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QBs continue to struggle
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By Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.
MOBILE, Ala. -- The second day of practice for the North team at the 2009 Under Armour Senior Bowl was notable for a few reasons, including the emergence of an Ohio State receiver and the continued struggles of the QBs.
• On Monday, we said that Boston College DT B.J. Raji is the clear front-runner to emerge as the top prospect at lineman -- defensive or offensive -- in his class by the time we leave Mobile. After this morning's practice, we now feel that he is one of the top two or three prospects here regardless of position. Raji continues to showcase his rare blend of size, burst and agility, and he manhandled highly touted Oregon C Max Unger on more than one occasion. In fact, he got under Unger's pads, drove him back and then put him on his back on one snap during one-on-one pass-rushing drills.
• At this point, Raji's collegiate teammate DT Ron Brace is probably used to living in his shadow, but Brace's play hasn't gone unnoticed by the coaches and front-office personnel in attendance. Brace isn't as explosive or athletic as Raji and is a little too top-heavy at times, but he's doing a good job of holding his ground and flashing the ability to collapse the pocket. In other words, he played like a late second-round or early second-day pick today.
• Northern Illinois's Larry English is separating himself from another undersized defensive end/outside linebacker prospect -- Connecticut's Cody Brown -- and working his way into the first day of the draft. English is playing with more of an edge and showing better upper body than Brown as a run defender. He has also been a step quicker around the corner than Brown has been in rushing the passer.
• While Unger clearly had problems sinking his hips and anchoring in pass protection Tuesday despite weighing in at a respectable 299 pounds, Cal C Alex Mack fared better. Missouri DT Ziggy Hood did beat Mack with a spin move during one-on-one pass rush drills, but Mack did a better job of holding his ground. In addition, he looks to be a split-second quicker than Unger.
• Connecticut OT William Beatty has made a favorable impression during his first two days of practice. Beatty clearly needs to get bigger, but he has room on his frame to bulk up and he's already stronger than his size suggests. More importantly, he moves well and has the long arms to ride edge-rushers past the pocket.
• Unlike Beatty, Oklahoma OT Phil Loadholt's stock continues to slip. Loadholt continues to have problems preventing edge-rushers from turning the corner despite his long arms and a frame built for riding rushers past the pocket. It's also clear that he doesn't have the foot speed or balance to handle double moves, so he is going to have play right offensive tackle to succeed at the NFL level.
• Another offensive lineman who's off to a rough start is Cincinnati OG Trevor Canfield. There's a lot to like about Canfield's tenaciousness, but his lack of a quick first step hurt him on several snaps today. Active Iowa DE/DT Mitch King in particular gave him problems.
• Virginia TE John Phillips isn't overwhelming in any specific area and he's clearly not on the same level as Oklahoma State's Brandon Pettigrew in terms of upside, but Phillips has the tools to develop into a contributor in the NFL. While he isn't overpowering defenders at the point of attack, he gets good hand placement, locks on and keeps his feet churning on contact. He also has enough room on his frame to get bigger without sacrificing too much quickness or agility. In terms of his receiving skills, Phillips isn't much of a big-play threat, but he gets off the line well, presents a big target by squaring himself to the quarterback and uses his frame to shield defenders from the ball.
• Oklahoma S Nic Harris played a lot of outside linebacker Tuesday, and the decision to do so should improve his draft stock, especially with teams that stress speed and athletic ability over bulk and power at linebacker (think Indianapolis). Of course, Harris hit a few speed bumps and understandably showed some indecisiveness. However, he also showed above-average closing speed and agility in pursuit. Though we will continue to monitor his ability to stack and shed blockers as the week progresses, he played with a mean streak and was surprisingly stout working against the tight ends today.
• There is a lot to like about Virginia OLB Clint Sintim, but it's still unclear as to where the tweener best fits in. He is an athletic chase player who uses his long arms to fend off blockers when in pursuit. The problem is he shows marginal awareness in coverage and isn't big or strong enough to anchor against the run if moved to defensive end.
• Pittsburgh MLB Scott McKillop isn't athletic enough to consistently match up in man coverage and is undersized by NFL standards, but he's a far better football player than athlete. McKillop locates the ball quickly, takes very few false steps and stays squared up while scraping down the line of scrimmage. He's also a strong form tackler who takes the extra step to get into sound position.
