2008 Senior Bowl Tuesday Practice Reports

[Goldenrichards83]

What do you know about him?, I know about Jones, Stewart, Rice, etc, But I keep hearing his name, maybe 2nd or 3rd round?.

Strengths:
Natural runner with excellent instincts...Terrific vision...Hits the hole hard..Is tough and aggressive...Adequate blocker...Good hands and can catch the ball out of the backfield...Nice balance...Hard worker and leader with top intangibles...Productive.

Weaknesses:
Timed speed is just average...Not very elusive and doesn't have much wiggle...He doesn't run with a lot of power and lacks strength...Is not a big play threat...Might run too physical for his own good...Durability is a concern..Upside could be limited.

Notes:
Began his college career at Oklahoma where he redshirted in '03 and then backed up Adrian Peterson in '04...Was granted a transfer waiver by the NCAA and didn't have to sit out a year due to extenuating family circumstances...He led the ACC in rushing as a junior...Does everything well but nothing great..It wouldn't be a total shock if he ended up being a starter but he probably profiles as more of a backup

 

[Goldenrichards83]

I am also worried about Mckelvin but theogt is right that one of the elite corners should be availible at #22 but I want this kid sooo bad.

 

[theogt]

Not very elusive and doesn't have much wiggle.

In my opinion, this is just flat out wrong. His "wiggle" is his biggest asset.

 

[Goldenrichards83]

In my opinion, this is just flat out wrong. His "wiggle" is his biggest asset.

Those came from Nfldraftcountdown and I agree with you but everything else is pretty spot on.

 

[theogt]

Those came from Nfldraftcountdown and I agree with you but everything else is pretty spot on.

Well that's no surprise. I disagree with Scott more often than not, it seems.

 

[theogt]

Video of Monday's practices of the South 1-on-1 WR drills.

Notice how easy it is for Doucet to get behind his corner. He makes Lee look like a high schooler.

 

[theogt]

Senior Bowl Practice Report: Tuesday North Team
Senior Bowl Practice Report
North Team
Rob Rang, NFLDraftScout.com
Tues, January 22, 2008, Mobile, AL -- The Tuesday practice in Mobile is one of the more heavily scouted events of the year. Some scouts don't even arrive until Monday afternoon, as the first day of practice has the players in shells. Tuesday, on the other hand, the players are in pads, still fresh, and eager to improve their stock with scouts or make a dramatic impression on the NFL coaches that are seeing them for the first time.

With my attention yesterday focusing on the quarterbacks, wide receivers, and cornerbacks, I focused on the offensive and defensive lines today. Despite cloudy skies that threatened rain the entire morning, the precipitation never came, providing steady, solid ground to accurately assess the athleticism and strength of the big men. Scouting "the pit" is always one of the more entertaining times of scouting any all-star game, and the elite athleticism usually on hand for the Senior Bowl makes it the elite stage for hand to hand battle.

With one notable exception, the offensive line has been generally a dominant force in the first two days of practice. A lack of quality defensive ends has made an already strong offensive line appear even better. A breakdown of each position follows.

Offensive Tackles:

While Boston College's Gosder Cherilus and Ohio State's Kirk Barton flashed, at times, Tuesday, the day belonged to USC's Sam Baker and Nebraska's behemoth Carl Nicks.

Baker is the elite pass blocker on the North squad. He has good initial quickness, uses his hands well, and has the lateral agility to react to edge rushers and their attempts to spin back to the inside. Both in individual drills and the scrimmage held later, Baker's consistency as a pass rusher stands out. The four year starter isn't a mauler in the running game, but he uses his hands well and understands angles, making him very effective in this area. Baker is solidifying his first round status so far this week.

Nicks isn't the mobile pass blocker that Baker is, but is much more physical in the running game. When he gets his hands on a defender, he can ride them completely out of the play. For measuring in at a shade under 6-5, 343 pounds, Nicks is surprisingly quick on his feet -- so much so that he's played predominately at left tackle this week. He's struggled a bit against speed rushers, but mostly during individual drills. During the scrimmage, itself, Nicks was quite impressive. While I question his ability to hold up -- at least initially -- as a left tackle in the pros, Nicks may have established himself as the top right tackle prospect in the draft.

