2008 Senior Bowl Wednesday Practice Notes

[theogt]

Senior Bowl - Wednesday North Practice
Scott Wright
President, NFL Draft Countdown

On Monday the North started the week off slow in just shells but they did their best to make up for it with this session, which was extremely physical. In fact, it seems as though players are dropping like flies and after seeing Kentwan Balmer and Beau Bell go down yesterday we had four more injuries today. This was probably the best practice of the week so far, with a number of strong, standout performances and a lot of good situations to evaluate the prospects.

Here are my impressions.

• Eastern Michigan defensive lineman Jason Jones worked at linebacker today and was even pulled aside by Raider defensive coordinator Rob Ryan (along with Shawn Crable) for some personal attention. Jones gave terrific effort but his change of direction skills were questionable and he simply didn't look very natural in either the drills or the live action reps. Needless to say in my opinion he will not be a linebacker at the next level, regardless of whether it's a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme.

• Cal wideout Lavelle Hawkins continues to be one of the most impressive players at this game, on either team and at any position. He just makes big play after big play, great catch after great catch and has looked amazing. At one point he caught a nice deep ball and someone said "That was on Tracy Porter", to which I replied I don't think it matters who is covering him at this point. He also had a highlight reel catch on the sidelines that has to be one of the top plays of the week. I was skeptical about Hawkins coming in but now I'm sold.

• USC linebacker Keith Rivers looks very smooth in everything he does. In particular today I was impressed with how fluid he was in coverage drills and how easily he flipped his hips.

• I've been waiting all week for one of the quarterbacks to step up and really separate himself from the pack and it finally happened today. Delaware's Joe Flacco looked like a totally different player, showcasing his strong arm and looking extremely comfortable in the pocket. Truth be told Flacco's performance today was probably the best I have seen by a quarterback yet this week. After wearing a plain white helmet the first couple of days his signature Blue Hen lid finally arrived today and it brought the best out in him.

• Michigan quarterback Chad Henne also looked sharp today, throwing accurate BB's. On the flip-side of the coin USC's John David Booty really struggled with his accuracy, which is surprising since that was the area where he was so impressive on Monday. Booty's throws also looked like they required some exertion, especially compared to Flacco who made it look effortless. None of these signal callers have embarrased themselves but for the week as a whole I'd rank the North guys as follows: 1) Henne, 2) Flacco 3) Booty.

• Colorado outside linebacker Jordon Dizon stood out at times, displaying very quick feet and a burst to close. He'll need to be in the right scheme to succeed at the pro level but I could see him potentially being drafted a little earlier than anticipated.

• Owen Schmitt of West Virginia and Shawn Crable of Michigan and Jamar Adams of Michiigan all went down with injuries today. Schmitt's looked to be the worst.

• California running back Just Forsett had another good day. He's real shifty and seems to be the North's top runner, especially with East Carolina's Chris Johnson M.I.A.

• Notre Dame defensive tackle Trevor Laws continued to make his presence felt in 11-on-11's, penetrating through the line and making a nice tackle for a loss.

• Terrell Thomas of USC saw extensive action at safety.

• Purdue wideout Dorien Bryant looked very quick and ran good routes.

• Kansas St. receiver Jordy Nelson made a couple of nice catches in traffic but still seems to be just a step slower than everyone else. I will be shocked if he runs under a 4.5 forty based on what I've seen this week.

• Notre Dame safety Tom Zbikowski looked smooth in coverage and did a nice job on the tight ends. Maybe he isn't as one-dimensional as everyone thinks...

• Things finally took a turn for the better for Oklahoma St. wide receiver Adarius Bowman. After battling a terrible case of the dropsies the first couple of practices he did a nice job today. He has a lot of ground to make up though after such a disastrous start though.

• Missouri tight end Martin Rucker looked good at point of attack and has made big strides as a blocker since the beginning of the week.

• Boston College offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus has been aggressive and almost nasty.

• Due to injuries USC tight end Fred Davis saw some action at fullback due to the injury to Owen Schmitt but it at least raises the possibility of him maybe being a H-Back at the next level, especially considering his lack of height.

For me the story of the day was Joe Flacco just because it was nice to finally see one of the signal callers stand out but Lavelle Hawkins was probably the most impressive player overall. While a physical practice is usually a good thing all of the injuries the past two days are a little disturbing and something you never want to see in an All-Star game. Everything considered it was a great day of practice, probably the best yet for this squad, and the North team definitely has some players who appear to be just hitting their stride, which bodes well for the remainder of the week.

 

[theogt]

Senior Bowl Practice Report: Wednesday South Team
Senior Bowl Practice Report
South Team
Rob Rang, NFLDraftScout.com
Wed, January 23, 2008, Mobile, AL -- The North practice at the Senior Bowl this morning left many players limping off the field with injuries.

The South team, on the other hand, apparently wasn't getting enough physicality for their liking -- instead resorting to fisticuffs on several occasions.

Two rather lengthy and violent fights occurred between offensive and defensive linemen Wednesday afternoon, drawing attention away from a practice otherwise highlighted by significant bounce-back performances from several notable prospects.

Vanderbilt's Chris Williams, who has practiced almost exclusively at tackle was moved inside to guard for a series and was immediately involved in a spirited fight with Texas A&M defensive tackle Red Bryant. Bryant was the aggressor of the two and actually appeared on the verge of losing control, throwing several haymakers at the SEC star. Only moments later another fight broke out -- this time between Newberry's Heath Benedict and Hampton's Kendall Langford. In this battle of small school prospects, both players were equally aggressive, taking several swings at each-other and having to be restrained by San Francisco coaches.

