*Official Senior Bowl Thread* (1 Viewer)

[RBM]

North RosterCoaching staff: Oakland Raiders (Norv Turner)1  DB  Ronald Bartell  6-2  198  Howard  1  WR  Vincent Jackson  6-5  223  Northern Colorado  2  DB  Stanley Wilson  5-11  181  Stanford  3  DB  Abraham Elimimian  5-9  193  Hawaii  5  QB  Charlie Frye  6-4  227  Akron  7  QB  Dan Orlovsky  6-5  232  Connecticut  8  DB  Darrent Williams  5-9  175  Oklahoma State  9  WR  Mark Clayton  5-10  185  Oklahoma  9  DB  Alphonso Hodge  5-11  203  Miami (Ohio)  10  LB  Lance Mitchell  6-2  245  Oklahoma  17  LB  Jared Newberry  6-1  224  Stanford  18  QB  Kyle Orton  6-4  217  Purdue  18  P  Cole Farden  5-10  199  Oklahoma State  19  WR  Courtney Roby  6-0  284  Indiana  20  RB  Noah Herron  5-10  231  Northwestern  21  DB  Oshiomogho Atogwe  5-11  203  Stanford  21  WR  Taylor Stubblefield  5-11  172  Purdue  27  DB  Jamaal Brimmer  6-1  213  UNLV  29  RB  Manuel White  6-2  251  UCLA  30  RB  J.J. Arrington  5-9  204  California  31  DL  Matt Roh  6-3  262  Iowa  34  LB  Kirk Morrison  6-1  236  San Diego State  37  DB  Sean Considine  6-0  206  Iowa  38  LB  Barrett Ruud  6-2  240  Nebraska  40  RB  Zach Tuiasosopo  6-2  249  Washington  41  LB  Alfred Fincher  6-1  240  Connecticut  43  RB  Darren Sproles  5-6  181  Kansas State  45  DL  Jonathan Babineaux  6-2  276  Iowa  50  OL  Jonathan Clinkscale  6-4  304  Wisconsin  55  OL  Junius Coston  6-3  307  North Carolina A&T  65  OL  Khalif Barnes  6-5  305  Washington  67  OL  Dan Buenning  6-5  310  Wisconsin  71  OL  Michael Roos  6-7  313  Eastern Washington  72  OL  Adam Snyder  6-5  325  Oregon  75  OL  David Baas  6-4  311  Michigan  76  DL  Lorenzo Alexander  6-1  295  California  77  DL  Antaaj Hawthorne  6-2  310  Wisconsin  78  OL  Adam Terry  6-8  305  Syracuse  79  OL  Rob Petitti  6-5  342  Pittsburgh  81  TE  Alex Smith  6-4  255  Stanford  82  WR  Brandon Jones  6-2  215  Oklahoma  84  TE  Joel Dreessen  6-4  257  Colorado State  85  K  Mike Nugent  5-9  175  Ohio State  87  WR  Craig Bragg  6-1  198  UCLA  90  DL  Jimmy Verdon  6-3  278  Arizona State  91  DL  Bill Swancutt  6-4  264  Oregon State  92  DE  Trent Cole  6-2  243  Cincinnati  97  DL  Attiyah Ellison  6-4  303  Missouri  South RosterCoaching staff: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Jon Gruden)1  WR  Reggie Brown  6-1  197  Georgia  1  DB  Eric Green  5-11  197  Virginia Tech  2  LB  Leroy Hill  6-1  220  Clemson  4  DB  Junior Rosegreen  5-11  189  Auburn  5  WR  Terrance Murphy  6-0  189  Texas A&M  8  DB  Bryant McFadden  5-1  191  Florida State  9  WR  Matt Jones  6-6  237  Arkansas  10  WR  Roddy White  6-1  201  UAB  11  WR  Craphonso Thorpe  6-1  189  Florida State  13  DB  Corey Webster  6-0  202  LSU  14  QB  David Greene  6-3  231  Georgia  14  DB  Carlos Rogers  6-0  195  Auburn  16  QB  Brock Berlin  6-1  215  Miami  16  LB  Cornelius Wortham  6-2  234  Alabama  17  QB  Jason Campbell  6-4  221  Auburn  18  DB  Vincent Fuller  6-1  196  Virginia Tech  21  RB  Cedric Houston  5-11  215  Tennessee  22  DB  James Butler  6-2  205  Georgia Tech  23  RB  Will Matthews  6-1  259  Texas  24  RB  Carnell Williams  5-11  212  Auburn  25  RB  Kay-Jay Harris  6-0  229  West Virginia  27  LB  Michael Boley  6-2  225  Southern Miss  29  DB  Travis Daniels  6-2  188  LSU  30  RB  Nehemiah Broughton  5-11  252  The Citadel  33  LB  Marcus Lawrence  6-2  235  South Carolina  47  DL  Jim Davis  6-3  276  Virginia Tech  47  P  Dustin Colquitt  6-1  196  Tennessee  51  OL  Evan Mathis  6-5  308  Alabama  54  LB  Robert McCune  6-0  243  Louisville  60  OL  David Stewart  6-5  315  Mississippi State  61  OL  Elton Brown  6-5  338  Virginia  70  OL  Wesley Britt  6-7  313  Alabama  71  OL  Logan Mankins  6-3  317  Fresno State  72  OL  Jason Brown  6-2  332  North Carolina  76  OL  Marcus Johnson  6-6  316  Mississippi  77  OL  Jeremy Parquet  6-7  324  Southern Miss  78  OL  Chris Myers  6-4  302  Miami  82  WR  Fred Gibson  6-1  193  Georgia  84  TE  Alex Holmes  6-1  269  USC  84  DL  Marcus Spears  6-4  295  LSU  85  DL  Shaun Cody  6-4  292  USC  85  TE  Cody McCarty  6-4  267  TCU  86  K  Jonathan Nichols  5-11  182  Mississippi  93  DL  Ronald Fields  6-1  310  Mississippi State  94  DE  Demarcus Ware  6-4  232  Troy  95  DL  George Gause  6-5  271  South Carolina  97  DL  Anthony Bryant  6-3  336  Alabama  98  DL  Mike Patterson  6-0  292  USC  99  DL  Mike Montgomery  6-4  280  Texas A&M 

