The 2011 Senior Bowl Thread (1 Viewer)

[Faust]

Senior Bowl, Day 4: North Squad Practice Notes

AUTHOR: Josh Sanchez

Practices slowed down drastically in Mobile, Alabama today for the North Squad. The team came out in only helmets, so there was no contact throughout the hour and a half session. Players mainly focused on assignments and were running through the playbook. The practice was a little more intense than a walk-through, so I guess you could call it a “jog-through.”

Despite the little contact and action, two players stood out on the practice field Thursday. North Carolina defensive back Kendric Burney continued his impressive week and should see himself taken no later than the third round come April. I currently have him at a solid second round grade. Burney picked off both Jake Locker and Ricky Stanzi in today’s practice — another interception came off of his fingertips.

Locker and Stanzi once again struggled with their accuracy, however, Stanzi did seem to put more touch on the ball today and looked better than he did earlier in the week. As long as you don’t watch where the ball ends up, Locker looks like a top fifteen pick up until his release, however, his inaccuracy really causes concern and I have him at a second round grade.

There is some talk that Stanzi has worked himself into the second to third round range, but that is absurd. Stanzi has been so erractic and always has trouble throwing to his left. I’d be shocked if he went anywhere higher than the sixth round.

Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick had the most impressive showing at quarterback this morning. He was the only North quarterback not to throw an interception today. Kaepernick threw some beautiful passes down the center of the field and continued to show flashes of brilliance. He still has a long way to go, but Kaepernick has the most upside out of the quarterbacks down in Mobile.

Charlie Bernstein says, “The Seahawks and Chargers gave Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick an informal workout last spring. He ran a 4.43.” in the 40. I have heard reports that teams like the Dolphins and Vikings are also very high on Kaepernick and would consider taking him as early as the second round.

Ohio State wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher was a midweek addition, but he failed to make the best of his opportunity. He never stood out during the week until today, where he stood out for all of the wrong reasons with back to back awful drops and a few others on the day. One receiver who did make some big plays today was Boise State’s Austin Pettis. Pettis made a few spectacular grabs and while he has struggled more in his route running than expected, he has shown that he should be able to develop into a reliable target in the future.

DeMarco Murray has continued to show he is perhaps the best back here. He is a very fluid route runner and has shown soft hands. Murray is a dual-threat back and looks to be a potential stud at the next level. Not only can Murray catch and run lights out, he is a willing blocker.

As we’ve come to expect all week, defensive linemen Cameron Jordan and Christian Ballard continued to shine. Even though there was no contact, the two players were all over the field and constantly chasing down running backs downfield. They have shown all week that they are not only two of the best players, but they have two of the highest motors in the game.

 

[Matt Waldman]

Senior Bowl: Cameron, Young, and Pettis have solid Wednesday workouts

Russ Lande

SN Icon Sporting News

MOBILE, Ala. — After a strong Tuesday, Cal DE Cameron Jordan followed it up with an even better practice on Wednesday, when he was dominant.

He showed the explosive power and strength, excellent hand use and very good athleticism to easily defeat blocks and either pressure the quarterback or get into the backfield to disrupt running plays.

Meanwhile, both Boise State wideouts (Titus Young and Austin Pettis) had a good Wednesday practice. Young continued to separate himself from all the receivers on the North Squad. He and the South’s Leonard Hankerson (Miami, Fla.) are the two best receivers in Mobile, which should put them in position to be late first-round or high second-round picks if they continue to perform at a high level the rest of the spring.

We're having dinner with Lande tonight and I interviewed him for the NY Times. I have about 20-25 minutes to transcribe - very cool stuff. I'll be up late to get it ready for tomorrow.

Matt - thanks for the work that you and the other FBG staff are doing in scouting the Senior Bowl practices and game! It must be pretty cool to go for a dinner with some of these guys...what an experience!

My pleasure, Faust. It is fun. I met Lande last year while doing this with Cecil, who as most here know, developed a friendship with him when he, Cecil and Marc Faletti traveled to Mobile for this event and then the other all-star games. It's a really great experience because it's really the only place I can go and interact with people that truly understand what it's like to watch film: day in and day out; around family time; around day jobs and avoid as much sleep as possible. And we all do it because we want to learn about the game. I sat next to one of Lande's associates who has worked for Tony Dungy, Scott Pioli and Steve Weatherford (Jets special teams coach) as an assistant or in the scouting department with the Vikings, Jets and one other team. He started out studying film on his own, writing and publishing a book and sending it around the NFL until opportunities came his way from his work.

It's validating to talk with a group of people that spend so much time doing the same thing as you and realize little nuggets like they believed Nate Davis was one of the top two QBs in the Sanchez, Stafford, Freeman draft class and you weren't the only kook on radio shows touting this kid's ability if he would just work at the game hard enough to compensate for his learning disability.

It's a very educational week with people that are willing to share their knowledge if you have the work ethic, mindset and perspective to show that you are there for the right reasons.

 

[Faust]

When will Jake Locker go off the board?

By Matt Mosley

University of Washington quarterback Jake Locker would have likely been a top-10 pick in the NFL draft had he left school following his '09 season. It was a costly decision from a financial standpoint because he appeared to regress this past season. But Locker insists that he doesn't have any regrets.

"Oh, I had guys who've been life-long friends of mine tell me, how could I ever. . . advise him to make a terrible decision like that?" said Locker's father, Scott Locker to the Washington Post. "People just have their own opinions about what's important in life."

By all accounts, Locker has been pretty inconsistent this week during Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Ala. I've read quite a few reports, but the harshest came from former Cleveland Browns college scout Russ Lande, who now writes for Sporting News.

"I think Jake Locker hurt himself, I really do," writes Lande. "There’s no question physically that he’s got all the tools. He’s got good mechanics, but his accuracy is terrible. I know I spoke to a coach today to get his opinion and he said if a guy’s mechanics are good and he’s smart enough, but his accuracy stinks then there’s not a lot you can do. You’re pretty much saying that you’re always going to have an inaccurate thrower. And if you can’t be accurate, you cannot be a quarterback in the N.F.L. I think Locker hurt himself a lot this week."

Good talk, Russ.

I think Locker still has time to turn this thing around, but he certainly needs to have a better showing at the combine. It's never good when scouts are saying your mechanics are fine, but you're not hitting moving targets. I'm pretty sure Mike Shanahan was a Locker fan at this time last year, but that may have changed.

