http://gbnreport.com/senior-bowl-thursday-2/ SENIOR BOWL Thursday By Pigskin Paul Guillemette | January 26, 2017 I am sad to say it but today was the last day of real practices and our last contact with the players until after the game. I am feeling melancholy already that my best two weeks of the year are almost over. The NORTH took the field first this afternoon, on a more typical Mobile weather day in January. It was primarily overcast and seasonably cool with a high of about 57 degrees. Despite a brisk breeze I will make note of no rain. Almost perfect weather for football. I must say after another solid practice that HASSON REDDICK/LB/TEMPLE is indeed one of the best and most versatile players I have seen in some time. He just continues to make plays and win his confrontations in drills. He’s playing with his hand down and up. He’s rushing the passer and running downfield with receivers. He has kept up with receivers better than some of the DB down here this week. I cannot see him lasting past Round 2 based on what I have seen the past 2 days. He should put up some crazy numbers at the Combine. NATE GERRY/S/Nebraska #24 may not be a super athlete and is not likely to bowl anyone over at the underwear olympics in Indy next month, but he is a natural born football player and is always near the action. He’s better in run support than man-coverage, but once again today he was always around the ball, which resulted in an INT off of a deflected ball. He should be able to fill a back-up S role at the next level, while playing on every Special Teams unit and doing it well. He’s draftable. The more I watch COOPER KUPP/WR/E. WASHINGTON #10, the more impressed I am. He does not look like a blazer, but he ain’t slow either. His hands are very dependable and he runs great routes. During one passing drill he made a simply magical toe-tap catch in the end zone for what would have been a TD. The defender who thought he had him covered just through his hands up in resignation. He also looks to be his squad’s top candidate to return punts and kick-offs. This is not your typical small school sleeper. He is big time in every way. Sorry to say I have seen JONNU SMITH/TE drop way too many balls this week. He is especially susceptible to the drops when he has a defender near him. Clearly he gets distracted and or nervous unless he is wide open. Sorry to say not too many TE get wide open in the NFL. ZAY JONES/WR/E. CAROLINA #7 was exceptional today. This is a smooth athlete. He has shown dependable hands and the ability to track the flight of the ball in the air. He made a great, over the shoulder catch down the right sideline, after he got a step on the CB, and raced to the end zone. He does not have a rep as a speed burner but he’s beating CB with regularity and can do some fancy footwork in the open field. During a two-minute drill he and RASUL DOUGLAS/CB #13 were matched up for about 4 straight plays. JONES beat him badly on a couple, and DOUGLAS broke up the pass on the other two. It was getting intense, and then the damn horn went off to change drills. I was not the only scout watching to groan in protest over the horn. That live action stuff was just too good to break up. RASUL DOUGLAS #13 is a top CB prospect because he has uncommon size for a CB @ 6’2/204#. And he looks to have very good speed. He likes to play press-cover, in part because it allows him to use his size to impede recovers, and also because in most cases he can catch up even if beaten. If he runs fast at he Combine, it will give scouts the chance to promote his value, because not many of his mistakes will result in total disaster. I like his style and attitude, which are both best described as physical and fearless, ala RICHARD SHERMAN. I think AMARA DARBOH/WR/Michigan #82 put an exclamation point on his work this week with a big day catching the ball and then gaining YAC down the field. He’s not a burner either, but he has good moves, runs his routes well, and catches most everything. He beat several top CB today, including DOUGLAS and made them miss the initial tackles. He caught several balls with defenders right on him, but he was the clear winner of ball possession. He had DOUGLAS on his butt and frustrated. He looks to me like he’d make an excellent NFL NO. 2 WR, if paired with a fast No. 1 like BECKHAM. In fact he might remind me a bit of AMANI TOOMER, ex-Wolverine and ex-GIANTS, now that I think of it. I must put in a word for KYLE KALIS/OG/Michigan #67 who sought me out after practice today. He wanted to touch base after out long conversation on Media Night. I asked if he felt like football was going on forever, and he quickly declared yes, but he wished the season did go year round. He is a gym rat folks. I asked about fatigue and wear & tear. He said 8 hours a night of sleep was the key, and that out on the field playing was ‘the medicine’. He’s sincere folks. He is not the most talented guy, but he is big (6’5/308) and can play inside or out if needed. I think he fits the mold very well of an NFL back-up OL and could play a long time as a multiple position backup/emergency starter. He strikes me as the kind of warrior you want in your foxhole. Spent a delightful 10 minutes after practice chatting with BADGERS OLB VINCE BIEGEL. This young man is athletic and smart. He has also played in a standard pro set D, as a stand-up OLB much of the time in college, which he will proudly point out to you. His father and grandfather both played football at BYU, and many family members are wrestling legends in the Wisconsin Rapids area. His versatility this week has been conspicuous if you have watched him play OLB and DE, drop into coverage and rush the passer. I gave him some Pigskin Paul M&M’s and he took a ‘selfie’ of he and I. Go Badgers! Under the guidance of the Browns coaching staff the WEST took the field for the late practice period. For some reason South team players are dropping like flies. 