Gosder Cherilus is a bit of an enigma. He flashes the foot quickness to handle speed rushers and he uses his long arms well. He's been used both at left and right tackle this week and has struggled, at times, at both spots. During individual battles, Cherilus would dominate his opponent on one snap and give up an easy pressure the next. In the scrimmage, Cherilus was generally solid, but gave up a terrible "sack" to Lawrence Jackson, in which Jackson (more on him later) simply beat him off the edge. It was the worst play of the day for Cherilus and one that left scouts muttering, but it was only one play. Cherilus has the agility and long arms to play right tackle, but his inconsistency in space could force a team to move him inside to guard early in his career.

The surprise of the day may have been Ohio State's Kirk Barton. He's shown more agility than expected and is clearly taking this week very seriously. He's very strong and uses his hands well to generate movement at the line of scrimmage. If he continues his strong week of practice, Barton could move into the middle rounds.

Offensive Guards:

Oregon State's Roy Schuening has been every bit the consistent blocker he proved throughout his career with the Beavers. His strong hand play, lateral quickness, and anchor make him a candidate to be the first guard selected in April. The surprise of the North's offensive line group, however, may be another Pac-10 guard.

Drew Radovich rarely got much press surrounded by so much talent at USC, but he's played very well so far. Radovich has more than held his own inside, despite moving back and forth between right and left guard. Radovich, in fact, has been so impressive, I wish the Raiders' staff would give him a chance at tackle, as at 6-4, 302 pounds, he has the size and has shown surprising agility. Radovich clearly had the block of the day early in the scrimmage. On a screen pass, Radovich obliterated linebacker Jordon Dizon and went on to block cornerback DeJuan Tribble, as well. The block on Dizon cleared the hole for the running back (Justin Forsett), making a gain of 3-4 yards into a 10-12 yarder. His following through on the block against Tribble, could have sprung Forsett for a touchdown in a real game situation. Radovich was the most pleasant surprise of the day among offensive linemen.

Coming out of Northern Iowa, Chad Rinehart had a lot to prove this week, but he's held up well. He needs to add more strength, as he can get pushed back into the pocket, on occasion, but he has good initial quickness, uses his hands quite well for a small school prospect, and has the lateral agility to mirror the defender. As a run blocker, he gets movement at the point of attack and can get to the second level.

Centers:

Despite exchange problems yesterday, the center position appears to be one of the North's strengths, as both Arizona State's Mike Pollack and Notre Dame's John Sullivan have been impressive. Pollack is the stronger of the two and is generally the more effective run blocker. He uses his hands well and drives his opponent back. Sullivan has good lateral quickness and was the only interior lineman able to slow down DT Sedrick Ellis during individual drills. Though he struggled against Ellis early (as did everyone), Sullivan raised his game a notch and won some battles against Ellis later on. As impressive as Sullivan was during individual drills, however, he gave up a "big tackle for loss" against Ellis during the scrimmage, in which the USC defender simply blew by him with his quickness. During the scrimmage, Pollack was the more consistent of the two. Pollack ranks higher in my mind because of his physicality, but Sullivan has legitimized his ranking as a mid-pivot, as well.

Defensive Tackle:

A hamstring injury suffered by North Carolina's Kentwan Balmer left this a drastically reduced position. The opinion of many scouts in attendance was that Balmer was the most intriguing prospect on the field yesterday. Not only did he impress with his 26 pound weight change (listed by UNC at 282, but measured here at 308), he looked solid at this weight. Yesterday, he was impressive, showing good burst off the snap, lateral agility, and strength at the point of attack. Unfortunately, towards the end of Monday's practice, Balmer pulled his hamstring and will not play the rest of the week. No substitute for Balmer has been announced.

Scouts were intrigued by Balmer because of his emergence as a senior. Sedrick Ellis, on the other hand, has been the dominant player expected. Blessed with very good quickness, great strength at the point of attack, and a relentless motor, Ellis has proven himself to be the elite prospect in this game. His ability to collapse the pocket has given every center/guard in Mobile trouble.

Notre Dame's Trevor Laws has helped himself this week. Despite a lack of size (6007, 297), Laws has enough strength at the point of attack to not get washed out. His best assets, however, are clearly his burst off the snap, high motor, and excellent hand use. There isn't a defensive tackle in this game better at slapping away the blockers' initial hand punch. Laws has the burst to operate as three technique tackle, but his lack of size will push him towards the middle rounds.

NC State's DeMario Pressley has been a disappointment. He has good initial quickness off the snap, but doesn't use his hands well enough to disengage from blocks and has struggled to locate the ball this week. He flashed strength at the point of attack during the scrimmage, but was beaten -- sometimes badly -- during individual drills.