Cam Newton's still more of a project than Locker, but he does seem to have a much higher ceiling.

 

[Matt Waldman]

I disagree with Young's take on Sanzenbacher and Pettis. I'm not sure where he was in Ladd Peebles stadium when he got this take, but I only watch the QBs, TEs, RBs and WRs. Most of the time I stand where I can focus on just one position at a time.

When these players ran position drills, it was infinitely clear that Sanzenbacher had the best techniques of any receiver on the field. He might not have made fancy catches like Pettis, but that's because most every catch he made came off a perfect route that got him at the spot the QB was expected to throw for good timing. Pettis on the other hand had to make adjustments of higher difficulty to get his hands on the ball because the majority of his routes were not good. He couldn't beat press coverage and he had little to no acceleration to get on top of corners. He could develop these skills and then his great hands and body control will really be an asset, but Sanzenbacher as nearly as good hands and very good body control, plus great feet and routes.

After nearly every rep in drills, Sanzenbacher was praised by the position coach. At one time the coach said "Dane, you have excellent feet!" I didn't hear a WR or RB coach go out of his way to make that general statement about any aspect of a player's game other than that.

After nearly every rep in drills, Pettis was critiqued by the coach.

I think sometimes it's easy for an observer to pay more attention to the catch and athleticism of an adjustment to a difficult ball and not the numerous skills needed to release from the line, set up a break, execute that break and work back to the ball or quarterback.

I know I used to have this to learn when I initially began watching wide receivers five years ago. This is one reason why the position is notoriously difficult to evaluate from top to bottom.

 

[Matt Waldman]

When will Jake Locker go off the board?

By Matt Mosley

University of Washington quarterback Jake Locker would have likely been a top-10 pick in the NFL draft had he left school following his '09 season. It was a costly decision from a financial standpoint because he appeared to regress this past season. But Locker insists that he doesn't have any regrets.

"Oh, I had guys who've been life-long friends of mine tell me, how could I ever. . . advise him to make a terrible decision like that?" said Locker's father, Scott Locker to the Washington Post. "People just have their own opinions about what's important in life."

By all accounts, Locker has been pretty inconsistent this week during Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Ala. I've read quite a few reports, but the harshest came from former Cleveland Browns college scout Russ Lande, who now writes for Sporting News.

"I think Jake Locker hurt himself, I really do," writes Lande. "There’s no question physically that he’s got all the tools. He’s got good mechanics, but his accuracy is terrible. I know I spoke to a coach today to get his opinion and he said if a guy’s mechanics are good and he’s smart enough, but his accuracy stinks then there’s not a lot you can do. You’re pretty much saying that you’re always going to have an inaccurate thrower. And if you can’t be accurate, you cannot be a quarterback in the N.F.L. I think Locker hurt himself a lot this week."

Good talk, Russ.

I think Locker still has time to turn this thing around, but he certainly needs to have a better showing at the combine. It's never good when scouts are saying your mechanics are fine, but you're not hitting moving targets. I'm pretty sure Mike Shanahan was a Locker fan at this time last year, but that may have changed.

Cam Newton's still more of a project than Locker, but he does seem to have a much higher ceiling.

Nice to get my piece linked to from ESPN - thanks for posting this.

 

[Sudoku_in_the_Bathtub]

Locker's Patrick Ramsey, Kyle Boller & Derek Anderson rolled up into one player.

Hopefully a team doesn't make the same mistake in this draft that were made with Ramsey & Boller.

 

[Faust]

When will Jake Locker go off the board?

By Matt Mosley

University of Washington quarterback Jake Locker would have likely been a top-10 pick in the NFL draft had he left school following his '09 season. It was a costly decision from a financial standpoint because he appeared to regress this past season. But Locker insists that he doesn't have any regrets.

"Oh, I had guys who've been life-long friends of mine tell me, how could I ever. . . advise him to make a terrible decision like that?" said Locker's father, Scott Locker to the Washington Post. "People just have their own opinions about what's important in life."

By all accounts, Locker has been pretty inconsistent this week during Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Ala. I've read quite a few reports, but the harshest came from former Cleveland Browns college scout Russ Lande, who now writes for Sporting News.

"I think Jake Locker hurt himself, I really do," writes Lande. "There’s no question physically that he’s got all the tools. He’s got good mechanics, but his accuracy is terrible. I know I spoke to a coach today to get his opinion and he said if a guy’s mechanics are good and he’s smart enough, but his accuracy stinks then there’s not a lot you can do. You’re pretty much saying that you’re always going to have an inaccurate thrower. And if you can’t be accurate, you cannot be a quarterback in the N.F.L. I think Locker hurt himself a lot this week."

Good talk, Russ.

I think Locker still has time to turn this thing around, but he certainly needs to have a better showing at the combine. It's never good when scouts are saying your mechanics are fine, but you're not hitting moving targets. I'm pretty sure Mike Shanahan was a Locker fan at this time last year, but that may have changed.

Cam Newton's still more of a project than Locker, but he does seem to have a much higher ceiling.

Nice to get my piece linked to from ESPN - thanks for posting this.

That was very cool - kudos again!

 

[Faust]

Senior Bowl: Baylor's Watkins, Texas A&M's Miller the stars of the week

Russ Lande

The Sporting News

MOBILE, Ala. — Prospects come to the Senior Bowl, in hopes of showing that one special skill that perhaps was hidden by their college scheme and meet NFL coaches and general managers for the first time, hoping to wow scouts and move up draft boards around the league.

Here is a look at the 14 seniors who improved their draft stock the most in practices and interviews this week:

1. Danny Watkins, G, Baylor. Watkins (6-3 1/2, 312) shined this week playing inside at guard and displayed the outstanding hand usage, technique and surprising strength. He will be a great NFL guard and should move into the late first round. Watkins reminds us of Patriots All-Pro G Logan Mankins.

2. Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M. Miller (6-2 5/8, 237) proved this week that he is an elite prospect who has the explosiveness, speed and athleticism to be an impact player in the NFL. Miller is a lock to go in the top 10 and could go in the top five. He could become a star in a 3-4 scheme, a la Cowboys Pro Bowl OLB DeMarcus Ware.

3. Cameron Jordan, DE, Cal. Jordan (6-4 1/8, 287) showed this week what we War Room scouts had seen all year: He is an explosive player who has the athleticism to defeat blocks easily and the strength to overpower blockers. He locked up a top-15 spot this week.