4 replacement guys have already joined the roster and 2 more are on their way tomorrow, hopefully at least in time to join walk-throughs. They are both TE, and both played at the Shrine venue last week; ERIC SAUBERT/Drake and BLAKE JARWIN/ Oklahoma State. Luckily, the South already has the best all-around TE here in O.J. HOWARD. This type of injury bug happened 3-4 years ago to the North squad, when 2 WR showed up on Friday and both played in the game Saturday. It just so happens, that both of those wideouts caught balls in the actual game only 1 day after arriving. I have been mightily impressed with South FB FREDDIE STEVENSON/FSU #43. Most of all he has been everything they claimed he was as a blocker this week. He just stoned almost every LB that went up against him in 1-on-1 pass pro. He is strong and shows excellent hand placement into the chest, inside the shoulder pads. He also displays very good balance and has strength in both his lower and upper body. He has looked good catching a few short passes and is comfortable carrying the ball. I think he shows some of the same attributes of a former Seminole named KARLOS WILLIAMS. He could become more than just a blocking FB at the pro level. Speed and more speed, has become the watch word around the NFL, when looking for players at almost any position. But there are some spots that also require good old-fashioned toughness and strength. Let me introduce you to #51 HARVEY LANGI/ILB/BYU. At 6’2/252, HAVEA (his real first name) is a throwback to the old time MLB of the BUTKUS/NITSCHKE era around the NFL. He is a force to be reckoned with between the tackles. But he also has solid athleticism. BYU actually played him at OLB some this past season because of his pass-rush ability out there. He has been a heavy hitter all week long and can get to the ball if protected by his DL. If he’s truly quick enough to provide a bit of pass rush he could find himself a job in the NFL. He could cap off this week with a bunch of tackles on Saturday. Speaking of South LBs, I’d also like to point out that LSU/LB/DUKE RILEY #0 has had a fine week down here in Alabama. He has exceptional reflexes and hand/eye coordination. He’s a bit short at slightly under 6’1, and perhaps lacks ideal size to play inside (231). But watching him run around the field making plays, you realize that once the ball is snapped the position he plays is almost irrelevant based on his productivity. He is a high energy, almost relentless force, who is beyond quick. He is sudden, in almost everything he does. He may be a very late Draft Pick, but his work this week indicates he is a player. One last player I would like to mention is JORDAN WILLIS/DE/Kansas State #75. WILLIS looks to be playing with his hand down exclusively this week, but could find himself as a kind of RYAN KERRIGAN/Redskins hybrid at the pro level. I don’t think he’s going to test off the charts at the Combine, but watching him this week I find him disruptive and versatile in his play. He does not have an explosive first step in his pass-rush but he gets close to QB often. His 10″ hands & 33″+ arms give him a chance to swipe the ball out of a QB’s hand. He might be the kind of player who doesn’t compile huge numbers of tackles and/or sacks, but will rank high in QB Hurries. He’s done well in Mobile and might do the same in the NFL next Fall. I’m about at the end of my notes folks. Take a deep breath and watch the gbnreport.com Friday for my All-Practice team, plus a couple of other tidbits from Colin, I’m sure.
http://gbnreport.com/senior-bowl-wednesday-2/ SENIOR BOWL Wednesday By Pigskin Paul Guillemette | January 25, 2017 Once again not too shabby on the weather front considering it’s January in Mobile. Cloudy and mild, with more wind than Tuesday. But the rain held out for both team practices. My Draftnik companions wanted to talk QB among other topics. So we tried to reach a consensus on the QB rank and failed miserably. So let me give you my rankings based on college career, weigh-in numbers and two days of practice here. I am more than a it surprised at my list: 1) NATHAN PETERMAN/Pitt THis player was not much more than a body a few years back when he transferred from Tennessee to PITT. But with him at the controls PITT developed into one of the most prolific scoring machines in college football. And given tools to work with I have seem how far he has come already this week. I think he has a high FBI and now plays a very cerebral game at QB. His arm and mechanics look much better than two years ago. And I have a hunch working with a QB guru for the next few months will only add to the equation. I don’t see him as a First Rounder, but he could indeed go Top 100, first 3 Rounds. He may star in the actual game this Saturday. 2) SEFO LIUFAU/COLORADO This guy seems slow in making his decisions sometimes. His delivery overall is far from speedy as well. But he has that it factor. Throwing accuracy is erratic and he forces the ball into traffic at times. But he makes things happen both with his legs and arm. he reminds me of a bigger, modern version of JOE KAPP, who was one of the toughest QB I ever saw and nothing more than a winner. SEFO has at times run himself into injuries and that will be a major concern. He has big hands and big bones. 3) DAVIS WEBB/CAL The tall guy played musical chairs with picking a new program for 2016, and pissed a lot of people off. But he came in and led a team that lost GOFF and others, and made them respectable with his version of the Sonny GIBBS run-and-shoot O. Overall, I feel his accuracy is very good, despite cries from several of my Draftnik friends. He is well spoken and claims to luv the game of football. 