 

[Colin Dowling]

1. Matt Jones is a QB, not a WR.2. Clayton being at the senior bowl leads me to believe his "feelers' told him he might not get in the 1st round.Colin

 

[Peyton Marino]

So Erasmus James isn't a senior? Or did I just miss his name.

 

[RBM]

1. Matt Jones is a QB, not a WR.

Hes apparently gonna give wr a shot in the pros

 

[RBM]

1st report Ive seen

January 24, 2005Senior Bowl Week Begins -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scott WrightPresident, NFL Draft Countdown  And we are off! Senior Bowl week is now officially in full swing and the first day began with the official weigh-in. I have posted the full list HERE. Some of the highlights include: * Sleeper wideout Vincent Jackson came in at an amazing 6-4 and 238.* Rob Petitti was the heaviest player in attendence at 361 pounds* Darren Sproles was so short at 5-5 1/2 that they had to find new equipment to measure him. There was a chill in the air as the North practiced at Ladd-Peebles Satdium in the afternoon but the turnout from scouts and league personnel was impressive. Akron QB Charlie Frye carried himself well and looked like he belonged while Kyle Orton of Purdue looked to be trying to show off his arm strength and still has some trouble working under center. Some consider Vincent Jackson as a potential tight end prospect but from what I saw he looks like a wide receiver. He is raw, he dropped some balls and he needs to work on paying more attention to the details but he certainly has the tools and will be a nice developmental prospect. Mark Clayton of Oklahoma was very impressive, running excellent routes and showing good feet. Northwestern RB Alex Herron showed some speed to get around the corner while TE/H-Back Joel Dreessen looked like a natural pass catcher. Along the offensive line Michael Roos of Eastern Washington looked like he belonged and impressed while Rob Petitti was slow to react and struggled.On the defensive side of the ball Trent Cole worked out with the linebackers and really struggled. In fact, he looked exactly like what he was: A defensive lineman trying to play linebacker. Two Iowa Hawkeyes did a nice job along the line with Matt Roth and Jonathan Babineaux both impressing. One guy who stood out physically was DT Attiyah Ellison of Missouri, who certainly looked the part and was very athletic.The most impressive player of the day in my opinion however was OG / C David Baas of Michigan, who routinely handled his man in One-on-One drills and also looked physically imposing. This guy is going to step in and make an impact right away in the NFL and I see great things in his future.On another note there are some top underclassmen here as well with Troy Williamson, Larry Brackins and Justin Tuck among the attendees. They aren't playing in the game but they are working the rooms and getting their names out there like Ben Roethlisberger did a year ago in Mobile. This is never a bad idea and could really turn out to be a benefit for the players who go out of their way to make their presence known.

 

[Bojang0301]

1. Matt Jones is a QB, not a WR.2. Clayton being at the senior bowl leads me to believe his "feelers' told him he might not get in the 1st round.Colin

Jones is a WR/TE prospect and is playing as such. I am glad his going to play the Senior Bowl as such. The rosters are really disappointing to me this year. I guess it's probably because of the talent of the underclassmen.Brock Berlin being there is what really ticks me off.

 

[EBF]

Matt Jones is being looked at as a WR.Did anyone else notice Courtney Roby's weight? He must have eaten a lot since he last played.

 

[Bojang0301]

Good links:

http://www.draftshowcase.com/seniorobowlprimer2.htm

http://www.draftshowcase.com/seniorobowlprimer.htm

 

[GoTime]

Guys that measured more than an inch shorter than listed by some media:

Darren Sproles 5' 5 1/2

Mark Clayton 5' 9 - he was supposedly very quick and impressive on Monday however

Craphonso Thorpe 6' 0 - not bad but not the 6' 2" sometimes listed

JJ Arrington 5' 8 1/2, 206 lbs - I still like Arrington quite a bit but this won't help. FWIW, Cadillac measured the same weight at 206 while standing a flat 5' 10".

Shaun Cody and Marcus Spears are two huge DEs if they stay on the outside.

measurements link

ESPN is showing a hour of coverage each day starting Tuesday at 3 PM eastern.

nfldraftcountdown link

pfw link

 

[AB in DC]

Pardon the dumb question -- is the Senior Bowl the one that's only open to players who didn't compete in a bowl? Or am I mixing it up with another game?

 

[beto]

Pardon the dumb question -- is the Senior Bowl the one that's only open to players who didn't compete in a bowl? Or am I mixing it up with another game?

no, this one if for the top Seniors and independent of any team Bowls. Good stuff so far guys!

 

[beto]

So what? Hes big and tall! Thats all a WR needs to be great.

Who is this directed at? Tyrone Calico?

 

[GoTime]

2. Clayton being at the senior bowl leads me to believe his "feelers' told him he might not get in the 1st round.Colin

Interesting that Caddy is there also.

It does make sense in that Clayton & Cadillac would prefer to be remember by the scouts more for their performance than measurables. They have better shots at being standouts on the field this week than at the combine.Draftshowcase.com seems to think that Cadillac has more at stake this week than most would have guessed but I don't know how much validity their statement carries.