4. Titus Young, WR, Boise State. Young (5-11 1/4, 174) proved he is an explosive athlete with the athleticism to run good routes and burst to create separation from cornerbacks. He also displayed the hands to make tough catches over the middle and flashed the ability to be a dangerous punt returner.

5. Rodney Hudson, C/G, Florida State. Hudson (6-2 1/4, 291) looked good at the weigh-in and then displayed good strength and blocking technique the whole week. As one scout for an NFL team told us, "Hudson made himself a lot of money this week."

6. D.J. Williams, TE, Arkansas. Williams (6-1 7/8, 236) lacks ideal height and weight, but he proved to be a good prospect who should catch a ton of passes in the NFL. With his athleticism and receiving skills, he reminds us of the Chargers' Antonio Gates and Colts' Dallas Clark.

7. Leonard Hankerson, WR, Miami (Fla.). Hankerson (6-1 5/8, 205) displayed better quickness, agility and route-running skills than what we usually see receivers taller than 6-0. He also showed excellent hands, consistently plucking passes out of the air and away from his body and catching off-target throws.

8. Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College. Castonzo (6-7 1/8, 305) pass blocked with good leverage and hand usage to enable him to play strong. In our eyes, he won the battle over Colorado's Nate Solder and now is the top senior offensive tackle in the draft.

9. Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue. Kerrigan (6-3 7/8, 255) lacks great size but showed the strength, ability to play with leverage, technique and competitiveness to be an effective pass rusher and against the run as a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme.

10. Kendric Burney, CB, North Carolina. Burney (5-9, 181) showed better quickness and coverage skills than expected this week. He also proved he can absorb on-field coaching and apply it quickly, often showing improvements from snap-to-snap in practice.

11. Colin Kaepernick, QB, Nevada. Kaepernick (6-4 5/8, 225) clearly had the strongest arm of the quarterbacks at the Senior Bowl. He still must improve his mechanics, but he was surprisingly accurate and looked comfortable dropping back from under center after playing in a spread-option offense at Nevada.

12. Luke Stocker, TE, Tennessee. Stocker (6-4 7/8, 255) showed much better speed than expected and showed the hands and body control to adjust and make tough catches seem routine. For a player with real questions coming to Mobile, he erased most of those in three practice sessions.

13. Brooks Reed, DE, Arizona. Reed (6-2 1/2, 257) is built well and shows deceptive athleticism. He shows excellent hand usage, technique and smarts to consistently defeat blocks and pressure the quarterback or disrupt running plays.

14. Christian Ballard, DT, Iowa. Ballard (6-4 1/8, 288) displayed the quickness, agility and power to consistently win one-on-one drills. He was very effective at penetrating into the backfield in nearly all team drills. He proved he can play defensive tackle in a 4-3 scheme or defensive end in a 3-4 defense, definitely increasing his draft stock.

 

[Faust]

How Kelowna's Danny Watkins 'stumbled' into football

Dave Naylor

Becoming a top NFL prospect usually requires a lifetime of dedication to football and the willingness to chase after a dream.

And then there is Danny Watkins.

The Kelowna B.C. native didn't grow up playing football, didn't like it and never even watched it on television.

So what is he doing at the Senior Bowl this week among the very best NCAA football talent being poked, prodded and measured by an army of NFL coaches and scouts?

"I can't say it's a dream because I never grew up wanting to play in the NFL," said the 6-foot-4, 315-pound Watkins. "I shouldn't say I hated football but I didn't care for it. I just kinda stumbled into it."

Watkins' dreams growing up were all about hockey, a game he played as a crease-clearing defenceman who modeled his game on the roughest, toughest players in the NHL.

"I like Pronger and Lindros," he said. "They were the big guys who beat-up people. I loved it."

This week in Mobile, NFL scouts are loving what they're seeing from Watkins, who is projected to be among the top handful of guards taken in this year's NFL Draft and become one of the highest-drafted Canadians of all-time. Not bad for a guy who strapped on a football helmet for the first time at age 22 and only did so to advance his career in firefighting.

If that sounds like something out of a Hollywood script, it should.

"It's one of those you hear about once in a lifetime and he's taken off with it," said Buffalo Bills offensive line coach Joe D'Alessandris who is coaching the offensive line for the South team this week in Mobile. "It's an amazing story and a great feat."

Watkins played hockey up to the midget triple-A level at age 17, after which he decided to pursue as career in firefighting. When he joined the local volunteer fire department, the men at the West Kelowna Fire Rescue Hall became his new heroes in life.

"I built a lot of good relationship with those guys," said Watkins "They took me under their wing. I was young and immature and they smartened me up."

They also got him into shape physically.

"I was 275-280 pounds and Captain (Lionel) Bateman got me working out and I liked it," said Watkins. "But I never thought my size would take me anywhere."

When Watkins was 21, some of the firemen advised him to consider returning to school to advance his career as a firefighter. When he decided to study fire sciences at a Butte College in California, a friend suggested he try and get his tuition waived by playing football.

"I went there on a trip and they said `if you play football we'll help you' and I said `that's awesome,'" said Watkins. "I just started playing football for fun, recreation and to pay the (tuition) bills."

It turned out that Watkins was pretty good at his new sport. He won the starting left tackle job at Butte and by the end of his second season the big schools came calling. That's when it first hit him that he might not be going back to the fire hall right away. He accepted a scholarship to Baylor University where he continued to flourish on the football field.

So how did Watkins become such a natural at playing offensive line?

He credits some of it to his days as a hockey player where he played a physical style with a mean streak that he's been able to take with him onto the football field. And a lot to the lessons he learned from the men in the fire hall.

"Determination and focus, I have a lot of that," said Watkins. "At the fire hall, paying attention to detail is crucial and it's carried over to this. All the little things count."

It's been an amazing transformation over the past four years. And no one has taken more pride in it than the fire captains back in Kelowna who were there the first time Danny walked in as a teenager.

"It's hard to wrap your head around it," said Bateman. ""When he first came in he was tall and a little chubby and I remember I had him out on my boat and I said `Danny you work out you could be a force.' Now the buzz in the fire hall is that one of our own is going to the big time. I smile whenever I think of that kid and whatever happens, I'm happy for him."

Bateman believes the same personality traits that made Watkins an ideal member of the fire fighting team have helped him in football.