4) JOSHUA DOBBS/TENNESSEE Ask me again tomorrow and DOBBS probably ends up with a different rank. he is a great leader and a very smart kid. He has nice size. But even down here he will wow you for 3-4 plays and then do something that makes you grimace on the next down. I wouldn’t draft him early but I’d luv to have him to work with on my roster. I need to see more of PIPKIN and BEATHARD, but I think they rank in a tie for 5th right now. Ain’t no CARSON WENTZ down here this year folks. BRENDAN LANGLEY/CB/Lamar is a smooth athlete, with almost ideal size for the Corner at 6’0/199 lbs. He looked marvelous today during drill work, looking smooth and fast in his back pedal technique. He also looks to have the loose hips to make the turn on the ball. He gets burned at times, but i think a great deal of that stems from covering receivers with a lot more speed and size than he is used to. He could star in the game Saturday. I spent more time watching COOPER KUPP today and continue to like what I see. I saw him drop one ball today, primarily because he initially broke the wrong way on the throw. He has nice, reliable hands overall. He also looks natural fielding punts and he may get that job on game day. He also showed his willingness to catch in traffic on several occasions today. An under appreciated athlete is getting more and more attention as the days go by here. He plays S, but looked like a slightly thin LB at the weigh-in. He shows some cover skills, but most of all he reads the offense and gets to the ball in a hurry. His name is OBI MELIFONWU/S #20 . He amassed a ton of tackles and INT while at UCONN, but his team was scoring challenged and lost a lot of games, thus causing him to fly under the prospect radar so to speak. Secrets out here folks that he’s the real thing. JALEEL JOHNSON/DT/IOwA, continues to dominate if 1-on-1 pass pr with a combination of strength, quickness off the ball and great hand usage to push blockers aside while he rubs off them and into the backfield. OL seem to be having a big problem getting their hands into his chest plate. I looks to me like he blockers are starting to hold him in desperation. FCS star DEREK RIVERS is having an interesting time here this week. He’s technically being counted on to convert to OLB, but is seeing reps at DE in the pass rush drills. He is indeed to slight to play full time at the pro level with his hand down at 6’4/250, but if he can split time between de & OLB, and get moved around ala “Where’s Waldo” to confuse blockers he could make a valuable weapon in today’s NFL. He just has a knack, with speed & spin moves, of getting into the pocket. I wold also add that he is very active and strong in his hand use from what I have seen in 1-on-1 work. Like RIVERS, another guy getting moved around a lot to take advantage of his pass rush ability is ex-Badger VINCE BIEGEL. I think I see BIEGEL being way ahead of RIVERS in his OLB play. He and TJ WATT combined as one of the best pass-rushing OLB in the nation last season. He comes from a long line of wrestlers and football players in his family tree. He’s a smart kid, as I listened into him answering some questions after practice today with some FALCONS reps. He was in such demand I have yet to visit with him and present him with a bag of Pigskin Paul M&M’s. Sorry about that Cuppie. TONY GONZALEZ was pounding the football into the wind on FG attempts this afternoon. He finally missed on his second attempt from 53-yards out. Quite an impressive display from the good sized guy (6’0/201). The wind was gusting today and right into his face and his kicks. After clearing out equipment and resetting the stage, it was the South’s turn to practice at 3PM with clouds moving in and he wind gusting even harder. But we did escape the day without rain which hopefully will hit tonight and clear off for the afternoon practices. It appears that the South players are dropping like flies. Five players were not present today because of injury, and the fact that 5 new players are here or on their way as replacements tells me that any talk of being ready for game day is mostly cheap bar talk for the injured. Hey are FORREST LAMP/OL, NICO SIRAGUSA/OG, ISAAC SIATA/OG, JOSH CARAWAY/E/LB & RUDY FORD/S. I’ll key in the replacements tomorrow when I am sure they are here. Anybody feeling capable of playing, especially along the OL, might want t send a resume and phone number to the Senior Bowl offices, just in case. A fascinating player, who is an excellent athlete and smart player, is LB ALEX ANZALONE of Florida. This nice sized athlete is having a good week here, but his career has been marred by injury. He missed the second half of the 2016 season with a broken bone in his arm. He’s practicing at MLB and is making a lot of plays. He also shows the ability to drop into pass coverage. He’s channeling his inner CLAY MATTHEWS, with long blonde locks flowing from his helmet. The medical component of the NFL Combine is going to be a major deal for ANZALONE. I spoke yesterday about what a load STEVIE TU’IKOLOVATU has been for the North. Today I am going to tell you that EDDIE VANDERDOES/UCLA is his counterpart on the South. He’s not quite as big on the scales, but his body is massive and blockers are finding it very hard to stop him from getting to wherever he wants to go. He’s 6’3/320 with a baby face and seems to be fully recovered from a knee injury in 2015. I watched him all season and you could see the recovery from the injury progress late in the year. I am surprised with both he and STEVIE laying in SoCal that there weren’t a few earthquakes in the region last fall. I’ve had my eyes on DAMONTAE KAZEE/CB/San Diego State the last two days and this young man is making his mark. He shows good ball skills and is a very willing and reliable tackler for his size, at 5’10/183#. He broke up several balls in drill work today and frustrated a couple receivers who could not avoid his tackles out in space. He had a nose for the ball as an Aztec. Don’t bet against him picking off a throw come Saturday. He may make a very solid Nickel CB for the NFL. Just as a little side note here, I would add that CAM SUTTON/CB/TENNESSEE did some very nice work in drills and in coverage later in practice today. If I were to name starting Corners for the South right now KAZEE and SUTTON would be my guys based on their overall work in practice. To put a little extra shine on the kicking work of GONZALEZ in the earlier practice, we’ll just say that JAKE ELLIOTT, who looked just fine yesterday, really struggled against the winds this afternoon, missing more kicks than he converted.