Williams is obviously the big draw here, he could end up as the first back chosen this year, but he could also slide into the late 1st or out of the 1st if he performs poorly.

 

[EBF]

So what?  Hes big and tall!  Thats all a WR needs to be great.

Who is this directed at? Tyrone Calico?

It happens every year with any WR over 6'4 220...Calico is a good example, but certainly not the only one.

All other things being equal, it's better to have a tall receiver than a short receiver.

 

[jgb95]

When is the actual game???

 

[-OZ-]

So what?  Hes big and tall!  Thats all a WR needs to be great.

Who is this directed at? Tyrone Calico?

It happens every year with any WR over 6'4 220...Calico is a good example, but certainly not the only one.

All other things being equal, it's better to have a tall receiver than a short receiver.

You can have the tall WRs.I'll take the ones who can catch the ball. (Yes, I know, a tall one who can catch the ball is preferred)All I'm saying is height is overrated.

 

[GoTime]

When is the actual game???

Saturday, 4 PM EST on ESPN2ESPN is also televising practice today at 3 PM EST

 

[Finatic]

When is the actual game???

Saturday At 4:00pm

 

[jgb95]

Posted on Jan 25 2005, 12:25 PM QUOTE (jgb95 @ Jan 25 2005, 11:20 AM) When is the actual game??? Saturday, 3 PM EST on ESPN.ESPN is also televising practice today at 3 PM EST

Thanks.

 

[Mungo Burrows]

1 WR Vincent Jackson 6-5 223 Northern Colorado

:FBGboardinAPRIL:

OOOh, look how tall! ANd 225 pounds? Wow...hes going to be an awesome NFL WR.

He is raw, he dropped some balls and he needs to work on paying more attention to the details but he certainly has the tools and will be a nice developmental prospect.

So what? Hes big and tall! Thats all a WR needs to be great.

I thought it was "tall and fast" not "big and tall" - 6'4"+ and a sub 4.5 = manlove

 

[RBM]

ESPN Insider article today that I cant copy and paste, but here are highlights--Cadillac surprised people by deciding to play, and its paying off because he is impressing the hell out of his coach, Jon Gruden--Kyle Orton has been the most impressive of the qbs so far. Very good arm strenght and good rhythm. Some are just chalking it up to him being the least rusty of all the qbs--Marlin Jackson is out-performing all the corners. Very athletic and great size--People are still buzzing about Sproles checking in at 5'5. Not good for him at all--More buzz about Vincent Jackson. Everybody seems to be in awe of his size and now he is showing he can play too, by impressing with his athleticism--Tallest players are tackles Adam Terry and Wesley Britt, both checking in at 6'7 1/2. Guard Rob Pettiti is the heaviest at 361. Sproles was shortest and cb Darrent Williams (Okla St) was the lightest at 170lbs.

 

[GoTime]

PFW also gives good marks to Cadillac

WRs Clayton, Jackson turning scouts' headsBy Trent Modglin & Nolan NawrockiJan. 25, 2005Notes from Monday's practicesOklahoma WR Mark Clayton, at a shade under 5-10, looks smaller in person than he does on tape, but he is the quickest and smoothest receiver the North has in terms of getting into and out of his breaks. He also showed good focus while hauling in a pass across the middle despite getting smacked in the head by the arm of Miami (Ohio)’s Alphonso Hodge.Clayton’s teammate, Brandon Jones is a different receiver at 6-2 and 215 pounds. He made some good catches in traffic but looks a bit slow afoot in routes.At 6-5, 223 with loads of athleticism, Vincent Jackson of Northern Colorado looks like he has all the tools necessary to be a pro wide receiver. He made a nice adjustment to dive and haul in a wobbly, underthrown bomb. Howard CB Ronald Bartell, when asked who the best receiver he faced in practice on the first day, quickly mentioned Jackson and said a man his size should not be so swift afoot.In an effort to stress the recent five-yard chuck rule, Raiders secondary coaches preached for defensive backs to quit with the contact 10 yards downfield, which was plenty prevalent early on. “Stop it now!” they yelled. “That’s not gonna work up here.”Notre Dame junior DE Justin Tuck sat in the stands for the North practice and later interviewed with a number of teams Monday evening, including a contingent of scouts from the Jaguars, who desperately need some help on the edge.After Kansas State RB Darren Sproles measured in at a shade less than 5-foot-6 during weigh-ins, one scout whispered, “But he’s quick as a cat.”Scouts were gawking at Louisville LB Robert McCune the same way they were with former Florida State RB Greg Jones a year ago — both possess physiques that are chiseled like Adonis.Auburn RB Carnell Williams impressed scouts with his exceptional quicks, and was the only back on the South roster who stood out.Scouts were very impressed with the WR group as a whole at the South practice, with Georgia’s Reggie Brown and UAB’s Roddy White particularly opening eyes.Georgia QB David Greene had the worst mechanics of the quarterbacks on the South roster — all arm with no torque. Miami (Fla.) QB Brock Berlin showed a quick, compact release. Auburn’s Jason Campbell clearly has the most pro potential of the group.Virginia OG Elton Brown showed up to Mobile for weigh-ins, ringing in at a sloppy 6-4 3/8, 331 pounds but decided not to participate in the week’s activities due to tendinitis in his knee. Florida State’s Ray Willis replaced him in the lineup and was wearing Brown’s No. 61 jersey at the South practice.Scouts were impressed with the quickness of both USC DTs Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson, as they were with the athletic ability of Iowa DT Jonathan Babineaux.Pittsburgh OT Rob Petitti did not show the quickness or athletic ability needed to play tackle at the next level. His only chance may be as a guard. He needs to turn it up a notch and play more aggressively to get any serious looks from scouts.Stanford’s Jared Newberry and Oklahoma’s Lance Mitchell showed the quickest feet in LB drills, while the physical nature of Cincinnati’s Trent Cole was hard to ignore. Kirk Morrison of San Diego State broke through blocks to thump the ballcarrier on several occasions and took command of LB drills.Wisconsin DT Antaaj Hawthorne was noticeably slower off the ball than his DL mates on the North side and didn’t push through some drills as far as the rest.Connecticut QB Dan Orlovsky certainly has the size (6-5, 232) you look for these days, but his low delivery is slightly awkward to watch. His skipped several of his passes in front of intended receivers. In terms of zip on the ball with slants and deep out patterns, he doesn’t seem to have the arm strength of Purdue’s Kyle Orton.Stanley Wilson, a corner out of Stanford, had a rough stretch in coverage. Coaches continually reminded him to avoid coming out of his backpedal too high, as he struggled with balance and adjusting to the ball in the air. His quick feet, speed and athletic ability were very noticeable, however.Oregon State DE Bill Swancutt beat Washington OT Khalif Barnes more than a few times in 11-on-11 drills. Iowa’s Matt Roth often met Swancutt in the backfield and gave Syracuse OT Adam Terry a tough time. Barnes flashed a mean streak in one-on-one drills and has great feet for a man his size.More than one North quarterback had problems with the exchange from center, as they work to adjust and get timing down. Long-snapping could also be an issue in Saturday’s game because those linemen who will be snapping were not their college team’s full-time option. For many players who have not strapped on the pads in more than a month, Tuesday’s practice should shake off the rust.North Carolina AT&T C Junius Coston may get drafted on the first day because of the lack of center depth in this draft, but he did not run his feet and fell off blocks in Monday's practice and is at least a couple year's away from being the player he is capable of.

