically sound blocker when he plays with a flat back to get movement at the point of attack. Has a good concept for taking proper angles to screen and wall off. Late in 2008, he seemed to be more concerned about helping out his guards, resulting in quite a few blown assignments on his part.
GRADE: 5.6

Pass Blocking: Keeps his head on a swivel and displays the initial quickness and hand technique in his pass set to get under and lock on to a defender's jersey. Has an adequate base for pass protection. Might not have the strongest anchor you will find in a left tackle, but has the recovery quickness and slide agility to stay in front of the edge rushers. Scouts like his ability to sink his hips, slide and shuffle his feet and recoil his hands quick enough to generate another punch. It is rare to see him overextend or get too aggressive, as he plays with a good tempo and vision. When he comes out of his stance, he sets with a good base, demonstrating the quick feet to adjust in space. Has very good kick slide, along with the lateral agility and balance to do a solid job of mirroring even the cat-quick edge rushers. Problems only occur when he gets into a physical battle, as he does not have the power to win those confrontations.
GRADE: 6.8

Pulling/Trapping: When working in-line, he doesn't have the brute strength to push the pile, but his quickness on the pull and ability to adjust on the move has seen him deliver impressive second level blocks.

Adjust on Linebacker Downfield: Has a good understanding for taking the angles needed to neutralize second-level defenders. Quick to make the cut-off and adjust to movement in space. Consistency running through and finishing his blocks on the move jumps out on film.

Use of Hands/Punch: Has greatly improved his hand placement and punch, as he might still lack that brute strength needed to shock and jolt, but has very quick usage of his hands while keeping them inside his framework. Has the ability to lock out his man with his long arms and knows how to get his hands into the chest of the pass rushers. Has just adequate strength to lock out, but is active with his hands in attempts to control.

Reactions/Awareness: Almost always in good position blocking at the line of scrimmage. A smart blocker who does a very good job of keeping his feet and maintaining balance when he is stationary, but is much more effective playing in space. Plays flat-footed and flashes very good ability to change direction and recover. Has the foot balance to slide in short space and has no problem sliding to take on wide 9-technique pass rushers. With his active hands, he is quick to neutralize cross-face action and recoil quick enough to execute a counter move.

Compares To: CHRIS KUPER, Denver -- Kropog's quickness allows him to consistently surprise lethargic defenders coming off the snap. He has shown marked improvement as a trap blocker the last two years and could move inside to guard at the next level to take advantage of his pulling ability. He has to continue improving his overall strength, but with shoulder problems behind him, he has the ability to develop into a very effective space blocker. Could develop into a quality starter and prove to be a draft-day find.

Some have suggested the Kropog has not displayed the strength, against college competition, to effectively take on strong defenders and keep them from affecting offensive production.  It appears his shoulder injury may have kept him from continuing to develop physically and reach his peak strength.  Kropog seems to have a great deal of upside, seems to work very hard, seems committed to playing in the NFL and doing what it takes to perform at as high a level as he is capable.  With some work with the training staff to develop his body and room to add another 10-15 lbs. of bulk, it's possible Kropog could develop into a starting caliber LT and likely already brings a skill-set similar to Ryan Diem.

SENIOR DAY PRACTICE RECAP - TFYDraft.com

Monday Practice Notes: Physically, he looks capable, but he had to be coached up throughout the practice and looked flat out lost at times.

Tuesday Practice Notes:  Technique was the issues throughout the day. Kropog really struggled mainly because of his handplay. Never did the tackle prospect come in tight with his punch. He hands were always wide and his play suffered because of it. He will lead with his head, keeping the lineman off balance. And he did not show the strength to anchor in his pass set against any of his defensive opponents.

Wednesday Practice Notes: Still having trouble in regards to a lot of the technical aspects, but did flash some good movement skills in both his pass set and zone blocking. His struggles continued with pass protection where he is not the most patient blocker and will lunge which pulls head down giving defensive lineman an easy time.