http://www.walterfootball.com/seniorbowl2017practice7.php 2017 Senior Bowl: Thursday Practice Report: South Team By Charlie Campbell - @draftcampbell The South team took the field of Ladd-Peebles Stadium for their final practice of the Senior Bowl. The Cleveland Browns coaching staff ran the practice and will coach them all week. The Browns staff had the players practicing in full pads, but the coaching staff decided to end practice a half hour early. With all the time spent on play install, walk-through, and special teams there wasn't as much to glean from this practice. Here is a run down of the noteworthy players. Alabama tight end O.J. Howard could be the first Senior Bowl prospect drafted in the 2017 NFL Draft as Howard has top-20 potential. He dominated the Tuesday session with his receiving skills, blocked well, and played well on Thursday minus a fumble in the team scrimmage that was recovered by Florida linebacker Alex Anzalone. In the one-on-one blitz protection portion of the practice, Howard had an impressive win by latching on and riding LSU linebacker Duke Riley around the pocket. Howard earned a draw on a bull rush from Houston linebacker Tyus Bowser, as Bowser got some push, but Howard held him up long enough to give a quarterback enough time to throw. Howard did have a loss on a swim to the inside, but he came back to torch Bowser on a corner post route. Sources from multiple teams raved about Howard's Senior Bowl performance, and it definitely was mission accomplished for improving his draft stock. Anzalone has flashed this week as a balanced linebacker who can play the run and the pass. He had a mixed practice on Thursday. Surprisingly, he was stopped cold by North Carolina State running back Matt Dayes on a bull rush. In the team scrimmage, BYU running back Jamaal Williams beat Anzalone to the corner on a touchdown run, but Anzalone had close coverage on a route by Williams to slap the pass for an incompletion. Oklahoma State safety Jordan Sterns has been solid all week, and he had an excellent play to fly across the field and limit a reverse to a moderate gain in what looked like it could have been a huge play if Sterns didn't fly over to make the tackle. Sterns is an intelligent player with upside. Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram performed better than expected on Wednesday as a blocker, but he wasn't as effective Thursday. He started pretty well by holding up Miami safety Rayshawn Jenkins. However, Engram then lost two reps with one being a bull rush and another where he was pushed aside for a loss. Engram will be a bull as a blocker in the NFL, and the team that drafts him will want him because he is a mismatch receiving weapon. He roasted Jenkins on a corner post route, but the pass was off the mark. Engram should be selected on the second day of the draft. Clemson linebacker Ben Boulware continued to show that he is a limited player for the NFL. He did well with some good run fills in the team scrimmage, but Boulware was smoked in pass coverage, as North Carolina State running back Matt Dayes burned him on a post route. Boulware is just incapable of running with backs or tight ends in pass coverage. Auburn defensive tackle Montravius Adams really helped himself at the Senior Bowl, and he was superb in the pass rushing one-on-ones Thursday. He had wins over Kentucky center Jon Toth, Tennessee State guard Jessamen Dunker, and LSU center Ethan Pocic. The win over Pocic was especially impressive with power and speed to get to the quarterback marker. Adams could have put himself on the second day of the draft after three good practices in Mobile. Clemson defensive tackle Carlos Watkins was another standout on Thursday. He used a serious bull rush with speed to plow through Miami guard Danny Isidora. Watkins could be a nice value on the second day of the draft. There were a few receivers who stood out in the team scrimmage. Grambling wide receiver Chad Williams made a beautiful one-handed catch while falling out of bounds. Williams really helped himself this week as sources were impressed with him. Team sources said that Texas A&M wide receiver Josh Reynolds impressed in the meeting room. He had some dropped passes on Wednesday, but he made a great leaping touchdown grab over two defenders in the back of the end zone during the team scrimmage. As he showed during the 2016 season, Reynolds is a real red zone weapon. Tennessee quarterback Josh Dobbs is another player who interviewed very well. He isn't much of a passer for the NFL, but perhaps he could develop into a backup. Dobbs had a nice rushing touchdown in the red zone scrimmage on a zone read run that he scored from about 15-20 yards out. The final play of the practice was a pretty touchdown catch by Mississippi State wide receiver Fred Ross. He was able to make a difficult grab in the corner of the end zone while falling out of bounds. Read more at http://walterfootball.com/seniorbowl2017practice7.php#mbIDSIX1euhjkT4m.99
