Senior Bowl Practice Notes Stock rising Joe Flacco, QB, Delaware: Scouts were almost unanimous in their praise of Flacco this week, most claiming he was the only first-round quarterback in attendance. He displayed all the physical skills necessary to lead a team at the next level and flashed brilliance on a number of occasions. Flacco's biggest problem all week were fumbled snaps, something that happened quite often and was the result of the shotgun offense he played in the past two years. NFL insiders feel if Flacco played for a big time program the past two seasons he would be a top 15 selection. Chad Henne, QB, Michigan: Henne positively answered many of the questions scouts had about his game. He proved himself to be a terrific downfield passer with a good arm. Henne's accuracy was a little inconsistent, something directly attributed to poor throwing mechanics yet something easily correctable. He comes out of the Senior Bowl as a solid second-round choice. Justin Forsett, RB, California: Forsett started the week on fire and just got hotter every practice. His speed, quickness and ability to create yardage was eye catching. Forsett does not possess the size to be a feature runner at the next level, but he displayed enough versatility as a ball carrier and pass catcher to secure a spot in the third round. Lavelle Hawkins, WR, California: Hawkins was the best receiver in Mobile, bar none. He showcased natural skills and athletic ability all week, consistently making the easy reception as well as the acrobatic deep catch. Hawkins is being compared to former USC receiver Steve Smith, and like the Giants rookie, he looks like a solid choice in round two. Dexter Jackson, WR, Appalachian St: Jackson made the most of his one-day practice appearance (filling in for injured Limas Sweed). He's another natural pass catcher who ran razor-sharp routes and caught everything thrown to him. Jackson's punt return skills in the game could further bolster his already improving draft stock. Mike Pollack, C, Arizona State: Pollack clearly established himself as the top center in the draft with his work in Mobile. His athleticism is impressive for a 300-pound lineman, as is the ease which he moves about the field. NFL teams could take a crack at Pollack in the second round considering the poor crop of centers available in April. Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC: Ellis was impressive and leaves the Senior Bowl as a top-ten pick. His explosive play, hustle and technique are a terrific complement to the football smarts he showed on the field. Ellis has undoubtedly closed the gap between himself and Glenn Dorsey of LSU, presently rated as the draft's top defensive tackle. Red Bryant, DT, Texas A&M: Bryant's performance this week was a bit of a surprise. He displayed the power he's known for and also showed consistent intensity, something his game lacks. Scouts think the fact that Bryant, who struggled with a knee injury the past two seasons, may finally be healthy has a lot to do with his improved play. Patrick Lee, CB, Auburn: Lee was one of the few defensive backs who put together a complete week. He displayed skill in man coverage as well as zone. Lee's stock will only improve with fast forty times at the combine. Stock sliding Colt Brennan, QB, Hawaii: Brennan had a lot to gain this week but in the end fell short. His poor arm strength is troubling, as it gave defensive backs more than enough time to break up his passes. Scouts feel there is a place for Brennan as a backup signal-caller in a timing offense, yet most agree he presently grades as a mid-to-late round draft pick. Andre Woodson, QB, Kentucky: Woodson's arm strength was not questioned, but his terrible accuracy and pass placement has scouts concerned. His receivers were constantly slowing up in routes or reaching back to grab errant passes. He was considered a potential first-round choice prior to the Senior Bowl, but is now likely to fall out of the initial two frames. Adarius Bowman, WR, Oklahoma State: Bowman had his troubles from the start, dropping passes daily while displaying minimal speed to his game. He showed signs of improvement during the final day, but it won't be enough to keep him in the draft's first 60 picks. Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College: Cherilus was expected to have a big week but failed to deliver. He possesses the size and strength to start in the NFL, but his inability to block in anything other than a small area was troublesome. Cherilus now needs a big combine to preserve being a first-round choice. Terrence Wheatley, CB, Colorado: Wheatley struggled and consistently looked overmatched in practice. He lacks the size to cover the large receivers and did not show the foot speed to keep up with faster wide outs. South Practice Notes: News Georgia Tech linebacker Phillip Wheeler was active and downright mean, working extensively with Hall of Famer Mike Singletary. Tennessee State defensive back Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was nothing short of excellent, both in drills and coverage. Smooth athlete with quick hip flip, playing both free safety and cornerback. Another small schooler, Heath Benedict of Newberry College was outstanding in "the pit" not losing a single match-up. The 49ers coaches had him at first team right tackle, and he responded. Texas wide out Limas