Despite the slugfest theme, there actually was some football being played Wednesday afternoon, as well. With my focus on the quarterbacks, wideouts, and cornerbacks yesterday, I focused on the offensive and defensive lines today. I'll focus on the remaining prospects (running backs, linebackers), as well as provide a summary of the game, itself, Saturday evening as we, like the vast of NFL scouts, leave Mobile Thursday morning.

Reports on individual players are below.


Offensive Tackles:

Vanderbilt's Chris Williams has first round potential. He has a rare combination of size and agility and has shown the ability to pass block as either a left or right tackle. Unfortunately, he doesn't play with great physicality and "nastiness" to this point and generally seems satisfied with walling off blockers in the running game. His athleticism would be wasted at guard, where his fight with Bryant occurred. After the fight with Texas A&M's Red Bryant, I was curious to see how Williams would react. Some offensive linemen play better angry. Williams, clearly still distracted, was driven back easily…


Newberry's Heath Benedict is a bit of an enigma. He has the body to remain at left tackle and flashes the athleticism and toughness to remain on the edge as a right tackle. Too often, however, he plays down to his competition. I've kept an eye on him throughout the week, as I was very curious as to how he'd handle the jump in competition, and Wednesday was clearly his best day; a good sign for any small school prospect. I believe he fits best as a guard, but ultimately can be moved outside.

UTEP's Oniel Cousins has intriguing footwork for a 300 pounder, but his short arms (31") and raw technique make him a better fit initially at guard, as well. He has very good lateral quickness and flashes as a pass blocker, but this is a player that is raw, raw, raw.

Clemson's Barry Richardson is a massive man best suited to playing right tackle or, even better, right guard at the next level. While he is powerful and can drive defenders off the ball when he locks on, he struggles to engage defenders due to very marginal overall foot quickness and balance. Richardson has been a consistent liability in pass blocking this week.


Offensive Guards:

Arkansas' Robert Felton is a strong run blocker who gets his hands on defenders and can drive them off the line of scrimmage. As a pass blocker, he struggled today, too often allowing early penetration due to less than ideal initial quickness. Once beaten, Felton has only flashed the ability to recover, too often resorting to lunging and even an occasional hold inside.

Mike McGlynn may lack the eye-popping athleticism of many his South teammates, but he is the toughest lineman on this squad. McGlynn's strong hand punch, good lateral quickness, and stout anchor made him one of the more difficult assignments for any defensive tackle during both individual drills and the scrimmage. McGlynn isn't flashy, but he's a damn good football player that someone is going to get lucky and find later than they should.


Centers:

Wake Forest's Justice is the among the game's prospects in terms of a zone blocking scheme. He has very good initial quickness and is a technician. He uses his hands well and understands how to block with angles to compensate for his lack of prototype size and strength. Against bigger, stronger tackles, however, Justice struggled consistently.

Wallace relies more on his physicality and size in the pivot, but today, at least, he struggled. Wallace was used at center and occasionally placed at guard. At one point, after struggles against quicker defensive tackles, he was moved all the way out to tackle, where his lack of agility was even more noticeable.

Bowling Green's Kory Lichtensteiger has struggled this week. He plays with solid technique, but was beaten consistently Wednesday by defenders quicker (Dre Moore) and stronger (Red Bryant, Ahtyba Rubin) in both individual drills and during the scrimmage.


Defensive Tackles:

Besides a wild loss of composure in the fight against Chris Williams, Red Bryant was generally quite effective today on the inside. Blessed with spectacular size and upper body strength, Bryant is a load to move off the line of scrimmage. He lacks lateral quickness and isn't going to scare anyone as a pass rusher, but as a two gap tackle, he ranks as one of the top DTs in the draft.

Maryland's Dre' Moore enjoyed a strong Wednesday practice, as well. In a draft that very much levels off at defensive tackle after the two elite prospects (Glenn Dorsey, Sedrick Ellis), Moore is among the country's best combinations of size, strength, and quickness. He struggles with consistency, too often only showing flashes of his ability instead of actually making the play, but there is no denying his potential. Moore had an impressive series during individual drills against Cody Wallace and Steve Justice and later followed that up with an impressive showing against tough-guy Mike McGlynn. Moore's inconsistency reared its head a bit during the scrimmage, but, as a whole Moore helped himself today.

The North squad features an undersized three technique tackle in Trevor Laws that has enjoyed a strong week of practice and helped his stock. The South features a similarly talented prospect in Florida State's Andre Fluellen. Fluellen flashes even more natural quickness off the snap than Laws, but unlike Laws, Fluellen relies almost solely on his feet to generate pressure, rarely using his hands to disengage from blocks. He is quick enough at the point to collapse the pocket, but when he's blocked initially, too often he remains that way.

Iowa State's Ahtyba Rubin was a late addition to the South roster. He lacks lateral quickness, but has a short, stout frame and plays with good strength and leverage. He lacks the burst teams want for the 4-3 alignment, but is stout enough at the point to possibly work as a nose guard prospect. Rubin struggled splitting double-teams today, however, and ranks as only a mid-round prospect.

While he flashes some lateral quickness and strength at the point of attack, Arkansas' Marcus Harrison failed to make plays today whether in individual drills and during the scrimmage.


