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This is the second and final portion of a two-part series on the South Carolina Gamecocks in this season's NFL Draft. Today we're going to look at Clifton Geathers and Lemuel Jeanpierre.
Clifton Geathers
Geathers, an early entree, was picked by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round with pick 186.
Geathers was one of the more intriguing stories in the weeks leading up to the draft. A surprise early entree after a somewhat underwhelming 2009 campaign in Columbia, Geathers was originally projected as a low-round pick or free agent. However, his stock rose in the weeks leading up to the draft, as the numbers-obsessed scouts began to find themselves attracted to Geathers's wacky measurables. Some progs were even saying Geathers might be a first-round pick. In the end, though, Geathers failed to make a big splash, going in the sixth round.
Geathers has undeniable physical attributes that have the Browns organization giddy. GM Tom Heckert calls Geathers "a monster," and beat writer Tony Grossi writes that "he could be a gem in the sixth round." I'd say that's all accurate. If Geathers can harness his abilities, he should make the Browns' roster and have a long, solid career in the league.
All that said, you still have to wonder about the wisdom of his choice to leave early. Like many other Gamecocks before him, he likely gave up the chance to be a first-round pick by leaving early. This is probably as true as ever with Geathers, whose physicals would have given him possible top-10 positioning if he had come back and had a better season rushing the quarterback than he had in 2009.
Lemuel Jeanpierre
Jeanpierre, a talented DL-turned-OL whose college career was hampered by a nasty knee injury that should have never happened in 2008, was picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs as a free agent.
Jeanpierre wasn't really very present on the draft radar, so he has to be happy to get his shot. While he was one of our best OL while he was healthy, he was never dominant (coming up under John Hunt probably didn't help), and the injury he suffered undoubtedly worked against him. That said, Jeanpierre is a hard worker with a good frame and great upper-body strength, and that likely prompted the Chiefs to take a chance on him.
The burden will definitely be on Jeanpierre to prove he's capable of holding down a roster spot in Kansas City. The Chiefs do need linemen, though, so the chance is his. I wish him luck.