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The 2011 Senior Bowl Thread (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Matt Waldman
- Start date
Faust
MVP
Senior Bowl practice report: Day 1
By Tony Pauline, TFYDraft.com, Special to SI.com
MOBILE, Ala. -- One of the biggest weeks of pre-draft scouting kicked off Monday as the largest single collection of NFL coaches, scouts and general managers gathered for the 2011 Senior Bowl. For the next week the top seniors in the nation hope to showcase their skills for future employers during full-pads practice. Besides the action on the field, there's plenty of draft related news coming out of Mobile as NFL decision-makers look to the future.
The hopes that defensive end Cameron Heyward of Ohio State would participate in the Senior Bowl were dashed last week when the first-round prospect underwent surgery to repair a hyper-extended elbow suffered late in the season. Speculation is the recovery process could take as long as three months.
With so many NFL teams in desperate need of a starting quarterback and just a few expected to come from April's draft, talk in Mobile has centered on veteran signal callers likely to be dealt. The belief is the trade value for Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb will exceed his actual playing skills and some team will overpay for him. Word is the Seahawks could be in the bidding process for Carson Palmer if the Bengals deal the disgruntled veteran. Palmer was coached by Pete Carroll late in his college career, and most feel it is a natural fit.
Jake Locker stood in front of the media on Sunday night and answered a barrage of questions about his decision to stay at Washington for his senior season. He was steadfast, telling all who asked he feels he made the proper choice by pushing off his NFL dreams by a year. Locker pointed out he received his degree upon his return and feels he's now better prepared for the NFL.
A number of teams were relieved to hear Iowa receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos will only receive probation in conjunction with his arrest on drug charges from last December. Johnson-Koulianos pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana in a plea-bargain deal. He was initially charged with keeping a drug house, a misdemeanor that carried up to two years in prison. The latest development means Johnson-Koulianos will likely be selected in the late round and can participate in camp this summer.
Here's a look at the most notable performance, both good and bad, from Monday's practice:
Jake Locker/QB/Washington: Locker struggled almost the entire first day in Mobile. He has an NFL arm, but the accuracy of his throws leaves much to be desired. Locker was constantly high of the mark, forcing receivers to leave their feet as they attempted to make the reception. His passes were also late as pass catchers were usually waiting for the ball to arrive.
Colin Kaepernick/QB/Nevada: Kaepernick entered the week with a lot of questions surrounding his game yet answered many of them in the early going. On Monday he displayed the ability to play in a disciplined NFL passing system after spending most of his college career in a spread offense which allowed him to carry the ball almost as much as he threw it. Kaepernick showed a strong arm and most importantly was on target with most of his throws. He was very accurate with his short and intermediate throws, and had the ball to receivers as they left their breaks. Kaepernick needs to improve his longer passes but it was a terrific initial practice for the senior.
James Brewer/T/Indiana: Brewer pulled off a dominant performance on the first day of Senior Bowl practice and quickly established himself as the best blocker at the event. He looked big and powerful during morning weigh-ins then played that way in the afternoon. Brewer moves well on his feet and also annihilates opponents once he got his hands on them. He was never beat today and drew praise from coaches on a number of occasions.
Cameron Jordan/DL/California: Jordan flashed brilliance today as well as a variety of skill. He showcased his terrific athleticism and easily moved about the field, quickly getting up the field to rush the passer or displaying speed chasing the action in pursuit. Jordan is not the strongest defensive lineman but his 6-foot, 4-inch, 287-pound frame has room to grow and add bulk. It was an impressive start for Jordan.
Leonard Hankerson/WR/Miami: Hankerson proved to be a handful for whomever attempted to cover him. He continually created separation and beat multiple cornerbacks deep to make the downfield catch. Hankerson did not drop a pass all day and made several difficult receptions in practice.
Gabe Carimi/T/Wisconsin: Carimi was better than advertised and looked effective as a run blocker and in pass protection. He played with good fundamentals and worked his blocks hard all afternoon. Carimi was stronger than most expected and also displayed solid footwork. He constantly showed the ability to knock pass rushers away from the action.
By Tony Pauline, TFYDraft.com, Special to SI.com
MOBILE, Ala. -- One of the biggest weeks of pre-draft scouting kicked off Monday as the largest single collection of NFL coaches, scouts and general managers gathered for the 2011 Senior Bowl. For the next week the top seniors in the nation hope to showcase their skills for future employers during full-pads practice. Besides the action on the field, there's plenty of draft related news coming out of Mobile as NFL decision-makers look to the future.
The hopes that defensive end Cameron Heyward of Ohio State would participate in the Senior Bowl were dashed last week when the first-round prospect underwent surgery to repair a hyper-extended elbow suffered late in the season. Speculation is the recovery process could take as long as three months.
With so many NFL teams in desperate need of a starting quarterback and just a few expected to come from April's draft, talk in Mobile has centered on veteran signal callers likely to be dealt. The belief is the trade value for Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb will exceed his actual playing skills and some team will overpay for him. Word is the Seahawks could be in the bidding process for Carson Palmer if the Bengals deal the disgruntled veteran. Palmer was coached by Pete Carroll late in his college career, and most feel it is a natural fit.
Jake Locker stood in front of the media on Sunday night and answered a barrage of questions about his decision to stay at Washington for his senior season. He was steadfast, telling all who asked he feels he made the proper choice by pushing off his NFL dreams by a year. Locker pointed out he received his degree upon his return and feels he's now better prepared for the NFL.
A number of teams were relieved to hear Iowa receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos will only receive probation in conjunction with his arrest on drug charges from last December. Johnson-Koulianos pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana in a plea-bargain deal. He was initially charged with keeping a drug house, a misdemeanor that carried up to two years in prison. The latest development means Johnson-Koulianos will likely be selected in the late round and can participate in camp this summer.
Here's a look at the most notable performance, both good and bad, from Monday's practice:
Jake Locker/QB/Washington: Locker struggled almost the entire first day in Mobile. He has an NFL arm, but the accuracy of his throws leaves much to be desired. Locker was constantly high of the mark, forcing receivers to leave their feet as they attempted to make the reception. His passes were also late as pass catchers were usually waiting for the ball to arrive.
Colin Kaepernick/QB/Nevada: Kaepernick entered the week with a lot of questions surrounding his game yet answered many of them in the early going. On Monday he displayed the ability to play in a disciplined NFL passing system after spending most of his college career in a spread offense which allowed him to carry the ball almost as much as he threw it. Kaepernick showed a strong arm and most importantly was on target with most of his throws. He was very accurate with his short and intermediate throws, and had the ball to receivers as they left their breaks. Kaepernick needs to improve his longer passes but it was a terrific initial practice for the senior.
James Brewer/T/Indiana: Brewer pulled off a dominant performance on the first day of Senior Bowl practice and quickly established himself as the best blocker at the event. He looked big and powerful during morning weigh-ins then played that way in the afternoon. Brewer moves well on his feet and also annihilates opponents once he got his hands on them. He was never beat today and drew praise from coaches on a number of occasions.
Cameron Jordan/DL/California: Jordan flashed brilliance today as well as a variety of skill. He showcased his terrific athleticism and easily moved about the field, quickly getting up the field to rush the passer or displaying speed chasing the action in pursuit. Jordan is not the strongest defensive lineman but his 6-foot, 4-inch, 287-pound frame has room to grow and add bulk. It was an impressive start for Jordan.
Leonard Hankerson/WR/Miami: Hankerson proved to be a handful for whomever attempted to cover him. He continually created separation and beat multiple cornerbacks deep to make the downfield catch. Hankerson did not drop a pass all day and made several difficult receptions in practice.
Gabe Carimi/T/Wisconsin: Carimi was better than advertised and looked effective as a run blocker and in pass protection. He played with good fundamentals and worked his blocks hard all afternoon. Carimi was stronger than most expected and also displayed solid footwork. He constantly showed the ability to knock pass rushers away from the action.
BigTex
Don't mess with Texas
anakin
Footballguy
Taking care of his young son
Faust
MVP
Senior Bowl practice report: Day 2
By Tony Pauline, TFYDraft.com, Special to SI.com
NFL scouts and decision makers breathed a sigh of relief Tuesday as the forecasted monsoon rains never materialized in Mobile, Ala. As a result both sessions were completed without a hitch during the second day of Senior Bowl practices. Several senior prospects are making a move up draft boards with stellar performances while a few highly-rated underclassmen were in town just to say "hello".
Patrick Peterson has been at the Senior Bowl since Monday, and though he's not participating in practice, the junior cornerback from LSU has been a very busy man.
Peterson has completed almost a half dozen individual interviews with teams on hand, most recently sitting down with John Elway and John Fox of the Denver Broncos, the team that owns the second pick in the draft. Julio Jones of Alabama was at practice Monday and made the rounds while Cameron Heyward arrived today. The Ohio State defensive lineman, who was expected to play in the Senior Bowl, told SI.com he sustained an injury to his left elbow during the second quarter of the Sugar Bowl. As reported yesterday, Heyward confirmed he underwent Tommy John surgery last week, which was performed by renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews. Heyward also stated that while he will be unable to participate in any football-related activities for the next three months, the timetable has him performing a full combine-type workout, minus the bench press, sometime in the month of March.
One of the nuances of the Senior Bowl is projecting players to positions in the NFL which are different than the ones they held down in college. Take Greg Jones of Michigan State and Mark Herzlich of Boston College for example. Jones was a tackling machine at middle linebacker for the Spartans, winning All-American honors since his freshman season. Yet most feel his 5-foot-11 frame would not hold up at that position in the NFL. Herzlich, on the other hand, was a devastating pass rusher at BC that could also effectively defend in coverage prior to illness. Cincinnati Bengals linebacker coach Paul Guenther, who's coaching both linebackers for the North squad, told us Jones would be best at outside linebacker (weak-side) in a four-man front in the NFL while he projects Herzlich to inside linebacker in a 3-4 alignment.
Much to the surprise of many, neither Jim Harbaugh nor any of his 49ers staff will attend the Senior Bowl. With the team desperately needs a quarterback and there are few potential prospects in Mobile, most thought the quarterback savvy coach would make an appearance to evaluate the talent.
Defensive tackle Stephen Paea of Oregon State suffered a meniscus injury to his right knee during practice Monday and will undergo surgery to repair the damage. Though not serious, the recovery time for such an injury is usually eight weeks and will likely prevent Paea from participating in the Combine.
With all the talk of money being paid to college athletes and players receiving unauthorized training at the expense of NFL agents, it's refreshing to hear a top-rated athlete shun these things in favor of his college degree. Such is the case with Nebraska safety Eric Hagg, a terrific middle-round draft pick that's done well in the early going at the Senior Bowl. Rather than ship off to train at a prominent facility, Hagg opted to prepare for the Senior Bowl and combine on the Nebraska campus so he can fulfill his final 12 hours of credits and receive his degree in sociology.
Several players really stood out in Tuesday's practice at the Senior Bowl. Here are the highlights.
Brooks Reed/DL-OLB/Arizona: Reed has been nearly unstoppable the past two days. He's showed great skill rushing the passer as well as the athleticism necessary to chase the action in backside pursuit. Reed is projected by many to line-up at outside linebacker in the NFL and was effective Tuesday the few times he was asked to stand up over tackle.
