Here's the BOWL Edition Dark Phoenix that I wrote...
The College Dark Phoenix
2005 Bowl Games Special Edition
By Cecil Lammey
Here we go with another edition of the College Dark Phoenix. This week we are going to look at some players rising from the ashes in the 2005 Bowl season. Some of these players could’ve been regular season Dark Phoenix, some will definitely be on The Ones 2 Watch list when they are eligible, and still others had just one outstanding game, but it could be enough of a glimpse for the next level. This is The Dark Phoenix where we break down college players that you may or may not have heard of. Either way these athletes have great skills and should be on your NFL radar.
Bruce Gradkowski – QB – Toledo Rockets
6’2” 222 lbs. – Senior – unranked high school QB when entering college
Passing Stats Comp Att Yards TDS INT Att Yards TDS
Versus UTEP in GMAC Bowl 18 30 295 5 2 - - -
Bruce was a high school star at Seton La-Salle in Pittsburgh, PA. He played in a prep conference where such greats as Joe Montana, Dan Marino and Joe Namath came from. His senior season he racked up 2,978 passing yards and 30 touchdowns. That passing yardage total was the most in the conference’s 87 year history. He earned All-State and “Fab 22” honors both his junior and senior years. He was also a star on the basketball team, playing point guard and leading his team in scoring.
Gradkowski is a very mobile QB with a knack for making great throws on the run. He is a leader on the field and commands the respect of his teammates. Cool under fire is the name of the game when Bruce is at the helm. He rarely seems rattled and has a smooth over the top release. He has good field vision and great anticipation for when receivers are about to come open. In order to make the most of his chance at the next level Gradkowski needs to bulk up. He has a strong arm but his long ball seems to sail.
In 2005 Gradkowski completed 207 passes for 2469 yards and 29 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. It was a good year for Bruce and he ended the year with a bang, throwing for almost 600 yards and 6 touchdowns in the final 2 games. Now Gradkowski will take a shot at the NFL. He has the measurables to be a complete NFL QB, but he is not expected to be a high draft pick. Most of his college career was spent in the shotgun, and Bruce has smaller hands which lead to an increase in fumbles. He is very accurate and a student of the game, so there is certainly a team out there that will take a chance on him in the 2nd day of the draft.
Marshawn Lynch – RB – California Golden Bears
5’11” 200 lbs. – Sophomore – 23rd ranked high school RB when entering college
Rush/Receiving Stats Att Yards TDS Rec Yards TDS
Versus BYU in Las Vegas Bowl 24 194 3 - - -
Lynch was a superstar at Oakland Tech High School. He was a Super Prep All American and the San Francisco Chronicles East Bay Player of the Year in 2003. He put together a great run in the playoffs rushing for 375 yards with 115 yards receiving in 2 games. In the Silver Bowl Lynch blew it up for Tech in an upset win over Skyline HS where he ran for 233 yards and scored 6 touchdowns. During his high school career he had 54 touchdowns and was selected as one of the top 25 RB’s in the nation by several prep sources.
Marshawn Lynch has 4.3 speed and has a propensity to use it. He’s not just a flash and dash player though as Lynch can lower his head and deliver a blow if necessary. He is not a true power player, but is only a sophomore and still growing and adding weight. Moves and speed are where his games at and he is very effective at using both. He has great vision and cutback ability. His short area burst is amazing and he can really separate from defenders. He has added about 10 pounds of muscle from his freshmen year and still needs to bulk up more without losing his trademark speed.
This season Marshawn Lynch started off slowly with a finger injury that hampered his production in the early games. He ended the ’05 season with a bang, rushing for over 100 yards in 6 of his last 8 games, including a 194 yard performance in the Las Vegas Bowl. He averaged 6.4 yards per carry and is set to run away with the Cal record book. Scouts are very interested to see if Marshawn can have an injury free season in ’06 and possibly come out as a junior. Regardless, Lynch is a top RB in the country and should be watched closely the rest of his collegiate career.
Brandon Marshall – WR – UCF Golden Knights
6’4” 230 lbs. – Senior – 198th ranked high school WR when entering college
Rush/Receiving Stats Att Yards TDS Rec Yards TDS
Versus Nevada in Hawaii Bowl - - - 11 210 3
Marshall graduated from Lake Howell High School in 2002 where he was an all state selection and Seminole County’s Utility Player of the Year. During his prep career he accounted for many touchdowns on both offense and defense. He was chosen to play in the All-Central Florida Game where he was named offensive MVP. In addition to being a star on the gridiron, Marshall was a lettermen in track and basketball for 3 years.
When breaking down film on Marshall the first thing that stands out is his size. He has a great frame and weighs a solid 230 pounds. His work ethic is tremendous, and more than makes up for his lack of speed. Marshall is not a burner by any means but knows how to use his frame to shield away defenders from an incoming pass. His size also gives him an advantage in the red zone where he can outjump smaller DB’s. He is also very adept at timing and catching the ball at it’s highest point. He is still undisciplined as a route runner and must improve on that if he wants any chance of sticking with a pro team.
