Just Got Back From East West Shrine Practice (1 Viewer)

[Adrian Peterson]

Well, thanks to Bloom I got media access to the game/practices as well and went down to the practice with Bloom yesterday. Good times!

Clearly, Wisconsin is (somehow) a WR factory as Orr and Williams tore it up. As Bloom noted, Orr was the star of the day. Williams seemed even a bit more explosive, though he was more impressive in cut-and-catch drills than the real game situations. That said, Williams took a monster hit across the middle and held onto the ball. Fearless and tough + explosive = sick value in the late 2nd/early 3rd.

We both watched the early WR drills when Fantuz couldn't hold onto the ball, but while Bloom went to look at the linemen, I saw some contact catch drills (meaning the coaches bump, grab, hug, and slap the player while he tries to catch), and suddenly Fantuz caught everything thrown his way. He seemed to like the phsyical contact more, which could be a good sign. But if his 40 time is too low, it probably won't matter.

I don't know how much we're supposed to say before we do a proper write-up, but it was exciting to see which teams sprinted for which guy first, to see which scouts has players highlighted/noted on their secret sheets, and to nearly get hit by the ball on the field like 4 times. Talk about up close and personal.

Our detailed report will be chalk full of hotness.

I know Fantuz quite well thru highschool. He runs closer to 4.6 - I would be surprised if he hit 4.5 in the 40 yard. Has some of the better hands even in the States. He had discussed late a possible scholarship to Pitt when Fitzgerlad was there.He enjoys the physical contact. His height is imposing and his body strength is above normal. It will be interesting to see him play against stronger American DB's.

Currently - the Colts are his biggest fans from discussions with scouts. He could also move to the H back spot or bulk to be a TE as well.

Do not let the Calgary Stampeder scout fool you - Fantuz will go first overall in CFL draft to the TiCats and Stamps would love to get their hands on him.

 

[houndirish]

Bloom,Which outside linebackers and safeties stood out the most. I realize there's no tackling but sometimes a good display of raw speed can open some eyes!

 

[Bloom]

Awesome, awesome stuff, Bloom.

Couple questions coming at you from the Steelers standpoint (what else?) :

Any D-Lineman there that fit the mold for the Steelers' 3-4? I know they absolutely love tall, strong, high motor guys on the edges - size-wise, there are maybe 3 guys there that fit the nold : Barry Cofield, Johnny Jolly (what a name for a D-lineman) - and a guy I really like - Steve Fifita from Utah. Any of them making any hay at all?

Also, how about centers? I don't see many of the top C prospects names there, any the Steelers might look at in the later rounds?

Finally, what about Jaxson Appel? If memory serves, he was once a very higly reagrded DB prospect - seems the bloom is off the rose a bit (no pun intended) - where do you see him going?

Jolly definitely stood out as a decent 3-4 DE prospect. Kedric Golston and Antwon Burton also look the part of 3-4 DEs - I talked to Burton's agent and he really wanted me to hype him - he did seem to have a nasty streak. Golston got in a fight with Dan Stevenson from ND (i think). Le Kevin Smith from Nebraska also has potential as 3-4 DE.of the 3-4 NT guys, fifita is definitely on the list, and tommy jackson from auburn really impressed. he's a big time talker, jawing the whole time between every play and the defense really got up because of this. He's built like Sapp and really got that burrowing low penetration on every play and had a good burst for such a stocky guy.

Mean joe greene was there on behalf of the steelers, so i wonder if that means they were looking at DL.

None of the Cs stood out, there was trouble with C-QB exchange all day because of the on and off rain.

Appel didnt really stand out, i think he could be a solid special teamer and backup, but he didnt do anything to impress me - that being said i was really focusing on the offensive guys.\

I would love to the see the steelers use a late rounder or FA pickup on Howard - the RB i mentioned earlier.

 

[ConstruxBoy]

Bloom,

How often are there collisions with all those little cars on the field and do they wear seatbelts?

TIA.

no seatbelts. some collisions, and the shriners take the worst of it. amazingly those little fezzes stay on despite there being no chinstraps on them.

Ahh...the fezzes must be custom fit. Never knew that. Thanks!

 

[Evilgrin 72]

Awesome, awesome stuff, Bloom.

Couple questions coming at you from the Steelers standpoint (what else?) :

Any D-Lineman there that fit the mold for the Steelers' 3-4?  I know they absolutely love tall, strong, high motor guys on the edges - size-wise, there are maybe 3 guys there that fit the nold : Barry Cofield, Johnny Jolly (what a name for a D-lineman) - and a guy I really like - Steve Fifita from Utah.  Any of them making any hay at all?