Titus Young/WR/Boise State: In a senior class void of talent at the receiver position, Young is making the most of his opportunity in Mobile. Young has been the quickest, fastest and most explosive receiver at the Senior Bowl. He's also done a good job catching the ball and many have compared his playmaking skills to Philadelphia Eagles star DeSean Jackson. Young is establishing himself as the top senior wide out in the draft.
Christian Ballard/DL/Iowa: Ballard beat blockers all day with his quickness, explosiveness and athleticism. He showcased a variety of moves, played with a non-stop motor and was constantly setting up shop behind the line of scrimmage. Most impressive of all was Ballard doing his damage at a variety of positions, lining up at both defensive tackle and end.
Ahmad Black/S/Florida: Black was considered a one-dimensional safety for most of his college career and viewed primarily as a run stuffer. But he's starting to change that opinion with his play in Mobile. Black has displayed effective skills against the pass and stood out in both one-on-one drills as well as during the scrimmage. He's made a number of terrific plays and has displayed himself as a defensive back that gets outside the numbers to assist cornerbacks.
Vincent Brown/WR/San Diego State: Brown has established himself as one of the most reliable receivers at the Senior Bowl. He runs solid routes, which enables him to consistently come free from defenders and the Aztec product always comes away with the reception. What's very impressive is how Brown fights defensive backs for the ball, and the way he's won out the past two days.
By Tony Pauline, TFYDraft.com, Special to SI.com
NFL scouts and decision makers breathed a sigh of relief Tuesday as the forecasted monsoon rains never materialized in Mobile, Ala. As a result both sessions were completed without a hitch during the second day of Senior Bowl practices. Several senior prospects are making a move up draft boards with stellar performances while a few highly-rated underclassmen were in town just to say "hello".
Patrick Peterson has been at the Senior Bowl since Monday, and though he's not participating in practice, the junior cornerback from LSU has been a very busy man.
Peterson has completed almost a half dozen individual interviews with teams on hand, most recently sitting down with John Elway and John Fox of the Denver Broncos, the team that owns the second pick in the draft. Julio Jones of Alabama was at practice Monday and made the rounds while Cameron Heyward arrived today. The Ohio State defensive lineman, who was expected to play in the Senior Bowl, told SI.com he sustained an injury to his left elbow during the second quarter of the Sugar Bowl. As reported yesterday, Heyward confirmed he underwent Tommy John surgery last week, which was performed by renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews. Heyward also stated that while he will be unable to participate in any football-related activities for the next three months, the timetable has him performing a full combine-type workout, minus the bench press, sometime in the month of March.
One of the nuances of the Senior Bowl is projecting players to positions in the NFL which are different than the ones they held down in college. Take Greg Jones of Michigan State and Mark Herzlich of Boston College for example. Jones was a tackling machine at middle linebacker for the Spartans, winning All-American honors since his freshman season. Yet most feel his 5-foot-11 frame would not hold up at that position in the NFL. Herzlich, on the other hand, was a devastating pass rusher at BC that could also effectively defend in coverage prior to illness. Cincinnati Bengals linebacker coach Paul Guenther, who's coaching both linebackers for the North squad, told us Jones would be best at outside linebacker (weak-side) in a four-man front in the NFL while he projects Herzlich to inside linebacker in a 3-4 alignment.
Much to the surprise of many, neither Jim Harbaugh nor any of his 49ers staff will attend the Senior Bowl. With the team desperately needs a quarterback and there are few potential prospects in Mobile, most thought the quarterback savvy coach would make an appearance to evaluate the talent.
Defensive tackle Stephen Paea of Oregon State suffered a meniscus injury to his right knee during practice Monday and will undergo surgery to repair the damage. Though not serious, the recovery time for such an injury is usually eight weeks and will likely prevent Paea from participating in the Combine.
With all the talk of money being paid to college athletes and players receiving unauthorized training at the expense of NFL agents, it's refreshing to hear a top-rated athlete shun these things in favor of his college degree. Such is the case with Nebraska safety Eric Hagg, a terrific middle-round draft pick that's done well in the early going at the Senior Bowl. Rather than ship off to train at a prominent facility, Hagg opted to prepare for the Senior Bowl and combine on the Nebraska campus so he can fulfill his final 12 hours of credits and receive his degree in sociology.
Several players really stood out in Tuesday's practice at the Senior Bowl. Here are the highlights.
Brooks Reed/DL-OLB/Arizona: Reed has been nearly unstoppable the past two days. He's showed great skill rushing the passer as well as the athleticism necessary to chase the action in backside pursuit. Reed is projected by many to line-up at outside linebacker in the NFL and was effective Tuesday the few times he was asked to stand up over tackle.
Titus Young/WR/Boise State: In a senior class void of talent at the receiver position, Young is making the most of his opportunity in Mobile. Young has been the quickest, fastest and most explosive receiver at the Senior Bowl. He's also done a good job catching the ball and many have compared his playmaking skills to Philadelphia Eagles star DeSean Jackson. Young is establishing himself as the top senior wide out in the draft.
Christian Ballard/DL/Iowa: Ballard beat blockers all day with his quickness, explosiveness and athleticism. He showcased a variety of moves, played with a non-stop motor and was constantly setting up shop behind the line of scrimmage. Most impressive of all was Ballard doing his damage at a variety of positions, lining up at both defensive tackle and end.
Ahmad Black/S/Florida: Black was considered a one-dimensional safety for most of his college career and viewed primarily as a run stuffer. But he's starting to change that opinion with his play in Mobile. Black has displayed effective skills against the pass and stood out in both one-on-one drills as well as during the scrimmage. He's made a number of terrific plays and has displayed himself as a defensive back that gets outside the numbers to assist cornerbacks.
Vincent Brown/WR/San Diego State: Brown has established himself as one of the most reliable receivers at the Senior Bowl. He runs solid routes, which enables him to consistently come free from defenders and the Aztec product always comes away with the reception. What's very impressive is how Brown fights defensive backs for the ball, and the way he's won out the past two days.
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sounds like he another good day
BigTex
Don't mess with Texas
Matt Waldman
Footballguy
My Q&A with DeMarco Murray
I have a couple of stat corrections in the intro about Murray that the editors will correct this morning (we had an adventure getting Internet access last night at our hotel that involved traveling to a closed parking lot at Hooters to steal WiFi)
Day Two Practice Report
I have a couple of stat corrections in the intro about Murray that the editors will correct this morning (we had an adventure getting Internet access last night at our hotel that involved traveling to a closed parking lot at Hooters to steal WiFi)
Day Two Practice Report
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Matt Waldman
Footballguy
That's the oneI like Powell too. He'd probably be more hyped if he was not Kragthorpe'd earlier in his career.I posted about him in the dynasty prospects thread as a player who I thought was being underrated and posted a link to this video -- I assume this is the run that you mentioned earlier in this thread (versus Cincy): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHte388tz4A
The smile on his face when I brought that run up was priceless.
Matt Waldman
Footballguy
Physically, he's what you want from a WR and he has the hands to make an impact. However, he does need more work on routes and on-field awareness than what a lot of folks are advertising. Hankerson was on the South Squad so we didn't see him Day One. I'll tell you that it is the second year in a row that the NFC team (North Squads) run a much better practice for people to watch and evaluate than the AFC team (South Squads).
Matt Waldman
Footballguy
I just finished transcribing a Q&A I taped with Locker that includes questions from other writers. I'm going to post a few questions from it now and we'll post the rest on Draftguys later. We'll link to it when it's ready...MW: A scout recently shared with me that quarterbacking is a lot like acting in the sense that it’s about doing executing by reading and reacting in a way that is convincing to the defenders reading and reacting to you when you’re trying to sell a play and doing a number of things at the same time to achieve that. Part of the growing process to do this well is to learn how to slow things down. Can you talk about that? JL: Especially for us this week as we learn a new offense and go through a new playbook. I think that it’s about making it simple, not making it too complicated and looking at it for what it is and executing it for what is. MW: Take me through your favorite play at Washington. What was it? Show us from your point of view what you’re seeing and how you’re reacting to it as if we had a camera in your head. JL: We ran a play that is called a Spear Concept. It’s basically a post in the boundary, a spear coming across from the other side, a deep-over about 20 yards and then somebody in the flat. So you’re (looking) from post to spear to the flat. We’ve scored a lot of touchdowns on it…it’s difficult for teams to defend. MW: How do you try to sell that play to the defense? JL: It’s usually play action. You’re trying to get the linebackers to bite on the play action fake and hopefully get that spear in behind them and influence the safety with [the intention of hitting the spear] and hopefully getting the post behind them.
Cecil Lammey
Footballguy
In addition to full Q&A, practice reports, we also have Andrew Garda's Senior Bowl diary coming up for Draftguys....losing internet in our hotel yesterday set our posting back but we'll get that stuff posted asap!
In the meantime, check out our NYTimes 5th down blog Day 2 report here - http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01...s-and-reunions/
In the meantime, check out our NYTimes 5th down blog Day 2 report here - http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01...s-and-reunions/
shader
Footballguy
Interesting to see that McElroy is doing well.
One thing that sets him apart from the other QB's is that he's probably the smartest one there.
I understand the "lack of physical skills" thing. It's the reason Bama fans were on his back all of 2009 despite the fact that he led them to the championship.
I've seen more than a few people compare him to Tom Brady.
But I caution people about doing that. McElroy really needs to work on his accuracy, as he floats passes and misses receivers quite a bit...though he really improved in that area during his Senior year.
But I'll be pulling for him. He's got a great mind and I'd love to see him succeed.
One thing that sets him apart from the other QB's is that he's probably the smartest one there.
I understand the "lack of physical skills" thing. It's the reason Bama fans were on his back all of 2009 despite the fact that he led them to the championship.
I've seen more than a few people compare him to Tom Brady.
But I caution people about doing that. McElroy really needs to work on his accuracy, as he floats passes and misses receivers quite a bit...though he really improved in that area during his Senior year.
But I'll be pulling for him. He's got a great mind and I'd love to see him succeed.
Cecil Lammey
Footballguy
Danny O'Neil went to dinner with us last night but the topic of Locker never came up. Rob Rang was at dinner with us as well, and he commented before we left that in the radio spots he did in the Northwest all they want to talk about is Locker. When I see Danny today I'll ask him what he likes about Locker and post it here.Here's the excerpt from our day 2 report about Locker....Jake Locker, Washington: Locker had another inconsistent day Tuesday. He looked good when throwing touch passes to the sideline on out routes of about 7 yards. He hit Titus Young on one of those routes, and the timing could not have been better. However, on deep routes he struggled to throw accurately. The chemistry with Young was lost when he tried to hit the Boise State receiver on a 9-route, and the pass sailed high over his outstretched arms.
DevilDog919
Footballguy
Matt Waldman
Footballguy
Notes not in our report.
- South practice is more old-school with a lot of big-group drills that cause a lot of standing around by other players as they wait for coaches to take teaching moments. The North practice is higher paced with more position drills and smaller teaching moments. For this type of event, I preferred the North Practice (despite being an AFC guy as a fan).