Marshall is a great all-around athlete that moved to safety in 2004 because the team was decimated by injuries to the defensive backfield. He started 3 games at WR in ’04, and 7 games at safety. The Knights went winless in ’04, but really turned it around this year, winning the Conference USA East title. A large part of that was due to Marshall’s playmaking ability at WR. He finished the ’05 season with 1,195 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns. He plays with a good fire and is a willing, and very able, blocker. It’s these attributes that will land him on a team somewhere, most likely as a 2nd day pick. But with his determination Marshall could turn into a very productive slot receiver at the NFL level.
Luke Getsy – QB – Akron Zips
6’2” 220 lbs. – Junior – 58th ranked high school QB when entering college
Passing Stats Comp Att Yards TDS INT Att Yards TDS
Versus Memphis in Motor City Bowl 34 59 455 4 0 - - -
Getsy was a great prep QB that led Steel Valley High School to four WPIAL playoff appearances. He was named by the Associated Press to the Small School All-State 1st team. Over the course of his prep career he completed 54% of his passes and threw for more than 6,000 yards with 59 touchdowns. He also played cornerback in high school and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette named him to the All-Century Conference team. He was a great student, and a member of the National Honors Society. He lettered 4 years in basketball and 2 years in baseball.
Luke Getsy is a disciplined QB that can make all the necessary throws in the NFL. He has a good size/strength combination and can stand in the pocket and deliver the throw while in the face of the rush. He is an excellent student of the game and is very adept at running the West Coast Offense to perfection. He can read defenses very well and makes good decisions with the football. Getsy is not a scrambling QB, but can throw with decent accuracy on the run. He has a good feel for the pass rush and is athletic enough to get away from defenders and deliver the ball. Getsy can look overwhelmed at times and needs to work on his leadership skills in his final season of college.
Luke Getsy transferred from Pittsburgh and thus had to sit out the 2004 season. He ran the scout team and coaches were enamored with his skill set. In just one season as the Zips starter he has already tied Charlie Frye’s mark for 400 yard passing games in a career. Getsy set all kinds of records at this year’s Motor City Bowl, and looks to continue his hot streak in 2006. He finished the ’05 season with 3,455 yards passing and 23 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. Look for Luke Getsy to continue to chase down more of Charlie Frye’s records and his draft stock should rise considerably for the 2007 draft.
Sidney Rice – WR – South Carolina Gamecocks
6’4” 191 lbs. – Freshmen – 25th ranked high school WR when entering college
Rush/Receiving Stats Att Yards TDS Rec Yards TDS
Versus Missouri in Independence Bowl - - - 12 191 1
Sidney was considered the best football prospect in South Carolina after his senior season at Gaffney High School. He ended his prep career with 138 receptions for 2,500 yards with 25 touchdowns. He won many awards for his brilliant career, including the High School Sports Report Player of the Year. Rice was also a star on the basketball court, averaging 18 points and 7 rebounds a game on a prep team that went 28-0.
Sidney Rice is a tall, rangy receiver that is only getting better and bigger. He redshirted in 2004, and made a big splash in 2005 with 70 catches for 1,143 yards and 13 touchdowns. He has a great size/speed combination and is known as a big time playmaker. His athleticism is top notch, and his moves are fluid. He has good hips and he can change directions on a dime. He has good concentration and consistently catches the ball at it’s highest point. Rice has a great vertical leap and can get above defensive backs with ease. He needs to become a more polished route runner and take full advantage of his skill set.
Rice has become the big time weapon that many envisioned him being in college. Steve Spurrier is the ole ball coach and certainly knows how to inflate the passing game. Spurrier will make the most of Rice this upcoming season in what some say is Sidney’s last year in college. Rice has all the physical tools to be an impact player at the next level. It remains to be seen if he can outrun the not-so-great history of Florida receivers in the NFL.
Joseph Addai – RB – LSU Tigers
6’0” 210 lbs. – Senior – 17th ranked high school RB when entering college
Rush/Receiving Stats Att Yards TDS Rec Yards TDS
Versus Miami in Peach Bowl 24 130 1 - - -
Addai is another player from a long line of Texas preps that have the ability to play in the NFL. He was a prep star at Sharpstown High School in Houston. During his senior season Addai, then a QB, compiled 1,429 yards rushing with 26 touchdowns. He was an All-State player at the 5A level and was considered to be one of the top 100 prospects in the country at any position. He also excelled in track as a sprinter. He was clocked in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.7, and in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.1.