• Cal OLB Zach Follett has strong hands and the upper-body strength to jolt blockers on contact, but his mobility is subpar. He plays too top-heavy and loses his balance at times as a result. In fact, he appeared so rigid during kick-coverage drills today that we question his ability to contribute on special teams. Making matters worse, Follett is a plodder who hasn't shown much closing speed in pursuit.
• On a brisk, cold and windy morning, it wasn't exactly ideal conditions for throwing the ball, and Sam Houston State QB [URL="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft/tracker/player?draftyear=2009&id=24352"]Rhett Bomar[/URL] and Arkansas State QB [URL="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft/tracker/player?draftyear=2009&id=24203"]Nathan Brown[/URL] felt the effects. Bomar was late on a few throws across the middle and struggled to get enough behind his deep throws as the ball hung in the wind and he underthrew his receivers. Brown fared even worse, throwing behind Penn State WR [URL="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft/tracker/player?draftyear=2009&id=24013"]Derrick Williams[/URL], who was wide-open across the middle during one-on-one drills. Brown appeared to struggle finding a solid grip on the football, as it came off his hand awkwardly and caused him to short-hop a few comebacks and deep-out throws -- this could be the effects of Brown's small hands (they are just 9.1 inches from pinky to thumb), and raises concerns about his ability to be effective throwing in inclement weather.
• Williams turned in another mixed-bag performance during Tuesday morning's practice. On one hand, he showed a good initial burst off the line of scrimmage and displayed his top-end speed on a reverse when he was able to get the corner. He also did an excellent job of setting up defenders and gaining leverage off his stem. However, he continued to show too much wasted motion out of breaks, limiting his separation. He also was unable to turn around his returning woes that started during Monday's practice. Williams appeared to struggle tracking the ball in the wind, barely hanging on to one punt that he let into his pads and dropping another one that hung up in the wind and fell short of him.
• Speaking of inconsistency, there was Washington State WR Brandon Gibson's effort Tuesday. Gibson was able to dig out two tough throws during practice and did a nice job separating the ball from the ground with his hands. But these tough catches were overshadowed by his dropping a few easy attempts, including one strike from Bomar during seven-on-seven drills on a comeback route. However the rest of Gibson's play was up to par as he displayed a smooth transition out of his stem and created adequate separation from defenders. He also showed above-average body control and did a nice job of throttling down and opening up his hips on throws behind him. If Gibson can clean up the inconsistency catching the ball the rest of the week, he stands a legitimate chance to improve his stock.
• One receiver whose stock is on the rise through the first two days is Ohio State's Brian Robiskie. He continues to separate himself from the pack as the most polished receiver on the North roster. He showed precise cuts out of his stem and was able to throttle down instantly when running stop and comeback routes. Robiskie opened scouts' eyes with a beautiful catch during seven-on-seven drills, going up high on a skinny post while displaying soft hands to haul in the throw. At this point he appears to be the receiver who should have the easiest transition at the next level.
• Oregon State CB Keenan Lewis turned in a solid day's work during the morning session. Lewis has the instincts and awareness to anticipate routes and puts himself in proper position to make plays on the ball. This was magnified during seven-on-seven drills, in which Lewis did an excellent job recognizing the go route from North Carolina WR Brooks Foster. He was able to hang in Foster's hip pocket and had the body control to throttle down and put himself between Foster and the ball, which was underthrown. However, Lewis wasn't flawless on the day. He struggles at times transitioning out of his breaks, especially with the ball in front of him.
• Safeties David Bruton (Notre Dame) and William Moore (Missouri) had problems transitioning out of breaks. Bruton appeared stiff in his hips and struggled to get off the hash when turning and running. This lack of fluidity raises questions about his overall range on the back end in coverage. Moore had his own problem, as he struggled to turn and run with receivers during the one-on-one period. He also allowed too much separation out of breaks, causing concerns about his ability to line up in man coverage with slot receivers at the next level. Moore was also slow breaking on the ball, stemming from a lack of instincts and anticipation when roaming center field during seven-on-seven and team periods.
Todd McShay is the director of college football scouting for Scouts Inc. He has been evaluating prospects for the NFL draft since 1998. Scouts Inc.'s Steve Muench, Kevin Weidl and Matt Williamson also contributed to this report.