- Austin Pettis has terrific hands, but he's fallen more this week in my eyes than any receiver I've seen because all he really does well is catch the ball. He needs a lot of work on getting into position to catch the ball. The Bengals coach wasn't riding him hard, but he had a coaching point for Pettis after each of his reps on most every drill.
-Ohio State's Dane Sanzenbacher can ball. He was very crisp with footwork and routes and he picked up what was happening on Day 2 (his first day there) quite fast. He's known for his hands and ability to adjust to the football. I want to see how fast he is because he reminds me a bit of an Austin Collie with the positives I mentioned.
-My unabashed fan moment of the week: Earnest Byner walking up to me at the fence during North Practice and introducing himself as he opened his notebook to take notes on running backs as he spoke with a Lions evaluator doing the same thing. I usually don't say much to players other than a hello, but when your all-time fave player walks over, stands beside you and sets up shop, you have to say something other than just hello. I got to tell him he was my all-time favorite player because he played with heart and I thanked him for inspiring me to love the game the way I do. Then I just continued doing what I was doing as he did his job of taking practice notes.
- 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.
- South practice is more old-school with a lot of big-group drills that cause a lot of standing around by other players as they wait for coaches to take teaching moments. The North practice is higher paced with more position drills and smaller teaching moments. For this type of event, I preferred the North Practice (despite being an AFC guy as a fan).
- Austin Pettis has terrific hands, but he's fallen more this week in my eyes than any receiver I've seen because all he really does well is catch the ball. He needs a lot of work on getting into position to catch the ball. The Bengals coach wasn't riding him hard, but he had a coaching point for Pettis after each of his reps on most every drill.
-Ohio State's Dane Sanzenbacher can ball. He was very crisp with footwork and routes and he picked up what was happening on Day 2 (his first day there) quite fast. He's known for his hands and ability to adjust to the football. I want to see how fast he is because he reminds me a bit of an Austin Collie with the positives I mentioned.
-My unabashed fan moment of the week: Earnest Byner walking up to me at the fence during North Practice and introducing himself as he opened his notebook to take notes on running backs as he spoke with a Lions evaluator doing the same thing. I usually don't say much to players other than a hello, but when your all-time fave player walks over, stands beside you and sets up shop, you have to say something other than just hello. I got to tell him he was my all-time favorite player because he played with heart and I thanked him for inspiring me to love the game the way I do. Then I just continued doing what I was doing as he did his job of taking practice notes.
- 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.
Matt Waldman
Footballguy
I thought he had some Tom Brady in him after watching the SEC Championship last year.
onlyseventeenpoints?
Footballguy
Love the writeups as usual! FYI you sp not demark the WRs from the RBs on the south squad.
question - do the three of you collaborate on each player? or are the reports on the individual players done by one of you and then you pit the individual player reports together on one report?
question - do the three of you collaborate on each player? or are the reports on the individual players done by one of you and then you pit the individual player reports together on one report?
Matt Waldman
Footballguy
Cecil has his spot near the field and makes his observations. I follow RBs and WRs in drills around the stadium and then settle into the end zone seats for the scrimmages. Cecil wrote his comments, I add what I got from practice and write a lede. We talk about what we've seen if there's something tremendously different about our views. So far nothing major has come up yet, but if that happens we'll explain our differences in the analysis so you know.
shader
Footballguy
Oh he definetely has a chance to be a starter in the NFL, and he's got the brains to do so...But I think Brady has always been accurate and I question McElroy's accuracy. But then I'm prejudiced.I can't tell you how many "bang my head against the wall" moments I've had where I've seen McElroy overthrow Julio Jones. So many that it turned me off of him for awhile.
SpurrierisisGod
Footballguy
You mentioned Courtney Smith at the weigh in. He is a freak. Looks like the biggest guy on the team. Having season tickets to South Alabama, I've seen him quite a bit and glad the Senior Bowl decided to make him the first ever participant in the Senior Bowl.
Any updates on how he has looked in practice? He was awesome to watch, but I do realize the caliber of competition. Based on looks alone it appears he could have gone to a much bigger program. Size reminds me of former Dolphins wr Orande Gadsden.
Any updates on how he has looked in practice? He was awesome to watch, but I do realize the caliber of competition. Based on looks alone it appears he could have gone to a much bigger program. Size reminds me of former Dolphins wr Orande Gadsden.
boubucarow
Footballguy
Granted I only have access to what NFLN is showing me but I have closely watched the offensive lineman since the Bears should be looking at grabbing a couple. Brewer does look like a beast in the run game but he was beaten a few times in the drills and then in scrimmage in pass pro. This morning he is being beat to the outside right into his QB.
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Faust
MVP
I always appreciate other observations, as it helps to provide a more balanced outlook for a players prospects at the next level.
Faust
MVP
Same Locker, new Kaepernick at Senior Bowl practice
By Rob Rang
NFLDraftScout.com
Jan. 24, 2011
MOBILE, Ala. -- Scouts were anxious to find out whether relocation from Seattle to Mobile, Ala., and the Senior Bowl would improve Jake Locker's effectiveness.
If Monday's practice was any indication, the change of scenery didn't change the quarterback.
As scouts who have studied him closely anticipated, Locker's performance left something to be desired. Outside of the pocket, Locker shows good accuracy and velocity. He possesses the strong arm to rifle the deep out and the touch to loft deep balls down the sideline for long gains. Among his highlights: A rollout to his right, throwing to Marshall tight end Lee Smith for a long gain; and a beautifully thrown touchdown pass down the right sideline to Maryland running back Da'Rel Scott.
However, the general inaccuracy that plagued Locker throughout his Washington career was also on display. Locker threw high and wide often and was intercepted over the middle by Rutgers safety Joe Lefeged when he misread the coverage. Senior Bowl rules dictate that defenses can only run Cover One and Cover Three schemes, meaning either a single safety or three-deep looks are allowed. A fifth-year senior shouldn't be fooled by simple coverage. But in fairness to Locker and the other quarterbacks in this game, he's had no time to develop timing with his receivers.
However, it didn't take Nevada's Colin Kaepernick long to make an impression on scouts. There are concerns about Kaepernick's transition from Chris Ault's Pistol offense to a pro-style system, but the Nevada passer clearly has spent the time off working on his dropback from center. Kaepernick was the North team's most impressive passer Monday, threading the needle on most occasions and demonstrating spectacular arm strength.
On more than one occasion, Kaepernick read the defense, realized that if he wanted to complete the pass to his primary target he'd have to drive the ball with extra velocity -- and did so. There aren't many quarterbacks in the 2011 draft with the ability to fit passes into the tight windows Kaepernick did. He also showed better-than-expected touch, fitting passes over the linebacker and under the safeties down the seam. Kaepernick's athleticism was noticeable. On one occasion, Kaepernick kept the ball on an option, eluded a defender in the hole and dashed into the secondary, surprising defenders with his rare acceleration for such a big (6-5, 225) quarterback.
Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi doesn't possess Locker's athletic upside or Kaepernick's arm strength. His instincts and consistency make him one of the better "second tier" quarterbacks in this class. Stanzi, wearing a bright yellow helmet Monday, chose to pepper the defense with underneath passes too often for scouts' liking, but that can hardly be considered a surprise considering the ball-control offense he ran at Iowa.
Quarterbacks will get most of the attention, but San Diego State wide receiver Vincent Brown was the star among skill-position players.
Brown's chiseled 5-11, 184-pound frame impressed scouts at Monday morning's weigh-in and he successfully built upon the first impression with several dazzling plays in the afternoon practice.
Brown has good initial burst off the snap and the speed to pull away from defenders in the open field. He was especially dynamic early in the practice, showing good body control to contort in space and excellent hands to snatch passes out of the air, keep his feet and generate extra yardage.
Boise State wide receiver Titus Young made a few splashy plays, including scoring two long touchdowns. Young's speed got him open on both plays, but he had to react to poorly thrown passes. His ability to locate the football, adjust around oncoming defenders and make the leaping catch impressed scouts.
Young's slight build (5-11, 174) won't impress scouts, nor will his concentration lapses on Monday. Young dropped an early pass, was caught offside and was so angry at himself for letting a ball slip through his hands late in Monday's practice that he didn't give any chase to Virginia Tech cornerback Rashad Carmichael, who intercepted the pass and ran down the sideline for an uncontested touchdown. Inconsistent passing didn't allow many of the other receivers to make the type of dramatic plays that can change the educated opinion of scouts who studied the prospects before and during the 2010 season, but Nebraska's Niles Paul made impressions in another way -- destroying cornerbacks as a run blocker. The 6-1, 225-pound Paul was bigger and stronger than the cornerbacks he faced. He was able to lock on and keep defenders away from the ballcarrier throughout early drills and during late scrimmage sessions.
Grading any prospect after only one day in this environment is clearly inadvisable. Fair or unfair, impressions were made Monday. It is up to the players to make them positive the rest of the week.
Notes
• The Cincinnati Bengals' coaching staff shifted their offensive line in Monday's initial practice, giving scouts an opportunity to see the versatility of the North team's prospects. Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi, a career left tackle with the Badgers, saw action inside at left guard and linemate John Moffitt slid inside to center. Boston College offensive tackle Anthony Castonzo, who has earned All-ACC honors the past three seasons at left tackle, saw a lot of time on the right side Monday.
• Utah State cornerback Brandon Marsh was unable to practice Monday due to a pulled hamstring. He told NFLDraftScout.com the injury was expected to keep him sidelined for a week or two, a disappointing turn of events for the former running back whose stellar play this season earned him a surprising invitation to this game.
• It isn't uncommon to see the families of prospects travel to Mobile to root on their favorite player. Last year, for example, there was a sizeable contingent of Boise State cornerback Kyle Wilson's friends and family who watched him successfully turn a strong week of practice at the Senior Bowl into a first-round selection by the New York Jets. This year, Kaepernick's group stands out. While more reserved than Wilson's group was last year -- and there isn't a bus with Kaepernick's likeness on it to my knowledge -- it was hard not to notice the foursome wearing Nevada hats and sweatshirts embroidered with "Kap" on them.
By Rob Rang
NFLDraftScout.com
Jan. 24, 2011
MOBILE, Ala. -- Scouts were anxious to find out whether relocation from Seattle to Mobile, Ala., and the Senior Bowl would improve Jake Locker's effectiveness.
If Monday's practice was any indication, the change of scenery didn't change the quarterback.
As scouts who have studied him closely anticipated, Locker's performance left something to be desired. Outside of the pocket, Locker shows good accuracy and velocity. He possesses the strong arm to rifle the deep out and the touch to loft deep balls down the sideline for long gains. Among his highlights: A rollout to his right, throwing to Marshall tight end Lee Smith for a long gain; and a beautifully thrown touchdown pass down the right sideline to Maryland running back Da'Rel Scott.
However, the general inaccuracy that plagued Locker throughout his Washington career was also on display. Locker threw high and wide often and was intercepted over the middle by Rutgers safety Joe Lefeged when he misread the coverage. Senior Bowl rules dictate that defenses can only run Cover One and Cover Three schemes, meaning either a single safety or three-deep looks are allowed. A fifth-year senior shouldn't be fooled by simple coverage. But in fairness to Locker and the other quarterbacks in this game, he's had no time to develop timing with his receivers.
