http://gbnreport.com/star-game-reports/ ALL-STAR GAME REPORTS Senior Bowl Day 2 Posted: January 21, 2015 | 0 comments From a practice standpoint today marks the second of only 3 days of practice this year. Still trying to get my head around that. But the skies were blue, the wind was light and I can think of no better way to spend a day than at Ladd-Peebles watching two practices. AM PRACTICE NORTH The Yankees hit the field under ideal conditions. By the 9:30 start time you really didn’t need a jacket if you stayed in the sunlight. The players warmed up quickly and we were off to the races. Near the start of practice TOM OBARSKI/PK #6 got his chance to show his stuff. He did a nice job missing only 1 FG attempt that I could see and finished up from 52 yards out with a make. His teammates high-fived him and clearly the kicking game could be important in the game on Saturday, given the anticipated mediocre level of QB play. Mr. OBARSKI was not booming his kicks, but they had enough oomph, with nothing falling short. It is hard to gauge what live action results will be, but I will comment that I like the looks of VINCE MAYLE/WR #15 as a kick returner. He accelerates quickly and has a long, but balanced stride. With a bit of blocking he could give the North some solid field position come Saturday. But then again who knows if he has actually won the job or not. MAYLE has also shown some nice flashes as a receiver as well. At least in 1-on-1 pass protection drills I felt T.J. CLEMMINGS #68 had a poor day again on Wednesday. He was beaten on a regular basis in the drill. He seems to not show any strength either in anchoring his lower body or in using his arms effectively. Rushers are running around him or just plain over-powering him. Some of this is likely technique for a guy still transitioning from basketball to football, but it tells me it may a few years before he gets solid enough to earn a starting job. That does not put into first round consideration IMO. CASEY PIERCE/TE #87 is making a case for himself as a dependable receiving target for underneath throws. He looks natural receiving he ball, then tucks it nicely and turns pretty smoothly upfield. THis from a guy who was a last minute add to the game rosters. I saw on the roster that he is from Parma, Ohio. Anyone else remember that as part of the lead line on the Drew Carey show theme song; Moon over Parma tonight? Any fan looking for a high profile, glitzy DT for their team can look right past CARL DAVIS/DT #71. But if your team runs a 4-3 scheme and needs a solid anchor who can do a bit of everything he might be your guy at this game. DAVIS is looking athletic in drill work and steady and stout in scrimmaging. He might deserve to ranked as high as Round 2 when the week is over. I expect him to also make some plays on game day. He looks like a gamer and potential starter in the NFL. Add my name to the QUENTIN ROLLINS/CB #22 runaway train fan list. I spent many minutes at this practice watching him in several drill situations and he is a natural folks. He has decent size and great natural athleticism. I like his confident style of play. I also like the lack of unnecessary, wasted movement in his play. He seems to be a natural at reading the play around him, making his decision and then making his play. It is also easy to see his anticipation skills in going to the ball in the air. He came close to several INT this morning. He has both playing speed and quickness. He turns his body naturally to change direction and he seems to see the whole field. If he blows up the Combine I see him in Round 1 come April/May. I am a strong believer in the current trend of NFL teams finding roster slots and roles for players who do not fit the “standard size” criteria. Another example of that here in Mobile is HAYES PULLARD/ILB #11. He is not your standard sized ILB at 6’002/236. But he is a blur getting after the ball and his anticipation of where the ball is, or may be going, is uncanny. He also delvers a blow when he gets to the ball. I can see him causing more than his share of turnovers at the NFL level. And while the roles for him in a defense get defined, expect big things from him on Special Teams, and I mean all Special teams units. TONY LIPPETT/WR #14 has been nicknamed Daddy Long Legs by yours truly because he reminds me of Fred Astaire with his very long, very lean frame. This man has been catching everything thrown his way this week and can really stretch the field with his long strides. More than a few DB have been able to catch him after the reception downfield. I am not sure that he will impress much at the Combine, but he could help any NFL team in need of a long receiver to balance out a smallish receiving corps. He is clearly helping himself this week.