Defensive End:

As expected, USC's Lawrence Jackson has been the most consistent of the North's defensive ends. Unfortunately, however, that isn't saying much as this is the weakest crop of pass rushers in recent Senior Bowl history.

Jackson has the best size of the North's defensive ends and flashes strength and discipline as a run defender. He is a good fit as a left defensive end due to his strength -- and because he simply lacks speed off the edge. Jackson had one "sack" off the edge against Gosder Cherilus, but has struggled to generate a consistent pass rush during the scrimmage or even individual drills.

Undersized pass rushers Cliff Avril and Bruce Davis have had their moments this week. Avril has been the more consistent of the two, showing the speed off the edge to generate pressure against even the North's best tackles. His speed was too much for Sam Baker, at times, and he has the quick spin inside to compliment this speed. Avril also showed some explosiveness in his bull rush, but may simply lack the stout frame and strength to remain at end in the NFL. Surprisingly enough, Avril, at 6-3, 252 pounds, has not been used at linebacker at all this week. Davis, on the other hand, has been moved back and forth between end and linebacker. An end for UCLA, Davis showed intriguing change of direction in some early linebacker drills, but is understandably lost in coverage. As a pass rusher, Davis flashes explosive speed off the edge, but is too easily stalemated when his initial burst doesn't get him around the tackle.

Virginia Tech's Chris Ellis is an enigma. He flashes the strength, burst, and straight line speed scouts are looking for, but rarely demonstrates all of these tools on the same play and even more rarely makes the play. Ellis has talent, but like much of his career with the Hokies, he seems content with being mediocre.

 

[theogt]

Senior Bowl Practice Report: Tuesday North Team Player Notes
Senior Bowl Practice Report
North Team
Chad Reuter, NFLDraftScout.com
Tues, January 22, 2008, Mobile, AL -- The North team led things off in Mobile today with their morning practice. Many of these guys are happy to be in 60 degree weather with clouds, considering they either have snow or bitterly cold temperatures waiting for them at home. The plethora of USC prospects (nine) on the North team makes these practices look like the annual Trojan Huddle spring game. OT Sam Baker, OLB Keith Rivers, DT Sedrick Ellis are all likely first-round selections and DE Lawrence Jackson, CB Terrell Thomas, TE Fred Davis, OG Drew Radovich, RB Chauncey Washington, QB John David Booty have all performed well. Rivers and Ellis may be the two best players, and therefore the likely highest-drafted, in the game.



See below for comments on individual players:

Dan Connor, ILB, Penn State: Lined up inside, where he played his senior year at Penn State. One of the smoothest 'backers in drops, staying low and moving at the correct angle. Blew up WR Marcus Smith, breaking up the pass and getting a nice reaction from the crowd, as the big guy beat his man inside. Also showed good strength and quickness against TE Fred Davis over the middle, taking away the QB's primary read.

Eddie Royal, WR, Virginia Tech: Smoothest receiver on the field today, getting in and out of breaks very quickly. He let the ball into his body too often, however.

Jordy Nelson, WR, Kansas State: Strong build in both his upper and lower body. Not too quick in his release off the line, and struggles to sink hips and quickly get around coles in drills. But he has enough speed to get downfield and the concentration to make the tough catch.

Adarius Bowman, WR, Oklahoma State: Another tough practice for Bowman, dropping multiple passes and fumbling a ball after being stripped by CB Terrell Thomas. Watched two go right through his own hands. He's also not very sudden in his routes. He can, however, dominate a corner blocking downfield for the run.

Xavier Adibi, ILB, Virginia Tech: Joined Dan Connor as looking the smoothest getting back into coverage. But he's not just a runner…he took on big FB Owen Schmitt in the hole and stuffed a run play to his side.

Shawn Crable, OLB, Michigan: Again showed his ability to break on the ball when the play is in front of him. But he's not very quick getting back into coverage and lacks strength to take on pro linemen. Played sam 'backer today, lining up over the tight end at times. Stayed with most guys when jamming off the line. Closed quickly on FB Owen Schmitt in the flat and hit him…the question is whether he could wrap him up.

Bruce Davis, OLB, UCLA: Lacks experience getting back into coverage but has the athleticism on the strong side to get out in the flat and bring down the back quickly. TE Kellen Davis (no relation) taught Bruce he needed to get stronger. The Spartan created separation on a route up the seam, forced the Bruin to the ground, then made the catch.