However, it didn't take Nevada's Colin Kaepernick long to make an impression on scouts. There are concerns about Kaepernick's transition from Chris Ault's Pistol offense to a pro-style system, but the Nevada passer clearly has spent the time off working on his dropback from center. Kaepernick was the North team's most impressive passer Monday, threading the needle on most occasions and demonstrating spectacular arm strength.
On more than one occasion, Kaepernick read the defense, realized that if he wanted to complete the pass to his primary target he'd have to drive the ball with extra velocity -- and did so. There aren't many quarterbacks in the 2011 draft with the ability to fit passes into the tight windows Kaepernick did. He also showed better-than-expected touch, fitting passes over the linebacker and under the safeties down the seam. Kaepernick's athleticism was noticeable. On one occasion, Kaepernick kept the ball on an option, eluded a defender in the hole and dashed into the secondary, surprising defenders with his rare acceleration for such a big (6-5, 225) quarterback.
Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi doesn't possess Locker's athletic upside or Kaepernick's arm strength. His instincts and consistency make him one of the better "second tier" quarterbacks in this class. Stanzi, wearing a bright yellow helmet Monday, chose to pepper the defense with underneath passes too often for scouts' liking, but that can hardly be considered a surprise considering the ball-control offense he ran at Iowa.
Quarterbacks will get most of the attention, but San Diego State wide receiver Vincent Brown was the star among skill-position players.
Brown's chiseled 5-11, 184-pound frame impressed scouts at Monday morning's weigh-in and he successfully built upon the first impression with several dazzling plays in the afternoon practice.
Brown has good initial burst off the snap and the speed to pull away from defenders in the open field. He was especially dynamic early in the practice, showing good body control to contort in space and excellent hands to snatch passes out of the air, keep his feet and generate extra yardage.
Boise State wide receiver Titus Young made a few splashy plays, including scoring two long touchdowns. Young's speed got him open on both plays, but he had to react to poorly thrown passes. His ability to locate the football, adjust around oncoming defenders and make the leaping catch impressed scouts.
Young's slight build (5-11, 174) won't impress scouts, nor will his concentration lapses on Monday. Young dropped an early pass, was caught offside and was so angry at himself for letting a ball slip through his hands late in Monday's practice that he didn't give any chase to Virginia Tech cornerback Rashad Carmichael, who intercepted the pass and ran down the sideline for an uncontested touchdown. Inconsistent passing didn't allow many of the other receivers to make the type of dramatic plays that can change the educated opinion of scouts who studied the prospects before and during the 2010 season, but Nebraska's Niles Paul made impressions in another way -- destroying cornerbacks as a run blocker. The 6-1, 225-pound Paul was bigger and stronger than the cornerbacks he faced. He was able to lock on and keep defenders away from the ballcarrier throughout early drills and during late scrimmage sessions.
Grading any prospect after only one day in this environment is clearly inadvisable. Fair or unfair, impressions were made Monday. It is up to the players to make them positive the rest of the week.
Notes
• The Cincinnati Bengals' coaching staff shifted their offensive line in Monday's initial practice, giving scouts an opportunity to see the versatility of the North team's prospects. Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi, a career left tackle with the Badgers, saw action inside at left guard and linemate John Moffitt slid inside to center. Boston College offensive tackle Anthony Castonzo, who has earned All-ACC honors the past three seasons at left tackle, saw a lot of time on the right side Monday.
• Utah State cornerback Brandon Marsh was unable to practice Monday due to a pulled hamstring. He told NFLDraftScout.com the injury was expected to keep him sidelined for a week or two, a disappointing turn of events for the former running back whose stellar play this season earned him a surprising invitation to this game.
• It isn't uncommon to see the families of prospects travel to Mobile to root on their favorite player. Last year, for example, there was a sizeable contingent of Boise State cornerback Kyle Wilson's friends and family who watched him successfully turn a strong week of practice at the Senior Bowl into a first-round selection by the New York Jets. This year, Kaepernick's group stands out. While more reserved than Wilson's group was last year -- and there isn't a bus with Kaepernick's likeness on it to my knowledge -- it was hard not to notice the foursome wearing Nevada hats and sweatshirts embroidered with "Kap" on them.
Faust
MVP
Wednesday Senior Bowl Notes: Morning Practice
Wed Jan 26 02:25pm EST
On Wednesday morning, the North team put up a spirited practice that included a lot of playmakers. I have talked to several evaluators in Mobile, and the general sense seems to be so far that the North team has more pure talent, but the South team has put up better practices. Today, a few players that I hadn't seen enough from to date really showed up, bringing that difference in practice quality to a possible close.
I had not questioned the burst and initial speed of Oklahoma State halfback Kendall Hunter before today, but I really liked what he showed on Wednesday morning. Earlier in the week, he seemed to go down a bit too easily upon contact, but he ran today like a man with a lot to prove - decisively and with a lot of power. He burst out of the line between the tackles, and kept that velocity and power consistent when when bouncing outside. He was also very dynamic catching passes out of the backfield, getting up field in a hurry on a quick swing pass from Washington's Jake Locker and a slip screen from Iowa's Ricky Stanzi. More and more, he impressed with his total skill set, and if he runs like this the rest of the week and in Saturday's Senior Bowl game,
Oklahoma scatback DeMarco Murray had caught my eye before, but I had been reluctant to place a full comparison to Kansas City's Jamaal Charles(notes) on him because I hadn't seen enough inline power and explosion outside after contact. But today, I saw all of that. On one of his trademark quick bounces outside left, Murray took three tacklers with him a good five yards downfield after first contact. He's also showing more and more as a receiver - not just in the flats and quick-up routes you'd expect, but in quick slash cross patterns. Make no mistake - this is a fully formed NFL back who may not be a three-down guy in a traditional system, but he has what it takes to excel at the next level. I anticipate that as his measurable become even more of an asset during the Combine and Pro Day process, Murray is someone you'll be hearing moch more about.
Another running back I liked during the morning practice was Nebraska's Roy Helu, Jr. Helu showed tremendous quickness out of an early sprint draw handoff from Ricky Stanzi. He seems to be a very effective transitional runner from the backfield through the first to the second level - Helu keeps his pads low and explodes through tackles with quickness. The Cornhuskers' I-back has some serious size (5-11, 215 pounds) behind his speed, and he could be a very nice hybris back at the next level.
Of all the receivers I saw in this practice, I was probably most impressed with Boise State's Austin Pettis, the tall (6-3, 205) possession receiver who displayed his toughness in crowds by first taking a low 12-yard comeback pass into the ground and making the catch. He later grabbed a seam route to the right side from Locker in which he had to stretch a bit with defenders around him. These are the kinds of catches Pettis will be expected to make at the NFL level, and he's off to a good start by exhibiting no fear over the middle, or with defenders converging in on him.
Boise State teammate Titus Young was the downfield burner for quarterback Kellen Moore as Pettis defined the inside , and Young looked as fast as you'd expect on an end-around. That play was set up by Jake Locker's ability to sell hard play action - another skill Locker has shown this week.
Looking more closely at a few guards, Toledo's Kevin Kowalski has shown some toughness this week - he's good at pinning guys down and winning the leverage battle ... Wisconsin's Junathan Moffit continued what's been a touch week for him. Moffit does flash decent power at the point of impact, but he has been easily beaten by defenders taking him outside ... Michigan's Stephen Schilling isn't a really powerful run-blocking guard, but he's good at getting his arms out and pushing defenders out of the "Octagon" when they're trying to get past him.
Other players: Stanford fullback/linebacker Owen Marecic hasn't shown much on the defensive side, but he looked nice on one screen, going out of his way to find contact on the sideline ... East Carolina receiver Dwayne Harris has been impressive all week - a real burner off the blocks and tougher than you might expect on a square-in ... San Diego State's Vincent Brown also showed off his toughness when Nevada's Colin Kaepernick threw him into coverage; Brown took the hit and held onto the ball. Brown has impressed to the point that some analysts are calling him the best receiver here this week.
Miami's Leonard Hankerson is the other receiver getting those raves, and we'll be talking more about him this evening in the South practice report.
Wed Jan 26 02:25pm EST
On Wednesday morning, the North team put up a spirited practice that included a lot of playmakers. I have talked to several evaluators in Mobile, and the general sense seems to be so far that the North team has more pure talent, but the South team has put up better practices. Today, a few players that I hadn't seen enough from to date really showed up, bringing that difference in practice quality to a possible close.
I had not questioned the burst and initial speed of Oklahoma State halfback Kendall Hunter before today, but I really liked what he showed on Wednesday morning. Earlier in the week, he seemed to go down a bit too easily upon contact, but he ran today like a man with a lot to prove - decisively and with a lot of power. He burst out of the line between the tackles, and kept that velocity and power consistent when when bouncing outside. He was also very dynamic catching passes out of the backfield, getting up field in a hurry on a quick swing pass from Washington's Jake Locker and a slip screen from Iowa's Ricky Stanzi. More and more, he impressed with his total skill set, and if he runs like this the rest of the week and in Saturday's Senior Bowl game,
Oklahoma scatback DeMarco Murray had caught my eye before, but I had been reluctant to place a full comparison to Kansas City's Jamaal Charles(notes) on him because I hadn't seen enough inline power and explosion outside after contact. But today, I saw all of that. On one of his trademark quick bounces outside left, Murray took three tacklers with him a good five yards downfield after first contact. He's also showing more and more as a receiver - not just in the flats and quick-up routes you'd expect, but in quick slash cross patterns. Make no mistake - this is a fully formed NFL back who may not be a three-down guy in a traditional system, but he has what it takes to excel at the next level. I anticipate that as his measurable become even more of an asset during the Combine and Pro Day process, Murray is someone you'll be hearing moch more about.
Another running back I liked during the morning practice was Nebraska's Roy Helu, Jr. Helu showed tremendous quickness out of an early sprint draw handoff from Ricky Stanzi. He seems to be a very effective transitional runner from the backfield through the first to the second level - Helu keeps his pads low and explodes through tackles with quickness. The Cornhuskers' I-back has some serious size (5-11, 215 pounds) behind his speed, and he could be a very nice hybris back at the next level.
Of all the receivers I saw in this practice, I was probably most impressed with Boise State's Austin Pettis, the tall (6-3, 205) possession receiver who displayed his toughness in crowds by first taking a low 12-yard comeback pass into the ground and making the catch. He later grabbed a seam route to the right side from Locker in which he had to stretch a bit with defenders around him. These are the kinds of catches Pettis will be expected to make at the NFL level, and he's off to a good start by exhibiting no fear over the middle, or with defenders converging in on him.
Boise State teammate Titus Young was the downfield burner for quarterback Kellen Moore as Pettis defined the inside , and Young looked as fast as you'd expect on an end-around. That play was set up by Jake Locker's ability to sell hard play action - another skill Locker has shown this week.
Looking more closely at a few guards, Toledo's Kevin Kowalski has shown some toughness this week - he's good at pinning guys down and winning the leverage battle ... Wisconsin's Junathan Moffit continued what's been a touch week for him. Moffit does flash decent power at the point of impact, but he has been easily beaten by defenders taking him outside ... Michigan's Stephen Schilling isn't a really powerful run-blocking guard, but he's good at getting his arms out and pushing defenders out of the "Octagon" when they're trying to get past him.