http://gbnreport.com/star-game-reports/ ALL-STAR GAME REPORTS Senior Bowl Day 2 Posted: January 21, 2015 | 0 comments PM Practice SOUTH My first observation here is that I’m not sure what the South squad does at the QB position with NICK MARSHALL sliding over to the CB group. At tonight’s Presser HC GUS BRADLEY said that MARSHALL came to him after the Monday night QB group meeting and asked to be moved over to CB. Based on feedback he had been getting lately he felt it was his best chance to impress pro scouts of his versatility as an athlete. But it leaves the South squad a bit thin. It is possible they could play most of the game with BLAKE SIMS at the QB slot. Folks he ain’t no RUSSELL WILSON. The most pleasant surprise of the South practice for me was when JUSTIN MANTON/K/P #17 was allowed to practice FG kicking. His first kick caught my attention because I hear that extra loud thump from the ball as his foot made contact and he punished the ball. I have heard that a few times in my many years coming to Mobile. He hit nothing but high, straight rockets all the way up to 50+ yards. He also stymied his teams attempt to polish up their Kick Return game. I counted 8 kick-offs from MANTON with 4 going out of the end zone and the other 4 all being more than half-way deep into the end zone. Thursday I will be grabbing the Pigskin Paul stop watch to check his punting hang times, as he is handling both chores for his team. On a disappointing note I am still waiting to see the positive from TYLER SAMBRAILO/OT #51. Sambrailo had a pretty sloppy, undefined body at the weigh-in, and he’s practicing accordingly. I think he has NFL talent, but he needs a personal trainer and major weight room and dietary/nutrition help before he’s going to help any MFL team. He was overmatched in just about all of the OL drills, and got pushed around quite handily. I wish him the best, but he is far from NFL ready. Conversely, a guy who is pro ready along the OL is LA’EL COLLINS/OT/LSU #60. COLLINS looks a bit light in the pants these days, weighing in at only 308 lbs Monday. He was listed at closer to 330-lbs back in pre-season college football reports. I will assume this is a conscious attempt to get quicker, but I caution him not to go too far. He might be moving a bit faster, but he’s not overpowering defenders like he once did. His game has not been quickness and never will be. I’d say get back up to 320 and at worst get moved to RT as a prospect. But I still would rate him as a mid-to-late Round 1 prospect based on what I have seen. Many folks were disappointed when KEVIN WHITE/WR/WEST VIRGINIA opted out of the game a week or so ago. But we do have another KEVIN WHITE… CB/TCU #20 and he is the South’s version of STEVEN NELSON of the North. All WHITE is lacking is a few inches and a 10 lbs from being a top round prospect, because when it comes to coverage he is a dynamo. And for his size he is a willing participant in run defense as well. He’s quick in his backpedal, and catches balls with ease and dexterity. At the least, he should be able to help his pro team as a nickel Corner on the slot right away. On the other side of the ball the South has a compact play-maker by the name of TYLER LOCKETT/WR/RS #22. LOCKETT has shown plenty of quicks and very soft hands. He is of course very explosive and elusive after the catch. I haven’t watched much punt and punt return action yet, but he has been a very dangerous Punt Returner during his college career. His size (5095/181) concerns folks, but I think that is just a matter of an NFL team being willing to limit his touches per game before an opposing team breaks him. LOCKETT is just too plain explosive to ignore and I expect some plays from him on Saturday to top off his solid practice work. DEZMIN LEWIS/WR #15 was one of the small school players I was most interested in watching this week. I had seen some game tape of him and came away impressed. I was impressed again seeing him at the weigh-in Tuesday. He measured 6’034/215 with 668″ hands and arms of 3268″. Those are impressive numbers for any WR. He has followed up that appearance with a couple of very solid practices, but it is hard to overlook how raw he is as a receiver. He rounds off many of his patterns, and at times has a problem positioning his body for receptions. He is less than sophisticated at working the sideline when covered. Against small school corners he was wide open much of the time. This week DB are contesting just about every ball thrown his way. But he has responded well to coaching and is improving with each hour of practice. I am thinking he might make a play or two in game action on Saturday. But his best days are a couple of seasons away. He’ll be drafted on potential and that is hard to gauge. Right now I am thinking he’s an early Saturday pick, but some team may see so much upside that he gets into the Top 100. SHAQ MASON/OG #70 continues to impress with his tenacity and energy level. Coach BRADLEY expressed admiration for his efforts and noted that he sees no reason that MASON with his strength and athleticism can’t improve in pass pro with time and reps. Playing on a team that runs the ball 90% of the time does not match up well with today’s NFL style of play, but talent and energy are always in style and MASON has plenty of both. MASON has been exceptional getting to second level blocks. A late addition to the South squad looks to have become the 2nd starting S to team with CODY PREWITT. He’s ANTHONY JEFFERSON/S/UCLA #23. JEFFERSON was not a full time stater until his senior season with the UCLANS. He has been a very aggressive player in his first two days of practice. He has been very effective in run drills and used good quickness to shoot line gaps to record some TFL. He’s a bit light in the pants for a S in today’s NFL (6’011/194) and I certainly wouldn’t call him an in-the-box specialist, but he looks willing and able to play both the run and pass. Since so many folks are interested in the QB position (could Fantasy Leagues have something to do with that) I thought I would give you my Senior Bowl QB rankings after two days of practice: 1) BRYCE PETTY/BAYLOR 2) SEAN MANNION/OREGON STATE 3) GARRETT GRAYSON/COLORADO STATE 4) SHANE CARDEN/EAST CAROLINA 5) BLAKE SIMS/ALABAMA NR BRYAN BENNETT/SE LOUISIANA That’s it for Wednesday folks. Good night from Mobile. Pigskin Paul