"In the fire service it's true brotherhood, we often talk about that because you really rely on each other so much," said Bateman. "It's in Danny's nature and on that offensive line everyone relies on each other and the quarterback relies on them. It's part and parcel of that whole mentality.

Watkins may have lived the last four years in California and Texas while making his name in football but inside he hasn't change that much.

He proudly put a Canadian flag on the back of his helmet during college and still pines to watch the NHL over the NFL of NCAA football.

"(My teammates) will all be talking about this game or that game and I'm saying `turn that off, lets watch hockey," said Watkins. "All week all we do is football."

Which isn't to suggest Watkins doesn't enjoy football these days or appreciate all the places it's taken him.

"Now I love football," he says. "But I miss the fire hall a lot."

 

[Yenrub]

How has Nate Irvin LB NC State been doing at the Senior Bowl?

 

[BeTheMatch]

 

[Bri]

Matt, people are saying they are seeing great vision or good vision from Locke. Many used to say he was just (blazing) fast. That seems like a huge development in the perception of Locke. Thoughts?

 

[Matt Waldman]

I didn't see what they saw.

Here's what I'm beginning to see about all-star game practices that I think is helpful to think about in the context of the answer I'll give about Locke:

If you haven't studied the guy on film and you go there to make assessments, you're more prone to have a wildly different view point of a player up or down between now and (if you do study some film on the guy) the draft.

Remember, they don't tackle in these scrimmages. You don't see defenders diving for ball carriers. The only components of vision that you're really going to see with some clarity is how a runner sets up blockers and the decisions he makes at the line of scrimmage. Once in a while you'll see some skill in tight spaces in the hole, but with defenders not allowed to give complete effort, you have to take this into account.

I actually asked an RB coach, who was impressed with DeMarco Murray, if he had seen "No.7 on film yet?" His answer was, "No, not yet, but I'll be watching a lot of him very soon - why are you his agent?" We both laughed and I headed to find Lammey and Garda (practice had ended). While this is one coach, I think it is reasonable to believe that part of the staff that is sent to the Senior Bowl to help make decisions doesn't have time to watch film on college prospects until after the season is over.

Locke's vision didn't stand out to me between the tackles or at the line of scrimmage in practice, but his open field running from the second level-on was good.

On film, he has shown a tendency to drop his head as he enters a crease and he misses cutback opportunities. But his patience to follow blockers as designed is good as was his open field running.

I have more film to watch of Locke in the coming months, but that was my impression thus far.

 

[Andrew Garda]

Hey guys,

as the somewhat silent third member on that trip, I've got a ton of notes on players and three diary entries that aren't posted yet. One of us will post them in here if they arent up sometime soon, for your perusal.

 

[Faust]

I didn't see what they saw. Here's what I'm beginning to see about all-star game practices that I think is helpful to think about in the context of the answer I'll give about Locke: If you haven't studied the guy on film and you go there to make assessments, you're more prone to have a wildly different view point of a player up or down between now and (if you do study some film on the guy) the draft. Remember, they don't tackle in these scrimmages. You don't see defenders diving for ball carriers. The only components of vision that you're really going to see with some clarity is how a runner sets up blockers and the decisions he makes at the line of scrimmage. Once in a while you'll see some skill in tight spaces in the hole, but with defenders not allowed to give complete effort, you have to take this into account. I actually asked an RB coach, who was impressed with DeMarco Murray, if he had seen "No.7 on film yet?" His answer was, "No, not yet, but I'll be watching a lot of him very soon - why are you his agent?" We both laughed and I headed to find Lammey and Garda (practice had ended). While this is one coach, I think it is reasonable to believe that part of the staff that is sent to the Senior Bowl to help make decisions doesn't have time to watch film on college prospects until after the season is over. Locke's vision didn't stand out to me between the tackles or at the line of scrimmage in practice, but his open field running from the second level-on was good. On film, he has shown a tendency to drop his head as he enters a crease and he misses cutback opportunities. But his patience to follow blockers as designed is good as was his open field running. I have more film to watch of Locke in the coming months, but that was my impression thus far.

Great reminder that these practices are skewed towards the offensive players, and it is important to look at (and understand) the film. I forget who coined the phrase "The film doesn't lie", but it is accurate.

 

[Andrew Garda]

Great reminder that these practices are skewed towards the offensive players, and it is important to look at (and understand) the film. I forget who coined the phrase "The film doesn't lie", but it is accurate.

If you want a read on some of the defensive players, watching The Pit and the RB/LB drills is really your best chance. The DBs get a little time to show off in coverage drills and more opportunity in full team scrimmages, but for DL/LBs there wasn't much opportunity to really show their physicality.That said, Casey Matthews was really unimpressive in the RB/LB drills. Got blown up by much smaller guys and consistently.

 

[Faust]

Players to watch in the Senior Bowl on Saturday

By Ben Volin Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Posted: 4:39 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28, 2011

The Senior Bowl kicks off at 4 p.m. Saturday on NFL Network. Here are five players who impressed scouts at practice this week in Mobile, Ala.

QB Colin Kaepernick, Nevada: A bigger, more polished version of Pat White had a great week proving to scouts that he can be a pure passer in the NFL.

RB Roy Helu Jr., Nebraska: The bruising 216-pounder hit the hole hard all week and showed scouts that he can be a productive three-down back.

WR Leonard Hankerson, Miami: The most consistent receiver of the week impressed scouts with his precise route-running and soft hands.

LB Von Miller, Texas A&M: Dazzled scouts with his speed and might have become a top-5 overall draft pick as an outside linebacker for a 3-4 defense.

CB Rashad Carmichael, Virginia Tech: Didn't stand out in 1-on-1 drills but was always in the right position and made a ton of plays in full team drills.

 

[Faust]

Senior Bowl report: Players who helped, hurt themselves at practice

By Tony Pauline, Special to SI.com, TFYDraft.com

With three days of intense practice at the 2011 Senior Bowl concluded (see our Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3 reports), here are the players who benefited the most and a few who must find a way to recover.

Risers

Cameron Jordan/DL/California: Jordan was dominant from the first practice of the week and improved every day. He beat big offensive tackles when lined up at defensive end in pass rush drills while also overpowering offensive guards on the occasions he was used at defensive tackle. Jordan displayed a complete game and, most importantly, the versatility to line up at a variety of defensive line positions. He's solidified himself as the top senior prospect in April's draft and has cemented himself as a top 10 selection.