Gosder Cherlius, OT, Boston College: Moved to right tackle after playing on the left side this past season. He struggles to get his big body moving off the snap. Can extend his arms to keep his man at bay, but does not sustain the effort past the first move. Lawrence Jackson took advantage of this multiple times in one-on-one drills, getting Cherilus off-balance and getting by him on effort.

Lavelle Hawkins, WR, California: Slender receiver who has good pop in and out of his cuts. Caught most balls with his hands. Has a nice burst to separate from corners down the field.

Beau Bell, OLB, UNLV: Left practice with a left knee injury. Does not get back into coverage easily, looking very slow in transition and stiff in his overall movement.

Fred Davis, TE, USC: Managed to stay in front of blitzers in one-on-one drills. Can get out of his stance well, and will chip and get downfield. Not very sudden, he can get easily knocked off the routes by safeties and linebackers.

Carl Nicks, OT, Nebraska: Played right tackle today, which is his likely position in the pros despite his playing on the weak side in Lincoln. Large body with good strength, but Nicks doesn't get out of his stance quickly and can get beaten on counter moves regularly. He does like to finish, though, working hard to put DE Lawrence Jackson down on the ground after he tried an outside-in pass rush move on one play.

Martin Rucker, TE, Missouri: Not a good day of in-line blocking for Rucker. Fell down after losing balance in one-on-one drills, then got ripped to the ground by DE Cliff Avril in 11-on-11's. Slow coming out of his stance when hand was on the ground…he often stood up at Missouri. Also had a false start in 7-on-7's.

Keith Rivers, OLB, USC: Looked like a man again today, using his strength to hold the point and hit the fullback in the hole in 7-on-7 run drills.

Dejuan Tribble, CB, Boston College: Coming in at 5'8.5" was a bad start to the week, and today's practice was no better. Too small to jam receivers at the line, even smaller guys like Lavelle Hawkins who beat him on a quick inside move. Lacked any sort of recovery speed to catch up with receivers that got past him…which was almost all of them.

Marcus Smith, WR, New Mexico: Large body, which he can use to shield defenders, but lacks much speed or suddenness in his routes. He and didn't finish the routes during drills, either, which drives coaches nuts. Inconsistent hands, even dropping a ball in one-on-one against a beaten S Thomas DeCoud.

Terrence Wheatley, CB, Colorado: Smallish corner with some straight-line speed. Willing to come back and hit receivers larger than he. Adarius Bowman revealed Wheatley's lack of size, though, whipping him at the line. Wheatley couldn't stay with Bowman through the rest of the square-in route, either, which is surprising given he is much quicker.

Terrell Thomas, CB, USC: Showed the physical presence, but if he was unsuccessful getting the game…forget it. Really lacks deep and recovery speed.

Joe Flacco, QB, Delaware: NFL size, to be sure, at 6'6", 232 pounds. The arm strength showed during the FCS playoffs was not a mirage. He can really let it fly! He could show more touch on shorter routes, but displayed a nice touch on a deep sideline route from the opposite hash. He's also a bit slow getting out from center and in his drop, probably because he was in the shotgun more often than not in college. He also needs to speed up his delivery during the game.

Cliff Avril, DE, Purdue: Has a nice burst playing with his hand down. Does get eaten up by larger OT, though, if he doesn't get those hands up into the chest for leverage. Split against Sam Baker in one-on-ones, once winning with speed and then losing by Baker's power and technique.

Drew Radovich, OG, USC: Quickly showed that he belongs inside at left guard in the pros. Gets up quickly at the point to get his ground. Got outside on a screen pass, blowing up a linebacker and then planting a corner on his backside to scouts' delight.

Trevor Laws, DT, Notre Dame: His quick first step at the 3-technique spot was evident. Split one-on-ones with OG Drew Radovich today, using his speed at times to get upfield on the guard's left shoulder…but if that didn't work, Radovich rode him out of the play and Laws didn't have the strength to counter.

Jason Jones, DE, Eastern Michigan: At times he looked out of his league today, especially when trying to bull rush guys like OT Kirk Barton. Did show a nice inside pass rush move later on against Gosder Cherilus, however, forcing the QB to make an early throw. Definitely a work in progress going from an interior guy to the edge.

Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC: It's a toss-up at this point whether Ellis or teammate OLB Keith Rivers will be the highest draft pick from this game. Showed a great burst and used his hands to get into the left shoulder of C Mike Pollak and C John Sullivan to beat them upfield.

DeMario Pressley, DT, North Carolina State: Showed a bit more of a burst than expected. And even when he didn't win the leverage battle against C John Sullivan, he managed to get off the block and grab the back running by.

