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Prospect Ratings · Risers/Fallers · Mock Drafts · History
By Rob Rang
Senior Analyst
NFLDraftScout.com
Tell Rob your opinion!
With three consecutive weeks of all-star games fresh in their minds, NFL scouts have the unenviable task of sifting through their daily practice notes to ascertain just who among the hundreds of players viewed at the East-West Shrine Game, Senior Bowl and Texas vs. Nation Game actually raised or lowered their ranking. Boston College defensive tackle B.J. Raji and Colorado State running back Gartrell Johnson were clearly among the early winners of the postseason all-star games. Just as obvious was that Big 12 quarterbacks Graham Harrell (Texas Tech) and Chase Daniel (Missouri) were unable to shed the concerns about their lack of prototype arm strength and size. With many NFL scouts only now getting an opportunity to huddle with their peers and share their impressions over the three games, a new group of Risers and Fallers has quietly emerged from the all-star game festivities. The most dramatic Fallers of the week, however, have nothing but their off-field issues to blame for their status.
Risers and Fallers -- (Updated 2/10/2009)
Rank Change Player Pos. School Summary
Risers
1. Robert Ayers DE Tennessee Ayers entered the Senior Bowl hoping to prove he could rush the passer, as he finished with only three sacks as a senior despite earning first-team All-SEC honors. Spirited battles early in the week of practice against Ole Miss LT Michael Oher turned scouts on to Ayers, and for those who stuck around for the game, Ayers proved able to transfer his new-found burst into the stat book, leading the game with 1.5 sacks and earning Defensive MVP accolades. With only two games started entering his senior season, scouts will question whether Ayers is a flash in the pan, but his performance in Mobile could be enough to land him in the first round.
2. Jarron Gilbert DE San Jose State Ayers, Raji, and Mississippi's Peria Jerry may have earned the headlines with their play throughout the Senior Bowl practices, but Gilbert was arguably just as dominant -- and some scouts claim even more so -- throughout the East-West Shrine Game practices. Gilbert, at 6-5, 287 pounds, has unbelievable athleticism and proved to scouts that his eye-popping 22 tackles for loss last season were no mirage.
3. Darcel McBath FS Texas Tech Perhaps because so much attention was heaped upon the Texas Tech offense throughout the year, many scouts entered the East-West Shrine practices willing to acknowledge that McBath was a nice player, but a late rounder at best. That talk ended after scouts came away impressed with McBath's instincts and physicality early in the week. A tweaked hamstring limited him later in the week and ultimately kept him out of the game itself, limiting the exposure McBath received from the game. Still, scouts were impressed enough to pop back in the film on the three-time all-conference pick and now view him as a legitimate middle-round prospect.
4. Kory Sheets RB Purdue Many scouts spent much of the week in Mobile grumbling about the lack of skill position talent there, but one player who quietly made positive impressions was the former Purdue back. A versatile athlete who caught the ball cleanly throughout the week (including four receptions in the game) and showed good acceleration and agility in the open field, Sheets fits the mold of the "runners. Scouts are always looking for special teams help, and Sheets' career-long 61-yard kick return in the game did not go unnoticed.
5. Jovan Belcher OLB Maine It would be hard to fault the Maine Bears for moving Belcher, a three-year starter at linebacker, to defensive end in 2008, considering he did earn the Colonial Athletic Association's Defensive Player of the Year award after leading the league with 17.5 tackles for loss (including 7.5 sacks). It was the move back to linebacker -- both at weak-side and inside -- at the Texas vs. Nation game that had scouts buzzing. Quietly among the more versatile linebackers in the draft, Belcher is emerging as one of the hotter prospects from that game.
Fallers
6. Alex Boone OT Ohio State A first-team All-Big Ten selection and likely mid-round draft pick just a few weeks ago, Boone may have eliminated any chance of his being drafted after police allegedly had to control the 6-7, 330-pound offensive tackle with a Taser. Arrested shortly before midnight on Feb. 1, police arrived on the scene to see Boone reportedly jumping on car hoods and yanking a tow-truck cable. The arrest was Boone's second for an alcohol-related offense. He was also arrested for drunk driving in April of 2006.