 

[cstu]

Last 5 Senior Bowl MVP's:2004 South 28, North 10 Philip Rivers, QB, North Carolina State 2003 North 17, South 0 Larry Johnson, RB, Penn State 2002 South 41, North 26 Antwaan Randle El, WR/QB, Indiana 2001 South 21, North 16 LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, TCU 2000 North 24, South 21 Chad Pennington, QB, Marshall

 

[Mad Cow]

ESPN Insider article today that I cant copy and paste, but here are highlights--Cadillac surprised people by deciding to play, and its paying off because he is impressing the hell out of his coach, Jon Gruden--Kyle Orton has been the most impressive of the qbs so far. Very good arm strenght and good rhythm. Some are just chalking it up to him being the least rusty of all the qbs--Marlin Jackson is out-performing all the corners. Very athletic and great size--People are still buzzing about Sproles checking in at 5'5. Not good for him at all--More buzz about Vincent Jackson. Everybody seems to be in awe of his size and now he is showing he can play too, by impressing with his athleticism--Tallest players are tackles Adam Terry and Wesley Britt, both checking in at 6'7 1/2. Guard Rob Pettiti is the heaviest at 361. Sproles was shortest and cb Darrent Williams (Okla St) was the lightest at 170lbs.

I read elsewhere that Orton was stinking it up and that Charlie Frye has been the man.

 

[Johnny Ice]

Practice on now, ESPN.

 

[Bojang0301]

Orton looked crappy today.

 

[cstu]

Did I just hear Kiper say Mark Clayton was the best player on the field today?

 

[Johnny Ice]

Did I just hear Kiper say Mark Clayton was the best player on the field today?

Someone said it, not 100% sure it was Kiper.

 

[cstu]

Guys that measured more than an inch shorter than listed by some mediaarren Sproles 5' 5 1/2 Mark Clayton 5' 9 - he was supposedly very quick and impressive on Monday howeverCraphonso Thorpe 6' 0 - not bad but not the 6' 2" sometimes listedJJ Arrington 5' 8 1/2, 206 lbs - I still like Arrington quite a bit but this won't help. FWIW, Cadillac measured the same weight at 206 while standing a flat 5' 10".Shaun Cody and Marcus Spears are two huge DEs if they stay on the outside.measurements linkESPN is showing a hour of coverage each day starting Tuesday at 3 PM eastern.nfldraftcountdown linkpfw link

Thorpe was shorter (6-0 vs. 6-2), but his weight was 190 vs. 175 he was listed. If he can still run a 4.4 he'll be a top receiver in the draft. His weight was a problem and he needed to get bigger. Top WR's at the Senior Bowl:White (6-0, 204, 4.4)Clayton (5-9.6, 187, 4.47)Gibson (6-3.5, 194, 4.5)Murphy (6-0, 194, 4.45)Thorpe (6-0, 190, 4.37)

 

[-OZ-]

--Marlin Jackson is out-performing all the corners. Very athletic and great size

Jackson is a stud. Maybe not the best CB in the draft, but easily a 1st round pick, probably mid 1st.

--People are still buzzing about Sproles checking in at 5'5. Not good for him at all

Considering all I'd want to use him for is KR/PR, does it really matter?He might work himself into a Brian Westbrook role eventually, but he'll start out as a return specialist, return a few for TDs, and become a human highlight reel.Just don't ask him to get the short yardage.

 

[cstu]

Kiper just said that Orton looks like he's ready for the NFL.

 

[cstu]

Sproles = SpeedIf he's used like Dunn he can be successful in the NFL, even at 5-5

 

[cstu]

Kiper's list of players that improved their stock at Senior Bowl practice:QB Kyle OrtonWR Mark ClaytonWR Vincent JacksonWR Roddy WhiteDE Demarcus Ware (3-4 OLB)DE Matt Roth

 

[Bojang0301]

Kiper's list of players that improved their stock at Senior Bowl practice:QB Kyle OrtonWR Mark ClaytonWR Vincent JacksonWR Roddy WhiteDE Demarcus Ware (3-4 OLB)DE Matt Roth

I understand the practice can show alot of whether a player is groomable or not. I still hate how the draft bounces up and down day to day because of it though.