Sweed had a great day, catching everything and looking very smooth. Sweed rounds out his routes and isn't a perfect player but is the only South WR who has WR1 potential. Kentucky quarterback Andre Woodson had an above average day. After coming out excited and throwing high, Woodson settled down and displayed his natural ability. It should be noted however that he has the luxury of playing with tight end Jacob Tamme, who was a security blanket for Woodson today just like he was in the season. Tennesee quarterback Erik Ainge clearly has the tools required to excel in the league, however he hasn't quite put it all together and looks uncertain at times. Wake Forest defensive end Jeremy Thompson had an excellent day. At the weigh-in he showed up in excellent shape, and at practice he showed top notch balance and body control, beating blockers both inside and around the edge. Tennessee tight end Brad Cottam seemed stiff as a pass catcher, but blocked well. At 6'7" and a lean 270, Cottam seems like he could be a fantastic candidate for left tackle conversion. Troy cornerback Leodis McKelvin was working at returner, in addition to his above average performance in coverage drills. Pittsburgh guard Mike McGlynn had a great first step in run blocking, and can really open holes for the runner. However, his pass protection is raw and needs work. Vanderbilt left tackle Chris Williams was the most impressive offensive lineman in the South practice. He breaks down well, gets low hips and if he gets his hands on the other player, it's over. 32 7/8" arms may be cause for concern. Mississippi State linebacker Titus Brown split time with the defensive ends, where he displayed has a nasty array of pass rush moves. Brown is firey and it's apparent he's having fun out there. Arkansas guard Robert Felton may not be a physical specimen but he's a natural football player, powerful and plays well in space. Maryland defensive tackle Dre Moore showed incredible explosion in one-on-one's but doesn't always sustain his effort. Georgia Tech linebacker Gary Guyton is en route as a substitute. QB Colt Brennan of Hawaii threw the ball nicely and needs a big week to dispel issues related to him being a product of the system at Hawaii. He needs to show he can make the right decisions and throws in the three, five and seven step drops. This is the place to do it and shine. Well have more on him tomorrow - and later in the week. DE Kendall Langford of Hampton looked sharp in drills. He is a huge defensive end who can play in a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme. He has all the physical skills to compete here. RB Chris Johnson of East Carolina showed good speed and running skills. He caught the ball well in passing drills and looks to show his well-rounded ability this week. DT Red Bryant was stout in the middle and held up well against double teams. He rarely got outside the tackle box to make plays. He can play too high at 6'5" - most big linemen will tend to allow that to happen. When he got into the blocker's chest, he was able to push him back to the quarterback. OT Heath Benedict of Newberry ? formerly of the University of Tennessee - checked in at 321 lbs. and over 6'4". He held up well in drills - especially from a power standpoint.
Senior Bowl Practice Notes In 7-on-7 workout, K-State WR Jordy Nelson caught a nice deep ball from USC QB John David Booty. Nelson caught it in the back corner of the endzone. Michigan QB Chad Henne connected on a dart to Oklahoma St's Adarius Bowman on a slant. Jordy Nelson has great hands. He's caught every ball his way today while running a number of different routes. Good adjustment to the ball. Dantrell Savage has looked really good in the open field. He's very shifty and has good awareness in space. Keith Rivers made the best defensive play so far, breaking up a pass from John David Booty, intended for Kellen Davis, from Michigan State. After seeing a number of reps from all three QBs, Joe Flacco is definitely the third best QB for the North. Both John David Booty and Chad Henne are a cut above Flacco's level. Virginia Tech WR Eddie Royal may be the smallest WR on the field (5-foot-10, 185), but he has shown tremendous burst and acceleration in the open field and getting in and out of his routes. After making a great play against his former QB teammate, Keith Rivers was beat by another Trojan, Fred Davis on a slant route. Keith Rivers pulled up on a play where he would have blown up an Owen Schmitt reception. Justin Forsett took a swing pass out of the backfield, sliced through the defense and looked fantastic. He was finally tracked down by Tom Zbikowski. Owen Schmitt continues to see a lot of action. He trucked the Cal DB, Thomas DeCoud in the open field. USC teammates continue to stalk each other as Sedrick Ellis broke through the OL and would have sacked John David Booty. Nebraska OL Carl Nicks is taking reps at Left Tackle, along with USC's Sam Baker. Oklahoma St's Adarius Bowman dropped a pass from Booty. However, physically, there is no question that Bowman is the most impressive receiver. Notre Dame's Trevor Laws got in the backfield and batted down a Booty pass. Justin Forsett continues to show his agility. His ability to shake defenders in the open field is drawing attention. VT's Eddie Royal caught a short ball and broke away from Charles Godfrey, who went for the strip.
