South Carolina All-American Eric Norwood Shows off at Pro Day.Geathers did too;

[cowboyjoe]

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South Carolina's Norwood Shows Off At Pro Day
Acworth Native Prepares For NFL

POSTED: 8:33 pm EDT March 31,2010

facebookdel.icio.usbuzzdiggreddit›› Email›› PrintCOLUMBIA, S.C -- South Carolina All-American Eric Norwood loves thinking about the pro career ahead of him. And he's ready for the waiting to end.

"I'm a little anxious," said Norwood, the Gamecocks' career sacks leader. "I'm ready for it to be over with, to find out where I'm going and start playing football again."

Norwood took a big step toward that goal as he lifted and went through position drills in front of NFL scouts and staffers at Williams-Brice Stadium at South Carolina's pro day on Wednesday.

Norwood did not run the 40-yard dash with several former teammates, standing on the official 4.71-second time he put up at the NFL's scouting combine in Indianapolis in February. The 6-foot-1, 241 pound linebacker bench pressed the 225-pound weight 21 times and showed off his quick feet and reflexes for representatives from 28 pro teams.

"I think I did well," Norwood said. "I dropped a couple of balls, but other than that, the drills still looked fine. That's what I heard from everybody else so I'll take their word for it."

Norwood is projected by several services as a second-round NFL pick, although he's hoping his workouts and background push him higher.

Norwood, from Acworth, Ga., struggled academically in high school and was rejected twice by South Carolina. He finally enrolled as a special admit and graduated in December. Along the way, Norwood also earned the school's sacks record with 29. He also holds the career mark with 43 tackles for loss.

Still, he's got more than three weeks until he knows his next move for sure. Sounds like he's got the interest, though. Norwood was heading to Pittsburgh to meet with Steelers on Thursday. He also had a session scheduled with the Atlanta Falcons.

While Norwood has no worries about getting drafted, several of his former South Carolina teammates hoped to catch the eye of NFL personnel.

Defensive end Clifton Geathers is heading to the NFL after his junior season. He thinks his showing Wednesday could've improved his position from a late-round pick to perhaps as high as the third round.

Geathers' pedigree can't hurt. His brother, Robert Geathers, is a starting defensive lineman for the Cincinnati Bengals and his uncle, Jumpy Geathers, was a longtime NFL standout.

"I've been trying my best, doing what the coaches ask me to do and being myself," Clifton Geathers said. The draft process has been a "great experience, the experience of a lifetime," he said.

Other Gamecocks who took part in drills were offensive linemen Lemeul Jeanpierre and Garrett Anderson, linebackers Marvin Sapp and Gerrod Sinclair, receiver Moe Brown and safety Darrian Stewart.

"It's always good to see Gamecocks in the NFL," Anderson said.

The ex-South Carolina players got some encouragement from those watching, including Gamecock basketball coaches Darrin Horn and Dawn Staley, and former South Carolina and current Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Sheldon Brown.

Moe Brown was glad for the backing, and for the NFL turnout.

After opening 5-1, South Carolina stumbled home by losing five of its final seven games, including a humbling defeat to Connecticut in the PapaJohn's.com Bowl. Still, Brown said pro scouts saw the talent that will eventually point the Gamecocks toward the top of the Southeastern Conference.

"We didn't quite pull it together, but we always had a team the past four years ever since I've been here that could compete for the Southeastern Conference championship," Brown said. "I guess the NFL scouts see that same talent level."

Norwood was a big part of it the last four seasons. He remembers when he was a young defensive end at South Carolina before he was shifted to linebacker by assistant head coach Ellis Johnson. Norwood acknowledged he most likely furthered his upcoming pro career when he chose to return for his senior year instead of jump to the NFL back in 2009.

"I don't think I had the same confidence that I have in this whole process," he said. "It's been great."