Defensive Ends:

As with the North squad, the South's defensive ends have been a pretty lackluster group this year. Wake Forest's Jeremy Thompson has the most potential of the group. He has excellent size and flashes quickness, but struggles, at times, to locate the ball, and doesn't use his hands well to disengage.

The most explosive pass rusher for the South all week long has been former Georgia Tech defensive end Darrell Robertson. Robertson has very good burst off the snap, but has a lanky, relatively weak frame that, when exposed, gives offensive tackles a big target to get their hands on -- and when Robertson is engaged, he lacks the hand technique and strength to disengage. With added weight Robertson can develop in this area. Robertson, like former Alabama defensive end Wallace Gilberry, was asked to take part in linebacker drills, at times on Wednesday. Robertson is a fluid enough athlete to warrant a stronger look here. He wasn't used at linebacker during the scrimmage, however. Wallace struggled in these drills and has struggled to make plays while at defensive end, as well. Wallace lacks size and explosiveness at the point of attack, but plays hard and locates the ball quickly. He hasn't been impressive all week long and his stock is dropping because of it, but don't be surprised if this gamer pulls out a big play during Saturday's game.

After a solid performance last week at the East-West Shrine Game, Hampton defensive end Kendall Langford has struggled to build upon his momentum this week. He has only marginal speed to the outside, but flashes the strength and size to hold up outside as a left defensive end, whose primary responsibility is to provide contain in the running game.

 

[theogt]

Senior Bowl Practice Report: Wednesday South Team Player Notes
Senior Bowl Practice Report
South Team
Chad Reuter, NFLDraftScout.com
Wed, January 23, 2008, Mobile, AL -- The South rose again Wednesday, trying to impress scouts for a third day this week. Some new faces appeared to pique teams' interest, but by day three their opinions are fairly set on the players that started the week in play. And tomorrow's light contact practice and Friday's walk-through won't be seen by many NFL folks, who usually take off for home on Thursday morning.

Players' tempers were also at the end of the rope, causing multiple fights to break out on the field. These guys are just chomping at the bit to take on different players, just like at the beginning of the season when they get sick of practicing against the same old teammates.

Check out these notes to see how players fared on their last "real" practice of the week. For information on players not listed here, check out Monday and Tuesday's write-ups.

Dexter Jackson, WR, Appalachian State: Joined the party today in place of Early Doucet, who went out with a hamstring injury. He continued his impressive play from last week's Shrine Game, looking impressive in his cuts and catching everything in sight with quick hands. On one play, he stretched out to catch a low tracer over the middle. Despite how he's been characterized, Jackson is not significantly smaller than other WR in this draft like Harry Douglas and Dorien Bryant. And he's outperformed them…

Harry Douglas, WR, Louisville: Again looked pedestrian at best. Rounded off out too many out routes, and lost his balance so badly on one that he fell to the ground and allowed a pick. Snatched an occasional pass, but also let too many into his body.

Colt Brennan, QB, Hawaii: Was not impressive again today, pushing the ball in early drills and being wholly inaccurate during scrimmages. When he's pressured, or thinks he's pressured, Brennan drops into a sidearm motion which takes a considerable amount of pace off the ball. Corners like Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie jumped those routes quickly in the pros.

Dre Moore, DT, Maryland: Showed a good burst in one-on-one drills, getting up into his man's pads, lifting and bull rushing Cody Wallace, Steve Justice, and Mike McGlynn into the pocket. McGlynn's the only player who showed any anchor this week, however. During scrimmages Moore almost totally disappeared, not getting off the snap quickly, unless he happened to slant into the play.

Matt Forte, RB, Tulane: Has nice feet for his 6'1", 221 pound frame, nimbly working through trash in the middle. Looks to have more of a burst after initial contact than expected. Also caught balls well in drills, even those with a bit of heat on them.

Robert Felton, OG, Arkansas: Typically stones his guy by locking on, occasionally can get beat by speed. Red Bryant used a nice spin move on him to get inside. Felton can pull and deliver the blow in space, as well.

Donnie Avery, WR, Houston: Taken some steps back the last two days, not really showing great hustle. One of his coaches told him to "go 100%" after he lazily ran a sideline route which resulted in an incompletion. Had trouble getting his head around to find the ball on a couple of occasions. Allowed some balls into his chest instead of keeping his hands in front of him. Was not consistently quick in and out of cuts, either.

Kendall Langford, DE, Hampton: Another impressive day for Langford, displaying bull rush and outside speed against OT Oniel Cousins in drills. He also stood up Cousins in 7-on-7's, stuffing Tashard Choice so he had nowhere to run. Put up a fight, literally, against fellow small-schooler Heath Benedict as they shoved each other after jockeying for leverage.

Patrick Lee, CB, Auburn: Did not look fluid in drills again today, staying high and slow in backpedals and not showing a great change of direction. Consistently played too soft in coverage, as well. Did have a nice pick going to the sideline, however, extending his arms to snatch a pass when the receiver fell.

Peyton Hillis, RB, Arkansas: Shows some versatility, similar to last year's second-round pick Brian Leonard. Not as good of a runner as Leonard, but he can occasionally be a ballcarrier in a one-back system as he has the feet to sidestep and weave through inside traffic. He also showed good hands this week, and is a much better lead blocker than Leonard.