7. Maurice Evans DE Penn State Evans learned Feb. 3 that he was being place on Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition and probation for one year for his arrest five months ago for marijuana possession. Evans' stock had already been down after posting only three sacks in 2008. That came after leading the Nittany Lions with 12.5 sacks in 2007 and ranking as a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award as the nation's elite defensive end.
8. Brian Cushing OLB Southern California By most accounts Cushing was among the more impressive linebackers throughout the week of practice at the Senior Bowl. Rather than focusing on his athleticism and instincts on the field, however, scouts in the stands were buzzing about reports that Cushing spends thousands of dollars a month on nutritional supplements. While no one is claiming Cushing's supplements should be confused with illegal steroids, it does raise questions about how maxed out Cushing might be -- questions that could push the All-American down the board considering the top-end talent this year at linebacker.
9. Mike Mickens CB Cincinnati Considering his experience (47 career starts) and pedigree (four-year all-conference selection, 2008 All-American), it might seem unfair of scouts to drop Mickens after he was forced to leave the Senior Bowl early due to inflammation in his knee. He was characterized by head coach Brian Kelly as "100 percent" before the Bearcats' loss to Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl, so scouts expected to see him perform well in Mobile. However, Mickens did not appear to be himself early in the week of practice. This, along with the fact that Mickens weighed in at only 176 pounds, raised doubts even in the minds of scouts who were once Mickens supporters. A strong showing at the Senior Bowl could have put Mickens into the first round. If unable to post an impressive workout at the Combine, Mickens now could slide into the third.
10. Terrance Taylor DT Michigan Taylor certainly doesn't have the prototypical build scouts are looking for in a dominating defensive tackle, but that is exactly what appeared to be as a junior, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors. Taylor's play dropped off as a senior, however, and dropped even further with a disappointing week of practice at the East-West Shrine Game. If there were teams operating a 4-3 alignment that had interest in the squarely built Taylor, they likely lost interest after the former Wolverine showed virtually no lateral burst or agility in separating from blocks. A team operating out of the 3-4 scheme may still consider bringing Taylor aboard, but with little competition for his services, Taylor could be available late on Sunday or perhaps even go undrafted.
Prospect Ratings · Risers/Fallers · Mock Drafts · History
By Rob Rang
Senior Analyst
NFLDraftScout.com
Tell Rob your opinion!
With three consecutive weeks of all-star games fresh in their minds, NFL scouts have the unenviable task of sifting through their daily practice notes to ascertain just who among the hundreds of players viewed at the East-West Shrine Game, Senior Bowl and Texas vs. Nation Game actually raised or lowered their ranking. Boston College defensive tackle B.J. Raji and Colorado State running back Gartrell Johnson were clearly among the early winners of the postseason all-star games. Just as obvious was that Big 12 quarterbacks Graham Harrell (Texas Tech) and Chase Daniel (Missouri) were unable to shed the concerns about their lack of prototype arm strength and size. With many NFL scouts only now getting an opportunity to huddle with their peers and share their impressions over the three games, a new group of Risers and Fallers has quietly emerged from the all-star game festivities. The most dramatic Fallers of the week, however, have nothing but their off-field issues to blame for their status.
Risers and Fallers -- (Updated 2/10/2009)
Rank Change Player Pos. School Summary
Risers
1. Robert Ayers DE Tennessee Ayers entered the Senior Bowl hoping to prove he could rush the passer, as he finished with only three sacks as a senior despite earning first-team All-SEC honors. Spirited battles early in the week of practice against Ole Miss LT Michael Oher turned scouts on to Ayers, and for those who stuck around for the game, Ayers proved able to transfer his new-found burst into the stat book, leading the game with 1.5 sacks and earning Defensive MVP accolades. With only two games started entering his senior season, scouts will question whether Ayers is a flash in the pan, but his performance in Mobile could be enough to land him in the first round.
2. Jarron Gilbert DE San Jose State Ayers, Raji, and Mississippi's Peria Jerry may have earned the headlines with their play throughout the Senior Bowl practices, but Gilbert was arguably just as dominant -- and some scouts claim even more so -- throughout the East-West Shrine Game practices. Gilbert, at 6-5, 287 pounds, has unbelievable athleticism and proved to scouts that his eye-popping 22 tackles for loss last season were no mirage.