Chad Rinehart, OG, Northern Iowa: Showed some good strength inside at left and right guard and moved pretty well to the LB when combo blocking. But struggled against quicker DT like Sedrick Ellis…he even got a head start before the snap once and couldn't keep Ellis from getting by him.

Chad Henne, QB, Michigan: Looked strong in drills, putting the ball on the money and displaying some zip. But in 11-on-11's, he did not look comfortable at times. He short-armed two out routes towards the opposite sideline when feeling some pressure.

Alexis Serna, K, Oregon State: Got the ball up quickly on field goal attempts, putting it in the cameraman's crow's nest on scaffolding behind (and above) the goalposts. That height cost him a bit, though, on a 47-yard attempt because it came up a bit short.

 

[theogt]

Senior Bowl Practice Report: Tuesday South Team
Senior Bowl Practice Report
South Team
Rob Rang, NFLDraftScout.com
Tues, January 22, 2008, Mobile, AL -- The Senior Bowl is unique in that the squads hold simultaneous practices on different fields on Monday. Because I chose to scout the North Monday, Tuesday's afternoon provided me with my first look at the South roster. At one point this season Kentucky quarterback Andre' Woodson looked on his way towards establishing himself as the elite passer prospect of this draft. Poor decision-making and inconsistent accuracy down the stretch, however, has his stock sliding. With questions about Erik Ainge's accuracy and Colt Brennan's arm strength, I elected to focus on the quarterbacks today, as well as the wide receivers and cornerbacks.

Reports on individual players are below.


Quarterbacks:

Just as Michigan's Chad Henne was far and away the top quarterback prospect for the North squad, Andre' Woodson is the best option for the South. Unfortunately, that isn't saying much.

Woodson's slow delivery can be distracting, but he possesses the strong arm and excellent touch to be successful at the next level. He throws the most accurate and picturesque deep ball of any quarterback in this draft and completed a few today against tight, physical coverage by the South's defensive backs. Of concern is that Woodson too often forces his receivers to slow or even stop to make the catch on the intermediate routes. Woodson showed better mobility than advertised, adding seconds to his time in the pocket to complete throws during the scrimmage.

Tennessee's Erik Ainge has a rocket for an arm, but, like Woodson, too many of his intermediate passes force the receivers to adjust their routes, limiting chances for yards after the catch. Ainge's consistency can be atrocious, at times, as he will complete a few passes and then throw a truly horrible pass. The ball too often comes out of Ainge's hand wobbly, losing accuracy as it travels through the air and presenting defensive backs with a chance for an easy interception. Such an occurrence led to an easy pick for Tennessee State cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on one occasion. Another Ainge pass missed so badly it bounced off the benches lining the sideline and flew over the fence -- a full fifteen yards from the sidelines…

As erratic as Ainge was on Tuesday, Hawaii's Colt Brennan was arguably worse. Brennan's downfield accuracy was a problem as several passes either were short-armed and didn't get to the receiver or sailed wide on him. The one route Brennan was very effective in throwing Tuesday was the intermediate dig route. This "deep-in" route Brennan tossed with confidence and accuracy. On others, however, including the all-important deep-out, Brennan too often would up and sailed passes that either were too high and outside for his receivers or put them in position to absorb big hits by hard-charging defensive backs. Brennan's accuracy, when he's comfortable in the pocket, is very good -- but he's clearly pressing here and it is further damaging his already falling stock.


Wide Receivers:

Last year LSU's Dwayne Bowe was the best receiver on the field and emerged as a first round pick. If Tuesday was any indication, fellow Tiger Early Doucet is attempting the same feat.

Doucet was clearly the best receiver on the field today -- North squad, included. He exploded out of his routes, plucked the ball easily out of the air, and quickly turned upfield for extra yardage. Doucet, like Bowe last year, may lack a spectacular forty time at the Combine, but his strong build and vision make him one of this draft's best open field runners after the catch. Even knocks on his deep speed took a hit today when he beat former teammate Chevis Jackson on a perfectly thrown deep pass from Andre' Woodson for a 50 yard touchdown.

As good as Doucet was on Tuesday, Florida's Andre Caldwell was a close second. Caldwell also has very good burst out of his breaks and runs his routes with precision. He has smoother acceleration than Doucet and caught the ball just as effectively. His ability to snatch the dig routes from Brennan and explode through the seam and into the open field consistently were among the South's best offensive plays.