 

[RBM]

From NFLdraftcountdown.com

you can take it for what it is worth but after practice scouts usually rush to talk with certain players and here is a list of some of the things I saw: DT Anttaj Hawthorne of Wisconsin was mobbed by Dallas scouts, Carolina talked with J.J. Arrington, Michael Roos and Manuel White, who they told he was a good fit for their system, Baltimore spoke with Adam Terry, Taylor Stubblefield talked with San Francisco and New Orleans, Cincinnati and New Orleans sought out OG Marcus Johnson of Ole Miss, Ben Wilkerson spoke with Kansas City and Corey Webster conversed with Carolina as well as former NFL safety Marcus Robertson, now working with the Titans.

 

[cstu]

Carolina talked with J.J. Arrington----------------That would be a great pick in the 3rd or 4th round. I don't think Foster will ever be able to stay healthy for an entire season and Goings isn't built to be a featured back.

 

[-OZ-]

Kiper's list of players that improved their stock at Senior Bowl practice:QB Kyle OrtonWR Mark ClaytonWR Vincent JacksonWR Roddy WhiteDE Demarcus Ware (3-4 OLB)DE Matt Roth

I understand the practice can show alot of whether a player is groomable or not. I still hate how the draft bounces up and down day to day because of it though.

Which is more important to teams, the practices or the combine?Both have players rising without doing anything in a game.

 

[BigTex]

Good thread, thanks for the update guys......keep'em coming!

 

[Dolfan]

Kiper's list of players that improved their stock at Senior Bowl practice:

QB Kyle Orton

WR Mark Clayton

WR Vincent Jackson

WR Roddy White

DE Demarcus Ware (3-4 OLB)

DE Matt Roth

I've read both positive and negative reviews of Clayton and until now only read negative things about Orton...

 

[Colin Dowling]

Carolina talked with J.J. Arrington----------------That would be a great pick in the 3rd or 4th round. I don't think Foster will ever be able to stay healthy for an entire season and Goings isn't built to be a featured back.

2 part question:1. Goings averaged 130 total yards on 26 carries and 4 catches per game as a starter. What part of that indicates that he's "not built to be a feature back?"2. What part of JJ Arrington being 5'9 indicates that he IS built to be a feature back?Colin

 

[jester]

Any of you going to the game? Each year my buddies and I go and tailgate so let me know if anyone else will be there and maybe we can join up and throw down some crawfish, shrimp and brews.

 

[falconeyed]

Carolina talked with J.J. Arrington----------------That would be a great pick in the 3rd or 4th round. I don't think Foster will ever be able to stay healthy for an entire season and Goings isn't built to be a featured back.

2 part question:1. Goings averaged 130 total yards on 26 carries and 4 catches per game as a starter. What part of that indicates that he's "not built to be a feature back?"2. What part of JJ Arrington being 5'9 indicates that he IS built to be a feature back?Colin

Priest Holmes is 5'9"LT2 is 5'10"Being 5'9" doesn't necessarily mean a RB is doomed to mediocrity.

 

[GoTime]

Which is more important to teams, the practices or the combine?Both have players rising without doing anything in a game.

Kiper talked yesterday about how the Senior Bowl should be weighted heavier than the combine. He mentioned how Chad Johnson and Tomlinson were clearly the best players the week they played and how that carried over to the pros. He said that Johnson was thought of as a top 10 pick leaving the senior bowl then mistakingly fell out of the first round with his combine workout. In that discussion, he called Mark Clayton the best player on the field so far this year.

 

[GoTime]

From PFW:

Wednesday notebookScouts like Orton's arm, express concern about Frye'sBy Trent Modglin & Nolan NawrockiJan. 26, 2005Notes from Tuesday's practicesScouts have been very impressed with Purdue QB Kyle Orton through two days of practice.Akron QB Charlie Frye made every throw during 7-on-7 passing drills, including one incredibly deep out and a long fade with a deft touch that fell into Oklahoma WR Mark Clayton's hands for a touchdown. He didn't appear rattled by a stiff pass rush later in practice either. But scouts have not been overly excited about his throwing motion, saying he has to put a lot of effort into every throw.Pittsburgh OT Rob Petitti left practice with a lower leg injury and is being replaced by Vanderbilt OT Justin Geisinger for Wednesday's practice.Many players who do not get invited to the Senior Bowl still make the trip to Mobile to take in the action and interview with teams. Seen observing Tuesday's practices were Northwestern OT Trai Essex, Arizona State QB Andrew Walter and Albany State DE Walter Curry, among others. South Carolina WR Troy Williamson is also meeting with teams this week.Tulane WR Roydell Williams replaced Texas A&M WR Terrance Murphy in the lineup and has taken advantage of his opportunity after what scouts called an average week of practice at the Gridiron Classic.Teams are very intrigued by Eastern Washington OT Michael Roos. He's big, athletic and can slide and mirror. But some scouts are worried about his questionable strength and power and lack of suddenness.Jon Gruden commended Florida State WR Craphonso Thorpe for participating in practices this week with terrible blisters on his foot and Gruden said he has been impressed with Thorpe's route-running.Purdue WR Taylor Stubblefield showed good hand strength, ripping the ball away from diminutive Oklahoma State CB Darrent Williams. Williams, who is known for being too much of a risk-taker, continued to gamble jumping routes and missed, getting beat badly.Iowa DE Matt Roth has been giving offensive tackles the biggest test in one-on-one drills because of his explosive power. He rolls his hips, jars offensive linemen with his punch and will expose anyone without a good anchor, as he did to Washington OLT Khalif Barnes.North coaches commended Nebraska LB Barrett Ruud for blanketing Purdue WR Taylor Stubblefield 20 yards downfield one-on-one in 7-on-7 drills.Auburn QB Jason Campbell completed all six passes he attempted in 7-on-7 and all three in team drills, impressing Gruden with his accuracy, touch, vision and anticipation.No receiver looked more explosive driving off the line of scrimmage than Georgia's Reggie Brown.California RB J.J. Arrington looked smooth catching passes out of the backfield on Tuesday and made several sharp, decisive cuts to escape defenders.Oklahoma LB Lance Mitchell appears more agile than he was during the season coming off a torn ACL injury and scouts have said he looks effortless in his drops and has shown a good burst to close.LSU CB Corey Webster struggled in practice Tuesday, getting caught flat-footed at times and guessing on routes at others. Scouts said teammate Travis Daniels had a better day of practice and will garner a lot of interest from teams because of his versatility, being able to play either safety or corner.Arizona State DE Jimmy Verdon has a relentless motor and fights hard but needs to do a better job of keeping his balance vs. larger blockers. Despite having lined up at defensive tackle for the Sun Devils this year, Verdon lacks power in his game.LB Alfred Finch made a quick reaction to leap and knock down a ball in coverage. Later, he closed quickly on UConn teammate, QB Dan Orlovsky, but held up at the sideline during non-tackling drills. He verbally made sure to let Orlovsky know he was there, however. Fincher's play has caught the attention of scouts.Wisconsin's Jonathan Clinkscale, Michigan's David Baas and Oregon's Adam Snyder all had up-and-down outings on the North's offensive line, looking solid with good leverage and use of hands one minute and a bit sloppy and off-balance the next.Missouri DT Attiyah Ellison did a good job of getting off the ball and shooting the gaps and getting in the backfield in 11-on-11 team drills.Few defensive backs were able to match up with Oklahoma WR Mark Clayton. He has great functional strength and uses his hands well to jar defenders and beat them off the line of scrimmage.Scouts would like to see Syracuse OT Adam Terry show more nastiness in the trenches. In one-on-one matchups with Cincinnati DE Trent Cole, Terry struggled matching up with Cole's power outside-rush move, but on the next snap, Terry got revenge by knocking Cole to the ground with a good punch when Cole exposed his chest after a violent hand slap.Oklahoma WR Brandon Jones is big, smooth and deceptively fast. He showed a good burst coming out of his breaks and does a good job getting separation.Nevada S Jamaal Brimmer really struggled matching up with receivers in coverage, losing a step in transition.Tennessee P Dustin Colquitt put on quite a show with some booming kicks with the wind. His hangtime didn't suffer much when he turned and faced the wind.Alabama OT Wesley Britt plays stronger than he looks, as he was able to drive defenders away from the quarterback, especially when he got on them early.Miami (Fla.) C Chris Myers hasn't done much to stand out, but he rarely puts himself in a bad position.There truly is no wasted motion with LST DT Marcus Spears' game. He seems to take blockers where he wants to go and gets there in a hurry. Offensive linemen have continually had a very difficult time controlling him. Scouts have dubbed him a "manchild."West Virginia RB Kay-Jay Harris used his 232 pounds to absolutely truck Virginia Tech's Vincent Fuller in 11-on-11 drills, gaining what would have been at least an extra 20 yards after leaving Fuller in his wake. Fuller's tackling deficiencies are the reason why many scouts say he can't play safety in the NFL and must be a cornerback.

-Taylor Stubblefield sure seems like a pure football player. I watched him in the Shrine game and he just carries himself with a poise and confidence. If he can run decent at the combine I expect he'll be a guy you love to have on your roster.-Corey Webster doesn't sound like he's making a case to even stay in the second round.-Marcus Spears may have a chance to play himself all the way up to the Raiders spot in the draft.

 

[Dolfan]

From PFW:

Wednesday notebook

...West Virginia RB Kay-Jay Harris used his 232 pounds to absolutely truck Virginia Tech's Vincent Fuller in 11-on-11 drills, gaining what would have been at least an extra 20 yards after leaving Fuller in his wake. Fuller's tackling deficiencies are the reason why many scouts say he can't play safety in the NFL and must be a cornerback.

Keep an eye on this guy... He could be an absolute steal in the 3rd round!

 

[RBM]

Highlights from Tuesday buzz from ESPN Insider:--Jason Campbell looking like the best qb on the South roster, and is physically impressive. Enough arm strenght to make all the throws and plays with confidence. Negatives are that hes struggling to make progressive reads from within the pocket and not a threat to run it--David Greene looked good, and might be quietly improving his stock. Better arm strength than anticapted but lack of athleticism is noticable--Brock Berlin.....awful--Dan Olovsky and Charlie Frye disappointed. Orlovsky was erratic and didnt have the arm strength many thought he would. Frye has great intangibles, very athletic but arm strength was below par--Kyle Orton continues to be the best qb on the North squad. Very good velocity on deep outs, and is polished. Still needs to improve his delivery quickness and decision making under pressure--Georgia wideouts looking good. Reggie Brown looking a little more polished than Fred Gibson--Matt Jones showing a nice set of skills to be a possesion receiver, but not hustling like others--Cadillac continues to show hes the best back in the game, and is impressing with his slipperiness, power and versatility. --KayJay Harris delivered the biggest hit so far, when he leveled safety Vincent Fuller. Harris is raw but has good size and speed--Mark Clayton has been the best overall player so far. Catching everything in sight and running great routes (sounds like Lee Evans from the combine last year)--Matt Roth looks great, showing impressive initial quickness, body control, speed and overall athelticism for a rush end(They go on to add that both Clayton and Roth are playing themselves into 1st round locks)--Adam Terry and David Baas continue to impress as the best o-lineman. Terry has rare athelticism for his size and should develop quickly into a left tackle. Baas is impressing at both guard and center, and is the most technically sound lineman

 

[Bloom]

From PFW:

Wednesday notebook

...West Virginia RB Kay-Jay Harris used his 232 pounds to absolutely truck Virginia Tech's Vincent Fuller in 11-on-11 drills, gaining what would have been at least an extra 20 yards after leaving Fuller in his wake. Fuller's tackling deficiencies are the reason why many scouts say he can't play safety in the NFL and must be a cornerback.