Joseph Addai has always had the skill to be a dominant runner at the collegiate level. He is a powerful runner with great speed and the ability to accelerate quickly. Addai is a versatile runner and a very capable receiver out of the backfield. His initial burst is very quick, and he’s able to get to top speed in the blink of an eye. He has shown patience as a runner, waiting for his blocks to develop and then hitting the hole at an incredible rate. He is able to “get skinny” and squeeze through tight holes in the defense.
Look for Addai to make his biggest move during the combine. He has been inconsistent during his college career but could really make a move up the draft charts with a strong showing in Indianapolis. In 2005 Addai had five 100-yard games, and rushed for 911 yards and 9 touchdowns. Ankle injuries prevented his 2005 campaign from being among the NCAA leaders, and Joseph is intent on proving that he has 1st round talent. So far in Senior Bowl practices this week Addai has been looking pretty strong. We’ll see if he can carry that over to the game and upcoming NFL combine.
Bret Meyer – QB – Iowa State Cyclones
6’4” 205 lbs. – Sophomore – 69th ranked high school QB when entering college
Passing Stats Comp Att Yards TDS INT Att Yards TDS
Versus TCU in Houston Bowl 20 33 254 3 2 - - -
Bret Meyer has been a top-notch player for years in Iowa. He starred at Atlantic High School in Atlantic, IA and decided to stay in his home state and attend Iowa State. As a senior he passed for almost 2,000 yards with 20 touchdowns and only 7 interceptions. This was good enough for the 2nd highest yardage total in 3A football as he led his team to a 13-0 record and a state championship. MVP honors, and all class All-State honors came his way after his strong performance in the playoffs. He was 1st team all-conference as a junior and a senior and was listed amongst the top 35 dual threat QB’s in the nation according to several resources. In addition to being a superstar prep QB, Meyer also played basketball, baseball, and ran track. He was named All-Conference in basketball for 3 of his 4 seasons.
Meyer is a spectacular athlete that many Division-I programs would love to have on their team. He is somewhat slender, but should add more size to his frame as his college career progresses. His maturity has shown through recently, and he seems to be more careful with the football than he was in his early days in college. He can stand tall in the pocket and deliver laser shots all over the field, or he can break down and run for the 1st down when needed. He has a long gait, which makes him easier to arm tackle, but those long strides can chew up yardage in a hurry. His mechanics suffer when he’s throwing on the run, but his accuracy doesn’t take a huge hit. He is a running QB in the mold of Big XII studs Reggie McNeal and Vince Young. When hurried to throw the ball in a collapsing pocket he often throws off his back foot, which makes his long passes sail.
Bret Meyer set a Houston Bowl record with 3 TD passes against TCU. Last year in the Independence Bowl he threw for over 100 yards and scrambled for 122 yards on 23 carries versus Miami. That performance earned him the game’s offensive MVP. He redshirted in his first year of college and was named ISU’s scout team player of the year. In 2005 Meyer proved he was more than just a mad scrambler. He passed for 2,876 yards with 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while rushing for only 123 yards during the 2005 season. He is clearly on the top of scout’s lists for the upcoming drafts and it will be exciting to see this playmaker progress to what many think will be a fine NFL career.
Michael Robinson Sr. – QB – Penn State Nittany Lions
6’2” 217 lbs. – Senior – unranked high school QB when entering college
Passing Stats Comp Att Yards TDS INT Att Yards TDS
Versus Florida State in Orange Bowl 21 39 253 1 1 17 21 0
Robinson was a standout high school QB at Varina High School in Richmond, VA. He was an incredible 4 year starter earning All-State honors his final 2 seasons. His finest year was his senior season when he ran for 1,281 yards and passed for 1,056 yards while scoring 15 touchdowns. In addition to being a gridiron star that led his team to 4 consecutive playoff berths, Robinson was also a sprinter on the high school track team.
Michael Robinson is a superb athlete that can play Quarterback, Runningback, or Wide Receiver. He will more than likely be a WR in the NFL, so lets look at his skill set from the wide out position. Michael has an explosive burst which suits him when route running or after the catch. He can run through arm tackles consistently and has a spin move that will leave most defenders grasping for air. He has natural hands and instinctively catches the ball with his arms extended at the highest point. He has a great leaping ability and could really be a threat in the red zone with jump passes. He has a good second gear and can get to the 2nd level of a defense in a hurry on a WR screen. And, of course, with his Quarterback background he would also be good in trick plays.
Robinson showed in the Senior Bowl why he will not be a NFL QB. But with his freakish athletic ability there are plenty of teams out there that will consider drafting him as a WR. With so many college QB’s switching to WR in the pro’s, Robinson could make a seamless jump in that same direction. For most of his college career he played other positions, so this won’t be a big change and it won’t bruise his ego. Michael Robinson is a great athlete that needs to be on the football field. There are ways to get him the ball in space and let him create with his gamebreaking ability. Robinson may not throw many passes in his NFL career, but he sure could rack up a ton of yards if used properly.