Ahtyba Rubin, DT, Iowa State: Parlayed his solid week at the East-West game last week into a late add in Mobile. A powerful nose tackle prospect who took on double teams and held his ground. In one-on-one drills, he got into his man and drove him back more often than not. Doesn't have much handplay to make a move to the quarterback. A team may project him to a Ryan Pickett-type prospect.

Cody Wallace, C, Texas A&M: Really struggled with his anchor today, constantly getting pushed back into the quarterback in drills. The coaches even moved him to left tackle to see what he could do against DT Marcus Harrison. Against the larger player, Wallace held up…but it would be easy to see him getting beat by a speed rusher.

Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt: Played left tackle and guard today, but clearly belongs at the tackle spot. That's mostly because he lacks the ability his keep his 6'6" body low for leverage. Much more natural at LT, where he can handle speed rushers with quick feet and have a relative strength advantage over him.

Darrell Robertson, DE, Georgia Tech: Had four or five offsides infractions in one-on-one drills because he jumped on the sound instead of looking at the ball. Coaches say cadence, trying to get the players to jump, before the ball is snapped…and Robertson bought it about every other snap. He and North DE Chris Ellis rushed standing up at times, as part of their OLB tryouts for 3-4 teams. Didn't manage to get to the QB all day.

Heath Benedict, OT, Newberry: Put on a good show today, displaying good strength at right tackle. Still gets beat with quickness, biting on outside-in moves and allowing quick penetration inside. But undersized DE Titus Brown was eaten alive by Benedict on multiple occasions.

Red Bryant, DT, Texas A&M: He can get low enough, even at 6'5", to get leverage and push the pocket. Although he looks better at it during drills than he does in live action. He also does not disengage from blockers enough to make plays. Flashes the ability to penetrate when slanting into the play…but he also takes himself out of the play at times. Got into fight with usually calm OT Chris Williams, and starting throwing haymakers before getting a talking-to by his coaches. Got to keep your head, young man.

Wallace Gilberry, DE, Alabama: Really struggled to make many plays this week. He gives good effort, but can rarely beat a tackle one-on-one with speed or strength.

Philip Wheeler, ILB, Georgia Tech: Has been strong inside versus the run this week. Also showed nice sideline-to-sideline range, limiting multiple throws to backs in the flat for minimal gains. Could project to a Tampa-2 mike.

Erik Ainge, QB, Tennessee: Another disappointing day for Ainge, lacking any real arm strength and having the ball come out of his hand poorly. Multiple throws looked like ducks when trying to go over 10-15 yards. Marcus Griffin got a lollipop pick on one such throw down the sideline.

Tashard Choice, RB, Georgia Tech: This big back displayed some quick feet and a nice burst into the hole today. Still lacks that second gear in the open field, but corners and safeties will have a tough time taking him down with those huge thighs.

Brad Cottam, TE, Tennessee: His 6'7.5" height draws you to him on the field, but he'll impress scouts with his straight-line speed and solid hands. In the red zone drills, he had an impressive route on a bootleg play, quickly getting upfield to beat the safety to the pylon for a touchdown.

Durant Brooks, P, Georgia Tech: Good job placing the ball inside the 10 today, although he had a couple of punts he'd like back. Most hung in the air for 4.5-4.8 seconds, including two or three that spun sideways and landed inside the two. His clunkers weren't the worst, getting 3.7 seconds and landing around the 15…but that's not the standard he wants to set. Also punted to the left or right, depending on what he was asked to do.

 

[WoodysGirl]

California duo steals the show on Day 3 in Mobile

By Scouts Inc.
(Archive)






Updated: January 24, 2008, 12:15 AM ET

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MOBILE, Ala. -- Wednesdays practices, which were in full pads for the second day in a row, were predictably chippy. The minor shoving matches during the North session in the morning served as an undercard to the South's afternoon heavyweight fight. Tempers boiled over into a couple of individual brawls, one featuring Newberry College OT Heath Benedict versus Hampton DE Kendall Langford and the other between Vanderbilt OT Christopher Williams and Texas A&M DT Red Bryant.

While fighting is certainly not encouraged it was good to see a mean streak from Williams, whose biggest knock is that he doesn't show enough nastiness to consistently finish blocks. Regardless, it's probably a good thing that players will be in hells" during the Thursday practices, which will feature far less contact.

The big news of the day is that Limas Sweed of Texas and Early Doucet of LSU -- the top two receivers in Mobile -- are both on the shelf due to injuries. Sweed re-injured his wrist/hand on Tuesday when attempting to catch a frozen rope thrown by Kentucky QB Andre Woodson, while Doucet tweaked his hamstring during the same practice and is done for the week.

In other injury updates, UNLV LB Beau Bell is done for the week due to a lower leg injury he suffered on Tuesday. Miami OLB Tavares Gooden reported to Mobile and went through the weigh-in process on Monday before being sent home due to a hip flexor. Finally, it is unknown if North Carolina DT Kentwan Balmer will return after suffering a hamstring injury.

Some of the replacements thus far include Appalachian State WR Dexter Jackson, Iowa DE Bryan Mattison, Iowa State DT Athyba Rubin and Georgia Tech OLB Gary Guyton.

Here's a scouting breakdown of the two practice sessions:

Around the North practice

• Wide receiver Lavelle Hawkins of California has been good all week, but his sensational performance on Wednesday earned him some serious money. He caught a deep bomb in the team period and repeatedly made big plays the entire practice. Hawkins is catching the ball with his hands and is running precise routes. He gets off the jam better than would be expected and has shown excellent overall quickness. Hawkins is establishing himself as one of the top 10 receivers in the 2008 class, which likely will land him a spot in the second round of the draft.