Houston's Donnie Avery had a strong Tuesday practice, as well. He looks smaller on the field that his measured 5-11, 186 pounds due to a thin lower body, but his quickness and speed are unmatched here. Avery generally caught the ball well, though he dropped a few passes early in drills, but he seemed to warm up as the practice wore on. I question his ability as an outside threat in the NFL, but his sharp route-running and explosiveness should serve him well in the slot.

I hear the hype surrounding Limas Sweed and understand why there is so much excitement. He certainly moves well for a 6-4, 212 receiver and had the best catch of the day today -- a dramatic one-handed snare amid tight coverage. However, while he accelerates smoothly, I don't see the late burst to separate that has characterized other great big receivers. Also, while he chops his feet well as a route-runner, I don't see true explosiveness. Running drills with no defender on him, Sweed is as impressive as they come. Once covered, however, Sweed struggled to get free and dropped two passes that hit him in the hands.

Another big receiver -- Alabama's DJ Hall -- struggled to generate separation, at times today, as well. He certainly flashes, as Hall teases with burst out of his breaks, but doesn't do the little things consistently enough. He fails to sink his hips and explode out of his cuts and while he has good speed, doesn't necessarily show the ability to separate with the ball in flight. Hall does compete once the ball is in the air and shows the strong hands to pluck.

With the exception of Early Doucet and Andre Caldwell (who may have dropped only one pass between them), the strongest hands seem to be Louisville's Harry Douglas. On several occasions Douglas pin-pointed the ball at its highest point and snatched hot passes while making the initial defender miss. The problem, however, is Douglas' route-running. Despite good quickness and rare deep speed, Douglas rounds off his routes, drawing the ire of the San Francisco coaching staff on several occasions.


Cornerbacks:

Even with a strong showing from the South's wide receivers, several cornerbacks helped their stock Tuesday with good performances.

The most consistent cornerback on the roster today was LSU's Chevis Jackson. Even passes were caught by his assignment, Jackson was in good position to make the play. He didn't get his hands on many passes, but was in position to make a play on the ball should there have been an errant throw. Jackson gave up a long touchdown to former teammate Early Doucet early in the practice, but was on Doucet's hip the entire route and only a spectacular effort by Doucet and a perfect pass from Andre' Woodson completed the pass.

Two small school corners -- Troy's Leodis McKelvin and Tennessee State's Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie also enjoyed strong performances. McKelvin was the more consistent of the two. He has the speed to turn and run with receivers downfield and has both the change of direction and instincts in coverage to play early at the next level. McKelvin played aggressively Tuesday, closing on the ball with reckless abandon. He read Limas Sweed's quick out route and slapped the ball out of the big receiver's hands just as it arrived for one of the more impressive plays by a corner all day long. Shortly thereafter McKelvin dropped off his receiver and closed on a running back making a reception in the flat. McKelvin's feel for the play and explosive burst to close showed a level of instincts and physicality that few non BCS corners have shown in recent Senior Bowl history.

Rodgers-Cromartie was moved back and forth between safety and cornerback today. At only 183 pounds, I have concerns about his ability to hold up at safety, and he showed the closing speed to keep him at cornerback until he proves unworthy of remaining there. Rodgers-Cromartie broke quickly on passes thrown in front of him and drifted back to collect an easy interception off of a poor pass by Erik Ainge.

Auburn's Patrick Lee struggled in keeping with receivers today. He lacks the change of direction to mirror good route-runners and to mask his struggles he grabbed an awful lot of jersey. While he was able to stick with his receivers in this manner throughout much of the practice, in the NFL he would have been flagged on numerous occasions.

 

[theogt]

Senior Bowl Practice Report: Tuesday South Team Player Notes
Senior Bowl Practice Report
South Team
Chad Reuter, NFLDraftScout.com
Tues, January 22, 2008, Mobile, AL -- Day two for the South team saw them in Ladds-Peebles Stadium, where the rest of the week's practices will occur. The play of this afternoon's practice was up-tempo and more physical, as the team dressed in full pads. Everyone was glad to see that the anticipated light rain never appeared....only an occasional stray small drop hit the earth.

The South's offense will have to rely on the running game this weekend, if the past two practices are any indication of how the passing game will perform. The offensive line is strong but the quarterbacks and receivers can't seem to connect consistently. On defense, the front four could play the run well but may struggle to pressure North quarterbacks.