http://www.walterfootball.com/seniorbowl2017practice6.php 2017 Senior Bowl: Thursday Practice Report: North Team By Charlie Campbell - @draftcampbell The North team took the field of Ladd-Peebles Stadium for their final practice of the Senior Bowl. The Chicago Bears coaching staff ran the practice and will coach them all week. The Bears staff had the players practicing in full pads. Here is a run down of the noteworthy players. Thursday was an impressive practice for East Carolina wide receiver Zay Jones. The quick receiver Jones made some superb catches and showed off his speed to get separation from defensive backs. During the one-on-ones, Jones made two phenomenal plays against Lamar cornerback Brendan Langley. The first one came as Jones ran a go route down the sideline. He showed a burst deep downfield to get some late separation while making a reaching catch. Shortly later, Jones made an excellent adjustment to the ball to haul in an over- the-shoulder reception. During the team scrimmage, Jones ran away from West Virginia cornerback Rasul Douglas to get open, but a late throw by Pitt's Nate Peterman allowed Douglas to recover with a breakup. Jones also got open quickly on a dig route, but once again, the ball wasn't thrown on time, as Douglas drove down hard to slap the pass away. Even during the individual drills, Jones was showing off strong hands with speed in his routes. Jones has definitely helped himself this week, and he could be a valuable slot receiver as early as next fall. Eastern Colorado wide receiver Cooper Kupp finished off his strong week of practice. He did well in the one-on-one and team scrimmage. However, there was one pass that was behind him that he tipped in the air for an interception by Nebraska safety Nate Gerry. It wasn't Kupp's fault, but hitting it down would have been the safer play to avoid the turnover. Kupp got away with a push off on Rasul Douglas to make a nice gain on a dig route in the team scrimmage. After his strong Senior Bowl, Kupp should go on the second day of the draft. Iowa cornerback Desmond King had a solid day and did well running with receivers overall. He had an impressive pass breakup while blanketing Syracuse wide out Amba Etta-Tawo. King did have some issues covering Kupp, however. King would fit best as a cover safety, but in that role, he needs to add some more strength to tackle. Michigan wide receiver Amara Darboh had an eventful day. He was guilty of some early drops in the individual portion of practice, but Darboh did better in the one-on-ones. He ran away from Douglas to get open for one win and then outfought Douglas on a jump ball to make a reception. Having a fast 40 time at the combine would be really helpful for Darboh. UConn safety Obi Melifonwu has had an excellent Senior Bowl, and he was impressive on Thursday. Melifonwu is a big safety who can be the eighth man in the box, but he showed impressive range in the team scrimmage. The Bears staff had Meilfonwu being the lone deep safety on a lot of plays, and he covered a lot of ground. Even though Melifonwu is big, he is not stiff as an athlete, showing some ability to open up his hips and run. After his week in Mobile, there has been some buzz about Melifonwu having late first-round potential. Toledo tight end Michael Roberts has some fans in the scouting community. He is a tough blocker and on Wednesday he showed that he can do somethings as a receiver with a nice performance in the one-on-ones. He got separation from Saint Francis safety Lorenzo Jerome on a dig route and then turned upfield for some yards after the catch. Some team sources think Roberts could be the best blocking tight end at the draft, and his Senior Bowl has been a net positive for him. Ohio defensive end Tarell Bashem hasn't been a highly hyped Senior Bowl performer, but he's had success in each practice in the pass rushing one-on-ones. Bashem used a quick spin move to get to the inside of USC tackle Zach Banner to get a win. Bucknell offensive tackle Julien Davenport was the next victim of Bashem's spin move. He could be a nice developmental pass-rusher as a day-three pick. Western Michigan offensive tackle Taylor Moton has impressed team sources this week, and he had a quality performance in the final session. He did well to stop a bull rush from Notre Dame defensive end Isaac Rochell, as Rochell couldn't only get a little push of Moton. Michigan defensive end Chris Wormley did get a win over Moton by using strength to get leverage to the inside with quickness to close. Overall, the Senior Bowl should solidify Moton as a day-two prospect. Wormley could easily be a first-round pick with his size, quickness, and versatility to play a wide variety of positions on the defensive line. He had another good practice with multiple wins in the pass-rushing one-on-ones to finish off his week in impressive fashion. Illinois defensive end Dawuane Smoot had an impressive win with a rip move and speed to the inside to beat Temple's Dion Dawkins. That play was further proof that while Dawkins played tackle in college, he should move to guard in the NFL.
Wednesday & Thursday Jets on field meetings with prospects: Air Force wide receiver Jalen Robinette UConn safety Obi Melifonwu Louisiana Tech wide receiver Trent Taylor San Diego State running back Donnel Pumphrey
Can he block? I'm not being facetious but if we're taking a tightend in round one I want a well rounded player. We've went the route of one trick pony with Dustin Keller and while he was good at what he did you can't be taking your tightend off the field when you want to run the ball. There were some craaaazy splits with Seattle and Jimmy Graham in being almost a full yard better at running the ball when he was off the field.