Also, how about centers?  I don't see many of the top C prospects names there, any the Steelers might look at in the later rounds?

Finally, what about Jaxson Appel?  If memory serves, he was once a very higly reagrded DB prospect - seems the bloom is off the rose a bit (no pun intended) - where do you see him going?

Jolly definitely stood out as a decent 3-4 DE prospect. Kedric Golston and Antwon Burton also look the part of 3-4 DEs - I talked to Burton's agent and he really wanted me to hype him - he did seem to have a nasty streak. Golston got in a fight with Dan Stevenson from ND (i think). Le Kevin Smith from Nebraska also has potential as 3-4 DE.of the 3-4 NT guys, fifita is definitely on the list, and tommy jackson from auburn really impressed. he's a big time talker, jawing the whole time between every play and the defense really got up because of this. He's built like Sapp and really got that burrowing low penetration on every play and had a good burst for such a stocky guy.

Mean joe greene was there on behalf of the steelers, so i wonder if that means they were looking at DL.

None of the Cs stood out, there was trouble with C-QB exchange all day because of the on and off rain.

Appel didnt really stand out, i think he could be a solid special teamer and backup, but he didnt do anything to impress me - that being said i was really focusing on the offensive guys.\

I would love to the see the steelers use a late rounder or FA pickup on Howard - the RB i mentioned earlier.

I was originally thinking of Fifita as an end, but the size I had him listed at was 6' 1" 315 lbs and it appears as if he's now being measured at 5' 11" and 335. Definitely an NT, no doubt about that. Cofield has the ideal size and could be around in round 4-5, so I thought he was a possibility as well. Jolly was kind of a darkhorse, so it surprised me to see you put him up as the best of the bunch. Great info. I don't think Appel will get drafted above round 7, if at all, it's just surprising because I seem to remember some folks thinking he'd be a day 1 pick a while back.I'll keep my eyes peeled on Howard. Great stuff, man.

 

[The (Grid)Iron Giant]

I'll keep my eyes peeled on Howard. Great stuff, man.

You should. He's the ideal late gamble pick during a dynasty rookie draft. This kid was just blasting through the hole. They whistle the play dead once a guy hits the secondary, and on about 5 runs I tracked, 3 would've been breakaway TDs that they whistled dead to save time. No other back other than Dontrell Moore had even one that I saw.Obviously, there's some reason Howard didn't stick as the ARK starter, but that reason wasn't evident yesterday. If I had to choose between Wali Lundy and Howard, it would be no contest. Howard ruled the day. If teams like PIT need a new power back, a 5th rounder on this kid could pay Dom Davis-esque dividends for them... and you.

 

[Barry Jive and The Uptown Five]

Out of RB's how did Cory Ross look out of Nebraska?  He's pretty small but the guy has tree trunks as legs.

no kidding! his legs were firing like pistons the whole time and he seemed to have much better hands than advertised. He bounced one nice run outside when frostee rucker had the OT in front of him held up. He looks kind of like Moats with a thicker lower body.

I think Ross is slower than Moats and Sproles.. Ross will be nothing more than a special teams player and maybe a third down back. He just isn't big enough to be an everydown RB in the NFL.

Don't tell Michigan he's slow! He may only be 5'6", but weighing in at 200lbs he has proven to be very reliable.

You bet he was reliable in college. He was banged up quite a bit and I don't think he can be an everydown back. Of course, I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night so what do I know.

As a die-hard Husker fan, I lie somewhere in between the two of you on the Cory Ross debate.Things to note about Cory:

1. Excellent WCO back. BEing under Callahan for 2 years, he's going to know the language & the playbook.

2. Excellent hands. Last 2 seasons in the WCO:

2005 - 2nd on team in rec's 43 rec - 391 yds - 9.1 ypc - 3 TD

2004 - 3rd on team 21 rec - 262 yds - 12.1 ypc - 2 TD

3. A little more durable than you might believe:

2005 - 225 att / 882 /3.9 ypa - 5 TD

2004 - 207 att / 1102 yds / 5.3 tpc / 6 TD

Note that the 2005 OL for NEB was ABYSSMAL in the running game! And with the addition of an acceptable/efficient QB, Callahan opened the playbook on the passing game compared to 2004.

Do I think he's an everydown RB? definitely not as a rookie. Could he become a Gado-like injury replacement for somebody? Definitely.