Thursday Practice Notes: Really struggled today.  It was surprising to see how heavy footed Kropog was on the left side and how he struggled sliding laterally.

Analysis: A lesser name from a non traditional football school who looked to take advantage of a big week. Kropog certainly had his troubles. Most of those troubles were in technique which can be coached. His physical skills were apparent. The Tulane tackle is athletic on the edge, moves decently, and has the potential to play the blindside at the next level. There is some work to be done in the weight room. Kropog simply could not put it all together this week and fell short, often looking bad in the process.

It would be nice to see Kropog put it all together in front of the pro scouts in Mobile but he was unable to do so.  The reasons for that are unclear, since I could not watch the practices myself.  Maybe he was trying to hard and not keeping his concentration under the pressure revolving around his performance against some of the best college players in the country.  Everything else about Kropog points to a bright future but if he is unable to perform on the field, it won't mean a whole lot.

Fenuki Tupou - Oregon

Photo
Combine Video

6'6", 314 lbs.
5.20 40 Yard Dash, 4.85 20 Yard Shuttle, 7.67 3-Cone Drill
26.5 Inch Vertical Jump, 24 Bench Reps
34 Inch Arms

SENIOR SEASON STATS:
74 Key Blocks, 13 TD Resulting Blocks, 7 Downfield Blocks, 2 QB Pressure Allowed, .5 Sacks Allowed

INJURIES:
2007: Saw limited action in the California game in September after suffering a mild concussion in practice prior to the meeting.
2008: Did not play vs. UCLA in October after suffering a right knee lateral collateral ligament sprain in the first quarter vs. Southern California earlier that month, missing the final three quarters of that contest.

ANALYSIS:

NFLDraftScout.com, TFYDraft.com

Strengths: Girth is spread evenly throughout his body and he looks natural despite his massive size. Good initial quickness. Keeps his hands active in pass protection. Shuffles his feet quickly and with good balance to gain depth on his kick-slide while in pass protection. Can turn and flatten his opponent as a drive blocker. Cognizant, aggressive blocker who looks for defenders to hit and often combos before breaking free to block at the second level.

Nice-sized offensive lineman with potential at a number of positions. Strong at the point, gets movement run blocking, or anchors in pass protection. Stays square, makes terrific use of blocking angles, and keeps defenders in front of him. Fights with his hands throughout the action, keeps his head on a swivel, and works well with teammates. Aggressive and works hard to finish blocks. Well-built and naturally strong.

Tupou has physically what Kropog does not.  He has the size and strength to potentially be a mauler on inside-runs and still has the agility and lateral movement to be effective in pass-protection.  It is rare to find a man his size who has the kick-step ability to stick with pass-rushers consistently.  Good awareness and potentially very versatile with the skills to play multiple positions on the OL.  Versatility on the OL, as Colts fans are well aware, increases an OL value to the Colts significantly.

Weaknesses: Protected a bit by the rollouts and spread attack utilized by Oregon. Can get caught leaning to the outside on his initial kick-slide, and is vulnerable to quick inside spins. Despite his strength and long arms, doesn't always use them to his advantage, too often short-arming defenders and allowing them to dictate the action. Struggles hitting targets and sustaining blocks at the second level. Slow in recognizing and reacting to outside blitz. Not effective as a cut blocker.

Must improve his blocking balance and footwork sliding off the edge. Displays marginal skill in motion.

Tupou does not have the agility and quickness in his hand play to handle pass-blockers with a spin move like Freeney.  He also does not excel as a blocker on the second level and does much better anchoring, holding the pocket against bull-rushers, keeping speed rushers outside and pushing the line forward for in-line running plays.