Keep an eye on this guy... He could be an absolute steal in the 3rd round!

the crop of RBs who should be very productive in the NFL goes about 12 deep this year. Harris, Arrington, and Houston could all produce as well as the vaunted 1st round top 3 RB in the right situation.

 

[Bojang0301]

From PFW:

Wednesday notebookScouts like Orton's arm, express concern about Frye'sBy Trent Modglin & Nolan NawrockiJan. 26, 2005Notes from Tuesday's practicesScouts have been very impressed with Purdue QB Kyle Orton through two days of practice.Akron QB Charlie Frye made every throw during 7-on-7 passing drills, including one incredibly deep out and a long fade with a deft touch that fell into Oklahoma WR Mark Clayton's hands for a touchdown. He didn't appear rattled by a stiff pass rush later in practice either. But scouts have not been overly excited about his throwing motion, saying he has to put a lot of effort into every throw.Pittsburgh OT Rob Petitti left practice with a lower leg injury and is being replaced by Vanderbilt OT Justin Geisinger for Wednesday's practice.Many players who do not get invited to the Senior Bowl still make the trip to Mobile to take in the action and interview with teams. Seen observing Tuesday's practices were Northwestern OT Trai Essex, Arizona State QB Andrew Walter and Albany State DE Walter Curry, among others. South Carolina WR Troy Williamson is also meeting with teams this week.Tulane WR Roydell Williams replaced Texas A&M WR Terrance Murphy in the lineup and has taken advantage of his opportunity after what scouts called an average week of practice at the Gridiron Classic.Teams are very intrigued by Eastern Washington OT Michael Roos. He's big, athletic and can slide and mirror. But some scouts are worried about his questionable strength and power and lack of suddenness.Jon Gruden commended Florida State WR Craphonso Thorpe for participating in practices this week with terrible blisters on his foot and Gruden said he has been impressed with Thorpe's route-running.Purdue WR Taylor Stubblefield showed good hand strength, ripping the ball away from diminutive Oklahoma State CB Darrent Williams. Williams, who is known for being too much of a risk-taker, continued to gamble jumping routes and missed, getting beat badly.Iowa DE Matt Roth has been giving offensive tackles the biggest test in one-on-one drills because of his explosive power. He rolls his hips, jars offensive linemen with his punch and will expose anyone without a good anchor, as he did to Washington OLT Khalif Barnes.North coaches commended Nebraska LB Barrett Ruud for blanketing Purdue WR Taylor Stubblefield 20 yards downfield one-on-one in 7-on-7 drills.Auburn QB Jason Campbell completed all six passes he attempted in 7-on-7 and all three in team drills, impressing Gruden with his accuracy, touch, vision and anticipation.No receiver looked more explosive driving off the line of scrimmage than Georgia's Reggie Brown.California RB J.J. Arrington looked smooth catching passes out of the backfield on Tuesday and made several sharp, decisive cuts to escape defenders.Oklahoma LB Lance Mitchell appears more agile than he was during the season coming off a torn ACL injury and scouts have said he looks effortless in his drops and has shown a good burst to close.LSU CB Corey Webster struggled in practice Tuesday, getting caught flat-footed at times and guessing on routes at others. Scouts said teammate Travis Daniels had a better day of practice and will garner a lot of interest from teams because of his versatility, being able to play either safety or corner.Arizona State DE Jimmy Verdon has a relentless motor and fights hard but needs to do a better job of keeping his balance vs. larger blockers. Despite having lined up at defensive tackle for the Sun Devils this year, Verdon lacks power in his game.LB Alfred Finch made a quick reaction to leap and knock down a ball in coverage. Later, he closed quickly on UConn teammate, QB Dan Orlovsky, but held up at the sideline during non-tackling drills. He verbally made sure to let Orlovsky know he was there, however. Fincher's play has caught the attention of scouts.Wisconsin's Jonathan Clinkscale, Michigan's David Baas and Oregon's Adam Snyder all had up-and-down outings on the North's offensive line, looking solid with good leverage and use of hands one minute and a bit sloppy and off-balance the next.Missouri DT Attiyah Ellison did a good job of getting off the ball and shooting the gaps and getting in the backfield in 11-on-11 team drills.Few defensive backs were able to match up with Oklahoma WR Mark Clayton. He has great functional strength and uses his hands well to jar defenders and beat them off the line of scrimmage.Scouts would like to see Syracuse OT Adam Terry show more nastiness in the trenches. In one-on-one matchups with Cincinnati DE Trent Cole, Terry struggled matching up with Cole's power outside-rush move, but on the next snap, Terry got revenge by knocking Cole to the ground with a good punch when Cole exposed his chest after a violent hand slap.Oklahoma WR Brandon Jones is big, smooth and deceptively fast. He showed a good burst coming out of his breaks and does a good job getting separation.Nevada S Jamaal Brimmer really struggled matching up with receivers in coverage, losing a step in transition.Tennessee P Dustin Colquitt put on quite a show with some booming kicks with the wind. His hangtime didn't suffer much when he turned and faced the wind.Alabama OT Wesley Britt plays stronger than he looks, as he was able to drive defenders away from the quarterback, especially when he got on them early.Miami (Fla.) C Chris Myers hasn't done much to stand out, but he rarely puts himself in a bad position.There truly is no wasted motion with LST DT Marcus Spears' game. He seems to take blockers where he wants to go and gets there in a hurry. Offensive linemen have continually had a very difficult time controlling him. Scouts have dubbed him a "manchild."West Virginia RB Kay-Jay Harris used his 232 pounds to absolutely truck Virginia Tech's Vincent Fuller in 11-on-11 drills, gaining what would have been at least an extra 20 yards after leaving Fuller in his wake. Fuller's tackling deficiencies are the reason why many scouts say he can't play safety in the NFL and must be a cornerback.