 

[blend]

Nice previews guys... Looking forward to the writeup

 

[Man in the yellow hat]

Well, thanks to Bloom I got media access to the game/practices as well and went down to the practice with Bloom yesterday. Good times!

Clearly, Wisconsin is (somehow) a WR factory as Orr and Williams tore it up. As Bloom noted, Orr was the star of the day. Williams seemed even a bit more explosive, though he was more impressive in cut-and-catch drills than the real game situations. That said, Williams took a monster hit across the middle and held onto the ball. Fearless and tough + explosive = sick value in the late 2nd/early 3rd.

While not well known outside the state, Brandon Williams broke some Wisconsin records.Brandon Williams

Set a Wisconsin bowl record for receiving yards with 173 vs. Auburn (previous record was held by Pat Richter with 163 yards vs. USC in the 1963 Rose Bowl).

Finished the season with 59 receptions for 1,095 yards, both third-most in UW history. He is just the second player in school history with a 1,000-yard receiving season (Lee Evans did it twice).

Finished his career with 202 receptions, the most at UW and seventh-most in Big Ten history.

Finished his career with 2,924 receiving yards, second-most in Wisconsin history.

Also, keep an eye on the Wisconsin offense. Paul Christ is changing the game at Wisconsin. The offense will continue to evolve into more "pro style" play.

 

[Bloom]

Well, thanks to Bloom I got media access to the game/practices as well and went down to the practice with Bloom yesterday.  Good times!

Clearly, Wisconsin is (somehow) a WR factory as Orr and Williams tore it up.  As Bloom noted, Orr was the star of the day.  Williams seemed even a bit more explosive, though he was more impressive in cut-and-catch drills than the real game situations.  That said, Williams took a monster hit across the middle and held onto the ball.  Fearless and tough + explosive = sick value in the late 2nd/early 3rd. 

While not well known outside the state, Brandon Williams broke some Wisconsin records.Brandon Williams

Set a Wisconsin bowl record for receiving yards with 173 vs. Auburn (previous record was held by Pat Richter with 163 yards vs. USC in the 1963 Rose Bowl).

Finished the season with 59 receptions for 1,095 yards, both third-most in UW history. He is just the second player in school history with a 1,000-yard receiving season (Lee Evans did it twice).

Finished his career with 202 receptions, the most at UW and seventh-most in Big Ten history.

Finished his career with 2,924 receiving yards, second-most in Wisconsin history.

Also, keep an eye on the Wisconsin offense. Paul Christ is changing the game at Wisconsin. The offense will continue to evolve into more "pro style" play.

apparently at this morning's practice williams outshone Orr and caught everything thrown his way. Ill be watching both of them very closely at tomorrow's full contact scrimmage. I would say both are in my top 10 2006 rookie WRs right now.

 

[Man in the yellow hat]

Well, thanks to Bloom I got media access to the game/practices as well and went down to the practice with Bloom yesterday.  Good times!

Clearly, Wisconsin is (somehow) a WR factory as Orr and Williams tore it up.  As Bloom noted, Orr was the star of the day.  Williams seemed even a bit more explosive, though he was more impressive in cut-and-catch drills than the real game situations.  That said, Williams took a monster hit across the middle and held onto the ball.  Fearless and tough + explosive = sick value in the late 2nd/early 3rd. 

While not well known outside the state, Brandon Williams broke some Wisconsin records.Brandon Williams

Set a Wisconsin bowl record for receiving yards with 173 vs. Auburn (previous record was held by Pat Richter with 163 yards vs. USC in the 1963 Rose Bowl).

Finished the season with 59 receptions for 1,095 yards, both third-most in UW history. He is just the second player in school history with a 1,000-yard receiving season (Lee Evans did it twice).

Finished his career with 202 receptions, the most at UW and seventh-most in Big Ten history.

Finished his career with 2,924 receiving yards, second-most in Wisconsin history.

Also, keep an eye on the Wisconsin offense. Paul Christ is changing the game at Wisconsin. The offense will continue to evolve into more "pro style" play.

apparently at this morning's practice williams outshone Orr and caught everything thrown his way. Ill be watching both of them very closely at tomorrow's full contact scrimmage. I would say both are in my top 10 2006 rookie WRs right now.

Good call. I'd guess, regardless of where they're picked in the NFL Draft, that some dynasty leaguers will pass on them because they played at Wisconsin and flew udner the radar. These guys can play.

 

[Kleck.]

Brandon Williams is also a very solid return man which should also catch the eye of many NFL scouts.

