Texas Vs. The Nation Weigh-In Report by Sigmund Bloom
Today, I had the rare opportunity to eavesdrop on catch glimpses of players as they left the Texas Vs. The Nation weigh-in. It was standing room only at the Hilton Garden Inn Del Norte meeting room and the kids were on display like choice cuts in a butcher’s store. Unfortunately, Willie Gaston, a DB from Houston, and Quintin Echols, a DT from Kansas State, were both no-shows. They were coming off great performances in the Hula Bowl and the Shrine Game, respectively, so maybe that had something to do with it. I’ve been taught that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Without naming names, I did see one scout shake his head and gesture like he was crossing a name off a sheet of paper when a player with an unimpressive physique took to the scales – this is important in the big scheme of things. Here are some of the players who instead raised eyebrows for good reasons:
Texas
• Allen Barbre, OT, Missouri Southern – Barbre measured up at 6’3 7/8” and 302 with very little flab, increasing his chances of staying at OT in the pros.
• Dathon Brown, CB, Texas College – Brown is 6’0” 193 and in great shape. His 32” arms are also good for a CB.
• Kenyuta Dawson, LB, Texas Tech – Dawson had an imposing physique with 271 lbs on only a 6’1” 1/8 frame. One scout noted that “he just keeps getting bigger and bigger”.
• James Finley, WR, Oregon – Here’s another pass-catcher with the metrics to stick at the next level. He was a toned 6’2” 208, but with 34” arms and 10 ¼” hands.
• Vincent Marshall, WR/RT, Houston – The mighty mite award goes to Marshall, who packs 161 lbs of muscle on his 5’7 1/8” frame. His hands are 9 5/8”, bigger than you would expect.
• Stephen McDonald, FB, Syracuse – McDonald’s upper body was scary thick, packing 248 lbs on a 5’11 5/8” frame. He has the same body as Chong Li from the movie “Bloodsport”
• Alex Obemese, DE, UTEP – Obemese is so well-defined that he almost looks like a bodybuilder, but he’s not overly bulky. He came in at 6’2 ½”, 245.
• Josh Swogger, QB, Montana – The calling of Swogger’s name inspired the biggest murmur of the morning until Walter Thomas walked in the room. Josh measured 6’ 4 1/4” and tipped the scales at a toned 234 with room for more bulk.
• Ramonce Taylor, RB/RT, Texas College – Ramonce has not been lazy since he left UT. He measured 5’ 10 1/8” and weighted in at a very defined 193 lbs. His 10” hands and 32 1/8 arms suggest that he could be a WR in the NFL.
• Walter Thomas, DT, North Mississippi CC – Your star of the weigh-in. He drew reactions ranging from gasps to smiles to a simple shake of the head in disbelief. Thomas is 6’4” 370. He’s got some baby fat, but he’s a legit 335 without it, and that’s without the benefit of a formal weight training regimen – just natural size. His upper body weighs more than I do, and I love fried food. His body screamed NFL.
Nation
• Calvin Bannister, DB/Return Specialist, Hampton – Bad news: Calvin was only 5’7 1/4”, Good News: He weighted in at 182 pounds of sculpted muscle.
• Clifton Dawson, RB, Harvard – Dawson had a nice NFL RB profile – a compact 5’9 ¾” and well defined 209 lbs. with the thick thighs you want in a pro back.
• Jonathan Palmer, OL, Auburn – Palmer is 6’ 4 3/8”, tipping the scales at 335, and with about as little flab as any OL here. He’s also got 34 ½ inch arms, always a plus on an offensive lineman.
• Maurice Price, WR, Charleston Southern – Price’s reported workout numbers paint the picture of an elite athlete, and he did not disappoint in person. He’s 6’1 1/8” and 194 lbs. with little signs of body fat. His 9 7/8” hands will also serve him well at the next level.
• Jay Staggs, OLB/S, UNLV – Staggs looks like a nice safety for the pros with his very toned 5’11 ¼” and 211 pound frame. He seemed to be in as good of shape as anyone we saw this morning.
• Junior Taylor, WR, UCLA – Junior is clearly in top notch shape, with a toned, balanced 208 lb. build spread out over 6’ 1 3/8”, but it was his 10 7/8” hands that clearly got the scouts’ attention.
• Tyrone Timmons, WR, Mississippi Valley State – Timmons has an ideal NFL WR frame – 6’3” 219 (and in very good shape) with 10 1/2” hands and 33 3/8” arms.
• Jesse Wendt, WR, Wisconsin-Stout – Jesse is another WR built for the next level. He’s a well-toned 6’2 3/8” and 228 pounds, which would make his reported 40 time in the 4.4s that much more impressive.