Senior Bowl Summary Scout talk: Senior Bowl winners and losers By Dan Pompei Chicago Tribune January 26, 2008 Original Chicago Tribune article: Scout talk: Senior Bowl winners and losers Read all 3 comments ? After a week of watching Senior Bowl practice, NFL scouts are getting a better handle on how draft prospects should stack up in comparison with one another. One of the big winners last week was Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco, who looked like the best passer in Mobile. One front-office man said Flacco has gone from a third-round pick to a high second-round pick, and it's even possible he could sneak into the first round. Flacco also may have passed Louisville's Brian Brohm as the second-ranked quarterback in the draft behind Matt Ryan of Boston College. 'Flacco doesn't have real good feet, but he has very good arm talent,' one scout said. Chad Henne of Michigan also showed well, but not all the quarterbacks helped themselves. Colt Brennan of Hawaii showed up at 186 pounds after a bout with the flu and showed questionable arm strength. Kentucky's Andre Woodson might have had a chance to move into the first round, but he did not capitalize. The best player participating was Southern California defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, who should be a top-seven pick. As expected, USC players dominated practice. Others who stood out were linebacker Keith Rivers and tight end Fred Davis. The player who might have helped himself the most was Tennessee's Brad Cottam. During the season the tight end didn't play much and caught only five passes for 5 yards, but at the Senior Bowl he showed he can run and he also looked like he has some natural blocking ability. Two offensive linemen practiced well. Vanderbilt's Chris Williams might have solidified his stock as a first-rounder, and Texas-El Paso's Oniel Cousins also helped himself. On the defensive line, Maryland's Dre Moore was a pleasant surprise. 'On tape I didn't like him, but he was ballistic in the one-on-ones,' one NFC college scouting director said. Notre Dame defensive end Trevor Laws looked comfortable playing defensive tackle. It was a strong group of cornerbacks, with Indiana's Tracy Porter, Auburn's Patrick Lee, Tennessee State's Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Alabama's Simeon Castille and Louisiana State's Chevis Jackson leading the way. Rodgers-Cromartie worked at safety also, and looked good at both positions. Of Porter, another NFC executive said, 'You wanted to see him be more physical, and he tried. He competed in practice.' Against better competition, Troy cornerback Leodis McKelvin did not fare as well as some scouts had hoped. The best wide receiver in the game probably was Lavelle Hawkins from Cal. In addition to showing good speed, Hawkins appeared to have a complete game. Eddie Royal of Virginia Tech wasn't as productive in college as he could have been, but during Senior Bowl practices he looked like he has bona fide NFL skills. Two running backs who helped themselves were Matt Forte from Tulane and Justin Forsett from California. Forsett is only 5 feet 8 inches, but he showed quickness, toughness and the ability to read defenses. One college director compared him to Michigan's Mike Hart, who opted not to participate. http://www.topix.net/content/trb/2008/01/scout-talk-senior-bowl-winners-and-losers
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/football/nfl/01/23/risers.sliders2/index.html SOUTH MOBILE, Ala. -- The South team finished up three days of hard practice here this afternoon. The session was highlighted by outstanding performances from a number of late arrivals as well as small school prospects. Risers Heath Benedict/OL/Newberry: Newberry stood out at both the left and right tackle positions this afternoon. He stopped defenders dead in their tracks on almost every snap and drew the applause of coaches a number of times. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie/DB/Tennessee State: Rodgers-Cromartie displayed terrific skill at both safety and cornerback. He easily ran downfield with opponents in man coverage and broke up several passes when used in zone coverage. Ahtyba Rubin/DT/Iowa State: Rubin filled in for the injured Kentwan Balmer and made the most of his opportunity. He displayed great power in the middle of the field and consistently pushed blockers from the South deep into the backfield. Dexter Jackson/WR/Appalachian State: Limas Sweed's injury opened the door for Jackson, who wasted no time making his mark. Jackson displayed terrific route-running skills and reliable hands. Early in the day he made an acrobatic 40-yard reception for a touchdown. Chris Williams/OT/Vanderbilt: Williams looked good at left tackle most of the day and effectively stopped many of the South's top pass rushers. He also played with a nasty disposition, which impressed coaches. Jacob Tamme/TE/Kentucky: The pass-catching tight end displayed reliable hands and made several difficult receptions in the