• Hawkins' college teammate RB Justin Forsett is another player who has surpassed expectations. He continually shows up as both a runner and receiver. Forsett is quick with excellent make-you-miss skills and lateral agility. While Forsett is doing a fine job this week in Mobile decision-makers should be wary, as a mostly non-contact environment such as this is a perfect forum for him to display his open field abilities.

• CB Terrell Thomas of USC made an excellent breakup in one-on-one drills against Purdue's Dorien Bryant, but it is becoming apparent that Thomas does not have the recovery speed to be left on an island. He is a zone cornerback who should be best in a Cover 2 scheme with safety support over the top. He is also slow to flip his hips.

• Colorado OLB Jordon Dizon is an impressive player. He is a better pure football player than long-term prospect, but he reads plays extremely well and rarely takes false steps. He seems to always be around the football. Dizon should be an instant contributor on special teams as a rookie and could potentially bring more to the table than just special teams value if he gets in a defense that can cover him up and allow him to use his recognition skills.

• USC TE Fred Davis creates mismatches. He is not going to be a typical inline tight end, but if used properly and moved around in the formation -- including using him in the traditional inline position -- Davis should be able to use his explosiveness, physicality and quickness to give linebackers and safeties a very difficult time. He got deep and stretched the field, while also establishing himself as a formidable red zone target. Davis has excellent ball skills and can go up and snatch the ball at its highest point. He might catch a lot of touchdowns at the next level.

• Kansas State WR Jordy Nelson is another pass-catcher who has put together a very solid body of work in practice. He has tremendous size and good strength, and while Nelson isn't real sudden, he can stretch the field and builds up speed as he goes. Nelson will also be a very sound contributor near the goal line. He remains a work in progress, but it is certain that his stock in on the rise.


Around the South practice

• Houston WR Donnie Avery is quite possibly the fastest player in the 2008 class, and while there's no doubting his home run potential at the next level Avery remains too one-dimensional. His ability to run go routes is really the only way he can threaten a defense. He is somewhat reminiscent of former LSU burner Devery Henderson, who has not transitioned to the NFL very well. Avery is dangerous but he isn't a refined route-runner and is too much of a straight-line athlete. He has been used on reverses here and his NFL club will do the same, but he fumbled on one reverse call today and such plays will become predictable with Avery if he cannot expand what he brings to the table. It will be important for NFL decision-makers not to get too excited by the 40 time he posts in Indianapolis.

• Appalachian State WR Dexter Jackson is getting a shot here in Mobile because of injuries and is making it count. His first practice was on Day 3 and Jackson showed that he has speed and, unlike Avery, is fluid with loose hips and excellent explosion and quickness. He is very dangerous with the ball in his hands, but will not break tackles with his lean frame. He brings the ability to return kicks as well. Jackson was clearly looking to impress today as he was diving for passes and running his routes with conviction. He caught a deep streak route for a touchdown in one-on-ones and made an impressive diving catch in seven-on-sevens. The scouts surely took notice and a big showing in the game could go a long way.

• LSU CB Chevis Jackson continues to impress. He is consistently in the hip pocket of the South wide receivers, and he has a thicker body with good strength to battle through the routes or to come up and play the run. Jackson is aggressive and will hit. Even Avery, possibly the fastest prospect in the 2008 class, was not able to escape Jackson today. These Senior Bowl practices have been great for Jackson's stock.

• With his tough, blue-collar playing style South Florida ILB Ben Moffitt has had a reputation as an overachiever throughout his career, and he is sticking to the script this week. Although tight in the hips and lacking overall speed, Moffitt has been able to get in on many plays with an aggressive, downhill style when he attacks the ballcarrier. He has also been very stout at the point of attack and does a solid job of "thudding up" blockers, often stoning them in the hole. And when he's able to get to the ball Moffitt has shown solid tackling capability. It should be noted, though, that his coverage ability is lacking.

• Kentucky OLB Wesley Woodyard is much more effective when he is able to run. With a slender, long-limbed build it is hard not to notice Woodyard flying around the field. He has been chasing down ballcarriers from the backside, and he has shown the ability to mirror running backs out of the backfield then turn and run in man coverage. His slender frame is a problem when tacking on blockers, though. Woodyard lacks the ability to anchor and is often pushed back at the point of attack due to lack of overall strength and explosion.

• Mississippi St. OLB Titus Brown is a physical specimen in pads and was the cause of a lot of chatter between scouts early in the week. That chatter has fizzled, though, as Brown has failed to live up to the hype surrounding his size. Brown is more of a hybrid rush end and has struggled to be stout on the outside. He will give up the edge easily and struggles to disengage from blockers. Brown often looks lost in space and does not show the ability to drop into coverage. He has shown some explosiveness in one-on-one drills, though, and will likely be a pass-rush specialist at the next level.

• Georgia Tech RB Tashard Choice has quietly put together a solid effort this week. Many scouts aren't high on Choice due to a lack of burst and top-end speed, and while he's not blazing fast he does show good vision and will get through the hole quicker than one might think. Choice showed this ability when he was able to hit a seam and get to the outside during the team period. He displayed good patience and set up his blocks before sticking his foot in the ground and getting to the second level. If Choice can finish the week strong and combine it with a solid performance during the game he could see his stock rise.