Below are comments about some of the day's performances:

Gary Guyton, LB, Georgia Tech: Came in for Miami's Tavares Gooden today, who went through the weigh-in but will not practice. Guyton is not particularly swift getting back into coverage in drills, and it shows by his not being able to cut off the inside curl. He also lacks the change of direction to quickly come forward when the ball is in the flat. Plays strong in the 9-technique against the run, however.

Tashard Choice, RB, Georgia Tech: Very strong back with huge thighs and bubble. Has a bit of shiftiness in the hole, though, on inside runs. Does not own a second gear but is tough to bring down with arm tackles. Keeps his feet moving getting through traffic. Doesn't have sudden stop-start ability, even stumbling out of his stance once without any pressure around him.

Patrick Lee, CB, Auburn: Does not show much of a vertical and mistimed his jump in the jump-ball drill. Lacks suddenness and an ability to quickly close on the ball. When he did make a break on one pass, he could not squeeze the ball to secure the pick.

DJ Hall, WR, Alabama: Tall, thin receiver who lacks real suddenness. Slow making his cut on an out route. Failed to get his head around to locate the ball a couple of times.

Harry Douglas, WR, Louisville: Still is not showing the speed necessary to be a playmaker. Rounds his routes too much...in fact, his coach said he "had his blinker on" for the corner to advertise he was cutting out. Showed decent hands at times, although he let a few into his body.

Early Doucet, WR, LSU: Clearly the best receiver in this game. Catches everything with his hands away from his body, whether on offense or special teams. Low passes, high passes, or anywhere in between. Very quick stopping or cutting in his routes.

Erik Ainge, QB, Tennessee: Very inaccurate today, completing a low percentage of his throws even on short outs or slants. Some were high, some low, some wide, some long. Lost his spiral often, throwing some deep ducks.

Wallace Gilberry, DE, Alabama: Tried at outside linebacker in drills and 7-on-7's today and did not look comfortable. Lacks the hips to get into the flat quickly. Also inexperienced at getting a jam on the tight end. Brad Cottam ran right by him and Gilberry does not have the necessary recovery speed.

Darrell Robertson, DE, Georgia Tech: Joins Sedrick Ellis as the quickest players off the snap in this game, although Robertson gets high too quickly at times and loses speed. Used his length to get around the slow OT Barry Richardson as if he were standing still. QB Colt Brennan would have been planted on one play. Took part in linebacker drills with fellow DE Wallace Gilberry and looked much more natural in his drop and at taking on the tight end on the line. Looked good enough to get a shot at a 3-4 OLB spot.

Jacob Hester, RB, LSU: Got the chance to run up inside on a few plays. But more importantly for his FB future, Hester showed an ability to adjust to linebackers coming inside-out on off-tackle running plays. Today's FBs need to have the flexibility in their upper body to accomplish this.

Marcus Harrison, DT, Arkansas: Won some and lost some inside today. Got a bit too high on OG Mike McGlynn and was stonewalled using leverage. Had a fun couple of match-ups against his teammate, OG Robert Felton. They stalemated, with Harrison getting real push only once while Felton held his ground the other times. The DT didn't really try to out-quick Felton.

Peyton Hillis, FB, Arkansas: Will pop his man in the hole, standing up S Marcus Griffin on one 11-on-11 play. Only adequate in one-on-one blitz pickup drills. ILB Phillip Wheeler spun right around him on one play, but he stood up against the bull rush ILB Ben Moffitt on the next.

Andre Fluellen, DT, Florida State: His quick initial step caused problems for interior linemen today when he was lined up in the 1-technique. Swim move over the outside shoulder got him penetration a couple of times. He then faked the move and countered inside against OG/C Cody Wallace. However, Fluellen also lost his feet on multiple occasions. He'll have to play stronger to be more than a wave pass-rusher.

Red Bryant, DT, Texas A&M: Big body managed to split double teams and push the pocket a bit inside. Taught small-schooler OG Chad Rinehart something when he got inside his reach block and tore upfield. Also showed hustle in 7-on-7 drills, running after the back down the sideline…that wasn't being done much by the other DL.

Limas Sweed, WR, Texas: His physical attributes are easy to spot, but he lacks the ability to separate even from safeties like UTEP's Quintin Demps. Does not have much urgency or suddenness in his play. Very inconsistent hands today, as well, trying to catch multiple passes with only one hand. Made the spectacular one-handed grab once, but shouldn't rely on it.