afternoon. Tamme did an admirable job as a blocker, which was a surprise to many. Jacob Hester/RB-FB/LSU: Hester lacks the dominant speed yet made up for it with tough, smart play today. He displays terrific running vision and hits the hole with authority. Hester also made several nice receptions in the scrimmage. Andre Caldwell/WR/Florida: Caldwell was fluid and caught the ball well all day long. He lacks the speed to beat opponents downfield yet found the open seam in the defense all day. Sliders Cody Wallace/C/Texas A&M: Wallace was pushed off the line on several occasions and had trouble holding his ground at the point of attack. Chevis Jackson/CB/LSU: Jackson has had a tough go of it most of the week. Today he was beaten badly a number of times and had trouble finding the ball in coverage. Cole Bennett/TE/Auburn: Bennett was not very active in any aspect of practice the past three days. Notes • Colt Brennan's struggles this week began from day one. During weigh-ins on Monday morning the Hawaii passer tipped the scales at a scrawny 185 pounds. He later said a recent illness caused him to lose a significant amount of weight. • Quarterback John David Booty can trace his struggles this week to the unfamiliarity with the offensive system he's running at the Senior Bowl. Booty said he's been asked to make a number of NFL-type passes, throws which he never was asked to make at USC. • For the second day in a row, defensive tackle Red Bryant got into fisticuffs on the field, this time with Vandy's Williams. Scouts noted the laid back and sometimes apathetic Texas A&M prospect may be trying to change his reputation.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/football/nfl/01/23/north.riserssliders/index.html NORTH MOBILE, Ala. -- Today was the North's final opportunity to impress NFL scouts here. Wednesday is always the most important day of the week at the Senior Bowl and the practices are heavily attended. Several players took hold of the chance to showcase their skills. Risers Joe Flacco, QB, Delaware: Flacco is the most physically gifted passer at the Senior Bowl and he showed why today. He effortlessly tossed the deep passes and put speed on the outs, two throws he must complete at the next level. Fred Davis, TE, USC: Davis plays like a receiver in a tight end's body. He runs good routes, beats defenders down the field and displays reliable hands. Trevor Laws, DT, Notre Dame: Laws does not possess top NFL dimensions -- he measures just 6-foot, 300 pounds -- yet there is a lot to like about his game. He has played with a non-stop motor every day and is constantly around the ball. Xavier Adibi, LB, Virginia Tech: Adibi's athleticism is apparent as he displays speed and range on the field. He stood out in morning drills before making several good plays during the scrimmage. Kellen Davis, TE, Michigan State: Davis is another outstanding athlete who flashed dominance in all aspects of the tight end position today. He's not a finished product, but scouts love his upside potential. Jordy Nelson, WR, Kansas State: Nelson is drawing comparisons to Anthony Gonzalez, the Colts' first-round pick from last year. He's a natural receiver with a terrific head on his shoulders. Nelson made a number of deep receptions today. Jason Jones, DE, Eastern Michigan: Jones rebounded well after two uninspired practices. He threw a few nice moves on Ohio State's Kirk Barton and got a lot of penetration this morning. Dan Connor, LB, Penn State: Connor has been one of the hardest hitting players all week. He's shown himself to be a smart football player who will be a reliable run defender in the NFL. Sliders Terrence Wheatley, CB, Colorado: Whealtey was over matched for most of the day, getting beat by large receivers and outrun by fast pass catchers. He dropped a sure interception during the scrimmage. Bruce Davis, LB, UCLA: Davis, a defensive end in college, was used extensively at linebacker and the results were poor. He's a solid athlete, but at times he looked lost on the field and struggled handling assignments. Chris Ellis, DE, Virginia Tech: Ellis was a pass rush specialist for the Hokies, but he has had little success here. He was handled lining up in a three-point stance and the results weren't much better when he stood over tackle as a rush linebacker. Marcus Smith, WR, New Mexico: Scouts were anticipating Smith's performance, as his production (91 receptions in '07) and size (6-1, 214 pounds) are enticing. But he's been a letdown -- dropping several easy receptions today -- and he does not play to his size. Notes • Injuries are starting to mount at the Senior Bowl. Owen Schmitt of West Virginia looked good in morning drills, but the fullback later injured his knee and left the field. Michigan's Shawn Crable also left the field with a lower leg injury. Limas Sweed, the Texas receiver on the South squad, slightly reinjured his wrist and will no longer practice or play. Sweed originally hurt his wrist in October and surgery was required to repair the damage.