http://www.walterfootball.com/seniorbowl2017practice5.php 2017 Senior Bowl: Wednesday Practice Report with Sourced Information By Charlie Campbell - @draftcampbell North Practice: The following bullet points are a summary of notes shared with WalterFootball.com from multiple team scouts from across the NFL. Charlotte defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi is talented and a year or two away. Western Michigan offensive tackle Taylor Moton looked good again. As did Temple's Dion Dawkins in the one-on-ones. Strong guys. Toledo tight end Michael Roberts is the best pure blocking Y tight end. He's athletic enough to make some plays as shot option. Florida International tight end Jonnu Smith looks like a Charles Clay clone. I like his toughness, hands and versatility. Eastern Washington wide receiver Cooper Kupp making some money based on his practices. Reminds me of Anthony Gonzalez. Kansas State defensive end Jordan Willis showed up today. Michigan defensive end Chris Wormley is a classic five-technique but he can rush the passer a little bit. I like his upside. South Practice: The following bullet points are a summary of notes shared with WalterFootball.com from multiple team scouts from across the NFL. Cal quarterback Davis Webb is the best quarterback here so far regarding physical talent. Another really good day for Alabama tight end O.J. Howard and the South tight ends. Auburn defensive tackle Montravius Adams looks between good and great on the one gap or pass rush stuff. Texas A&M wide receiver Josh Reynolds isn't explosive, but has strong hands and is tall. Grambling wide receiver Chad Williams made a few nice catches. Good-looking developmental guy. He could run well at the combine, as he got behind guys a couple of times. Alabama linebacker Ryan Anderson struggled in coverage a couple of times, but he's physical versus the run. Fits the mold of a Sam linebacker, plus he has pass rush. LSU cornerback Tre'Davious White has been the best cornerback so far in terms of talent and technique. Read more at http://walterfootball.com/seniorbowl2017practice5.php#vCRMmf3tjY3s8tm6.99
http://www.walterfootball.com/seniorbowl2017practice4.php 2017 Senior Bowl: Wednesday Practice Report: North Team By Charlie Campbell - @draftcampbell The North team took the field of Ladd-Peebles Stadium for their second practice of the Senior Bowl. The Chicago Bears coaching staff ran the practice and will coach them all week. The Bears staff had the players practicing in full pads. Here is a run down of the noteworthy players. Wednesday was an impressive practice for Eastern Washington wide receiver Cooper Kupp. The best parts came from Kupp being excellent in the team scrimmage. He started it off by getting open on a slant with quickness off the line. Shortly after that, Kupp showed nice awareness getting open in zone coverage on a crossing route for a gain of about 15 yards. He then got separation from West Virginia cornerback Rasul Douglas running a dig route. Kupp was superb in the team session, and in the one-on-ones, he had a highlight-reel juggling catch with Iowa cornerback Desmond King all over him. Perhaps Kupp needed to warm up, because earlier in the one-on-ones, he wasn't getting separation from Lamar cornerback Brenden Langley. Langley blanketed him on a go route into the end zone to slap the pass away. Langley ran with him to force an incompletion and slapped another pass away as Kupp couldn't separate. Langley deserves credit for a nice practice as other cornerbacks struggled with Kupp. Two days into the Senior Bowl, Kupp is solidifying his standing as a second-day pick. Rasul Douglas is a corner with good size and ball skills, but he is limited in the technique that he can play. He is a big press man corner for the NFL, as he struggles to play off man or zone coverage. The other offensive player who was very impressive for the North was Toledo running back Kareem Hunt. He was very tough for linebackers to cover in the one-on-ones, as he used his speed to get the better of Michigan linebacker Ben Gedeon on a crossing route. In the team scrimmage, Hunt ripped off a nice gain on a screen pass where he darted downfield. He used his speed to get open against Simon Fraser linebacker Jordan Herdman in the flat for a short touchdown reception. In space, Hunt broke down Michigan corner Jourdan Lewis with a nasty juke move to burst downfield. Hunt is a quick and slippery runner who will be a nice fit as a receiving back. It wasn't all bad for Lewis, as he had some nice plays running with receivers, including a pass break up on Air Force wideout Jalen Robinette. Lewis also was tremendous snuffing out a screen to Robinette in the team scrimmage. On Tuesday night, Lewis (5-10, 188) told WalterFootball.com that he planned on adding some weight for the NFL and that should help him. Lewis could be a nice slot corner as a day-two pick. Arkansas tight end Jeremy Sprinkle had a solid session on Wednesday with success in the one-on-ones. Sprinkle had a number of wins walling off safety Lorenzo Jerome for a few receptions. Sprinkle also had a nice day as a blocker. Toledo tight end Michael Roberts had some issues with dropped passes on Wednesday. He couldn't secure one reception as Nebraska safety Nate Gerry was able to rip the ball out of his grasp. Later on, Illinois outside linebacker Carroll Phillips was able to get a similar break up on Roberts in the team scrimmage. Roberts needs to show more control of the ball on Thursday. Illinois outside linebacker Carroll Phillips continues to be an interesting player. On Tuesday, he did well in the one-on-ones, but didn't duplicate that on Wednesday. Pitt tackle Adam Bisnowaty showed Phillips' size limitations (6-3, 237), as once Bisnowaty got his hands on Phillips, the speed rusher was unable to shed the block. However, Phillips was very good in the team scrimmage. He had the pass breakup on Roberts, fired into the backfield to blow up a zone run, and bull rushed into the pocket to get a sack. Phillips could be a dangerous outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense, but his off-the-field issues could cause him to slide. Michigan running back De'Veon Smith played well on Wednesday. Continuing what he started last week at the East-West Shrine, Smith showed nice receiving skills out of the backfield with the ability to contribute as a blocker. Smith also ran hard by keeping his feet after some serious collisions in the tackle box. In the team scrimmage, he had a good catch in the flat for a nice gain and then ripped off a good run to the perimeter. Smith isn't the fastest back, but he is a tough runner with versatility to contribute in a variety of ways. Sources also say he is an intelligent player with instincts. Smith could be a mid-round value pick. Pitt quarterback Nate Peterman threw the ball well with some anticipation and accuracy for the second straight day. Peterman threaded a well-placed pass to Florida International tight end Jonnu Smith between a few defenders on a deep out. USC offensive tackle Zach Banner had some issues in the pass rushing one-on-ones. He lost a rep to Ohio's Tarell Basham on a speed rush to the inside. Illinois' Dawuane Smoot beat Banner with strength and speed. Banner is a very tall offensive lineman and he gets in trouble when he stands up too high.