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.

 

[theogt]

January 23, 2008
Senior Bowl - Wednesday South Practice --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scott Wright
President, NFL Draft Countdown


It was actually a pretty nice afternoon, the best of the week so far, and the sun even started to shine through at one point. This was my second opportunity to take in the South squad and while there was a new revelation or two I basically saw more of the same from this team, both good and bad. The North has set the bar pretty high but something told me the South had more than enough skill position talent to even things up and I was right. So who stood out, who struggled and who surprised today? Here is a look at what I saw this afternoon:

• Any report about the South squad has to start with Tennessee State cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who it's going to be difficult to classify as a "sleeper" from here on out. Rodgers-Cromartie just seems to run through all the drills effortlessly and it's almost as if he's on a different level than just about every other defensive back on the roster. In 7-on-7's Rodgers-Cromartie had a diving pass breakup and in 11-on-11's he recovered a fumble. How high can he rise?

• Yesterday I speculated that Tennessee's Brad Cottam could potentially bulk up and move to offensive tackle but if he continues to play like he did today his future will be at tight end. Cottam showed nice hands to catch the ball away from his body and also the speed and athleticism to turn it upfield and run after the catch. Late in the session he even scored a touchdown. Watch out for Cottam, he is a very intriguing prospect.

• Texas safety Marcus Griffin looked good in drills today, displaying nice quickness and good feet. He also picked off Erik Ainge in 11-on-11's.

• Alabama defensive back Simeon Castille had slow feet and wasn't very fluid while L.S.U. corner Chevis Jackson received some praise from the coaching staff but might be limited to a Cover 2 scheme at the next level.

• If it weren't for the spectacular week that Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is having Troy cornerback Leodis McKelvin might be the talk of the South squad. McKelvin has excellent change of directions skills and I can't emphasize enough what good feet he has. He also broke up a couple of passes today.

• Kentucky outside linebacker Wesley Woodyard looked comfortable in coverage drills.

• Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge had some trouble throwing a tight spiral today.

• Kentucky quarterback Andre Woodson struggled with his accuracy downfield in both 1-on-1's and 7-on-7's. In my opinion he needs to step up.

• Florida wideout Andre Caldwell was able to beat the jam and blow by Quintin Demps for a touchdown in 1-on-1's today.

• Auburn cornerback Patrick Lee had another solid day, even picking off a pass in 1-on-1's when Harry Douglas lost his footing and fell.

• Hawaii quarterback caller Colt Brennan had some trouble in 1-on-1's, underthrowing a deep ball. Later he showed excellent zip on his short passes but also had some issues with ball handling. Brennan isn't have a great week but he hasn't been nearly as bad as some people are making him out to be either.

• Georgia Tech linebacker Philip Wheeler just kept rolling today, looking very good in coverage in 7-on-7's.

• Houston wide receiver Donnie Avery continues to excel, showing some elusiveness after the catch and excellent quickness. At one point in practice he almost took out Limas Sweed and Trent Dilfer, who were standing on the sideline.

• Wake Forest defensive end Jeremy Thompson is quietly having a very solid week and today he jacked Clemson offensive tackle Barry Richardson backwards with a good power move. Later Richardson got some payback when he dominated Thompson on a run play.

• Arkansas offensive guard Robert Felton looked out of shape. Is stamina an issue?

• Tulane's Matt Forte did a nice job of blocking Wallace Gilberry in 11-on-11's.

• Newberry offensive tackle Heath Benedict and Hampton defensive end Kendall Langford got in quite the scuffle today and more than one punch was thrown. The staff seemed to let it go for a little while and that might have been the best fight I've seen down here since Nick Mangold and Clint Ingram went at it a couple of years ago. Who won you ask? It's close but I'll give the decision to Benedict.

• Georgia Tech defensive end Darrell Robertson continues to have a great week and today he beat Chris Williams in 11-on-11's, which hasn't happened often.

• Appalachian St. wide receiver Dexter Jackson was added to the South roster as a replacement for Limas Sweed and he acclimated himself quite well. It's never easy to join a team in the middle of the week but he flashed a couple of times, most notably on a diving catch across the middle in 7-on-7's. Jackson also worked as a kick and punt returner.

• Georgia Tech punter Durant Brooks looked real good on his directional attempts.

The thing that strikes me most about the Senior Bowl as a whole this year is how ordinary these highly-regarded quarterbacks have looked at times. The most disappointing of the bunch for me has been Andre Woodson, simply because he was supposed to be the #1 guy coming in. There is still time for him to impress but to this point I can't say he has looked like a Top 15 pick. Luckily the guys on the other side of the ball are doing more than their fair share to pick up the slack and corners Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Leodis McKelvin might be the two most impressive players on the entire South roster.

 

[Vintage]

Tracy Porter, CB, Indiana: Very smooth in his backpedal and transition on deep routes. Lined up in the slot and outside. Reads routes well, too, looking like the intended receiver by stepping in front of Adarius Bowman and taking the play away. Porter stuck with the very quick Eddie Royal on a stop-and-go route, when most of the other corners here would have been left in the dust. Was in coverage against WR Lavelle Hawkins on a great deep catch, but had him covered about as well as he could.

Just thought it was worth noting....

He'd make an excellent CB lined up opposite Newman IMO.

 

[Sasquatch]

And more ...