Other players: Stanford fullback/linebacker Owen Marecic hasn't shown much on the defensive side, but he looked nice on one screen, going out of his way to find contact on the sideline ... East Carolina receiver Dwayne Harris has been impressive all week - a real burner off the blocks and tougher than you might expect on a square-in ... San Diego State's Vincent Brown also showed off his toughness when Nevada's Colin Kaepernick threw him into coverage; Brown took the hit and held onto the ball. Brown has impressed to the point that some analysts are calling him the best receiver here this week.
Miami's Leonard Hankerson is the other receiver getting those raves, and we'll be talking more about him this evening in the South practice report.
Faust
MVP
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.
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.
Bojang0301
Omar4Heisman
All the good news about these running backs... It is a good year to have 1st's stockpiled.
Faust
MVP
Big 12 scouting notes from the Senior Bowl
By David Ubben
If you haven't been keeping track of our Senior Bowl blog, you should be. Our draft analysts -- Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl -- are down in Mobile, Ala., providing daily updates from practices, and they've had plenty to say about a lot of talents in attendance.
So far this week, two former Big 12ers have emerged as the most impressive players at the Senior Bowl:
Writes Todd McShay in our Senior Bowl buzz:
Each year, there are players who separate themselves from the pack. They enter the week among the handful of players with first-round grades, but they quickly emerge as the elite class. ...While there have been just two practices this year, Texas A&M OLB Von Miller and Colorado OT Nate Solder are well on their way to joining that list. ...From what we see on the field and what we're hearing about their interviews off it, Miller and Solder are standing out the most this week. ... [Miller] was allowed to leave the LBs and join the D-linemen for one-on-one pass rush drills Tuesday, and it was impressive. He was unstoppable against players who are expected to go in the first two days of the draft.
... On the other side of the ball, Solder continues to be dominant. The thing that's impressed me is how stong he's been at the point of attack and finishing. We knew about his size and natural feet, and he's been all those things, but he's been nasty this week and it's been good to see. There are no cheap shots, but a couple of times when he could have finished a play a little easier, he just finished the guy.
There's plenty more about both players on our buzz page.
Here's a little more about the Big 12 seniors.
On Oklahoma running back DeMarco Murray:
"Murray, who measured in at 6 feet and 214 pounds, is lean in the lower body. That could explain why he gets tripped up and goes down too easily. He has to get stronger in his lower body and also needs to learn to run with his legs higher. He's had that problem throughout his career and we saw it today as well. But he has the best burst and was the most explosive of the North running backs. He hit a crease faster than the other backs. During one-on-one passing drills, he looks like a wide receiver. He runs crisp routes, knows how to separate, has strong hands and makes it look effortless."
On Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller:
"Texas A&M LB Von Miller went down with the linemen to rush the passer in one-on-ones and was lights out. He's so quick around the corner and the blockers had no chance."
On Baylor offensive tackle Danny Watkins:
"Baylor OG Danny Watkins is a technician on the inside. He is very good at sliding and mirroring defenders to stay in front of them. He got a little chippy at the end of plays, too."
On Texas defensive end Sam Acho:
"Texas DT Sam Acho lacks quickness and power. He was shut out in one-on-ones, going 0-for-7 in the drill. Tough session for him."
On Nebraska receiver/tight end Mike McNeill:
"Nebraska TE Mike NcNeill lined up at fullback and did a good job of getting into position at the second level. He took good angles and made the blocks."
A couple other notes:
Colorado offensive tackle Nate Solder measured at 6-foot-8 1/4, the tallest player at the Senior Bowl.
Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor weighed in at 337 pounds, the heaviest player at the Senior Bowl, but impressed scouts with the way he carried the weight.
By David Ubben
If you haven't been keeping track of our Senior Bowl blog, you should be. Our draft analysts -- Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl -- are down in Mobile, Ala., providing daily updates from practices, and they've had plenty to say about a lot of talents in attendance.
So far this week, two former Big 12ers have emerged as the most impressive players at the Senior Bowl:
Writes Todd McShay in our Senior Bowl buzz:
Each year, there are players who separate themselves from the pack. They enter the week among the handful of players with first-round grades, but they quickly emerge as the elite class. ...While there have been just two practices this year, Texas A&M OLB Von Miller and Colorado OT Nate Solder are well on their way to joining that list. ...From what we see on the field and what we're hearing about their interviews off it, Miller and Solder are standing out the most this week. ... [Miller] was allowed to leave the LBs and join the D-linemen for one-on-one pass rush drills Tuesday, and it was impressive. He was unstoppable against players who are expected to go in the first two days of the draft.
... On the other side of the ball, Solder continues to be dominant. The thing that's impressed me is how stong he's been at the point of attack and finishing. We knew about his size and natural feet, and he's been all those things, but he's been nasty this week and it's been good to see. There are no cheap shots, but a couple of times when he could have finished a play a little easier, he just finished the guy.
There's plenty more about both players on our buzz page.
Here's a little more about the Big 12 seniors.
On Oklahoma running back DeMarco Murray:
"Murray, who measured in at 6 feet and 214 pounds, is lean in the lower body. That could explain why he gets tripped up and goes down too easily. He has to get stronger in his lower body and also needs to learn to run with his legs higher. He's had that problem throughout his career and we saw it today as well. But he has the best burst and was the most explosive of the North running backs. He hit a crease faster than the other backs. During one-on-one passing drills, he looks like a wide receiver. He runs crisp routes, knows how to separate, has strong hands and makes it look effortless."
On Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller:
"Texas A&M LB Von Miller went down with the linemen to rush the passer in one-on-ones and was lights out. He's so quick around the corner and the blockers had no chance."
On Baylor offensive tackle Danny Watkins:
"Baylor OG Danny Watkins is a technician on the inside. He is very good at sliding and mirroring defenders to stay in front of them. He got a little chippy at the end of plays, too."
On Texas defensive end Sam Acho:
"Texas DT Sam Acho lacks quickness and power. He was shut out in one-on-ones, going 0-for-7 in the drill. Tough session for him."
On Nebraska receiver/tight end Mike McNeill:
"Nebraska TE Mike NcNeill lined up at fullback and did a good job of getting into position at the second level. He took good angles and made the blocks."
A couple other notes:
Colorado offensive tackle Nate Solder measured at 6-foot-8 1/4, the tallest player at the Senior Bowl.
Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor weighed in at 337 pounds, the heaviest player at the Senior Bowl, but impressed scouts with the way he carried the weight.
Interesting. Danny's editor must have picked the headline: Jake Locker impressive in second day of workouts at Senior Bowl
Matt Waldman
Footballguy
Probably. Much more about Locker in the opposite direction of that headline
Matt Waldman
Footballguy
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 Waldman
Footballguy
He needs to learn how to use his hands more consistently as a pass receiver. He also seemed to mentally wear down as practices progressed. I think he's a project, but one worth being optimistic about his prospects long-term if he respond to coaching.
Matt Waldman
Footballguy
McElroy was very accurate deep today and yesterday. His problem is that he lacks the arm of Brady and he won't likely drive the ball on routes that require that velocity to make an on-time throw. I think he can be a productive starter in the right system one day, but he's really more of a reserve capable of good production for reasonable stretches.
Thanks - sorry I hadnt checked in - boy has been sick this week. Im home with Miles, so I probably won't be on the ultimate draft road trip again for at least 3-4 years - missing it, but can't think of a better reason to take a hiatus.
Matt Waldman
Footballguy
We miss having Bloom here, too, but understandable.Sigmund Bloom said:
lyon812
Footballguy
Loved the Q&A with Murray. I appreciate the questions you ask, they provoke very insightful responses. Keep up the good work, everyone!
ConstruxBoy
Kate's Daddy
Maybe all RBs sound that insightful, but his answers were very interesting and somehow make me want to upgrade him in my rankings. Strange.
Matt Waldman
Footballguy
Day Three's Report: Risers and Fallers
Q&A With Russ Lande
Heading out of Mobile this morning. The rest of the Q&A's will be available at Draftguys in the coming days. We'll post links to them as we turn them around.
Q&A With Russ Lande
Heading out of Mobile this morning. The rest of the Q&A's will be available at Draftguys in the coming days. We'll post links to them as we turn them around.
Thanks Matt!
I have been happy with what I have seen and what you guys and many other have written about Powell, Hunter, and Murray. I have felt for a while now that a few, of the many good but great rb's in this draft, would emerge. The question for these three is can they be starting rb's in the NFL versus are they just destined for a #2/rbbc role in the NFL. Going in I thought #2/rbbc/change of pace roles might be all these guys would ever me...now I think that point of view might change.
Has what you have seen altered your view on if any of these 3 can be an NFL starter?
Faust
MVP
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!
Faust
MVP
Senior Bowl practice report: Day 3
By Tony Pauline, TFYDraft.com, Special to SI.com
The final day of full pads practice took place Wednesday at the Senior Bowl, and all that remains is to play the game on Saturday. Many of the coaches and scouts in attendance now head for home better informed on the players they hope to select in April. Just like the initial two days of practice, several prospects impressed future employers on the field and there was plenty of draft related news off the field.
One topic of conversation at the Senior Bowl is the marginal performance of the Miami Hurricane players. The once-proud program that placed a half-dozen players into the draft's first round in 2004 has fallen on hard times. Only five Hurricanes were selected in the past two drafts. Most believe the prospects are not properly developed and enter the league poorly coached. They point to players such as Sam Shields and Calais Campbell, underachievers in college who are developing fine NFL careers. The most glaring case this year is defensive lineman Allen Bailey. The once highly-touted prospect, who looked a chiseled 278-pounds during weigh-ins, has been nothing but ordinary the past three days in Mobile, Ala. Scouts are hopeful this will quickly change with Al Golden taking over the program.
Conversely, scouts in attendance have nothing but positive comments on the results the Pittsburgh Steelers almost always receive from their draft class. Last year's first round selection, Maurkice Pouncey, is the team's top offensive lineman. The team's third-round choice, Emmanuel Sanders, has been productive and is seen as the heir apparent to Hines Ward. Meanwhile, sixth rounder Antonio Brown has contributed at receiver. Why? The reason is simple according to scouts, the Steelers let their draft picks play. Unlike many franchises that try and develop rookies, Pittsburgh has no issue throwing first-year players into the fire and staying true to its drafts. They've done so with positive results.
The next major scouting event before April's draft takes place in less than a month as teams head to Indianapolis for the combine. Invitations have already been sent out to players across the nation and all told approximately 330 prospects will be asked to participate. It is anticipated that 90 percent of the underclassmen that declared for the draft will receive invitations.
Jerry Glanville brought his colorful personality to Senior Bowl practices the past three days. Glanville wore his customary black attire, was seen wearing sunglasses while walking the streets at 9 p.m. and even had a friend play harmonica before practice on Wednesday.