Today, I had the rare opportunity to eavesdrop on catch glimpses of players as they left the Texas Vs. The Nation weigh-in. It was standing room only at the Hilton Garden Inn Del Norte meeting room and the kids were on display like choice cuts in a butcher’s store. Unfortunately, Willie Gaston, a DB from Houston, and Quintin Echols, a DT from Kansas State, were both no-shows. They were coming off great performances in the Hula Bowl and the Shrine Game, respectively, so maybe that had something to do with it. I’ve been taught that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Without naming names, I did see one scout shake his head and gesture like he was crossing a name off a sheet of paper when a player with an unimpressive physique took to the scales – this is important in the big scheme of things. Here are some of the players who instead raised eyebrows for good reasons:
Texas
• Allen Barbre, OT, Missouri Southern – Barbre measured up at 6’3 7/8” and 302 with very little flab, increasing his chances of staying at OT in the pros.
• Dathon Brown, CB, Texas College – Brown is 6’0” 193 and in great shape. His 32” arms are also good for a CB.
• Kenyuta Dawson, LB, Texas Tech – Dawson had an imposing physique with 271 lbs on only a 6’1” 1/8 frame. One scout noted that “he just keeps getting bigger and bigger”.
• James Finley, WR, Oregon – Here’s another pass-catcher with the metrics to stick at the next level. He was a toned 6’2” 208, but with 34” arms and 10 ¼” hands.
• Vincent Marshall, WR/RT, Houston – The mighty mite award goes to Marshall, who packs 161 lbs of muscle on his 5’7 1/8” frame. His hands are 9 5/8”, bigger than you would expect.
• Stephen McDonald, FB, Syracuse – McDonald’s upper body was scary thick, packing 248 lbs on a 5’11 5/8” frame. He has the same body as Chong Li from the movie “Bloodsport”
• Alex Obemese, DE, UTEP – Obemese is so well-defined that he almost looks like a bodybuilder, but he’s not overly bulky. He came in at 6’2 ½”, 245.
• Josh Swogger, QB, Montana – The calling of Swogger’s name inspired the biggest murmur of the morning until Walter Thomas walked in the room. Josh measured 6’ 4 1/4” and tipped the scales at a toned 234 with room for more bulk.
• Ramonce Taylor, RB/RT, Texas College – Ramonce has not been lazy since he left UT. He measured 5’ 10 1/8” and weighted in at a very defined 193 lbs. His 10” hands and 32 1/8 arms suggest that he could be a WR in the NFL.
• Walter Thomas, DT, North Mississippi CC – Your star of the weigh-in. He drew reactions ranging from gasps to smiles to a simple shake of the head in disbelief. Thomas is 6’4” 370. He’s got some baby fat, but he’s a legit 335 without it, and that’s without the benefit of a formal weight training regimen – just natural size. His upper body weighs more than I do, and I love fried food. His body screamed NFL.
Nation
• Calvin Bannister, DB/Return Specialist, Hampton – Bad news: Calvin was only 5’7 1/4”, Good News: He weighted in at 182 pounds of sculpted muscle.
• Clifton Dawson, RB, Harvard – Dawson had a nice NFL RB profile – a compact 5’9 ¾” and well defined 209 lbs. with the thick thighs you want in a pro back.
• Jonathan Palmer, OL, Auburn – Palmer is 6’ 4 3/8”, tipping the scales at 335, and with about as little flab as any OL here. He’s also got 34 ½ inch arms, always a plus on an offensive lineman.
• Maurice Price, WR, Charleston Southern – Price’s reported workout numbers paint the picture of an elite athlete, and he did not disappoint in person. He’s 6’1 1/8” and 194 lbs. with little signs of body fat. His 9 7/8” hands will also serve him well at the next level.
• Jay Staggs, OLB/S, UNLV – Staggs looks like a nice safety for the pros with his very toned 5’11 ¼” and 211 pound frame. He seemed to be in as good of shape as anyone we saw this morning.
• Junior Taylor, WR, UCLA – Junior is clearly in top notch shape, with a toned, balanced 208 lb. build spread out over 6’ 1 3/8”, but it was his 10 7/8” hands that clearly got the scouts’ attention.
• Tyrone Timmons, WR, Mississippi Valley State – Timmons has an ideal NFL WR frame – 6’3” 219 (and in very good shape) with 10 1/2” hands and 33 3/8” arms.
• Jesse Wendt, WR, Wisconsin-Stout – Jesse is another WR built for the next level. He’s a well-toned 6’2 3/8” and 228 pounds, which would make his reported 40 time in the 4.4s that much more impressive.
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