[cowboyjoe]

Adams, Bush shine at S.C. State Pro Day
By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer Wednesday, March 31, 2010
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A spent, sweaty Oliver “Tre” Young rushed off the Oliver C. Dawson Stadium playing field Wednesday searching for the nearest water bottle.

The Charleston native and South Carolina State wide receiver had just wrapped up a little over two hours of non-stop tests and position drills in hot temperatures in front of 12 NFL scouts and numerous on-lookers. Along with lifting weights, posting a time in the 40-yard dash and measuring his vertical leap with 11 fellow Bulldogs during Wednesday’s Pro Day, Young was held an additional 30 minutes to field punts from Wofford’s Chris Tommie and catch passes from Fayetteville State quarterback and former S.C. State teammate Bryan Hardy.

As Young drenched and quenched himself with water, he was satisfied his efforts were enough to earn him either a call on draft day or as a free agent.

“Coming in, we knew we were going to get worked out pretty good, so we tried to train and get ourselves ready for this,” Young said. “It was a little bit longer than I expected and it kind of got to me a little bit, but I pulled through. I worked pretty hard, so it wasn’t all that bad.”

Young was timed three times in the 40-yard dash, averaging an unofficial 4.5 seconds, and had a vertical leap of 36 inches. He was also consistent catching the football and credited his conditioning with working with new strength and conditioning coach Torre Becton.

“He knew about the Pro Day as soon as he got here. so we went in and talked to him and he pretty much kind of gave us some guidance in what to expect from these scouts today,” Young said. “So I pretty much give all the praise to him in trying to get us ready for this event.”

It was a pair of Bulldog defensive backs who caught the most attention from scouts with their testing. Both cornerback Phillip Adams and free safety Rafael Bush ran 40-meter times around 4.4 seconds and were among the highest vertical leapers on the day.

“It’s been about four months and I’ve been working hard since Christmas break,” Bush said. “I’m just trying to get it in, get a look at and get an opportunity.”

While Bush wanted to put himself in position to get a serious look, Adams and his agent, Adam Sattler, were optimistic he did enough to move him into becoming a second-day draft selection from the teams present which included Indianapolis, Atlanta, San Diego, Kansas City, Green Bay, Tennessee, Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, Oakland, Seattle, San Francisco and Super Bowl Champion New Orleans.

Adams attributed his showing with working the past four months in Dallas, Texas with former NFL defensive back Kevin Smith and former pro players.

“I think I might have sealed it with the 4.4,” Adams said. “But, if I didn’t, God works in mysterious ways and you never know. What he has for me, he has for me. But, talk is talk. Everybody talks and hopefully, I’ll be picked on April 22.”

It was a low profile day for running back William Ford. The school and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference all-time leading rusher had 16 reps of 225 in the bench press, and posted a 32-inch vertical, but declined the 40-yard dash and agility drills as he’s still rehabilitating his surgically-repaired left knee.

While receiving clearance from his doctor Tuesday, Ford was cautioned about going full tilt. Ford said the scouts were receptive to his non-participation in the 40-meters and agility drills and seemed pleased with what he was able to accomplish.

“They liked what they saw as far as coming off of surgery,” he said. “It was real good day for me. Being the person that I am, I always try to shoot for the stars, so I felt like it was alright. They liked what they saw. Just a little more preparation and I’ll get an opportunity to do the rest of my drills and it will look real good.”

Ford is hopeful of reaching full strength prior to the draft and his agent arranging an individual workout. As for his teammates, the work continues.

“We’re waiting on some teams to talk,” Adams said. “Waiting on them to give us feedback. But we’re open for it. If not, we’ll just be looking forward to the draft. A lot of teams have already seen me.”

“It’s not that far off,” Young said. “The draft is right around the corner, so right now, it’s just a matter of staying in shape and trying to condition a lot more for any situation that might come up.”

contact the writer: tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or call (803) 533-5547.

[Woods]

Does anyone know if Norwood could project to play ILB in a 34 defense?

I was thinking he may give the Cowboys another option there at the LB position.