Email Print
Scouts Inc.
MOBILE, Ala. -- The second day of practice for the North team at the 2009 Under Armour Senior Bowl was notable for a few reasons, including the emergence of an Ohio State receiver and the continued struggles of the QBs.
• On Monday, we said that Boston College DT B.J. Raji is the clear front-runner to emerge as the top prospect at lineman -- defensive or offensive -- in his class by the time we leave Mobile. After this morning's practice, we now feel that he is one of the top two or three prospects here regardless of position. Raji continues to showcase his rare blend of size, burst and agility, and he manhandled highly touted Oregon C Max Unger on more than one occasion. In fact, he got under Unger's pads, drove him back and then put him on his back on one snap during one-on-one pass-rushing drills.
• At this point, Raji's collegiate teammate DT Ron Brace is probably used to living in his shadow, but Brace's play hasn't gone unnoticed by the coaches and front-office personnel in attendance. Brace isn't as explosive or athletic as Raji and is a little too top-heavy at times, but he's doing a good job of holding his ground and flashing the ability to collapse the pocket. In other words, he played like a late second-round or early second-day pick today.
• Northern Illinois's Larry English is separating himself from another undersized defensive end/outside linebacker prospect -- Connecticut's Cody Brown -- and working his way into the first day of the draft. English is playing with more of an edge and showing better upper body than Brown as a run defender. He has also been a step quicker around the corner than Brown has been in rushing the passer.
• While Unger clearly had problems sinking his hips and anchoring in pass protection Tuesday despite weighing in at a respectable 299 pounds, Cal C Alex Mack fared better. Missouri DT Ziggy Hood did beat Mack with a spin move during one-on-one pass rush drills, but Mack did a better job of holding his ground. In addition, he looks to be a split-second quicker than Unger.
• Connecticut OT William Beatty has made a favorable impression during his first two days of practice. Beatty clearly needs to get bigger, but he has room on his frame to bulk up and he's already stronger than his size suggests. More importantly, he moves well and has the long arms to ride edge-rushers past the pocket.
• Unlike Beatty, Oklahoma OT Phil Loadholt's stock continues to slip. Loadholt continues to have problems preventing edge-rushers from turning the corner despite his long arms and a frame built for riding rushers past the pocket. It's also clear that he doesn't have the foot speed or balance to handle double moves, so he is going to have play right offensive tackle to succeed at the NFL level.
• Another offensive lineman who's off to a rough start is Cincinnati OG Trevor Canfield. There's a lot to like about Canfield's tenaciousness, but his lack of a quick first step hurt him on several snaps today. Active Iowa DE/DT Mitch King in particular gave him problems.
• Virginia TE John Phillips isn't overwhelming in any specific area and he's clearly not on the same level as Oklahoma State's Brandon Pettigrew in terms of upside, but Phillips has the tools to develop into a contributor in the NFL. While he isn't overpowering defenders at the point of attack, he gets good hand placement, locks on and keeps his feet churning on contact. He also has enough room on his frame to get bigger without sacrificing too much quickness or agility. In terms of his receiving skills, Phillips isn't much of a big-play threat, but he gets off the line well, presents a big target by squaring himself to the quarterback and uses his frame to shield defenders from the ball.
• Oklahoma S Nic Harris played a lot of outside linebacker Tuesday, and the decision to do so should improve his draft stock, especially with teams that stress speed and athletic ability over bulk and power at linebacker (think Indianapolis). Of course, Harris hit a few speed bumps and understandably showed some indecisiveness. However, he also showed above-average closing speed and agility in pursuit. Though we will continue to monitor his ability to stack and shed blockers as the week progresses, he played with a mean streak and was surprisingly stout working against the tight ends today.
• There is a lot to like about Virginia OLB Clint Sintim, but it's still unclear as to where the tweener best fits in. He is an athletic chase player who uses his long arms to fend off blockers when in pursuit. The problem is he shows marginal awareness in coverage and isn't big or strong enough to anchor against the run if moved to defensive end.
• Pittsburgh MLB Scott McKillop isn't athletic enough to consistently match up in man coverage and is undersized by NFL standards, but he's a far better football player than athlete. McKillop locates the ball quickly, takes very few false steps and stays squared up while scraping down the line of scrimmage. He's also a strong form tackler who takes the extra step to get into sound position.