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/...n-the-pit-davis-and-sheltons-power-stand-tall NFLDraftScout.com 2015 Senior Bowl: Carl Davis, Danny Shelton show power in the pit By Rob Rang | The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com January 21, 2015 2:11 pm ET The true one-on-one battles in football are at the line of scrimmage. As such, the "pit" at the Senior Bowl each year is one of the most hotly contested and eagerly scouted areas during each week's practices. Players can rise or fall dramatically based on how they perform there, as evidenced by the skyrocketing draft stock of left tackle Eric Fisher in 2013 and defensive tackle Aaron Donald a year ago. There is not a defensive tackle in Mobile this week as explosive as Donald was last year. NFL teams looking for power, however, certainly had to be impressed with Iowa's Carl Davis and Washington's Danny Shelton, behemoths who routinely drove would-be blockers into the backfield during one-on-one drills and scrimmages alike during Wednesday's North team practice at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Davis, 6-foot-4 5/8 and 321 pounds, has flashed dominating ability with the Hawkeyes. He has been prone to bouts of inconsistency, however, leading to questions about his toughness and dedication. On Wednesday, he was the North's most consistent disruptive force, driving blockers off the ball and even slipping by them with quickness. Given his square-ish, 6-foot-2, 343-pound frame, it isn't surprising that Shelton was the North's stoutest run defender. It was the manner in which he beat double-teams, however, that might surprise observers. Shelton possesses remarkably light feet to maneuver between blockers, effectively splitting them and then extending his arms to drive the blocker closest to the ball back onto his heels. Unlike the inconsistent Davis, Shelton is well-known for his pursuit to the perimeter, which is why he has been a projected first-round pick by NFLDraftScout.com all year long. Among other highlights from the pit: While Shelton led the way, another Pac-12 performer also fared well among the defensive linemen. Arizona State's Marcus Hardison helped his cause Tuesday by measuring in bigger than expected at 6-foot-3, 311 pounds (and 33.5-inch arms) and Wednesday he proved the North's best interior pass rusher, blowing past would-be blockers with a quick burst. Hardison can get ahead of himself, getting his shoulders too far past his knees and leaving himself off-balance and prone to being knocked to the turf, but scouts could see his disruptive potential as worthy of top 100 consideration. Two other Pac-12 standouts -- Utah's Nate Orchard and Washington's Hau'oli Kikaha -- were shuffled between outside linebacker and defensive end by the Tennessee Titans coaching staff. Both are best suited to remaining as hand-in-the-dirt pass rushers, just as they starred at the collegiate level. Orchard is the better athlete of the two and has an impressive array of pass rush moves, including an effective swim, spin and bull-rush. Kikaha struggled in linebacker drills, especially in changing directions as he backpedaled. Once put back at defensive end, however, his burst and strong, active hands made him a nuisance to the North's pass blockers. The question for each will be functional strength, as both were pinned inside too often against the run, failing to keep contain. Among the North's offensive linemen, Pitt's T.J. Clemmings entered the week with the most fanfare, but he has struggled when unable to latch onto rushers. The 6-5, 307-pound Clemmings has all of the tools scouts are looking for, but gave up the inside too easily. Penn State's Donovan Smith, on the other hand, has been a pleasant surprise. Smith has a reputation of being lazy, but that hasn't been the case thus far this week. The 6-6, 341-pounder, has good initial quickness, a fluid kick-step and strong hands to stone pass-rushers. He has also consistently turned defenders to create space in the running game. Better yet, Smith has performed well while operating almost exclusively at left tackle. Smith is one of three underclassmen (along with Penn State DE Deion Barnes and Auburn WRSammie Coates) granted special eligibility to compete in the Senior Bowl after graduating early. Along the interior, Duke's Laken Tomlinson enjoyed the most impressive performance on Wednesday. Tomlinson, 6-3, 323 pounds has good initial quickness and lateral agility in pass protection, as well as impressive flexibility to anchor against bull rushers. For as impressive as each of these players from power conferences caught my eye, perhaps the player at the line of scrimmage helping himself the most thus far is Ali Marpet, who has shown impressive strength and competed well this week despite making the sizeable jump from Division III Hobart. Marpet has logged snaps at tackle as well as guard and at a shade under 6-4 and 307 pounds, he has shown the potential to develop at either position at the next level. Marpet may be assuring himself a draft selection with his performance thus far this week.