Colin Kaepernick/QB/Nevada: Scouts wanted to see if the athletic quarterback who ran the pistol offense at Nevada (which allowed him to run the ball almost as much as he passed it) could play in the NFL style. Kaepernick proved from the start he was up to the challenge. He successfully completed all the passes NFL coaches required him to throw and did so with pinpoint accuracy.

His timing was outstanding as Kaepernick had the ball in receivers hands the moment they left their breaks. He was able to get the ball through the tight spots with regularity. He still needs a bit of work on his delivery, which will only improve his downfield accuracy, yet vaulted himself to the top of the list of senior quarterbacks. Expect Kaepernick to be drafted in the early part of the second round.

Christian Ballard/DL/Iowa: Ballard improved his play each day in practice, showcasing a variety of skills. He beat blockers off the snap, overran them on occasion or viciously fought until he was in the backfield. Ballard showcased a nice combination of athleticism and movement skills, displaying the ability to make plays up the field or chase the action in pursuit.

He rarely receives the media recognition of his Iowa teammate Adrian Clayborn, yet Ballard's play left scouts thinking he's at least equal in ability. Ballard secured a spot in round one with his play.

Brooks Reed/DE-OLB/Arizona: Reed was another multi-purpose defender who impressed scouts with his skill and intensity. He was ferocious in pass rush drills, often beating much larger linemen up the field. Later in the week, when Reed played linebacker and dropped into coverage, his ball skills were as proficient as many of the every day linebackers he played next to. The depth of talent on the defensive line will knock Reed out of the draft's initial 35 selections, but don't be surprised if a 3-4 defense acquires him in the middle part of round two.

Titus Young/WR/Boise State: Young was considered by many as the top senior receiver in the draft and his performance in Mobile did nothing to blemish that. He was the quickest receiver on the field, easily beating defensive backs off the line and immediately settling into an open spot on the field. Young also had the best burst of any wideout and outran opponents down the flanks. After a few drops early in the week, Young caught just about everything thrown in his direction. He also flashed skill lining up during special teams drills, something that must be watched during the game. Young solidified himself as an early second-round selection.

Leonard Hankerson/WR/Miami-Fla: Scouts were concerned about Hankerson's inconsistent hands entering the week; he quelled much of the doubt during practice. Hankerson was terrific all week long, displaying the ability to continually break free from defenders. He consistently implemented sound pass catching skills, extending his hands to make the reception away from his body. He even surprised scouts by showing deceptive speed. Hankerson leaves the Senior Bowl stamped with a second-round grade projection.

Ryan Kerrigan/DE/Purdue: Kerrigan was one of the more explosive pass rushers of the week and a defensive end that opponents had a tough time getting their hands on. His ability to fire off the snap had offensive tackles twisting in the wind and Kerrigan's upfield speed was impressive. When the Purdue product was asked to play linebacker he looked solid dropping into coverage. Scouts love the attitude and character of Kerrigan, who is likely to land in the bottom third of round one.

Roy Helu Jr/RB/Nebraska: Helu was one of the most complete backs in Mobile and was successful in every facet of the game. He surprised scouts with his speed and ability to run off tackle. Helu showed competent hands out of the backfield as a receiver. He was by far the best blocker of any running back in attendance. With the draft lacking true feature running backs, Helu is likely to be a top 75 choice.

James Kerley/WR/TCU: The Mountain West product showed he has the skills to play at the next level and did everything scouts asked of him all week. Kerley was one of the best route runners on the field as cornerbacks had no ability to stay with him in or out of breaks. He constantly separated from defenders and almost always made himself an open target for the quarterback. Kerley also displayed reliable hands and terrific pass catching technique. He projects as a third receiver/return specialist for the next level and has likely moved into the third round based on his performance in Mobile.

Vincent Brown/WR/San Diego State: Brown is another wideout who will make the MWC proud. Like Curley he ran scissor sharp routes, displayed terrific pass catching technique and caught everything thrown to him. Brown impressed scouts with his field awareness and feisty play. He battled defensive backs hard and won out in battles, coming away with the tough reception on a daily basis. He's another likely to slide into the third frame.

Gabe Carimi/T/Wisconsin: The Senior Bowl is about overcoming perceptions and that's what Carimi did this week. Coming into the event the perception was the big tackle was an adequate run blocker who struggled in pass protection. Yet all week Carimi held his own on the blind side, battling with many of the North's talented pass rushing defensive linemen and winning out on a number of occasions. His play will force NFL teams to revaluate their opinions of his skills and could push him into the late part of round one.

Kendall Hunter/RB/Oklahoma State: Hunter is considered one of the better third-down backs in April's draft and proved as much in Mobile. He's undersized (5-7, 199 pounds) yet amazingly elusive and tough to catch. Hunter slipped away from defenders all week, showing the ability to create yardage when none seemed available. He was proficient as a receiver out of the backfield and threw his body around the field in blocking drills. He is justifiably compared to Jahvid Best, the first round pick of the Detroit Lions last April. Hunter will hear his name called slightly later then Best, most likely during the opening selections of round two.

Sliders

Jake Locker/QB/Washington: There are a variety of opinions on Locker's performance in Mobile, but from our standpoint the quarterback leaves the week with a much lower draft grade than the one he started off with.

Locker has the athleticism and arm strength to start at the next level, yet his mechanics and accuracy leave a lot to be desired. His erratic point of release resulted in passes that sprayed about the field. More often than not Locker had receivers leaving their feet in an attempt to grab passes that were sailing over their heads, or reaching backwards trying to catch balls that were late arriving.

Many debated whether or not Locker was first-round material once the season ended. The conversation now moves to his ability to remain in the draft's top 45 selections after Senior Bowl practices.

DeMarcus Love/OL/Arkansas: Love entered the season with a grade that placed him among the top senior offensive linemen in the country. That assessment plunged after his performance this week. His technique was pedestrian and opponents took full advantage of the situation. Love was often run over by defenders and left to pick himself off the turf on several occasions. Once considered a possible first-round pick, Love could fall out of the draft's initial 75 selections.

Dwayne Harris/WR/East Carolina: Harris measured smaller than expected, touching the tape at under 5-10. Once he took the field he struggled almost every day, running poor routes and dropping an inordinate amount of throws. He was unable to beat defenders down the field and displayed marginal speed. The performance will push Harris into the middle rounds of the draft.