Here's some of the top performances Glanville and many of the scouts witnessed on Wednesday:
Roy Helu Jr/RB/Nebraska: Helu was Wednesday's most complete back, showing a tremendous burst as well as speed carrying the ball. His ability to elude defenders was better than expected. Helu also caught the ball well and looked terrific in pass-blocking drills. In a draft with very few feature runners, the Nebraska senior stated his case.
Pernell McPhee/DE/Mississippi State: McPhee comes off a somewhat disappointing senior season, but is back in the good graces of scouts with his performance. McPhee showed the pass-rushing skill which made him highly rated coming into the season and also was tough to move off the point on running downs.
Phil Taylor/DT/Baylor: Taylor first impressed scouts during weigh-ins when he tipped the scale at a solid 337 pounds. He then continued to leave a positive mark by playing to his size during the week. Wednesday started off with Taylor overrunning blockers to stop a running play in the backfield. He was later impossible to move off the line the rest of the afternoon.
Anthony Castonzo/T/Boston College: Castonzo looked terrific in all facets of the position -- his best practice of the week. He showcased his strength, knocking away bull-rushing defenders and not giving up an inch. Castonzo also displayed technique in pass protection, sliding off the edge then sealing defenders from the action.
DJ Williams/TE/Arkansas: Williams looked strong all week but pulled it all together on Wednesday. He displayed terrific athleticism and speed, beating defensive backs down the field for the reception. Williams also gave terrific effort blocking all day.
By Tony Pauline, TFYDraft.com, Special to SI.com
The final day of full pads practice took place Wednesday at the Senior Bowl, and all that remains is to play the game on Saturday. Many of the coaches and scouts in attendance now head for home better informed on the players they hope to select in April. Just like the initial two days of practice, several prospects impressed future employers on the field and there was plenty of draft related news off the field.
One topic of conversation at the Senior Bowl is the marginal performance of the Miami Hurricane players. The once-proud program that placed a half-dozen players into the draft's first round in 2004 has fallen on hard times. Only five Hurricanes were selected in the past two drafts. Most believe the prospects are not properly developed and enter the league poorly coached. They point to players such as Sam Shields and Calais Campbell, underachievers in college who are developing fine NFL careers. The most glaring case this year is defensive lineman Allen Bailey. The once highly-touted prospect, who looked a chiseled 278-pounds during weigh-ins, has been nothing but ordinary the past three days in Mobile, Ala. Scouts are hopeful this will quickly change with Al Golden taking over the program.
Conversely, scouts in attendance have nothing but positive comments on the results the Pittsburgh Steelers almost always receive from their draft class. Last year's first round selection, Maurkice Pouncey, is the team's top offensive lineman. The team's third-round choice, Emmanuel Sanders, has been productive and is seen as the heir apparent to Hines Ward. Meanwhile, sixth rounder Antonio Brown has contributed at receiver. Why? The reason is simple according to scouts, the Steelers let their draft picks play. Unlike many franchises that try and develop rookies, Pittsburgh has no issue throwing first-year players into the fire and staying true to its drafts. They've done so with positive results.
The next major scouting event before April's draft takes place in less than a month as teams head to Indianapolis for the combine. Invitations have already been sent out to players across the nation and all told approximately 330 prospects will be asked to participate. It is anticipated that 90 percent of the underclassmen that declared for the draft will receive invitations.
Jerry Glanville brought his colorful personality to Senior Bowl practices the past three days. Glanville wore his customary black attire, was seen wearing sunglasses while walking the streets at 9 p.m. and even had a friend play harmonica before practice on Wednesday.
Here's some of the top performances Glanville and many of the scouts witnessed on Wednesday:
Roy Helu Jr/RB/Nebraska: Helu was Wednesday's most complete back, showing a tremendous burst as well as speed carrying the ball. His ability to elude defenders was better than expected. Helu also caught the ball well and looked terrific in pass-blocking drills. In a draft with very few feature runners, the Nebraska senior stated his case.
Pernell McPhee/DE/Mississippi State: McPhee comes off a somewhat disappointing senior season, but is back in the good graces of scouts with his performance. McPhee showed the pass-rushing skill which made him highly rated coming into the season and also was tough to move off the point on running downs.
Phil Taylor/DT/Baylor: Taylor first impressed scouts during weigh-ins when he tipped the scale at a solid 337 pounds. He then continued to leave a positive mark by playing to his size during the week. Wednesday started off with Taylor overrunning blockers to stop a running play in the backfield. He was later impossible to move off the line the rest of the afternoon.
Anthony Castonzo/T/Boston College: Castonzo looked terrific in all facets of the position -- his best practice of the week. He showcased his strength, knocking away bull-rushing defenders and not giving up an inch. Castonzo also displayed technique in pass protection, sliding off the edge then sealing defenders from the action.
DJ Williams/TE/Arkansas: Williams looked strong all week but pulled it all together on Wednesday. He displayed terrific athleticism and speed, beating defensive backs down the field for the reception. Williams also gave terrific effort blocking all day.
Faust
MVP
Wednesday Senior Bowl notes: Afternoon practice
By Doug Farrar
MOBILE, Ala. -- As Senior Bowl week rolls along, certain patterns begin to emerge. Some players will rise up, having helped themselves to a great degree, and others will unfortunately exhibit tendencies that put them in a lower tier among scouts and personnel executives. So it has been for the South team, especially among the receivers and running backs.
The biggest standout among all the South receivers has been Miami's Leonard Hankerson. I profiled him for Yahoo's Tale of the Tape series, and I'm even more impressed with him in person. Hankerson goes through his routes with a smoothness and precision that will serve him well. He doesn't look as fast as he is because he does run so well, he manages to avoid the jerkiness you'll see from less practiced route runners. He's good on routes where he needs to come back or turn inside after faking an out, but he's not a guy who will blaze off a cornerback when he's running a crossing route. He's a bit slow on those types of routes - when he hits a hard cut, it takes him a second to get back up to speed. But he is a good lanky strider with excellent hands (after solving a drop problem earlier in his collegiate career) and he doesn't back off in traffic. If you want a player who understands route complexity and can execute it, Hankerson's a good place to start ... though I thought the same of Ohio State's Brian Robiskie(notes), and Robiskie hasn't shown a lot just yet.
I thought Hankerson was most effective outside, with a smaller, faster slot guy inside to take potential zone problems away with inside routes. Two of those players were Greg Salas of Hawaii and USC's Ronald Johnson. Johnson impressed me with his pure quickness on quick slants and crosses. He knows how to get into zones and create yards after catch, and he could make a career out of his ability to get the quick sideline pass and peel off the defender - it was driving the guys covering him nuts. Salas also showed a nice burst after catch, and he's a slightly bigger guy.
West Virginia's Jock Sanders was a late add to the South roster, and for a while there, I was under the impression that DeSean Jackson(notes) put on a Senior Bowl uniform and had taken the field. The 5-7, 180-pound receiver/running back hybrid showed amazing burst off the line when split wide - when he hit a stutter-go and blasted off, no cornerback could keep up with him. He's a good receiver in short spaces, but the speed is what shows up when you see him on the field. Hs size will put some people off, but he is the team's all-time leading receiver and it's easy to see why. Very impressive and I am looking forward to seeing more from him.
One receiver who hasn't done much for himself this week is Courtney Smith(notes) from South Alabama. Maybe he's nervous playing so close to his alma mater, but Smith has dropped several passes that could have impressed and put him on the map. Christian Ponder threw an absolute rainbow yesterday that Smith couldn't come up with, and there were more issues today. He had trouble bringing in quick sideline passes (USC's Shareece Wright jumped a quick out to Smith that looked as if it would have been a catch with a little more fight), he dropped a comeback on a three-vertical formation from TCU's Andy Dalton, and he just hasn't shown the type of play you'd want to see from a small-school player. Maybe Smith will impress as the week goes on, but he'd better hurry up.
One player who had no trouble raising his stock today was Kentucky's Derrick Locke. For his size (5-11, 182), be flashed some real toughness in early blocking drills (Georgia Tech's Anthony Allen and Tulsa's Charles Clay, not so much - guys were getting by them), and then really surprised with his ability to blast through the tackles. Locke told me after practice that he feels he always needs to prove that he can run inside; it's a point of emphasis for him and he likes LaDainian Tomlinson(notes) as a role model because of that ability. He also got some great yards after catch from quick passes because he's able to turn on the jets down the sideline after catching any kind of outlet pass. He has a good bounce outside and reminded me a lot of the North's best runner of the day, Oklahoma State's Kendall Hunter.
That's the thing about the kids who show up to play - they're pretty easy to spot.
Mississippi State tackle Derek Sherrod talked to me about being moved around from the left to right side during practice week. "It's been really good; a great learning experience. I'm just trying to get a little more versatile. There aren't many differences; you just flip the technique and flip the plays. You use the basics either way - you have to be quick on your feet and have a good punch and fire out strong at both positions."
TCU's Andy Dalton, on what he helped the Horned Frogs do by bringing non-automatic qualifying teams to the NCAA's forefront over the last few seasons: "I just feel blessed to be in the position that I was - to get the opportunity to play at TCU. And it was cool to see all the changes that were made while I was there, and to be a part of that whole thing. I feel like we were able to accomplish a lot, and that had a lot to do with the senior class that I had - the guys that I came in with."
By Doug Farrar
MOBILE, Ala. -- As Senior Bowl week rolls along, certain patterns begin to emerge. Some players will rise up, having helped themselves to a great degree, and others will unfortunately exhibit tendencies that put them in a lower tier among scouts and personnel executives. So it has been for the South team, especially among the receivers and running backs.
The biggest standout among all the South receivers has been Miami's Leonard Hankerson. I profiled him for Yahoo's Tale of the Tape series, and I'm even more impressed with him in person. Hankerson goes through his routes with a smoothness and precision that will serve him well. He doesn't look as fast as he is because he does run so well, he manages to avoid the jerkiness you'll see from less practiced route runners. He's good on routes where he needs to come back or turn inside after faking an out, but he's not a guy who will blaze off a cornerback when he's running a crossing route. He's a bit slow on those types of routes - when he hits a hard cut, it takes him a second to get back up to speed. But he is a good lanky strider with excellent hands (after solving a drop problem earlier in his collegiate career) and he doesn't back off in traffic. If you want a player who understands route complexity and can execute it, Hankerson's a good place to start ... though I thought the same of Ohio State's Brian Robiskie(notes), and Robiskie hasn't shown a lot just yet.
I thought Hankerson was most effective outside, with a smaller, faster slot guy inside to take potential zone problems away with inside routes. Two of those players were Greg Salas of Hawaii and USC's Ronald Johnson. Johnson impressed me with his pure quickness on quick slants and crosses. He knows how to get into zones and create yards after catch, and he could make a career out of his ability to get the quick sideline pass and peel off the defender - it was driving the guys covering him nuts. Salas also showed a nice burst after catch, and he's a slightly bigger guy.
West Virginia's Jock Sanders was a late add to the South roster, and for a while there, I was under the impression that DeSean Jackson(notes) put on a Senior Bowl uniform and had taken the field. The 5-7, 180-pound receiver/running back hybrid showed amazing burst off the line when split wide - when he hit a stutter-go and blasted off, no cornerback could keep up with him. He's a good receiver in short spaces, but the speed is what shows up when you see him on the field. Hs size will put some people off, but he is the team's all-time leading receiver and it's easy to see why. Very impressive and I am looking forward to seeing more from him.