PROFESSIONAL SCOUTING REPORT - Dave-Te' Thomas, CBSSports.com

Dave-Te' Thomas Biographical Information

Body Structure: Has a massive frame with thick muscular development. While not fat, he has thickness all over his physique and found his best weight (330) as a senior. He has the wide hips and thick thighs and calves to anchor vs. the bull rush and the upper-body strength, along with good arm length, to make reach blocks. His hands are smaller than ideal, but do deliver a strong jolt on contact.

Athletic Ability: While a bit heavy-legged, Tupou shows decent initial quickness to battle for position coming off the snap. Shows a strong anchor and a wide base when he keeps his pads down and while he lumbers moving into space, he is adequate with his lateral slide to work down the line and lead on short pulls and traps. Might not win many foot races in the open, nor open his hips quickly, but he is not really stiff (lacks good foot technique). Generally plays well on his feet and while he might struggle in space, he does a good job pinching the action inside and moving in-line, making him a possible guard candidate at the next level. Has outstanding upper and lower body strength to control his man, but is much better when he sinks his weight and plays low in his pads (tends to short arm when getting tall in his stance, causing the defender to get a side and escape).

Football Sense: Still a work in progress when it comes to play recognition. Can be fooled by twists and games and is sometimes caught leaning too much into his man, using his body as a crutch. Needs to be more decisive moving out to mirror edge rushers and must be more alert to the blitz. Slowly developing better awareness when chipping at the second level, but he is the type that needs more than a few reps to retain plays. Does learn, but his recognition skills are a concern.

Character: Receives lots of support from his family, but is still maturing off the field. With his junior college background, he will need some patient coaching to develop, but is the type that takes well to this way of mentoring.

Competitiveness: One thing you quickly notice on film is his great aggression. Plays with good effort. Might have some stamina issues late in games (will use his body and lean into an opponent), but he never takes plays off and shows toughness until the whistle. A very aggressive player, though you will not see him get reckless and draw the ref's attention (just one penalty in two years at Oregon). Takes pride in his play and will do what it takes to succeed.

Work Habits: Is a decent worker in all areas, but needs to be monitored in the offseason, so he doesn't have weight issues. Works hard to increase his upper-body strength while not asked to take on a leadership role, he does respond well to his coaches. Becoming more vocal and more aware of what he needs to do in the offseason to prepare.

ATHLETIC REPORT GRADE: 6.58

Initial Quickness: Not explosive, but Tupou has good initial quickness off the snap. Hits with good force to generate movement. Is best when playing in a phone booth, as he has the functional burst to gain position working in-line. When he stays low in his pads, he has enough body quickness to shock the defender coming off the ball and his adequate lateral agility lets him maintain position working the outside pass rush back into the line. Moves well in the short area for a player of his size and has enough quickness to slide and reach in his pass set, but might be better served being covered up and not exposed on an island at left tackle by shifting inside to guard.

Lateral Movement: Might not be a great second-level defender, but he is not stiff (just lumbering) when working laterally. Began showing in 2008 that he can still cut off linebackers on the short pulls and traps.

Balance/Stays On Feet: Played in a spread offense, but has shown balance issues on the move and might be best playing inside at guard or at right tackle to cover up his inability to mirror speedy edge rushers. Still, he has very good strength and force behind his hits to lock up and control his man. When he keeps his smallish hands inside his frame, he is quite effective mauling his opponent, but must be conscious of his hand technique (will throw them wildly, especially when tall in his stance). Just adequate sustaining when he fails to keep his feet under him. When he uses his hands well to gain movement, he is better attempting to slide and mirror -- when his pads are down, he shuffles his feet better. There are times he will get top heavy and tall in his stance, leading to over-extending and off balance stance on his part.

Explosion/Pop: Hits with great force when he keeps his hands inside his frame.  Has the frame and power to maul his opponent, but poor foot technique when trying to hit a moving target. If he sinks his weight and fires low off the snap, he has the raw power to flatten his opponent. Is a classic mauler in need of footwork refinement. Does have the hand punch and upper-body strength to consistently move defenders off the ball when he stays low in his pads, doing a nice job of sealing and widening the rush lanes.