-Taylor Stubblefield sure seems like a pure football player. I watched him in the Shrine game and he just carries himself with a poise and confidence. If he can run decent at the combine I expect he'll be a guy you love to have on your roster.-Corey Webster doesn't sound like he's making a case to even stay in the second round.-Marcus Spears may have a chance to play himself all the way up to the Raiders spot in the draft.

Stubblefield will be targeted by me no matter what he puts up in the combine. He is a gamer.

 

[Clayton Gray]

Matt Jones article

MOBILE, Ala. -- The NFL teams have forms they fill out for each of the players available in the draft. They break the player down by statistic, characteristic, test score, ice cream flavor, anything imaginable to separate one potential draftee from the next.

There is no form for Matt Jones.

The 6-6, 242-pound Arkansas quarterback is working out at wide receiver for the South team in the Senior Bowl. And tight end. And quarterback. He's even made a couple of punt snaps.

"I have friends that coach in high school," Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden, the South coach, said Tuesday evening. "My next-door neighbor coaches Pop Warner. I've never gone to a practice and seen a guy play quarterback, wide receiver and tight end."

One AFC executive watching Jones at practice Tuesday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium called him "one of the most mesmerizing guys I've seen." Last fall, LSU coach Nick Saban, now with the Miami Dolphins, called him "the guy we're most scared of."

Jones finished his career with the Razorbacks first in the Southeastern Conference in career rushing yards by a quarterback (2,535). He threw for 5,857 yards and 53 touchdowns in four seasons. A year ago, he averaged 5.0 points and 4.5 rebounds for the basketball Hogs.

Jones went through one spring practice at wide receiver for Arkansas, but coach Houston Nutt figured out quickly he had to get the ball in the hands of his best athlete and returned Jones to quarterback. Jones' athleticism is the reason that the NFL wants to see him at wide receiver, a request that Senior Bowl executive director Steve Hale made of Jones.

The Senior Bowl has a history of being the place where quarterbacks who don't fit the NFL mold begin to change positions. Three years ago, Antwaan Randle El of Indiana came to Mobile, moved to wide receiver/punt returner and won the Senior Bowl MVP. The same year, Clemson quarterback Woodrow Dantzler moved to tailback and made little impression.

Randle El wanted to make the switch. Dantzler didn't. Jones said he understands the difference.

"It's obvious that he has talent. We have given him a lot. He handled it well. You could see he hasn't played the position. I think he will be an H-type back because he is so big. If you get a defensive back on him, it's a mismatch. There's a place for a guy like that."

— Bucs WR coach Richard Mann on Matt Jones

"The thing is, how much do they really love the game?" Jones asked. "Do they want to play the game? Or do they love the position so much that if they can't do it, they won't play? That's why Randle El made it. He loves the game. I definitely like playing football and want to continue playing, whether it's wide receiver or any other position."

With his long blond hair, sleepy eyes, and miserly way with words, Jones defines "laconic", except when he has the ball in his hands.

"He runs easy," Gruden said.

"A strider," Tampa Bay wide receivers coach Richard Mann said.

Jones is lining up as the "Z" receiver in the Tampa Bay offense. He is wide on the strong side, and lines up in the slot on the weak side. He is running all kinds of routes -- deep down the sideline, quick slants, drags into the flat, across the middle.

The Bucs coaching staff has made accommodations for Jones. Offensive quality control coach Kyle Shanahan has been assigned to answer any and all of Jones' questions, from how to run a play to how to run a route. Gruden gave the players free time from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday. Shanahan immediately walked over to Jones and scheduled a 1:30 p.m. study session.

"A lot of what he is learning, other guys already know," Mann said Tuesday morning. "It's obvious that he has talent. We have given him a lot. He handled it well. You could see he hasn't played the position. I think he will be an H-type back because he is so big. If you get a defensive back on him, it's a mismatch. There's a place for a guy like that."

The question is where? Is he fast enough to play wide? Can he master the blocking necessary to play tight end? And what about long snapping?

"I don't know how much of a long snapper I'll be," Jones said with a grin. "He had me in there with the second team in case something happens."

Next month, at the NFL combine, Jones will work out with the quarterbacks. It's something he wants to do, perhaps so he won't have to ask himself "What if?" In the meantime, Jones has made the catch of the week for the South team thus far, going deep and beating LSU corner Corey Webster on Monday.

"Hopefully, by the end of the week," Gruden said, "his projection will be clearer. I wouldn't be surprised if he is playing for somebody quickly."

He could be the most talented player in the draft.

 

[Clayton Gray]

--Matt Jones showing a nice set of skills to be a possesion receiver, but not hustling like others

He always looks like that. I'm not sure if he really isn't working hard or if he just moves so naturally that it just looks like it isn't.