 

[Chest Rockwell]

Hey guys, as the somewhat silent third member on that trip, I've got a ton of notes on players and three diary entries that aren't posted yet. One of us will post them in here if they arent up sometime soon, for your perusal.

Yes, please.

 

[Bri]

thanks Matt

 

[Matt Waldman]

Q&A with RB Bilal Powell

If you don't know Powell's story, it's a good one:

He came from Lakeland, Florida and while in middle school - early high school he got involved with a gang/crew. He used to get in trouble in school and frequently stayed out all night getting in fights. At some point he was in a fight and got stabbed and the wound came within an inch of him losing his kidney.

Powell's mother, a single parent, made the decision to have him stay with a family that could take better care of him because she had to work nights to support the family and she could not be around to fix this situation with her son's behavior.

As Powell stayed with another family, he became a Christian and got into organized football. Powell slowly began to turn his life around and football became a part of it. After beginning his high school career at safety, the starting runner got hurt and Powell stepped in to take reps at RB in practice. His first attempt he broke for a long touchdown and the head coach told the defensive coach that Powell was staying at RB.

Powell became a star RB and wound up at Louisville. During his time at Louisville, he frequently returned to his home town to speak to kids in his neighborhood about his past behavior and life and how he changed. He's generally reticent to give interviews but with the Senior Bowl having a Media Night, I was betting he'd feel a little pressure to do some. Plus I wasn't going to ask him about his personal life; I just wanted to talk football.

Hope you enjoy it.

 

[loose circuits]

Q&A with RB Bilal Powell

If you don't know Powell's story, it's a good one:

He came from Lakeland, Florida and while in middle school - early high school he got involved with a gang/crew. He used to get in trouble in school and frequently stayed out all night getting in fights. At some point he was in a fight and got stabbed and the wound came within an inch of him losing his kidney.

Powell's mother, a single parent, made the decision to have him stay with a family that could take better care of him because she had to work nights to support the family and she could not be around to fix this situation with her son's behavior.

As Powell stayed with another family, he became a Christian and got into organized football. Powell slowly began to turn his life around and football became a part of it. After beginning his high school career at safety, the starting runner got hurt and Powell stepped in to take reps at RB in practice. His first attempt he broke for a long touchdown and the head coach told the defensive coach that Powell was staying at RB.

Powell became a star RB and wound up at Louisville. During his time at Louisville, he frequently returned to his home town to speak to kids in his neighborhood about his past behavior and life and how he changed. He's generally reticent to give interviews but with the Senior Bowl having a Media Night, I was betting he'd feel a little pressure to do some. Plus I wasn't going to ask him about his personal life; I just wanted to talk football.

Hope you enjoy it.

great story, amazing how God reaches out and grabs different people at different time times in their lives...I'm going to have to draft him for at least one of my dynasty teams just so I can root for him. If not, I'll still root for him...thanks for sharing his story

 

[TheFatKid]

How Kelowna's Danny Watkins 'stumbled' into football

Dave Naylor

Becoming a top NFL prospect usually requires a lifetime of dedication to football and the willingness to chase after a dream.

And then there is Danny Watkins.

The Kelowna B.C. native didn't grow up playing football, didn't like it and never even watched it on television.

So what is he doing at the Senior Bowl this week among the very best NCAA football talent being poked, prodded and measured by an army of NFL coaches and scouts?

"I can't say it's a dream because I never grew up wanting to play in the NFL," said the 6-foot-4, 315-pound Watkins. "I shouldn't say I hated football but I didn't care for it. I just kinda stumbled into it."

Watkins' dreams growing up were all about hockey, a game he played as a crease-clearing defenceman who modeled his game on the roughest, toughest players in the NHL.

"I like Pronger and Lindros," he said. "They were the big guys who beat-up people. I loved it."

This week in Mobile, NFL scouts are loving what they're seeing from Watkins, who is projected to be among the top handful of guards taken in this year's NFL Draft and become one of the highest-drafted Canadians of all-time. Not bad for a guy who strapped on a football helmet for the first time at age 22 and only did so to advance his career in firefighting.

If that sounds like something out of a Hollywood script, it should.

"It's one of those you hear about once in a lifetime and he's taken off with it," said Buffalo Bills offensive line coach Joe D'Alessandris who is coaching the offensive line for the South team this week in Mobile. "It's an amazing story and a great feat."

Watkins played hockey up to the midget triple-A level at age 17, after which he decided to pursue as career in firefighting. When he joined the local volunteer fire department, the men at the West Kelowna Fire Rescue Hall became his new heroes in life.

"I built a lot of good relationship with those guys," said Watkins "They took me under their wing. I was young and immature and they smartened me up."

They also got him into shape physically.

"I was 275-280 pounds and Captain (Lionel) Bateman got me working out and I liked it," said Watkins. "But I never thought my size would take me anywhere."

When Watkins was 21, some of the firemen advised him to consider returning to school to advance his career as a firefighter. When he decided to study fire sciences at a Butte College in California, a friend suggested he try and get his tuition waived by playing football.

"I went there on a trip and they said `if you play football we'll help you' and I said `that's awesome,'" said Watkins. "I just started playing football for fun, recreation and to pay the (tuition) bills."

It turned out that Watkins was pretty good at his new sport. He won the starting left tackle job at Butte and by the end of his second season the big schools came calling. That's when it first hit him that he might not be going back to the fire hall right away. He accepted a scholarship to Baylor University where he continued to flourish on the football field.

So how did Watkins become such a natural at playing offensive line?

He credits some of it to his days as a hockey player where he played a physical style with a mean streak that he's been able to take with him onto the football field. And a lot to the lessons he learned from the men in the fire hall.

"Determination and focus, I have a lot of that," said Watkins. "At the fire hall, paying attention to detail is crucial and it's carried over to this. All the little things count."

It's been an amazing transformation over the past four years. And no one has taken more pride in it than the fire captains back in Kelowna who were there the first time Danny walked in as a teenager.

"It's hard to wrap your head around it," said Bateman. ""When he first came in he was tall and a little chubby and I remember I had him out on my boat and I said `Danny you work out you could be a force.' Now the buzz in the fire hall is that one of our own is going to the big time. I smile whenever I think of that kid and whatever happens, I'm happy for him."

Bateman believes the same personality traits that made Watkins an ideal member of the fire fighting team have helped him in football.

"In the fire service it's true brotherhood, we often talk about that because you really rely on each other so much," said Bateman. "It's in Danny's nature and on that offensive line everyone relies on each other and the quarterback relies on them. It's part and parcel of that whole mentality.