TJ clemmings report card so far is a little scary, I know some guys on this board like him but it sounds like he is not as quick on his feet as he should be and therefore going to drop on some teams draft boards.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...arned-tony-lippett-draws-senior-bowl-interest Seven things we learned from Day 2 of Senior Bowl practices By Bryan Fischer and Chase Goodbread Published: Jan. 21, 2015 at 07:42 p.m. Updated: Jan. 21, 2015 at 09:21 p.m. 4 Likes | 0 Comments MOBILE, Ala. -- Michigan State wide receiver Tony Lippett is playing wide receiver at the Reese's Senior Bowl this week, his primary position with the Spartans. But after getting a chance to play some defensive back as a two-way contributor near the end of his senior season, NFL coaches and scouts have also asked him about that aspect of his game. Lippett began his college career in the secondary and said he is open to the idea of playing defensive back in the pros if that's what it takes. Lippett's pro potential as a defensive back is no joke. For now, however, he has flashed some impressive catches at receiver during practice. Four NFL clubs have shown the most interest in him thus far, Lippett said. "I spent some time with the Bucs wide receiver coach, the Vikings wide receiver coach, the Patriots scout, the 49ersscout. Those are the teams I spent probably more than 20 minutes with," Lippett said. "They like my size, and they're interested to know how I will run at the combine." Informal interviews between prospects and NFL clubs were happening all over the practice fields Wednesday, andsome clubs appeared to be more active than others. Here are six other things we learned from Senior Bowlpractices Wednesday: 2. Prewitt has high praise for opposing wide receivers: Ole Miss safety Cody Prewitt was known as one of the hardest hitters in the country during his college days and had his first chance to go full speed against the offense at the Senior Bowl on Wednesday. He has been able to get a good read on the South team's wide receiving corps during one-on-one and seven-on-seven drills and is impressed with what he's seen. "Playing the SEC, though, I'm used to the speed for the most part," Prewitt said. "Sammie Coates is a big guy, though. He's a lot bigger than I remembered him during the season." 3. Kikaha making the transition better than expected: Washington defensive end/linebacker Hau'oli Kikaha had one of the highlights of Day 2 when he put an impressive move on tight end Ben Koyack and knifed into the backfield before most scouts could blink. He's playing mostly in a two-point stance and has done a better job than expected against the run as an edge-setter. While Kikaha, last season's FBS leader in sacks (19), was expecting it would take some time to transition to the talent level at the Senior Bowl, he has handled things better than even he thought he would in Mobile. "I anticipated it being much harder, but I know it's going to get much harder," he said. "One perk of this job, though? We don't have school anymore. If you're a student of the game, it's pretty easy for you out here." 4. Duke guard excelling in the trenches: Most people believe Washington defensive tackle Danny Shelton will be the highest draft pick among prospects at the Senior Bowl. As such, he is considered the measuring stick for players during practice, and Duke guard Laken Tomlinson has seemingly drawn the most reps against him. While Tomlinson has not been perfect, he's probably been the best of any of the interior linemen in handling Shelton during one-on-ones. Tomlinson, however, was far from the only star on Day 2. 5. Linebacker depth strong inside. Clemson LB Stephone Anthony appeared to struggle for much of Wednesday's practice, but several other inside linebackers showed well. Cincinnati's Jeff Luc could be the best among them, although Arkansas' Martrell Spaight, USC's Hayes Pullard and Penn State's Mike Hull all looked equally willing and able to fill run gaps with authority. Another inside linebacker, Miami's Denzel Perryman, missed practice with an abdominal injury but could return as early as Thursday. 6. Quarterback edge pronounced:The North squad's quarterbacks looked significantly better than the South's Wednesday, a factor that could play a big role in Saturday's game if the disparity continues. Baylor's Bryce Petty looked especially sharp on intermediate and deeper throws, along with Oregon State's Sean Mannion and East Carolina's Shane Carden. Meanwhile, former Auburn star Nick Marshall switched from quarterback to cornerback. Alabama's Blake Sims and Colorado State's Garrett Graysonwelcomed Southeastern Louisiana's Bryan Bennett for his first practice Wednesday. Bennett is taking Marshall's spot as a quarterback on the roster and will have just two full practices to catch up with the South squad offense before Friday's walk-through. 7. Quotable: "He's fast enough, and he's strong as a bull, but he doesn't have a lot of quickness going in and out of his breaks. He needs to get a lot more fluid at changing direction, or the DBs in the NFL will close on him too fast." -- NFC area scout on Auburn WR Sammie Coates. For more scouting scoop from Senior Bowl week, see "Sources Tell Us."
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...-walford-among-day-2-standouts-at-senior-bowl Miami's Clive Walford among Day 2 standouts at Senior Bowl By Bryan Fischer College Football 24/7 writer Published: Jan. 21, 2015 at 07:14 p.m. Updated: Jan. 21, 2015 at 10:52 p.m. 2 Likes | 0 Comments MOBILE, Ala. -- Reese's Senior Bowl practices revved up again Wednesday, and some of the top 2015NFL Draft hopefuls put on a show in front of NFL general managers, coaches and scouts. We saw uneven performances by a number of players, but there were some future stars who made plays to show that they have what it takes to impress NFL evaluators. » Nine standouts from Day 1 at Senior Bowl With that in mind, here are six players who caught the eyes of NFL Media analysts during Wednesday's practices for the North and South teams. Clive Walford, TE, Miami A day after Miami teammate Phillip Dorsett earned rave reviews from everybody at Ladd-Pebbles Stadium, Wednesday marked Walford's turn to put on a show. He was easily the "wow" guy among the pass-catchers and did a solid job of blocking during team periods as well. He's a complete mismatch for all of the linebackers and safeties at the event, and showed why he could be the top guy at the position in the 2015 draft. "Clive was the best player out here all day. He's been great," NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. "He's such an athletic pass-catcher." Lynden Trail, OLB, Norfolk State A standout among the linebacker group because of his size (6-foot-6 1/4, 262 pounds) and play, Trail was certainly somebody who flashed Wednesday. He's long, but moves well and does a solid job of dropping into space while also being stout enough at the point of attack if a run comes his way. "He had some good reps in one-on-ones," Jeremiah said. "He was surprisingly good in coverage, too, and did some good stuff." Nate Orchard, DE, Utah There are some that view Orchard, last season's FBS leader in sacks per game (1.42), as a bit of a tweener at the next level. He's played mostly with his hand in the ground in Mobile and looked much stronger than some were expecting. He's always shown good get-off, but he really showed some explosiveness in the North's second practice of the week. Kevin White, CB, TCU White finds himself on this list for the second day in a row after another strong performance Wednesday. "I thought he did an outstanding job in man-to-man coverage. Everything I saw on tape, he's very similar to Jason Verrett, the first-round pick from last year," NFL Media's Mike Mayock said, referring to the former TCU star who was drafted by the Chargers. White's work against Duke'sJamison Crowder and Auburn's Sammie Coates was particularly impressive. Jeremy Langford, RB, Michigan State Tailback is one of the stacked positions at the Senior Bowl this year. The North squad features a trio of top-flight Big Ten backs, and Langford was the one who caught the eye of many Wednesday with his hard running and ability to make one cut and go. "He hits the hole (hard) and makes the right read," NFL Media's Curtis Conway said. Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska The Doak Walker Award finalist was among the most electrifying players in the country last season, but hemeasured a shorter-than-expected 5-foot-8 1/4 at the Senior Bowl. He'll draw comparisons to guys like Darren Sprolesfor his build and what he can do in the passing game, but Abdullah did show enough between the tackles Wednesday to turn some heads. "He's interesting to me," Conway said. "I like him a lot, but I don't know if scouts are going to be turned off by his size. He's an explosive kid."