Colt Brennan, QB, Hawaii: Doesn't have the timing down with his receivers yet, as would be expected. Is ahead of or behind receivers more often than not. Even threw one out of play on an out route when no defenders were in the drill. Arm strength does not stand out, although it comes out quickly most times and is usually a tight spiral. Hesitates on some plays, patting the ball, giving CB a chance to break. Deep balls are not usually on target.

Heath Benedict, OT, Newberry: Lacks the footwork to handle speed rushers but also hasn't looked good using pure strength at guard. Gets out of his stance slowly at tackle, and doesn't have the feet to recover. Also has a hard time exploding to reach block and negate his man on the stretch play to his side. Can anchor well against bull rushes when he gets his feet under him.

Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt: Moved from left tackle to right tackle for today's practice. Didn't look too bad there, considering his lack of experience. Titus Brown used an inside spin move to beat him on the first one-on-one play but Williams learned quickly and swallowed him on the next play. DE Wallace Gilberry couldn't get off once Williams locked on.

Kendall Langford, DE, Hampton: Tried to beat OT Chris Williams with a bull rush on his first attempt in one-on-ones, but was unsuccessful. Used his length to get under his outside shoulder and by him on the second play, and used a similar move against Heath Benedict to get inside of him. The next time around against Williams, though, saw Langford stonewalled and then on the ground.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State: Displayed fluid hips in coverage today, playing both the free safety and corner spots. DRC shadowed his receiver well, covering 18-yard outs like a glove. Kept an eye in the backfield and went up high to pick off a QB Erik Ainge wobbler thrown up for grabs.

Cody Wallace, C, Texas A&M: Played at left and right guard today and generally did not fare well. DT Andre Fluellen beat him with inside and outside moves. Then DT Marcus Harrison shoved him into the backfield like he was on skates.

Oniel Cousins, OT, UTEP: Worked at left guard early in practice and got under the pads of his man quickly to move him out of the play. Against DE Jeremy Thompson later on at left tackle, however, he failed to use his long reach to punch…so Thompson got too far into the backfield with power and speed moves.

 

[theogt]

*ahem*

Last year LSU's Dwayne Bowe was the best receiver on the field and emerged as a first round pick. If Tuesday was any indication, fellow Tiger Early Doucet is attempting the same feat.

Doucet was clearly the best receiver on the field today -- North squad, included. He exploded out of his routes, plucked the ball easily out of the air, and quickly turned upfield for extra yardage. Doucet, like Bowe last year, may lack a spectacular forty time at the Combine, but his strong build and vision make him one of this draft's best open field runners after the catch. Even knocks on his deep speed took a hit today when he beat former teammate Chevis Jackson on a perfectly thrown deep pass from Andre' Woodson for a 50 yard touchdown.

Early Doucet, WR, LSU: Clearly the best receiver in this game. Catches everything with his hands away from his body, whether on offense or special teams. Low passes, high passes, or anywhere in between. Very quick stopping or cutting in his routes.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

you sold me on Doucet awhile ago

 

[Bob Sacamano]

someone in the NFL should think about hiring one of the Troy D assistants

 

[theogt]

someone in the NFL should think about hiring one of the Troy D assistants

Or some of their scouts.

 

[Vintage]

Theo....you had me sold on Doucet awhile ago too...

 

[CPonder14]

Video of Monday's practices of the South 1-on-1 WR drills.

Notice how easy it is for Doucet to get behind his corner. He makes Lee look like a high schooler.

Chevis Jackson looked like the best corner in that video.

 

[theogt]

Chevis Jackson looked like the best corner in that video.

Yeah, he's also having a good week. He'll be a great pickup for someone in the mid-to-late second. He's one of those that's good at just about every aspect of his game, but not great at anything in particular. He'll have a nice long career as a solid #2 corner. Plays a lot like Al Harris.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

likin' Chevis Jackson too

damn, this time of the year sucks, my board is constantly changing lol

btw, theo, are you a LSU fan? you seem to really follow those guys

 

[theogt]

likin' Chevis Jackson too

damn, this time of the year sucks, my board is constantly changing lol

btw, theo, are you a LSU fan? you seem to really follow those guys

No, I'm not a fan of any college team. I watch purely for the talent, and LSU happened to have a lot of talent this year. That also leads me to watch a lot of SEC. LSU also has some very young talent too that I'll probably be pimpin' in the future.

 

[Bach]

likin' Chevis Jackson too

damn, this time of the year sucks, my board is constantly changing lol

btw, theo, are you a LSU fan? you seem to really follow those guys

Ga Tech fan, that's what the 'gt' stands for.