One receiver who hasn't done much for himself this week is Courtney Smith(notes) from South Alabama. Maybe he's nervous playing so close to his alma mater, but Smith has dropped several passes that could have impressed and put him on the map. Christian Ponder threw an absolute rainbow yesterday that Smith couldn't come up with, and there were more issues today. He had trouble bringing in quick sideline passes (USC's Shareece Wright jumped a quick out to Smith that looked as if it would have been a catch with a little more fight), he dropped a comeback on a three-vertical formation from TCU's Andy Dalton, and he just hasn't shown the type of play you'd want to see from a small-school player. Maybe Smith will impress as the week goes on, but he'd better hurry up.
One player who had no trouble raising his stock today was Kentucky's Derrick Locke. For his size (5-11, 182), be flashed some real toughness in early blocking drills (Georgia Tech's Anthony Allen and Tulsa's Charles Clay, not so much - guys were getting by them), and then really surprised with his ability to blast through the tackles. Locke told me after practice that he feels he always needs to prove that he can run inside; it's a point of emphasis for him and he likes LaDainian Tomlinson(notes) as a role model because of that ability. He also got some great yards after catch from quick passes because he's able to turn on the jets down the sideline after catching any kind of outlet pass. He has a good bounce outside and reminded me a lot of the North's best runner of the day, Oklahoma State's Kendall Hunter.
That's the thing about the kids who show up to play - they're pretty easy to spot.
Mississippi State tackle Derek Sherrod talked to me about being moved around from the left to right side during practice week. "It's been really good; a great learning experience. I'm just trying to get a little more versatile. There aren't many differences; you just flip the technique and flip the plays. You use the basics either way - you have to be quick on your feet and have a good punch and fire out strong at both positions."
TCU's Andy Dalton, on what he helped the Horned Frogs do by bringing non-automatic qualifying teams to the NCAA's forefront over the last few seasons: "I just feel blessed to be in the position that I was - to get the opportunity to play at TCU. And it was cool to see all the changes that were made while I was there, and to be a part of that whole thing. I feel like we were able to accomplish a lot, and that had a lot to do with the senior class that I had - the guys that I came in with."
Faust
MVP
Thursday Senior Bowl Notes - Morning Practice
By Doug Farrar
MOBILE, Ala. -- While some will tell you that the late-week practices aren't as interesting because the contact lessens and many of the NFL personnel people have left town by Thursday morning, there's still a lot to be revealed around the special teams practices. Specifically, on Thursday morning, the goal-line practice scenarios allowed a different level of evaluation for many of the players on hand.
Of the three north quarterbacks, Nevada's Colin Kaepernick has shown the most steady development from day to day. On Thursday morning, he surprised with his quickness on a quarterback draw and threw a couple of beautiful downfield passes. Those included the throw of the day, a deep sideline throw to East Carolina's Dwayne Harris, who dropped the ball in the end zone. And after a rough early stretch on his touch with short passes, Kaepernick started throwing nice fades in goal-line situations. ON the down side, he threw what should have been a pick to North Carolina cornerback Kendrick Burney (who's been one of the defensive stars of the week), which Burney dropped and subsequently disciplined himself with 10 push-ups. Kaepernick is rising at the right time and starting to put it all together.
Washington's Jake Locker, on the other hand, is coming to the end of his Senior Bowl week pretty much as he came in - as a quarterback with nonpareil physical ability and highly questionable decision-making ability and accuracy. He sold a beautiful hard play fake on one goal-line play, and then overthrew Boise State speedster Titus Young in the end zone. He later had a nice quick throw to Young that the receiver dropped - it was that king of day for Locker. He tried to hit San Diego State's Vincent Brown on a quick out, but overthrew the easy pass. When he rolled out of the pocket and ran, he blazed past the linebackers trying to chase him, but in rolling out looking to make a quick pass from the red zone, he couldn't throw into the tight window and just threw it away instead. There's a lot to work on here; Locker will have a lot to prove beyond the Pro Day and scouting combine process.
Iowa's Ricky Stanzi is also a work in progress, showing little dynamism or accuracy when rolling out - he seems to be really gangly on the run. He throws high, and the lack of velocity he has on intermediate throws allows defenders to converge far too quickly. This could prevent him from being a good thrower against zone defenses; a major liability at the NFL level. He did hit Dwayne Harris on a nice crossing pattern, his best throw of the day, but overall, Stanzi has been relatively unimpressive this week.
Among the linebackers, Oregon's Casey Matthews impressed with a goal-line pick; something that personnel execs will like to see from a guy who blitzed so often in college. Like his brother, he may surprise when dropping back at the next level.
Washington's Mason Foster had my eye today; I think he could be a very good linebacker in zone defenses where nickel is frequently used. He reminds me of Indianapolis' Clint Session(notes) in that he's as good going backward as he is running downhill. Not an incredibly physical guy, not a dominant tackler, but he's good at covering tight ends on crossing patterns, passes off receivers well in zone, and he has excellent redirect when the play goes away from him.
Also talked to Boston College's Mark Herzlich about his recovery from cancer and how much he learned about himself and his love of the game. More on his and other players later, but we're off to afternoon practice!
By Doug Farrar
MOBILE, Ala. -- While some will tell you that the late-week practices aren't as interesting because the contact lessens and many of the NFL personnel people have left town by Thursday morning, there's still a lot to be revealed around the special teams practices. Specifically, on Thursday morning, the goal-line practice scenarios allowed a different level of evaluation for many of the players on hand.
Of the three north quarterbacks, Nevada's Colin Kaepernick has shown the most steady development from day to day. On Thursday morning, he surprised with his quickness on a quarterback draw and threw a couple of beautiful downfield passes. Those included the throw of the day, a deep sideline throw to East Carolina's Dwayne Harris, who dropped the ball in the end zone. And after a rough early stretch on his touch with short passes, Kaepernick started throwing nice fades in goal-line situations. ON the down side, he threw what should have been a pick to North Carolina cornerback Kendrick Burney (who's been one of the defensive stars of the week), which Burney dropped and subsequently disciplined himself with 10 push-ups. Kaepernick is rising at the right time and starting to put it all together.
Washington's Jake Locker, on the other hand, is coming to the end of his Senior Bowl week pretty much as he came in - as a quarterback with nonpareil physical ability and highly questionable decision-making ability and accuracy. He sold a beautiful hard play fake on one goal-line play, and then overthrew Boise State speedster Titus Young in the end zone. He later had a nice quick throw to Young that the receiver dropped - it was that king of day for Locker. He tried to hit San Diego State's Vincent Brown on a quick out, but overthrew the easy pass. When he rolled out of the pocket and ran, he blazed past the linebackers trying to chase him, but in rolling out looking to make a quick pass from the red zone, he couldn't throw into the tight window and just threw it away instead. There's a lot to work on here; Locker will have a lot to prove beyond the Pro Day and scouting combine process.
Iowa's Ricky Stanzi is also a work in progress, showing little dynamism or accuracy when rolling out - he seems to be really gangly on the run. He throws high, and the lack of velocity he has on intermediate throws allows defenders to converge far too quickly. This could prevent him from being a good thrower against zone defenses; a major liability at the NFL level. He did hit Dwayne Harris on a nice crossing pattern, his best throw of the day, but overall, Stanzi has been relatively unimpressive this week.
Among the linebackers, Oregon's Casey Matthews impressed with a goal-line pick; something that personnel execs will like to see from a guy who blitzed so often in college. Like his brother, he may surprise when dropping back at the next level.
Washington's Mason Foster had my eye today; I think he could be a very good linebacker in zone defenses where nickel is frequently used. He reminds me of Indianapolis' Clint Session(notes) in that he's as good going backward as he is running downhill. Not an incredibly physical guy, not a dominant tackler, but he's good at covering tight ends on crossing patterns, passes off receivers well in zone, and he has excellent redirect when the play goes away from him.
Also talked to Boston College's Mark Herzlich about his recovery from cancer and how much he learned about himself and his love of the game. More on his and other players later, but we're off to afternoon practice!
Faust
MVP
Locker still the class of Senior Bowl QBs
Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.
MOBILE, Ala. -- Deciding to return to school and passing on several million dollars might wind up being the best thing that ever happened to Jake Locker's career.
Had the Washington quarterback been a top-five pick, as projected last year, and thrust into a situation like Sam Bradford in St. Louis, there's a real good chance Locker would have crashed and burned. He's just not ready and is still a work in progress. In fact, there's no guarantee it all ever comes together, and we know from getting 13 more game tapes and a week of watching him here in practice that it hasn't all come together yet. He shows all the right things but just at different times. He's not consistent but he flashes enough to make you think his best football could still be in front of him.
We've known all along that Locker has the size (6-3, 230 pounds), arm strength and athletic ability, but the positive that came out of this week is by playing with better players around him, he is better than what you see on film when he was playing behind the line and using only the weapons he had at Washington. I think it also has been helpful for Locker to go through the process. He's showing NFL personnel and coaches that he's committed to get better and has good football character. He understands he's flawed and has areas he needs to improve on.
Locker knows he's thinking about his footwork too much and he's robotic with his mechanics. It's not second nature and he's not comfortable like most quarterbacks who are able to just go out and play the game. The bottom line is if you're inconsistent with footwork, you're going to be inconsistent with your accuracy. QB coaches can tell where the ball is going and how well it's thrown by watching a quarterback from the waist down. Watching Locker, his feet are good on one play and then they're not on the next. That's making Locker think too much and focus on his feet too much instead of just being natural. Think of it like a golf swing. If you step up to the tee with 10 things running through your head -- I have to keep my head down, my elbow straight, my back firm, my feet lined up properly, etc. -- your swing is choppy and inconsistent. Tiger Woods, who has 3 million reps swinging, swings smoothly because it's second nature to him.
A lot of people around Locker might have hit the panic button, especially during the season when he and the Huskies were struggling, but he hasn't. He is still learning, still growing and what is natural to others isn't natural to Locker yet. He knows he needs reps and he knows he needs to improve.
The best thing that could happen to Locker is for him to wind up in an Aaron Rodgers situation. Rodgers got the last laugh, going to the Super Bowl now after dropping to the 24th pick in the 2005 NFL draft, but that might not have been the case had he been picked No. 1 by San Francisco and forced into the fire. The variable is that there is still no guarantee Locker gets in that kind of situation even if he drops into the middle of the first round instead of being a top-five pick. At this point, I'd be comfortable drafting Locker in Round 1 only if I had a veteran starting quarterback whom I could rely on for at least one more year, an owner I know would not push for Locker to play until he was ready and a quarterback coach who knows what's he doing.
Here's a quick look at the other QBs at the Senior Bowl:
Nevada's Colin Kaepernick
His delivery is flawed but I don't know if it's necessarily a deal breaker or that he has to completely retool it like a Tim Tebow process. He's working on his delivery and though he's improved every day, he's still a long-term developmental project and I wouldn't expect him to be drafted in the first two rounds. The positive thing about him is during the 11-on-11 and team drills, he made his best plays and best throws and we were impressed with his accurate throws in tight windows.