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/...owl-south-loaded-on-offensive-defensive-lines NFLDraftScout.com 2015 Senior Bowl: South loaded on offensive, defensive lines By Rob Rang | The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com January 21, 2015 7:55 pm ET After taking in a couple of two-hour practices for both the North and South teams at the Senior Bowl, it is clear that the latter owns a significant talent advantage along the line of scrimmage. Whereas the most gifted offensive lineman on the North squad -- Pitt's T.J. Clemmings -- has struggled with consistency, the South has received strong performances from their blockers, a unit that includes projected first-rounders La'el Collins (LSU) and Ty Sambrailo (Colorado State) and a trio of future NFL starters in center Reese Dismukes (Auburn), right tackle Daryl Williams and guard Shaq Mason (Georgia Tech). The talent is even better on the defensive line, with UCLA's Owamagbe Odighizuwahighlighting a seven-man crew that will all hear their names called during the 2015 NFL Draft. Here's a breakdown of highlights along the line of scrimmage from Wednesday's South practice: The 6-foot-5 1/2, 308-pound Collins took the majority of his snaps at left tackle. He did slide inside to left guard late in the practice, demonstrating good initial quickness and terrific power to drive defenders off the ball. Scouts love Collins' tenacity and physicality, though he'll occasionally get off-balance, leaving him vulnerable to swim moves. At 6-5, 334 pounds, Williams is also a powerful drive blocker. Most of his time Wednesday came at his customary right tackle position, though the Jacksonville Jaguars' staff also moved him to the left side at tackle and guard. Williams does not possess ideal quickness to combat NFL speed rushers but he's so long (34 3/4-inch arms) and balanced, he can remain outside. On the inside, the standout Wednesday was Georgia Tech's Mason. After starring in the Yellow Jackets' run-heavy triple-option offense, scouts were eager to see how Mason would handle pass protection. He turned heads with his performance. While shorter than ideal at just 6-1 5/8, 310 pounds, Mason has very good lateral agility and balance, helping him mirror the South's most disruptive interior pass rushers. Because of his short frame, quickness and strength, Mason could project best to center at the next level. Though he measured in nearly 30 pounds lighter in Mobile than listed by the Bruins, Odighizuwa has already been one of the big winners this week. Powerful and quick, he has been a consistent source of harassment off the edge, using speed as well as power to knock would-be blockers onto the heels. At 6-3 1/2, 266 pounds, Odighizuwa has the strength to hold up in run support -- a feature that the South's other defensive ends, Trey Flowers (Arkansas) and Preston Smith (Mississippi State) also possess -- but he's quicker off the ball than either of his competitors, which could earn him a significantly earlier grade on draft day if he checks out medically. Odighizuwa missed the entire 2013 season after undergoing two surgeries on his left hip. Auburn's Gabe Wright was the most disruptive of the South's defensive tackles. A shade under 6-3, and 300 pounds, Wright possesses the prototypical frame and quickness off the ball for 4-3 teams looking for a penetrating three-technique defensive tackle. Wright explodes off the ball and has active, aggressive hands. At times, he's too aggressive, getting his hands near the face of would-be blockers, but his energy and combative style made him a tough matchup for all of the South's offensive linemen. Matchups between Wright and Mason made for some of the more entertaining one-on-one battles of the day. Houston's Joey Mbu also performed well. Heavier than Wright at 312 pounds and possessing longer arms (34.5 inches), Mbu was consistently able to stack and shed blockers at the point of attack to stuff running lanes. Mbu does not possess great quickness and therefore offers little as a pass rusher, but his length and strength could make him an intriguing candidate for 3-4 clubs looking for help at defensive end or perhaps even slide Mbu inside as a developmental nose guard. Missouri's Markus Golden (6-2, 255) and Louisville's Lorenzo Mauldin (6-4, 256) did most of their damage at the collegiate level at defensive end but took the majority of their snaps Wednesday at linebacker. Mauldin proved the more athletic of the two in this role, though Norfolk State's Lynden Trail (a Florida transfer), was perhaps the most intriguing of the group, demonstrating surprising fluidity and balance given his 6-6, 262-pound frame.