All of these reports support what I've been preaching. Do NOT take a corner at 6. It looks like we'll be able to get a starting caliber corner with ease in the second or third. Reminds me of the 2014 wide receiver draft that my boy Johnny Eye botched. I also love everything I've seen out of De'Veon Smith from Michigan and he comes without a ton of mileage on his tires at Michigan. Always a big physical runner but it's encouraging to see he's pegged as an intelligent and instinctual runner as well.
http://www.walterfootball.com/seniorbowl2017practice3.php 2017 Senior Bowl: Wednesday Practice Report: South Team By Charlie Campbell - @draftcampbell The South team took the field of Ladd-Peebles Stadium for their second practice of the Senior Bowl. The Cleveland Browns coaching staff ran the practice and will coach them all week. The Browns staff had the players practicing in full pads. Here is a run down of the noteworthy players. Alabama tight end O.J. Howard could be the first Senior Bowl prospect drafted in the 2017 NFL Draft, as Howard has top-20 potential. He dominated the Tuesday session with his receiving skills. On Wednesday, Howard showed his versatility with an excellent performance in the pass blocking one-on-ones. He used his size and strength to wall off college teammate Ryan Anderson. Howard showed a strong base to stonewall a bull rush from Anderson. Howard's blocking was extremely impressive, and it illustrates that he is a capable three-down starter with special talent for the NFL. Howard did well as a receiver on Wednesday in terms of getting open. He did have a few drops with one coming in the individual period and another in the one-on-ones. He burned Houston linebacker Tyus Bowser, running a post route, but Howard let the over-the-shoulder reception fall incomplete as the ball bounced off his hands. He was sure-handed on a number of out route receptions where he beat Bowser and Miami safety Rayshawn Jenkins to get open. In the team scrimmage, he had a nice reception getting open on a bootleg. Overall, Howard is having a superb Senior Bowl to solidify his standing as a first-round pick with a real shot to go in the top 20. The other tight ends on the South are impressive as well, with Ole Miss' Evan Engram having a superb practice on Wednesday. Since his freshman season for the Rebels, Engram proved to be a receiving mismatch weapon. On Wednesday, the 6-foot-3, 236-pounder blocked better than expected in the pass rushing one-on-ones. He held up Jenkins and Minnesota safety Demarius Travis, and he rode Florida's Alex Anzalone around the pocket on another rep. He was close to some holding calls, but Engram did a nice job of blocking and was better than expected. In the pass receiving one-on-ones, Engram got separation from Travis on a well-run route as he faked to an outside cut before cutting back to a cross the middle. Engram made a difficult hands catch right over the head of Jenkins on an out route. In the team scrimmage he continued to impress as he made a superb hands catch down the seam with the ball coming in about thigh high. It was between defenders, as Engram ran by one defender with a safety coming over the top. Engram had excellent concentration on the play. Throughout the session, he showed soft, secure hands, including a bootleg reception in the team scrimmage for a nice gain. This practice should really help Engram in his evaluation and cause more teams to target him on the second day of the draft. In the team scrimmage, Anzalone had two good run fills to stuff backs for no gains. He showed more athleticism to stay close to tight ends and backs in the one-on-ones. Anzalone used power to bull through North Carolina State running back Matt Dayes on a rush up the middle. If Anzalone can stay healthy, he could be a mid-round steal. Clemson linebacker Ben Boulware really struggled on Wednesday, as he was abused in the pass-coverage drills. San Diego State running back Donnel Pumphrey burned Boulware to get wide open on a post route. Dayes got the better of Boulware on an out route, running an out-and-up. Anzalone didn't win all of his reps but he stayed close to his receiver where as Boulware was getting torched with 10 yards of separation on some plays. Boulware had some nice reps blitzing as he powered through backs, but he is a very limited player for the NFL with his pass-coverage limitations. He looks like a backup linebacker who plays in obvious rushing situations and on special teams. Texas A&M edge rusher Daeshon Hall had his second straight quality practice session. He used strength to bull rush UCLA offensive tackle Conor McDermott. Hall (6-5, 265) has functional strength with speed off the edge. He has upside, and his best football could be ahead of him. McDermott really struggled on Wednesday with Chattanooga defensive end Keionta Davis. On numerous plays, McDermott was going down to the ground from losing his balance. Repeatedly, McDermott would drag Davis down with him, and in the NFL, it would be obvious holding penalties. McDermott looks like a late-round developmental project. Auburn's Montravius Adams had another good practice. He used speed and strength to get wins in the one-on-ones. In college, there were times where Adams looked like a first-round talent, but struggled with consistency and motor. After two good practices though, Adams (6-3, 308) could be improving his draft standing from a mid-rounder to a second-day pick with his strong Senior Bowl. Alabama defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson was impressive