Watkins may have lived the last four years in California and Texas while making his name in football but inside he hasn't change that much.

He proudly put a Canadian flag on the back of his helmet during college and still pines to watch the NHL over the NFL of NCAA football.

"(My teammates) will all be talking about this game or that game and I'm saying `turn that off, lets watch hockey," said Watkins. "All week all we do is football."

Which isn't to suggest Watkins doesn't enjoy football these days or appreciate all the places it's taken him.

"Now I love football," he says. "But I miss the fire hall a lot."

Great write-up. I watched Danny for two years at BU. He was known as a great locker room guy and just down right nasty on the field. Filled in adequately for St. Louis' 2nd overall pick Jason Smith at LT. Buyer beware, he was a false start machine his sr. season.

Sic'em Bears.

 

[BigTex]

From a fantasy standpoint looks like Young and Hankerson are the picks here.

 

[mcintyre1]

Seeing a lot of love for Helu from a couple of reporters, but also notes that he was nothing special at all. Any changes in opinion from you guys after watching him more?

 

[anakin]

Seeing a lot of love for Helu from a couple of reporters, but also notes that he was nothing special at all. Any changes in opinion from you guys after watching him more?

I have heard the same. I guess the beauty will be in the eyes of the beholder.

 

[mcintyre1]

Seeing a lot of love for Helu from a couple of reporters, but also notes that he was nothing special at all. Any changes in opinion from you guys after watching him more?

I have heard the same. I guess the beauty will be in the eyes of the beholder.

Yeah, that's the nature of scouting, it seems. Two scouts can watch the same guy and come to completely opposite conclusions. It is really hard to know who to trust. When it comes down to it, I usually go with the guys in this thread. Really appreciate the work guys From http://www.draftinsider.net/blog/?p=4351

Roy Helu RB Nebraska 5113 216 32 ¼ 10 1/8

Monday Practice Notes: Showed terrific quickness and speed carrying the ball. Had several nice runs where he displayed a burst through the hole and easily beat defenders into the open field.

Tuesday Practice Notes: Looked good blocking and was praised by coaches. Carried the ball extremely well today.

Wednesday Practice Notes: Most complete back of the day. Was outstanding in pass blocking drills, holding his ground against many of the bigger linebackers from the North. Carried the ball very well and shows a burst through the hole which he turns on in a single step. Also caught the ball well out of the backfield.

Analysis: Helu quite possibly helped himself more than any running back in Mobile. Scouts were astonsihed by the burst of speed he showed each day in practice as well as his overall game. He cemented himself as a third round pick and could break into the late part of round one.

Probably the most glowing review I've read of Helu, but I have no experience with that website or whether to trust them, like I do Cecil, Matt, et al.

 

[Matt Waldman]

I think Helu is one of those guys that can become a Reuben Droughns-Mike Anderson type of player, but I'd be surprised if hes viewed as anything more than a reserve a team can plug into a lineup as needed rather than a priority starter.

 

[Donnybrook]

Senior Bowl, Day 4: North Squad Practice Notes

AUTHOR: Josh Sanchez

...

Nevada's Colin Kaepernick had the most impressive showing at quarterback this morning. He was the only North quarterback not to throw an interception today. Kaepernick threw some beautiful passes down the center of the field and continued to show flashes of brilliance. He still has a long way to go, but Kaepernick has the most upside out of the quarterbacks down in Mobile.

Charlie Bernstein says, "The Seahawks and Chargers gave Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick an informal workout last spring. He ran a 4.43." in the 40. I have heard reports that teams like the Dolphins and Vikings are also very high on Kaepernick and would consider taking him as early as the second round.

...

I had a feeling that Kaepernick would eventually rise up draft boards but I didn't expect it to happen so soon. I would have liked to see the Vikings take him in the fourth rather than the second round.Edited for stupidity: keep forgetting that the second day of the draft is now the second round as well.

 

[Raider Nation]

Game starts in a half hour. Pumped up.

Really looking forward to watching Kaepernick in a non-pistol offense.

 

[BigTex]

Game starts in a half hour. Pumped up.Really looking forward to watching Kaepernick in a non-pistol offense.

Is it on the NFL channel?Yep NFL Network.

 

[mcintyre1]

I'd love to hear some thoughts on the early part of the game in here, as I don't get off work until 3:30. Post if you've got an observation to make!

 

[Cecil Lammey]

http://podcast.footballguys.com/2011/Footb...-2011-Vol9a.mp3

In This Episode: Cecil Lammey and Sigmund Bloom recap the week of practice at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL. Topics Include - why QB Jake Locker hurt his draft stock, how RB DeMarco Murray dazzled in practice, why WR Vincent Brown's skill set is comparable to Reggie Wayne, plus more!

enjoy!

subscribe to The Audible on Itunes, it's free!

Follow The Audible on Twitter!

 

[Concept Coop]

Locke is looking really good. He has good vision.

 

[mcintyre1]

So... why isn't Henery the kicker for the North squad again?

Still can't get over him not getting a single nod as a finalist for the Groza award.

 

[Bojang0301]

I think Von Miller, Colin Kaepernick, Vincent Brown, Kendric Berney, Dane Sanzenbacher, Leonard Hankerson and Bilal Powell have had decent games. Some DL and OL have too but I really haven't been making mental notes of their names.

 

[GECKO]

Great stuff!

 

[pghrob]

Notes not in our report. - When the South practiced ended and media was invited onto the field, the special teams were still practicing. Not a very smart decision in my opinion due to potential for some accidents with reporters and players trying to do their jobs. As I walked across the field to meet Lammey and Garda, a punt came in my direction and my natural reaction was to look up and I noticed I began backing up to catch it. Fortunately, my better judgment hit me in time to run forward and get out of the way of Jeremy Kerley running up to make the grab. That could have been embarrassingly stupid.

I am just getting caught up on all the great information in this thread - but had to post that this segment from Matt has me laughing hysterically as I can see it playing out in my minds eye. Too funny.

 

[Andrew Garda]

while my Draftguys reports aren't up, I did a piece for The Jets Blog recapping the Senior Bowl and some of my thoughts.

http://www.thejetsblog.com/2011/02/02/guestblog-andrew-garda-reports-on-the-senior-bowl-part-i/

Enjoy!

