1978 Draft Round 1 Evaluation - Pre Training CampRound 1
1.
Anthony Bowen,
CB Indianapolis Racers* With the first overall selection in the 1978 Major League Football draft The Indianapolis Racers select, Anthony Bowen, CB. Fully grown into his body, and FAST. Has all the intangibles. Shut down corner.
2.
Raymond McCain,
QB Lansing Lake Monsters* In one of the weaker quarterback classes to date, The newly located Lansing Lake Monsters take Raymond McCain. One of the more accurate, and pro ready arms in the draft, Raymond will have to work on his vision, and decision making at the next level, but he lands in the perfect situation in this new regime.
3.
John Windham,
TE Tampa Bay Baracudas* John Windham is big, fast, strong, and can step in right away at most positions on offense. No surprise he’s the first tight end to go in the top 3.
4.
Dennis Quinn,
LT Miami Marauders* The Miami Marauders take Auburn LT, Dennis Quin with the 4th pick, and they get one of the best athletes in the entire draft. 6’3” 300+ lbs, fast, and lightning quick.
5.
Johnny Rambo,
LT Boston Admirals* Another physical specimen, the top of the O line class was stacked this draft. Johnny Rambo, thought to be a possible first overall pick, goes to the Boston Admirals at # 5. A polished pass blocker with all the physical tools to move defensive lineman off of the ball.
6.
John Whiteley,
MLB Cincinnati Kings* The Cincinnati Kings take MLB, John Whiteley our of Purdue. A sideline to sideline nightmare for RBs in college, Whiteley will step in immediately as the quarterback of The Kings’ defense.
7.
Robert McNear,
RG Dallas Marshals * And continue the run on Offensive Lineman with Robert Mcnear from Souther Cal. Fast, strong, with solid fundamentals. A bruiser, and the top interior lineman in the draft.
8.
John Avallone, QB Atlanta Blazers* The other of the two QBs expected to go in the first round is John Avallone headed to Atlanta to compete for The Blazers starting job with George Dean and Michael Goshorn. Fast, and good pocket awareness, Avallone sees the field better than anyone in the draft.
9.
Gerald Calderon,
SS San Francisco Hawks* The San Francisco Hawks select SS, Gerald Calderon out of Oregon with the 9th overall pick. This kid’s got ball skills, and isn’t afraid to come into the box. A surefire starter with good size, and a great understanding of offensive schemes.
10.
John Johnson,
FS Kansas City Mustangs* The Kansas City Mustangs get a stud ballhawk in John Johnson. A little undisciplined at times in college, Johnson can sniff out plays with regularity. Sometimes he gets himself a little out of position, but makes up for it with top flight speed.
11.
James Kinnison,
WR Pittsburgh Miners* James Kinnison out of Oklahoma State comes off the board here at 11 to the Pittsburg Miners. Great size, and catch radius, and SPEED.
12.
Carson Hampton,
RB Detroit Autos * The top running back in college last year goes to The Detroit Autos. Finished 2nd in Heisman voting last year, Carson Hampton broke every single school record at Ohio State rushing for 1856 yards and 23 touchdowns on only 254 carries. That’s 7.3 yards per tote.
13.
Trevor Cagnon,
RT Washington Americans* The 6’5” Trevor Gagon lands in a perfect spot in coach Donald Wrights possession scheme. He’ll step in immediately to bolster the right side of that line in Washington.
14.
Gerald Marts, LT Splendora Wildcats* The fifth offensive lineman off the board is Gerald Marts. Polished, fast with great footwork, and at 6’6” he can maul anybody. The newly moved Splendora Wildcats get a hog Molly here.
15.
Robert Vega,
LT Philadelphia Tigers* The Philadelphia Tigers take Robert Vega our of Notre Dame here at 15. Played mostly LT in college, but some thought he’d move inside in the pros. He has the size, and speed, and is one of the purest pass blockers in the draft.
16.