Iowa's Ricky Stanzi
Someone will draft Stanzi in the middle rounds with the idea that he will develop into a solid backup. If forced into the game, he'll be prepared, competitive and can make accurate throws underneath and most of the intermediate throws. The problem we saw this week, and it matched what we saw on film, is his arm strength is limited. While arm strength can be the most overrated part of evaluating a QB, he has to have a certain base level. Watching Stanzi in windy conditions when he was forced to make some throws, he couldn't get the ball out easily and it started to affect his accuracy. It's something he'll work to overcome, but teams shouldn't draft him thinking they will develop him into a future starter.
TCU's Andy Dalton
He exceeded expectations but Dalton didn't blow anyone out of the water this week. He has a good sense of timing and is accurate. He doesn't have elite arm strength but understands his tools and what he can and can't do. He's very efficient. He won't impress anyone with his size or arm strength but there's no denying his competitiveness. He makes his best plays in game situations.
FSU's Christian Ponder
He showed good poise and went through his progressions, but he played it safe this week. He showed good touch and accuracy underneath, but he never aired it out. Every throw he made over 15 yards was a touch throw. He claims he's 100 percent, but that elbow injury he suffered during the season snowballed so maybe he was afraid to let it rip, or maybe he was worried he'd be injured again and have to start over. Don't think we got a real good read on Ponder either way. But the upside is he got face time with coaches, scouts and the Buffalo Bills staff, but teams will learn a lot more about him when they bring him in to work out over the next two months than they did this week.
Alabama's Greg McElroy
McElroy showed very good footwork and might be the most mechanically sound quarterback here. He doesn't need a lot of coaching and doesn't need a lot of work in terms of understanding progressions and the passing game. He can be accurate with the throws he can make, but arm strength is an even bigger problem for McElroy than it is for Stanzi. As a result, there's a chance a team drafts McElroy in the sixth or seventh round, but there's also a chance he goes undrafted.
Locker is the elite of this Senior Bowl class even though he's still a project. McElroy is at the bottom of this group. In the middle there are the other four quarterbacks each competing to prove he is the best of the bunch. All of them bring different qualities to the table and different evaluators have different impressions based on what they look for in a QB and their scheme. Even in our group, there's some debate about the order of the middle four. I say it's Dalton, Stanzi, Kaepernick and Ponder. Steve Muench goes with Stanzi, Dalton, Ponder and Kaepernick, while Kevin Weidl goes with Dalton, Stanzi, Ponder and Kaepernick. So, obviously, there's still plenty of evaluating to be done on these QBs.
And from the same page:
Steve Muench's top performer:
Boise State WR Titus Young
From the very beginning, it was obvious Young was the quickest receiver on the field. His routes could be crisper, but he did a good job of using his head and shoulders to set up inside and outside breaks. The highlight was just how well he caught the ball today. It was all hands and away from his frame. He showed he could open his hips and adjust to balls thrown behind him as well. One area of concern is that after the catch he can let the ball drift away from his frame. One time he lost it, but whereas a couple days ago he stood and watched a defender who made a pick on a ball that went off his hands, this time Young dove after the ball, fought for it and came up with it. He was competitive, quick and caught the ball well.
Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.
MOBILE, Ala. -- Deciding to return to school and passing on several million dollars might wind up being the best thing that ever happened to Jake Locker's career.
Had the Washington quarterback been a top-five pick, as projected last year, and thrust into a situation like Sam Bradford in St. Louis, there's a real good chance Locker would have crashed and burned. He's just not ready and is still a work in progress. In fact, there's no guarantee it all ever comes together, and we know from getting 13 more game tapes and a week of watching him here in practice that it hasn't all come together yet. He shows all the right things but just at different times. He's not consistent but he flashes enough to make you think his best football could still be in front of him.
We've known all along that Locker has the size (6-3, 230 pounds), arm strength and athletic ability, but the positive that came out of this week is by playing with better players around him, he is better than what you see on film when he was playing behind the line and using only the weapons he had at Washington. I think it also has been helpful for Locker to go through the process. He's showing NFL personnel and coaches that he's committed to get better and has good football character. He understands he's flawed and has areas he needs to improve on.
Locker knows he's thinking about his footwork too much and he's robotic with his mechanics. It's not second nature and he's not comfortable like most quarterbacks who are able to just go out and play the game. The bottom line is if you're inconsistent with footwork, you're going to be inconsistent with your accuracy. QB coaches can tell where the ball is going and how well it's thrown by watching a quarterback from the waist down. Watching Locker, his feet are good on one play and then they're not on the next. That's making Locker think too much and focus on his feet too much instead of just being natural. Think of it like a golf swing. If you step up to the tee with 10 things running through your head -- I have to keep my head down, my elbow straight, my back firm, my feet lined up properly, etc. -- your swing is choppy and inconsistent. Tiger Woods, who has 3 million reps swinging, swings smoothly because it's second nature to him.
A lot of people around Locker might have hit the panic button, especially during the season when he and the Huskies were struggling, but he hasn't. He is still learning, still growing and what is natural to others isn't natural to Locker yet. He knows he needs reps and he knows he needs to improve.
The best thing that could happen to Locker is for him to wind up in an Aaron Rodgers situation. Rodgers got the last laugh, going to the Super Bowl now after dropping to the 24th pick in the 2005 NFL draft, but that might not have been the case had he been picked No. 1 by San Francisco and forced into the fire. The variable is that there is still no guarantee Locker gets in that kind of situation even if he drops into the middle of the first round instead of being a top-five pick. At this point, I'd be comfortable drafting Locker in Round 1 only if I had a veteran starting quarterback whom I could rely on for at least one more year, an owner I know would not push for Locker to play until he was ready and a quarterback coach who knows what's he doing.
Here's a quick look at the other QBs at the Senior Bowl:
Nevada's Colin Kaepernick
His delivery is flawed but I don't know if it's necessarily a deal breaker or that he has to completely retool it like a Tim Tebow process. He's working on his delivery and though he's improved every day, he's still a long-term developmental project and I wouldn't expect him to be drafted in the first two rounds. The positive thing about him is during the 11-on-11 and team drills, he made his best plays and best throws and we were impressed with his accurate throws in tight windows.
Iowa's Ricky Stanzi
Someone will draft Stanzi in the middle rounds with the idea that he will develop into a solid backup. If forced into the game, he'll be prepared, competitive and can make accurate throws underneath and most of the intermediate throws. The problem we saw this week, and it matched what we saw on film, is his arm strength is limited. While arm strength can be the most overrated part of evaluating a QB, he has to have a certain base level. Watching Stanzi in windy conditions when he was forced to make some throws, he couldn't get the ball out easily and it started to affect his accuracy. It's something he'll work to overcome, but teams shouldn't draft him thinking they will develop him into a future starter.
TCU's Andy Dalton
He exceeded expectations but Dalton didn't blow anyone out of the water this week. He has a good sense of timing and is accurate. He doesn't have elite arm strength but understands his tools and what he can and can't do. He's very efficient. He won't impress anyone with his size or arm strength but there's no denying his competitiveness. He makes his best plays in game situations.
FSU's Christian Ponder
He showed good poise and went through his progressions, but he played it safe this week. He showed good touch and accuracy underneath, but he never aired it out. Every throw he made over 15 yards was a touch throw. He claims he's 100 percent, but that elbow injury he suffered during the season snowballed so maybe he was afraid to let it rip, or maybe he was worried he'd be injured again and have to start over. Don't think we got a real good read on Ponder either way. But the upside is he got face time with coaches, scouts and the Buffalo Bills staff, but teams will learn a lot more about him when they bring him in to work out over the next two months than they did this week.
Alabama's Greg McElroy
McElroy showed very good footwork and might be the most mechanically sound quarterback here. He doesn't need a lot of coaching and doesn't need a lot of work in terms of understanding progressions and the passing game. He can be accurate with the throws he can make, but arm strength is an even bigger problem for McElroy than it is for Stanzi. As a result, there's a chance a team drafts McElroy in the sixth or seventh round, but there's also a chance he goes undrafted.
Locker is the elite of this Senior Bowl class even though he's still a project. McElroy is at the bottom of this group. In the middle there are the other four quarterbacks each competing to prove he is the best of the bunch. All of them bring different qualities to the table and different evaluators have different impressions based on what they look for in a QB and their scheme. Even in our group, there's some debate about the order of the middle four. I say it's Dalton, Stanzi, Kaepernick and Ponder. Steve Muench goes with Stanzi, Dalton, Ponder and Kaepernick, while Kevin Weidl goes with Dalton, Stanzi, Ponder and Kaepernick. So, obviously, there's still plenty of evaluating to be done on these QBs.
And from the same page:
Steve Muench's top performer:
Boise State WR Titus Young
From the very beginning, it was obvious Young was the quickest receiver on the field. His routes could be crisper, but he did a good job of using his head and shoulders to set up inside and outside breaks. The highlight was just how well he caught the ball today. It was all hands and away from his frame. He showed he could open his hips and adjust to balls thrown behind him as well. One area of concern is that after the catch he can let the ball drift away from his frame. One time he lost it, but whereas a couple days ago he stood and watched a defender who made a pick on a ball that went off his hands, this time Young dove after the ball, fought for it and came up with it. He was competitive, quick and caught the ball well.
Matt Waldman
Footballguy
I'm a film guy and from what I have learned, most of the folks that I've met who do similar work on a broader stage also believe that studying film gives you most of the info that you need. I learned the following about these three backs this week:
Murray could add more weight and while he has an unorthodox gait as a ball carrier, he has the physical tools to become a starter. But Chad Reuter and Russ Lande both had very good points about the way he runs with his upper body bent forward with his head down, which could limit his vision, inhibit his acceleration and mess with his balance. Lande was really disappointed with Murray, rating him a second-round pick heading into the week but leaving Mobile with the view that Murray might be a third or a fourth-rounder. By the way Lande loved the question I've been asking backs about taking them through their favorite play to get their mindset on how analytical they can get about decision making.
Personally, I think what Murray has shown on the negative side is correctable because he ran differently as a freshman and sophomore. He might be running with this unorthodox gait to insure he's taking the play as designed and working to get tough yards and he's overcompensating during this learning process that started as a junior. I'm not as bullish on him as I was before coming here, but I'm not down on him either. I think he can be a feature back if he can stay healthy. His attitude towards football was refreshing.
Hunter could be a Brian Westbrook-like contributor in a west coast system that likes to swing the ball to backs or give them circle or flat routes from the spread on first and second down as a low-risk substitute for a running play. He isn't the special receiver that Westbrook was, but he's going to be adequate enough in this area to play. I think could seen 150-180 carries most seasons (if he earns a starting job) and if he develops into a good receiver, that could add another 40-60 receptions for a couple of years, which will make him a viable fantasy runner. I just don't see him as a Ray Rice or MJD type of player. Charlie Garner's career might be a little closer, but Hunter isn't as reckless as Garner initially was.
Powell is the player I believe has the potential to develop into that "next" second or third day back that can carry the load for a few seasons and become an impact fantasy runner as an RB1. His downhill style and attack of the crease is consistently good enough that he's worth a longer-term investment in dynasty leagues even if he's drafted relatively low.