Z Report
Senior Bowl Practice Notes

South Practice Notes
* UT WR Limas Sweed definitely looks rusty as he hasn't shown great hands so far and his separation has been an issue. Most of the WRs who got matched up against safeties in one on one drills beat them fairly easily, but Sweed had trouble beating UTEP safety Q. Demps. He hasn't played for quite a while and just recently got his cast off. Did he make a mistake trying to come out and play right away? I like the competitiveness, but he could be costing himself some money.
* Vanderbilt LT Chris Williams got snaps at RT on Tuesday and I'm sure it has to do with the fact that his arm length measured just under 33" which is a concern for NFL coaches who don't like short armed tackles on the left side (see Eric Winston). He really moves his feet well, as advertised, and he's a more polished pass protector than Boise LT Ryan Clady in my opinion. However, Clady is bigger and stronger and has great upside. I still think Williams can probably project to either tackle spot. He's locking himself into a top 20 pick in my opinion and might be a consideration for the Texans.
* Kentucky QB Andre Woodson is aggravating to watch. He has good arm strength but seems far too interested in finessing too many passes. For a guy with a somewhat deliberate (slow?) delivery, he better show more zip on passes outside the numbers or they could end up as TDs the other way. I do love his deep ball touch though.
* LSU WR Early Doucet has looked good and scouts say that he is playing to the level that they expected when healthy. While most of the guys I've spoken with see him as fringe first rounder, with a good Senior Bowl and a solid 40 time, he could sneak into the top 25.
* UH WR Donnie Avery is easily the fastest player at the Senior Bowl according to everyone I've talked to. His deep speed is going to be something that teams covet potentially as early as the early 2nd (Chiefs or Raiders). He looked good going up after a ball that was thrown high and slightly behind him.
* Louisville WR Harry Douglas and Florida WR Andre Caldwell are both impressing. Douglas is very underrated in terms of being able to break a route of quickly and snatch the ball. As for Caldwell, the speed and hands he's shown so far will help him continue to cruise up the draft board.
* Hawaii QB Colt Brennan needs to really step it up. His diminutive frame is already strike one against him while strike two is the fact that it will take him awhile to learn to play under center. He can't afford a strike three and his erratic start so far has NFL teams doubting him.
* I loved watching Troy CB Leodis McKelvin. Scouts have told me he's the best CB in the draft and they compare him to Dunta Robinson and now I see why. He's a good tackler but he also has great hips and a great break on the ball. He is going to fly up the draft board, mark my words.
* If you are looking for someone to pump up Georgia Tech RB Tashard Choice, look somewhere else. Choice has lived up to his rep for being stiff and lacking wiggle so far at the Senior Bowl. Without burst or an ability to make people miss, he becomes just another power back and that limits his draft prospects. I think he'll end up in the 4th.
* I like UTEP OT Oniel Cousins and I think he could be someone the Texans potentially target as a guard because he can move pretty well and is nasty (Alex Gibbs anyone?), however, he is still somewhat raw and might be a year or two away from being ready if a team tries to play him at tackle. His technique still needs a lot of work.
* Scouts were unimpressed with Aggie o-lineman Cody Wallace. His strength was an issue as he got bull-rushed way too often. He looks like he could stand to add about 15 pounds. He plays a little to high.
* LSU LB Ali Highsmith still shows a bad habit at times of running himself right past the cutback lanes. His smallish stature will cause him to drop the 2nd round for sure according to one evaluator I trust. The thing that I love about him is that although he runs himself out of plays, he shows a good football IQ and intuition out on the field.
* Maryland DT Dre Moore gets off the ball and gets his hands on the offensive linemen much quicker than I expected. I know the knock on him is that he doesn't play up to his talent, but I'm still intrigued by his upside as a 3-technique.
* Clemson LT Barry Richardson has a 0% chance of playing LT in the NFL. Way too slow and stiff. He is going to have to move inside or hope that he can find a team who can make him a backup RT.
* Georgia Tech DE Darrell Robertson kind of reminds me of a taller version of Mark Anderson when he played in the Senior Bowl out of Alabama. Robertson is very quick off the ball and has the kind of frame that would allow him to bulk up. He's got very good pass rushing skills and will probably be gone in the 2nd round since there will be a run on DEs in the first round.
North Practice Notes
* Colorado LB Jordan Dizon has been incredibly productive and he's looked pretty good at the Senior Bowl so far, but his relative lack of size is going to keep him of of many team's boards. One scout told me "should we congratulate him now or later for going to the Colts or Tampa?"
* I love Mike Mayock from the NFL Network as I think he's one of the best draft guys around, but Chad Henne #2 at QB? He's showing a good arm in practice, but big deal? Everyone knows that. The problem for Henne is that he doesn't show great composure when the pocket starts to break down and that is a major concern on the next level. Henne overthrew a wide open Virg. Tech's Eddie Royal badly on one on ones and threw a few other balls short.
* I've been impressed all year with Notre Dame DT Trevor Laws and that is continuing at the Senior Bowl. He's not a first rounder or probably even a 2nd rounder, but he plays with a great motor, he continues to show that he's good with his hands and he's solid against the pass and the run. He will be a good value pick in the 3rd.
* Delware QB Joe Flacco had some "wow" throws in terms of arm strength on Tuesday but his accuracy was an issue at times even though some of the miscues looked like communication errors between QB/WR. I think Flacco is the guy who could shoot way up someones board this week and get drafted earlier than expected.
* Oklahoma State WR Adarius Bowman isn't helping his cause out at practice. Scouts have always knocked him for "double catching" too many passes, but it is showing up way too often at practice. On the flip side, I've been pretty impressed with how crisp his routes have been, but if you can't catch it consistently then that doesn't matter.
* VT WR Eddie Royal is blazing by anyone and everyone in his path on one on one drills as he has shown the ability to run the go routes with ease. The question is can he run the other routes with any consistency. With his ability to return kicks as well, his deep speed will be coveted.
* Boston College CB Dejuan Tribble has been on the receiving end of the beatings that Eddie Royal has been handing out. Tribble has a strike against him for being small, but his lack of recovery speed and his seeming loss of confidence over the first two days has really hurt his draft status.
* One of the most interesting things I was told yesterday was that USC DT Sedrick Ellis was great (I knew that) but that he will still be on the board outside of the top 10 because of how short he is. This same scout said that Ellis isn't in the same class Glenn Dorsey from LSU. In my personal opinion, Ellis proven once again that he has tremendous hands and can really get up the field in pass rush situations. His ability to shoot the gaps will make him a very disruptive player in the NFL.
* USC LT Sam Baker is showing everyone why he is considered a very sound tactician during one on one pass protection drills, but he has had some issues here and there with edge speed and his arm length (less than 33") won't endear him to many of the line coaches around the league. He might end up moving inside to guard like Eric Steinbach did when he came out of Iowa.
* BC OT Gosder Cherilus has shown good strength and a nasty streak, but he's also had some problems with balance thanks to too much waste bending. I think he's having a good showing, but I also think RT is the best spot for him and definitely not LT.
* While Cal WR DeSean Jackson will get drafted higher, his teammate, WR Lavelle Hawkins, is putting together a very nice Senior Bowl so far. He is catching everything with his hands rather than against his body and he is very quick out of his cuts.
* Eastern Michigan DE Jason Jones looks out of his league so far. Everyone expected him to show better edge presence as a pass rusher, but he has been swallowed up so far. He needs to crank it up or he is going to lose a round or two on his grade.
* Nebraska OT Carl Nicks rag-dolled DE Chris Ellis (VT) to the ground one play but had several issues in getting out of his stance and protecting against speed rushers during 11 on 11. He actually showed some pretty good feet once he got going and will likely have to move inside to guard. He was strong in run blocking and he might be the type of guard a team like the Steelers or Chiefs might look at.
* V. Tech LB Xavier Adibi showed once again that he isn't afraid to take on blockers in the running game and he can flow to the ball effectively. He was better in coverage than some expected. If Adibi keeps playing well, he'll have a chance to pass Ali Highsmith in terms of draft positioning.
* Oregon St. OG Roy Schuening has looked very good so far and continues to show good technique, solid strength and good hands. He really has good feet and athleticism for his size.
* I know that he's just a situational back, but I think Cal RB Justin Forsett has done a nice job so far considering many people think he's a late rounder or undrafted free agent. He has hit it in the hole without hesitation and doesn't appear to hesitate once he makes his cut. He has shown more burst than I expected as well. I think he has a chance to be a good late round value at RB.