Run Blocking: Easily roots out defenders thanks to his natural strength. A classic road grader who can stun an opponent with his punch when he maintains inside hand position. Will short-arm a bit, but when he extends his arms, he hits with force. A violent puncher who uses his upper body well to control (will lean at times, but this does help when engulfing smaller defenders).
GRADE: 7.5

Pass Blocking: An efficient pass protector when he maintains balance, but there are times where he uses his body as a crutch, leaning into the defender rather than extending. Needs to do a better job of positioning to handle the outside blitz and is better protecting the pocket when moving in-line rather than moving out to defend on the edge (marginal kick-slide). Not the type to suddenly engage edge rushers, but has learned to compensate for a lack of explosive feet with good patience and maturity, letting the defender come to him. With his strong anchor, few bull rushers can slip past him if he keeps his pads down. Has also shown more confidence using his reach the second half of the 2008 season, as he was more effective when he utilized his long arms to lock out the edge rusher. As long as he continues to use his hands with force to engage and punch, he will have no problem walling off his man.
GRADE: 7.3

Pulling/Trapping: While Tupou might be a better fit as a guard, he does have balance issues attacking a moving target. Needs to run with a wide base (gets caught up in his feet) and keep his head on a swivel (ducks it and loses sight of his man). Struggles to recover when beaten and needs to show loose hips when changing direction. Appears to drag his feet when moving forward and those feet all but die in the open field, making him a liability going long distances as a lead blocker.

Use of Hands/Punch: Strong punch and good arm length. Has smaller-than-ideal hands and just adequate hand placement, especially when making initial contact with the defender. Needs to do a better job of reach blocks and has a penchant for keeping his arms too close to his body rather than extending, which allows opponents to get into his chest quite a bit.

Reactions/Awareness: Still a work in progress when it comes to play recognition and he doesn't react quickly to an array of moves.  Can be fooled by tricks and will take false steps trying to step out and mirror. Hooks hesitant at times in combating an edge rusher taking a side, but when he drops his pads and uses his size to wall off, he is much more capable of handling quick counter moves.

Compares To: JEFF OTAH, Carolina -- Tupou will learn under fire in the NFL, as he has just two years of major college experience under his belt. He has his problems vs. speed rushers and Tupou might be better suited playing the role of mauler as an offensive guard, using forceful impact to widen the rush lanes. He lacks the sudden instincts you want from your left tackle and if he is left out on an island there, like Otah and Pittsburgh's Max Starks, he will need backfield blocking help to handle the speedy edge rushers.

What Tupou has in size and strength he loses in agility.  As a result, he will not excel pulling to protect the stretch run, he will not be the best at getting to the second level to support in-line runs, and he may struggle with pure speed rushers.  As has been suggested, he could be a bit more of a tweener, with ability to play at RT and G but limitations that cause great concern as a LT prospect.  As a Colts fan I am a bit tired of tweeners but if Tupou could prove to be an effective RT and still bring a lot of value to the G position as he develops, that would not be a huge negative.

ANOTHER SCOUTING REPORT - MockingtheDraft.com

COMPARISON:

What Tupou has in size and strength, in his ability to maul and support the in-line run, Kropog has in agility, lateral movement and ability to support in run-blocking at the second level and for the stretch.  Kropog's agility makes him better against speed rushers, with a good kick-slide and arm extension to force them out of the pocket.  Tupou's bulk and upper-body strength allows him to hold the line against the bull-rush.  However, I believe Kropog is the better of the two prospects for the Colts particular needs because I see him as a Diem-like player with the ability to surpass his skill even in his best years.  Kropog seems to be a better leader, better in the intangibles, a harder worker, and more likely to succeed in the long-term with appropriate coaching.  Either tackle would be a depth upgrade for our OL on the outside.

YOU DECIDE