I've never seen him play, but he sounds awful...weak lower body and punch, poor technique. If true, I hope the Jets have no interest in him.
http://www.nj.com/eagles/index.ssf/2015/01/2015_senior_bowl_instant_winners_and_losers_from_d.html 2015 Senior Bowl: Observations, winners and losers from Day 1 of practice By Eliot Shorr-Parks | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Follow on Twitter on January 20, 2015 at 2:56 PM, updated January 20, 2015 at 10:07 PM MOBILE, Ala — The 2015 Senior Bowl kicked off on Tuesday with the first day of practice taking place as scouts, agents, and coaches watched from the bleachers. The Eagles were particularly well represented, as head coach Chip Kelly watched from the back of the end zone, and roughly 20 scouts and coaches sat in the stands. Who stood out? Here are is some instant analysis from the first day. I will update it after the second practice of the day later this afternoon. Winners • Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor — Petty had a good first day of practices, and watching him live, it's easy to see why he is one of the more intriguing prospects in the entire draft. Currently projected in the third round, Petty opened the day with a very nice deep touchdown pass during a team drill, displaying great arm strength on the throw. What stands out about Petty is the zip he puts on the ball. He gets it out quickly and on target. He didn't have a perfect practice, throwing one pass into the ground, but he was the best quarterback of the day. • Josh Shaw, CB, USC: Shaw's day started off on a high note, weighing in at a ripped 6-foot-0, 198 pounds. His day got better during practice, as he had a great one-on-one drill. On one play, facing off against Michigan State wide receiver Tony Lippett, Shaw ripped the ball out of Lippett's hands. Shaw is a very physical player. • Antwan Goodley, WR, Baylor: The 5-foot-10, 210 pound receiver doesn't have ideal size, but he made a few big plays on Tuesday during one-on-one drills. Goodley caught everything thrown his way, including a diving catch over the middle. He has a chance to really improve his stock this week, as he is the only receiver so far to really stand out. Losers • Mike Hull, OLB, Penn State: Looks very, very slow during a one-on-one drill covering tight ends. Hull doesn't have great size, measuring in at 6-foot-0, 231 pounds during the morning weigh-ins. He definitely doesn't project as a guy the Eagles would be interested in. • Devin Smith, WR, OSU Smith didn't have a great day, dropping two passes and not getting a chance to display the breakaway speed he showed at Ohio State. Smith is expected to run a 4.3 40-yard dash, impressive considering he weighed in at just under 6-foot-1. The week is young, but the key to Smith improving his stock this week will be to get deep, which he wasn't able to on Tuesday. • Jeff Luc, ILB, Cincinnati Luc was already big for the position, as he was expected to weigh 251 pounds going into Tuesday's weigh-ins. Well, that number ended up being low, as the 6-foot-0 Luc weighed-in at 263 pounds. The extra weight showed during practice, as coaches repeatedly had to yell at him to stop holding during coverage drills. Observations • Kelly spent the day watching North practice from the far end zone with defensive coordinator Billy Davis. Considering the Eagles' need for a new secondary, the the North practice being filled with some of the better corners in this year's game, having Davis by his side makes sense. • Former Eagles personnel executive Tom Gamble was in the crowd, and actually spent time with Eagles scouts. Given the fact that he was let go amidst speculation he was forced out, have to think that conversation was a little bit awkward. There doesn't appear to be any bad blood between Kelly and Gamble, however, as the two spent some time talking towards the end of practice.