 

[Vintage]

* I loved watching Troy CB Leodis McKelvin. Scouts have told me he's the best CB in the draft and they compare him to Dunta Robinson and now I see why. He's a good tackler but he also has great hips and a great break on the ball. He is going to fly up the draft board, mark my words.

For you, Bob Sacamano.....

 

[Chocolate Lab]

That's the first I've seen of Nicks getting moved to guard, but it makes sense.

He seems like a Houck kind of guy, as big as he is.

 

[McCordsville Cowboy]

Thanks for all the reports, theo.

Too bad Connor looks that good... He sounds like a perfect replacement for Akin.

Nelson, Royal, Forsett, and Porter sound good to me.

Uh no......

Dan Conner is a Bobby Carpenter clone.. Same height but much about 25 pounds lighter...

Both have problems shedding blocks. Carpenter might be a decent 4-3 SOLB but Connor will be too light in the *** to play inside LB in a 3-4.

But Connor will be an above average MLB in a 4-3 if he has beefy DT's to take up space and keep blockers off of him. He has a nose for the ball but is not physical enough to play in a 3-4..

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Senior Bowl Practice Report: Wednesday North Team Player Notes
Senior Bowl Practice Report
North Team
Chad Reuter, NFLDraftScout.com
Wed, January 23, 2008, Mobile, AL --

Eddie Royal, WR, Virginia Tech: Another impressive day for Royal. Quickness is his biggest asset, as he gets around corners as quickly as he gets around cones in drills. He snatched almost every ball thrown his way, only getting a couple into his body.



Tracy Porter, CB, Indiana: Very smooth in his backpedal and transition on deep routes. Lined up in the slot and outside. Reads routes well, too, looking like the intended receiver by stepping in front of Adarius Bowman and taking the play away. Porter stuck with the very quick Eddie Royal on a stop-and-go route, when most of the other corners here would have been left in the dust. Was in coverage against WR Lavelle Hawkins on a great deep catch, but had him covered about as well as he could.

quote]

These two would look great in Dallas uniforms...

 

[5mics]

Appreciate the post!

Looks like Adarius Bowman is playing himself out of the 1st round. Get it together man! Tracy Porter is another CB option in the 1st for us...