3. Darcel McBath FS Texas Tech Perhaps because so much attention was heaped upon the Texas Tech offense throughout the year, many scouts entered the East-West Shrine practices willing to acknowledge that McBath was a nice player, but a late rounder at best. That talk ended after scouts came away impressed with McBath's instincts and physicality early in the week. A tweaked hamstring limited him later in the week and ultimately kept him out of the game itself, limiting the exposure McBath received from the game. Still, scouts were impressed enough to pop back in the film on the three-time all-conference pick and now view him as a legitimate middle-round prospect.
4. Kory Sheets RB Purdue Many scouts spent much of the week in Mobile grumbling about the lack of skill position talent there, but one player who quietly made positive impressions was the former Purdue back. A versatile athlete who caught the ball cleanly throughout the week (including four receptions in the game) and showed good acceleration and agility in the open field, Sheets fits the mold of the "runners. Scouts are always looking for special teams help, and Sheets' career-long 61-yard kick return in the game did not go unnoticed.
5. Jovan Belcher OLB Maine It would be hard to fault the Maine Bears for moving Belcher, a three-year starter at linebacker, to defensive end in 2008, considering he did earn the Colonial Athletic Association's Defensive Player of the Year award after leading the league with 17.5 tackles for loss (including 7.5 sacks). It was the move back to linebacker -- both at weak-side and inside -- at the Texas vs. Nation game that had scouts buzzing. Quietly among the more versatile linebackers in the draft, Belcher is emerging as one of the hotter prospects from that game.
Fallers
6. Alex Boone OT Ohio State A first-team All-Big Ten selection and likely mid-round draft pick just a few weeks ago, Boone may have eliminated any chance of his being drafted after police allegedly had to control the 6-7, 330-pound offensive tackle with a Taser. Arrested shortly before midnight on Feb. 1, police arrived on the scene to see Boone reportedly jumping on car hoods and yanking a tow-truck cable. The arrest was Boone's second for an alcohol-related offense. He was also arrested for drunk driving in April of 2006.
7. Maurice Evans DE Penn State Evans learned Feb. 3 that he was being place on Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition and probation for one year for his arrest five months ago for marijuana possession. Evans' stock had already been down after posting only three sacks in 2008. That came after leading the Nittany Lions with 12.5 sacks in 2007 and ranking as a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award as the nation's elite defensive end.
8. Brian Cushing OLB Southern California By most accounts Cushing was among the more impressive linebackers throughout the week of practice at the Senior Bowl. Rather than focusing on his athleticism and instincts on the field, however, scouts in the stands were buzzing about reports that Cushing spends thousands of dollars a month on nutritional supplements. While no one is claiming Cushing's supplements should be confused with illegal steroids, it does raise questions about how maxed out Cushing might be -- questions that could push the All-American down the board considering the top-end talent this year at linebacker.
9. Mike Mickens CB Cincinnati Considering his experience (47 career starts) and pedigree (four-year all-conference selection, 2008 All-American), it might seem unfair of scouts to drop Mickens after he was forced to leave the Senior Bowl early due to inflammation in his knee. He was characterized by head coach Brian Kelly as "100 percent" before the Bearcats' loss to Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl, so scouts expected to see him perform well in Mobile. However, Mickens did not appear to be himself early in the week of practice. This, along with the fact that Mickens weighed in at only 176 pounds, raised doubts even in the minds of scouts who were once Mickens supporters. A strong showing at the Senior Bowl could have put Mickens into the first round. If unable to post an impressive workout at the Combine, Mickens now could slide into the third.
10. Terrance Taylor DT Michigan Taylor certainly doesn't have the prototypical build scouts are looking for in a dominating defensive tackle, but that is exactly what appeared to be as a junior, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors. Taylor's play dropped off as a senior, however, and dropped even further with a disappointing week of practice at the East-West Shrine Game. If there were teams operating a 4-3 alignment that had interest in the squarely built Taylor, they likely lost interest after the former Wolverine showed virtually no lateral burst or agility in separating from blocks. A team operating out of the 3-4 scheme may still consider bringing Taylor aboard, but with little competition for his services, Taylor could be available late on Sunday or perhaps even go undrafted.