http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-mock-draft/2015/1/21/7869223/senior-bowl-danny-shelton-lael-collins Senior Bowl Day 2 practice report: Top players La'el Collins, Danny Shelton play as expected By Dan Kadar @MockingTheDraft on Jan 21 2015, 8:13p MOBILE, Ala. — La'el Collins could have easily skipped out on the Senior Bowl. It's not abnormal for top players to turn down the invitation. Collins accepted the challenge and he's showing why he's a highly regarded player. During Day 2 of the Senior Bowl South practices at Ladd Peebles Stadium, Collins showed off a complete game. In drills against defensive linemen, Collins used his power to stop Mississippi State's Preston Smith with ease. On a screen drill, he pancaked Georgia linebacker Amarlo Herrera in space. On another he was lined up as a left guard – which some consider his best position in the NFL – and he looked good. Washington defensive tackle Danny Shelton could have skipped on the event as well, especially after he started landing high in the first round in prominent mock drafts (if there is such a thing). Shelton has largely been unblockable on both days. Even against multiple blockers Shelton can get a push. Coaches worked with Shelton some on Wednesday to shed blocks better. But he was pushing linemen back so far it wasn't an issue because he was creating disruption. Watching Shelton has is reminiscent of watching Aaron Donald at the Senior Bowl last year. You knew what Donald could do and he showed it off. They have very different playing styles and abilities, but Shelton is being successful by playing to his strengths. Bennett makes Senior Bowl debut A new quarterback was at the Senior Bowl Tuesday in Southeastern Louisiana's Bryan Bennett. Bennett's play was similar to other quarterbacks in Mobile. There were glimpses from Bennett. He can throw a good deep ball. He seems to have a strong arm. His short passing game was often on point. But he was inconsistent. His deeper passes were often overthrown and his timing needs to be built up. Teams will be wondering if they should take a late-round flier on Bennett or use a higher pick on other Senior Bowl quarterbacks like Bryce Petty of Baylor, Sean Mannion of Oregon State or Garrett Grayson of Colorado State. None of those three did anything to distinguish themselves on Wednesday. You can tell watching Petty he's not comfortable dropping back while going through his progressions and reading the defense. Grayson showed more of the same as Tuesday. He had some positive moments, but couldn't maintain accuracy throughout practice. Linebackers stand out There’s something to like about every linebacker in Mobile. It when one of them shows off two or three really good traits that you take notice. That was the case with Clemson’s Stephone Anthony on Wednesday. Anthony consistently looked good in space. That’s known about him. The extra thing he showed was great closing speed. There was one play where a wide receiver caught a short swing pass and Anthony closed with incredible speed. If it were a game, the hit would have been the stuff of .gif legend. Missouri’s Markus Golden had a nice series of back-to-back plays on Wednesday. On one play he beat Oklahoma right tackle to the edge and got what would have been a sack in a game. Golden showed his skill to get low and dip the corner. On the next play, he used an inside move to beat Alabama’s Austin Shepherd. That variety was nice to see. On the North team, Washington’s Hau’oli Kikaha stood out in a full-team session for his speed chasing down the ball carrier. Kikaha closes better than most players at this year’s event. Need to step up on Thursday With just one more day of practices, here are few players who need to close strong: Colorado State offensive tackle had another shaky day. Some of the defenders on the South team were overpowering him in individual drills. During the most competitive part of the scrimmage, Sambrailo was playing more right tackle. It’s starting to look like that could be his more natural spot on the line. East Carolina wide receiver Justin Hardy is a great route runner. He doesn’t waste steps and is smooth. Passes bounced off his hands too often on Wednesday, though. For a wide receiver who isn’t known for his size or speed, Hardy has to consistently catch the ball, especially when it hits his hands. There wasn’t a lot to note with Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah. One of the better players at this year’s game hasn’t had many splash plays and struggled some in pass protection. Random observations While Miami’s Clive Walford was the story of the day, South tight end teammate C.J. Uzomah looked decent. He’s not fast and sort of plods when he gets up the field, but he gets open. Perhaps more importantly, he looked good in blocking drills. Uzomah isn’t going to get drafted highly, but he has the type of skill set at tight end to last a long time in the NFL. Want a fun leftover note from Tuesday? The first night of practices the media has a dinner with players (it was fish) and it's a nice way to sit down with players for a casual extended interview period. Among the players I spoke with were Ohio State wide receiver Devin Smith and Doran Grant. We'll have more with them, but I wanted to ask about quarterback Cardale Jones who announced during a ballyhooed news conference was going back to OSU. Smith admitted he had no idea what Jones would do. Grant thought he'd enter the draft. In other words, everyone's guess about Jones last week was as valid as anyone at Ohio State who could have inside information. Shelton has been great for the North team. That much is obvious. But Duke guard Laken Tomlinson had his number on a couple of plays. Maybe more noteworthy was Ali Marpet handling himself fine against Shelton. Don't know Marpet? That's because he went to Hobart College. Marpet is taking advantage of the opportunity to make a name for himself at the Senior Bowl. Shelton isn't the only defensive lineman for the North getting attention. Carl Davis of Iowa has put in back-to-back good days. He should be in that 25-40 range in the draft. Stanford's Henry Anderson is out of his element playing in a 4-3, but he's held his own and put some good plays on film.