Linked in there is a video I did of my thoughts on Bilal Powell. I'll have more videos over the next week or so about a bunch of different players - if you follow me on twitter, you'll know when but they'll post over at ThunderingBlurb.com and BigEastGridiron.com, as well as youtube and a site called Viddler.

 

[Andrew Garda]

For those interested, here is the second half of that article I wrote on TheJetsblog.com.

 

[Matt Waldman]

Here's an example of how college all-star games can be valuable, but confusing: ECU WR Dwayne Harris

I watched Harris at the Sr. Bowl and his performance wasn't that impressive if you compare him to every receiver there. I didn't get a chance to study Harris prior to this game. This morning was the first time I've sen him in the ECU offense. What I saw is an excellent runner in open space: balance, patience and the change of direction on the move to eliminate good angles defenders initially have on him. And of course, he has good acceleration. As a receiver, he only runs a limited number of routes in this ECU offense (this is key to remember for later) but what he runs is done with a level of refinement in terms of getting the correct depth on the route and setting up his breaks with the angles he takes toward or away from a zone defender. As a pass catcher, I watched Harris make grabs in traffic with impending collisions and he had the toughness, patience and concentration to still adjust to the ball, take the hit and hang onto the pass.

So when I look at Harris on tape and think back to the Sr. Bowl, what I see is a receiver that spent most of his week in Mobile getting taught concepts he really didn't learn at ECU: the angles you take with your shoulders and body to beat press coverage; the way you use your hands and feet to deliver a punch and close the gap between you and a defender as a run blocker; how to drop your weight into breaks and use your feet to set up turns and angles. These seem like basic things, but they are fundamentals that young players often don't learn or get exposed to as early on as one might expect.

Harris appeared slower than some expected, but I think to what I watch in his familiar confines of Greenville and all the things he was getting coached on in Mobile and I believe that Harris remains a player with vast promise because he showed incremental improvement in each rep of each drill. He had too much to learn to master everything right away, but the Sr.Bowl showed he was receptive to instruction and intelligent enough to do something with it. He'll need more practice, instruction and reps to become a refined receiver, but when I think about Mobile in the context of Harris' performance, I now regard him as a project with a lot of upside.

His vision, toughness and athleticism are NFL-level. His hands and concentration appear this way, too. He'll probably look uneven in a camp, dropping some balls as he thinking too much about what to do right with releases, routes angles, etc., but once the technique of receiver becomes second nature, he has the other stuff to become a starting NFL receiver - or at least a high end contributor.

I think its this type of context that can be difficult to see when you read five different reports from writers about players in these games and some of them have never even watched the player in a game yet. This is why takes on players can be so fluid at this time. And some people never even piece together what they see in a practice in the context of a game.

 

[Andrew Garda]

For those interested:

Here are the first two videos I did on players I watched at the Senior Bowl.

Bilal Powell - RB - Louisville

Andy Dalton - QB - TCU

Will have Senior Bowl mancrush Vincent Brown up later. A bunch more to come over the next week before I dive into Non-Senior Bowl prospects.

 

[Kimbo Slice]

For those interested:

Here are the first two videos I did on players I watched at the Senior Bowl.

Bilal Powell - RB - Louisville

Andy Dalton - QB - TCU

Will have Senior Bowl mancrush Vincent Brown up later. A bunch more to come over the next week before I dive into Non-Senior Bowl prospects.

Good vids...thanks. Interesting observations on Dalton's arm strength.

 

[Andrew Garda]

For those interested:

Here are the first two videos I did on players I watched at the Senior Bowl.

Bilal Powell - RB - Louisville

Andy Dalton - QB - TCU

Will have Senior Bowl mancrush Vincent Brown up later. A bunch more to come over the next week before I dive into Non-Senior Bowl prospects.

Good vids...thanks. Interesting observations on Dalton's arm strength.

Thanks I was REALLY surprised about the way the ball came out of his hand. Cecil and I talked about it all week. The biggest problem this could pose might be when he has to thread the ball between a couple of defenders. Was amazing the difference between the 'tape' and a live eyeball.

Love Dalton, but just am not sure he's got the upside I'd hoped he did.

 

[Reaper]

For those interested, here is the second half of that article I wrote on TheJetsblog.com.

Hey Good stuff AG...

Like some of those sites as well. I need to keep up with Jetsblog a little more.

 

[Andrew Garda]

For those interested, here is the second half of that article I wrote on TheJetsblog.com.

Hey Good stuff AG...

Like some of those sites as well. I need to keep up with Jetsblog a little more.

Thanks man.Gonna try and find a background worth having after the first bunch I already did are posted.

Love Bassett and the Jets Blog. Great guy, always enjoy working with him and blackmailing him to put my stuff up is easy after I got him drunk and put a Brady jersey on him.

Lots more to come - I have about 7 or 8 more vids in the can and will be doing a ton between now and April.

 

[Andrew Garda]

Last video of the day

http://bigeastgridiron.com/2011/02/03/nfl-draft-prospect-video-–-wr-vincent-brown/

VIncent Brown WR SDSt



Edited to add - I am already hearing mid second for Brown - if he keeps the momentum, he could go earlier.

 

[Kimbo Slice]

Last video of the day

http://bigeastgridiron.com/2011/02/03/nfl-draft-prospect-video-–-wr-vincent-brown/

VIncent Brown WR SDSt



Edited to add - I am already hearing mid second for Brown - if he keeps the momentum, he could go earlier.

Where would you rank Brown in this years crop of WR's??

 

[Andrew Garda]

Last video of the day

http://bigeastgridiron.com/2011/02/03/nfl-draft-prospect-video-–-wr-vincent-brown/

VIncent Brown WR SDSt



Edited to add - I am already hearing mid second for Brown - if he keeps the momentum, he could go earlier.

Where would you rank Brown in this years crop of WR's??

That's a good question. I never want to overreact based on one week and am starting to look at his body of work now - also of course while I am hearing he could go in the second (maybe early) you don't want to base your rankings on 'i heard that....'.On top of that, just starting my rankings for WRs so it's early - but I feel like he's somewhere in my top ten. As I get a better sense of some of the other prospects (and Brown) that might change but I liked what I saw quite a bit.

Continuing the videos - Nate Solder, OT, Colorado

This dude is tall. VERY tall.

Hoping to sharpen up the look of these next week. I need something in the background, badly.

 

[Andrew Garda]

Clay Matthews Vid up (spoiler: He's no Clay)

That's it for today - possibly this week.