• Cal OLB Zach Follett has strong hands and the upper-body strength to jolt blockers on contact, but his mobility is subpar. He plays too top-heavy and loses his balance at times as a result. In fact, he appeared so rigid during kick-coverage drills today that we question his ability to contribute on special teams. Making matters worse, Follett is a plodder who hasn't shown much closing speed in pursuit.
• On a brisk, cold and windy morning, it wasn't exactly ideal conditions for throwing the ball, and Sam Houston State QB [URL="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft/tracker/player?draftyear=2009&id=24352"]Rhett Bomar[/URL] and Arkansas State QB [URL="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft/tracker/player?draftyear=2009&id=24203"]Nathan Brown[/URL] felt the effects. Bomar was late on a few throws across the middle and struggled to get enough behind his deep throws as the ball hung in the wind and he underthrew his receivers. Brown fared even worse, throwing behind Penn State WR [URL="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft/tracker/player?draftyear=2009&id=24013"]Derrick Williams[/URL], who was wide-open across the middle during one-on-one drills. Brown appeared to struggle finding a solid grip on the football, as it came off his hand awkwardly and caused him to short-hop a few comebacks and deep-out throws -- this could be the effects of Brown's small hands (they are just 9.1 inches from pinky to thumb), and raises concerns about his ability to be effective throwing in inclement weather.
• Williams turned in another mixed-bag performance during Tuesday morning's practice. On one hand, he showed a good initial burst off the line of scrimmage and displayed his top-end speed on a reverse when he was able to get the corner. He also did an excellent job of setting up defenders and gaining leverage off his stem. However, he continued to show too much wasted motion out of breaks, limiting his separation. He also was unable to turn around his returning woes that started during Monday's practice. Williams appeared to struggle tracking the ball in the wind, barely hanging on to one punt that he let into his pads and dropping another one that hung up in the wind and fell short of him.
• Speaking of inconsistency, there was Washington State WR Brandon Gibson's effort Tuesday. Gibson was able to dig out two tough throws during practice and did a nice job separating the ball from the ground with his hands. But these tough catches were overshadowed by his dropping a few easy attempts, including one strike from Bomar during seven-on-seven drills on a comeback route. However the rest of Gibson's play was up to par as he displayed a smooth transition out of his stem and created adequate separation from defenders. He also showed above-average body control and did a nice job of throttling down and opening up his hips on throws behind him. If Gibson can clean up the inconsistency catching the ball the rest of the week, he stands a legitimate chance to improve his stock.
• One receiver whose stock is on the rise through the first two days is Ohio State's Brian Robiskie. He continues to separate himself from the pack as the most polished receiver on the North roster. He showed precise cuts out of his stem and was able to throttle down instantly when running stop and comeback routes. Robiskie opened scouts' eyes with a beautiful catch during seven-on-seven drills, going up high on a skinny post while displaying soft hands to haul in the throw. At this point he appears to be the receiver who should have the easiest transition at the next level.
• Oregon State CB Keenan Lewis turned in a solid day's work during the morning session. Lewis has the instincts and awareness to anticipate routes and puts himself in proper position to make plays on the ball. This was magnified during seven-on-seven drills, in which Lewis did an excellent job recognizing the go route from North Carolina WR Brooks Foster. He was able to hang in Foster's hip pocket and had the body control to throttle down and put himself between Foster and the ball, which was underthrown. However, Lewis wasn't flawless on the day. He struggles at times transitioning out of his breaks, especially with the ball in front of him.
• Safeties David Bruton (Notre Dame) and William Moore (Missouri) had problems transitioning out of breaks. Bruton appeared stiff in his hips and struggled to get off the hash when turning and running. This lack of fluidity raises questions about his overall range on the back end in coverage. Moore had his own problem, as he struggled to turn and run with receivers during the one-on-one period. He also allowed too much separation out of breaks, causing concerns about his ability to line up in man coverage with slot receivers at the next level. Moore was also slow breaking on the ball, stemming from a lack of instincts and anticipation when roaming center field during seven-on-seven and team periods.
Todd McShay is the director of college football scouting for Scouts Inc. He has been evaluating prospects for the NFL draft since 1998. Scouts Inc.'s Steve Muench, Kevin Weidl and Matt Williamson also contributed to this report.