http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-mock-dr...day-1-practice-report-up-and-down-day-for-qbs Senior Bowl Day 1 practice report: Up and down day for QBs By Dan Kadar @MockingTheDraft on Jan 20 2015, 11:36p MOBILE, Ala.: The Senior Bowl wanted Marcus Mariota to participate as a graduated junior, but the reigning Heisman Trophy winner turned down the offer. How much was he wanted in Mobile? Tennessee Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt, who is running North practices, personally reached out to Mariota to ask him to come down. But Mariota, who doesn't have an agent yet, politely declined. It's a fascinating storyline. Whisenhunt will likely say he did it to learn more about Mariota. But what if he's on the fence about the Ducks quarterback? Or what if he likes him and wanted to get acquainted with him? Whisenhunt will get to work out a Ducks quarterback, of sorts -- Southeastern Louisiana quarterback Bryan Bennett is being added to the roster. The 6'3, 215-pound Bennett is an Oregon transfer. With there being a focus on finding a third quarterback in the draft after Mariota andJameis Winston, signal callers were under a microscope all day. It was a lot of mixed results. Colorado State's Garrett Grayson started his session with the South team on point, showing good zip on his passes and completing several in a row. More importantly, he was putting the ball in a spot where his receiver could immediately get up the field. As the day wore on, Grayson was asked to throw deeper down the field, and that's where his accuracy dropped. While he was easily putting the ball in the air for 40 yards or more, only a small fraction were completed. One of them was on a highlight reel catch along the sidelines from Central Florida's Rannell Hall. Grayson's South teammate Blake Sims struggled most of the day. He overthrew a lot of passes, both in competitive reps and when his receiver was running a route alone. On the North side, it's clear Bryce Petty of Baylor is being treated as the No. 1 quarterback. He often had the best receivers in on his plays and got more reps throwing the ball, but the results were inconsistent. Petty looked better than you might expect working his dropback, but he threw a lot of wobbly passes and missed on some simple throws. Oregon State's Sean Mannion didn't display a lot to report about. At the least, he's the most physically impressive quarterback in the Senior Bowl. East Carolina's Shane Carden looked good completing short passes of 10 yards or less. But as the throws got deeper, his accuracy slipped. Nick Marshall, cornerback One of the storylines of the day was Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall being moved to cornerback. This was something Marshall said he requested despite being listed on the Senior Bowl roster as a quarterback. Marshall's day got started by lining up as a gunner against teammate Sammie Coates. It was a strange dynamic, to say the least. Marshall is raw after not playing the position since his freshman season at Georgia. Afterward he transferred to a junior college to play quarterback before playing the position for the Tigers. Wide receivers stand out The 2015 NFL Draft is again loaded at wide receiver and that was proven during Tuesday's practice. Arguably no one had a better day than Miami's Phillip Dorsett. He's easy fast, meaning that it doesn't take him much effort to get into top gear. Considering that he might be the fastest player in the draft, it was impressive watching Dorsett zip through routes. He caught almost everything thrown at him and quickly learned from the coaching of Jacksonville Jaguars wide receivers coach Jerry Sullivan. Sullivan told me after practice that he especially liked Dorsett, Coates and Kansas State's Tyler Lockett. "From a first day observation, he's got good tools," Sullivan said of Dorsett. "I'd just like to see him track the ball better and improve during the week." Dorsett spent a lot of time after practice interviewing with an Atlanta Falcons scout. Coates had just an okay day. He's big, tall, fast and has every physical tool you'd want in a receiver. But he dropped his eyes on a few plays and kept his arms wide when turning the corner on a route. Coates also has inconsistent hands. But on the right team, Coates has the tools to be turned into something good. Sullivan said he'd prefer a receiver like Coates compared to one who may not be as fast or tall. He brought up the play of Jaguars wide receiver Allen Hurns. He is a great athlete the Jaguars picked up as an undrafted free agent, who took to coaching and had a good rookie season. On the North squad, the best wide receiver of the day was Duke's Jamison Crowder. He made some impressive catches, most of them away from his frame and showed off quick feet to get open against defensive backs. He has the makings of a good slot receiver going forward. Top individual showdowns The best thing about the Senior Bowl practices is watching players go one-on-one in drills. It's physical and tough because every player wants to look good every play with their draft stock on the line. The best such showdown came during North practices when Duke guard Laken Tomlinson blocked Iowa defensive tackle Carl Davis. The two traded powerful blows. On a few, Tomlinson was getting the advantage on Davis thanks to his technique. Davis was never deterred, though, and used his strength to overpower Tomlinson. In person, Davis is an imposing figure. He's a powerfully built 321 pounds and showed quick feet in footwork drills. Davis can build on Tuesday's performance and possibly crack into the first round. Random observations LSU's La'el Collins was as advertised: a big brutish offensive tackle who can stonewall defenders. He looked good more often than not and handled South defenders like UCLA's Owamagbe Odighizuwa and Trey Flowers of Arkansas. Collins was receiving a lot of personal coaching from Jaguars great turned radio broadcaster Tony Boselli. The big issue for Colorado State offensive tackle Ty Sambrailo is strength and being physical. He got blown off the line more often than you'd like during South practices. Odighizuwa and Preston Smith of Mississippi State looked good against Sambrailo. USC cornerback Josh Shaw stood out when North cornerbacks worked on jam drills. Coaches got after most of the other defensive backs for not keeping their eyes low, but Shaw didn't need the tip. He often got up on receivers and disrupted the timing of their routes. Not so long ago Shaw had some buzz as being an early round pick. He showed why on Tuesday. Miami cornerback Ladarius Gunter is someone who has the size and skills, and he showed it when getting his long arms on a receiver on a press. He completely blew up a play involving UNLV's Devante Davis solely by jamming him at the line. But Gunter struggled against speedy receivers.
Just goes to show how differently two people can see these things. One indicates Anthony was the only linebacker that looked bad, one said he stood out as the best/most notable. Thanks for posting all these.
La'el Collins, Stephone Anthony, Tyler Lockett, Antwan Goodley, Quentin Rollins, Philip Dorsett All these guys are at positions of need and are standing out. Mac-take notice
I've got a feeling this draft could be deeper than last year. Lockett, Lippett, Dorsett, Crowder, McBride will all be mid round sleepers. I don't even think Sammy Coates goes in the first three rounds... http://fanspeak.com/nfldraft/2015/0...the-senior-bowl-who-helped-their-draft-stock/