Christopher McGinley,
RG Los Angeles Stars* An unprecedented 7 offensive lineman go in the first 16 picks, and The Los Angeles Stars go with Christopher McKinley out of Vanderbilt. Undersized, McKinley makes up for it with tenacity. Lets see if he can make the transition from center to guard in the pros.
17.
James Shook,
FS New Orleans Pirates* Shook is a jack of all trades type defensive player. Pro ready, and polished; there’s nothing he can’t do. He’s strong, disciplined, smart, and can be a versatile player for David Feliciano’s heavy m2m scheme.
18.
Harvey Clancy,
SLB Phoenix Firebirds* Clancy lined up mostly in the middle in college, but will transition to SLB, a position his skill set is more suited for. He has perfect size and length, and rarely misses tackles. One of the most intelligent prospects in this years draft.
19.
Craig Wright,
RDE Cleveland Bulldogs* Quick off the ball, strong, and powerful at the point of attack. Wright will be a force to reckon with at the pro level.
20.
Daniel Tingley,
TE Toronto Rhinos* Another one of those athletes that you can line up anywhere on the field. He projects to be an all pro tight end at the next level, and can catch anything. He’ll have to become a better blocker at the next level, but he has all the physical tools.
21.
Andrew Mann,
WR St. Louis Stallions* One of the quickest prospects this year, Mann can dig his heals in and change direction on a dime. He didn’t run a huge route tree at Auburn, but he also didn’t need it. Good top end speed, but as quick as they come.
22.
Manuel Gonzalez,
CB Pittsburgh Miners* The Miners fill a need here, and are getting a guy who can flat out fly. He needs to refine his craft, but he has all the potential in the world. His coverage skills, and understanding of route trees will only help him in the MLF.
23.
William Duncan,
FB Milwaukee Warriors* Jack of all trades, but projects to be an absolute stud FB if that’s what The Warriors are gonna do with him. He can line up anywhere, and is as polished and pro ready as they come.
24.
John Board, CB Portland Pioneers* Board played some LB in college, and it shows. He is phenomenal in run support, but excels in coverage. He rarely gets a flag, or gets turned around.
25.
Eric Shell,
MLB New York Generals* A surprising fall down the draft boards, Shell’s game translates perfectly to what The Generals do. For a guy who’s 250 lbs, he can flat our run. Sideline to sideline defender
26.
Austin Pickering,
WLB Carolina Breakers* A college DE, Pickering’s game might be better suited upright. He is huge, but he is fast. For a man who’s 6’5” 287 he can run.
27.
Raymond Abel,
C Baltimore Bombers* A constant professional on the field and off. One of the most pro ready prospects in the entire draft, Abel projects to be an all-pro center.
28.
Sergio Chester,
DT Denver Riders* This man can fly, and he’s 300 lbs. His burst is fun to watch, and he can overpower you from the inside, or line up on the outside, and try to beat the edge. A run stuffer with pass rush star potential.
29.
Ronald Robertson, LDE New York Knights* Has everything you’re looking for in a defensive lineman. He can crash the pocket, and he can use his large array of pass rush moves to get to the QB. Strong with a great burst off of the line, and great play awareness.
30.
Steve Hutchinson, LG Minnesota Grizzlies* A mauler just like his dad. Hutchinson can do it all, and has the pedigree to back it up. Lined up everywhere except C in college, and protects to be a pro bowl guard.
31.
Robert Turner,
DT Memphis Blues* Great balance, gate, and center of gravity. Is unmovable, and strong as they come. He isn’t the best pass rusher, but with his good speed, and physical tools, that’s something he can learn.
32.
Glen Woods,
QB Philadelphia Tigers * The last pick in this years first round isn’t a surprise, and is the third QB off of the board. A solid pocket passer with a beautiful throwing motion, and knows coverages well. He’ll have to become more accurate at the next level for this game to translate, but Joseph Tran is just the coach to do it.
Last edited at 5/04/2022 6:56 am