on Wednesday in the pass rushing one-on-ones. Tomlinson obviously has been well coached and has put more development in his technique than other prospects. He got the better of Miami's Danny Isidora, using quick, violent hands to shed the block and race to the marker. Tomlinson had other wins with bull rushes getting his hands inside the chest of blockers. He is a rock-solid nose tackle who could figure into a rotation quickly in the NFL. Villanova defensive lineman Tanoh Kpassagnon is physical specimen at 6-foot-6, 280 pounds. He is a raw football player, but Kpassagnon has a lot of potential. He used his strength and quickness to get some wins in the one-on-ones. The best win coming against Kentucky center Jon Toth, as Kpassagnon used a rip move and speed to fire down the pocket. Kpassagnon needs a lot of work on his technique for the NFL, and his best fit might come as a five-technique defensive end in a 3-4 defense. Last year, Clemson's D.J. Reader had an excellent Senior Bowl, and this year, Carlos Watkins is trying to continue the tradition for Tigers defensive tackles. Watkins had a good day on Wednesday, beating Toth on a swim move, using speed for another win, and then getting a sack in the team scrimmage. Watkins (6-3, 312) has some versatility and could end up being a third-round pick. UCLA defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes (6-3, 320) looks sloppy as an athlete, but he has been effective at the point of attack in both practices. Vanderdoes is very good at holding his gap and stuffing rushing lanes on the interior. In the pass-rushing one-on-ones, he had a nice practice with a bull rush to collapse the pocket. He had an impressive win over Tennessee State's Jessamen Dunker, bull rushing his way to the marker. Vanderdoes has heavy hands with a strong base. He could be a nice mid-round pick as a nose tackle. Clemson wide receiver Artavis Scott had a good practice on Wednesday. He was getting open repeatedly in the one-on-ones with quickness and good route-running. He had one-on-one wins against LSU's Tre'Davious White, Miami's Corn Elder, and Tennessee State's Ezra Robinson. Scott (5-10, 193) could be a nice competitor as a slot receiver. Tiffin quarterback Antonio Pipkin had an underwhelming practice on Wednesday. There were pass plays where he had multiple receivers open, but Pipkin failed to pull the trigger until too late. On play like that, Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram was open running down the seam. Pipkin lofted a pass up in the air like a punt towards Engram, but Oklahoma State safety Jordan Sterns was able to run underneath it for an interception. Pipkin looks like an undrafted free agent. Read more at http://walterfootball.com/seniorbowl2017practice3.php#mxlKqO2wAdlP3gyc.99
He played for Alabama. Until the championship game blocking is all they would let him do for the most part.
I agree that the Jets should pass on a CB at 6. There are around 10 guys in this draft that I bet will have very similar grades at CB. Smith looks like he is a solid all around RB. From the little bit that I saw of the practices this week, he appears to be the best pass protector out of all of the RBs at the Senior Bowl. I don't like that he has really small hands though. I think that could lead to him fumbling too often in the NFL.
If Cleveland drafts well and do not trade down, they can select 4 players in round one(2) and two(2), and have a huuuge impact on that team going into next season. I agree with your assessment of the CB situation, hopefully Mac does not reach with the second round pick but the jets should be able to grab 2 good players in round one and two. My hope was they would grab the top CB in the draft with the 6th pick but there are plenty to be had. If Cam Robinson falls to them at the 6th spot, I'm of the opinion that they should grab him there and take one of the CB in round two. JMO
Tre White is out of the Senior Bowl game with an ankle injury, which is unfortunate since he has been one of the top CBs this week. He is being replaced by Dwayne Thomas from LSU, who will probably be a nickel CB in the NFL. If you haven't seen Thomas play before, I would recommend watching his tape from the Alabama game this year.
No argument there, but first the Jets coaches have to be taught there is such a position as TE, and what you do with one.
When does the HC and OC draft start? Till then its just a circle jerk for agents and players Useless... jmho
I haven't seen him run, but Kareem Hunt sounds like a possible elite RB for those who want to pass on Fournette or Cook at #6: Toledo’s Kareem Hunt has been a PFF favorite for a while now, having earned the highest grade among all running backs in 2016, and he has impressed thus far in Mobile. Hunt was very effective as a pass-catcher in the North practice, making difficult catches look routine and making the case that he can stay on the field on third downs in the NFL. Hunt also showed off his elusiveness which helped him force 98 missed tackles during the season by making Michigan cornerback Jourdan Lewis miss in the open field on a toss play. I still lean towards Fournette/Cook with their pick at #6, but if a good deal could be made tor trade down, Hunt might be a good alternative. In any case, if the Jets can't/won't take Watson with #6, then they need to get an elite RB to take the load off whoever the QB is. All the discussion in this thread about how much Howard would help the offense, seems to ignore the bigger impact an elite - not an above average - would make.