 

[facook]

Hey, Bloom, this is excellent work!Any input on Mike Hass, WR, Oregon St.? I'm a bit concerned he may not pan out due to a lack of speed, but do you have any nuggets on how he's performing in practice?

 

[Bojang0301]

How is Bruce Gradkowski looking? and Reggie McNeal for that matter?

 

[Bloom]

Hey, Bloom, this is excellent work!

Any input on Mike Hass, WR, Oregon St.? I'm a bit concerned he may not pan out due to a lack of speed, but do you have any nuggets on how he's performing in practice?

Hass looks like an excellent possession WR to me. he was very physical and had excellent hands. I dont think he has the speed/burst to separate from NFL DBs - you were right to bring that up. I didnt see it on monday, but apparently watkins has been the most impressive WR on the west squad thus far.

 

[sho nuff]

Well, thanks to Bloom I got media access to the game/practices as well and went down to the practice with Bloom yesterday. Good times!

Clearly, Wisconsin is (somehow) a WR factory as Orr and Williams tore it up. As Bloom noted, Orr was the star of the day. Williams seemed even a bit more explosive, though he was more impressive in cut-and-catch drills than the real game situations. That said, Williams took a monster hit across the middle and held onto the ball. Fearless and tough + explosive = sick value in the late 2nd/early 3rd.

While not well known outside the state, Brandon Williams broke some Wisconsin records.Brandon Williams

Set a Wisconsin bowl record for receiving yards with 173 vs. Auburn (previous record was held by Pat Richter with 163 yards vs. USC in the 1963 Rose Bowl).

Finished the season with 59 receptions for 1,095 yards, both third-most in UW history. He is just the second player in school history with a 1,000-yard receiving season (Lee Evans did it twice).

Finished his career with 202 receptions, the most at UW and seventh-most in Big Ten history.

Finished his career with 2,924 receiving yards, second-most in Wisconsin history.

Also, keep an eye on the Wisconsin offense. Paul Christ is changing the game at Wisconsin. The offense will continue to evolve into more "pro style" play.

I just hope the loss of the line coach to the Vikings is not too big...

 

[Bloom]

How is Bruce Gradkowski looking? and Reggie McNeal for that matter?

Hard to get a bead on any of the QBs with all the C-QB exchange problems on Monday.McNeal's throws were very flat, line drive Vick type throws, but he does have a nice arch on the deep ball. He got really pumped up when he completed a bomb to fellow aggie Jason Carter.

Gradkowski didnt show much in the practice, but he did appear to be keyed up, not nervous, but excited. Apparently he was the star of tuesday's practice.

 

[Bloom]

Update:I havent had time to write up my monday notes yet, so they might be a little stale by the time i get them up in the multiple places waiting for coverage from me, but we've hit a lot of the high points.Ill be heading down to san antonio (if my 84 toyota makes it) for the most important practice of the week, the NFL day scrimmage, when the two teams go up against each other in drills, and 11 on 11. apparently some scouts see this day as more important than the game itself. Hope to have a lot of nuggets for the shark pool upon my return.

 

[Kleck.]

Update:

I havent had time to write up my monday notes yet, so they might be a little stale by the time i get them up in the multiple places waiting for coverage from me, but we've hit a lot of the high points.

Ill be heading down to san antonio (if my 84 toyota makes it) for the most important practice of the week, the NFL day scrimmage, when the two teams go up against each other in drills, and 11 on 11. apparently some scouts see this day as more important than the game itself. Hope to have a lot of nuggets for the shark pool upon my return.

Looking forward to it.

 

[Evilgrin 72]

Update:

I havent had time to write up my monday notes yet, so they might be a little stale by the time i get them up in the multiple places waiting for coverage from me, but we've hit a lot of the high points.

Ill be heading down to san antonio (if my 84 toyota makes it) for the most important practice of the week, the NFL day scrimmage, when the two teams go up against each other in drills, and 11 on 11. apparently some scouts see this day as more important than the game itself. Hope to have a lot of nuggets for the shark pool upon my return.

 

[Serenity Now]

 

[Finatic]

Hey, Bloom, this is excellent work!

Any input on Mike Hass, WR, Oregon St.?  I'm a bit concerned he may not pan out due to a lack of speed, but do you have any nuggets on how he's performing in practice?

Hass looks like an excellent possession WR to me. he was very physical and had excellent hands. I dont think he has the speed/burst to separate from NFL DBs - you were right to bring that up. I didnt see it on monday, but apparently watkins has been the most impressive WR on the west squad thus far.

Watkins is a guy who has been on my radar for some time.Reminds me of a Bobby Engram type with better speed.