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The Senior has become the best scouting opportunity for the upcoming draft, every year some of the best players across the country come together and work with NFL coaching staffs for a week before playing a exhibition game. The game itself is meaningless, the practices throughout the week are where these guys make their money. This event is a great opportunity for small school players with impressive stats and guys who went to big time programs but didn't have gaudy stats to prove themselves to NFL coaches they have what it takes to play at the next level.

I'm going to post articles from the practices so we can get a glimpse of how experts think certain players are performing.

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2017 SENIOR BOWL: SOUTH ROSTER DAY 1 PRACTICE REPORT
 

Winners from Day 1 of the South Practice: Grambling State receiver Chad Williams, Alabama TE OJ Howard, Western Kentucky OG Forrest Lamp, Texas A&M DE Daeshon Hall and LSU CB Tre’Davious White.

Notes from:
Eric Galko (ALL), Derrik Klassen (QB/RB/WR)
Christian Page (WR/DB), Austin Baumer (OL/DL)

 

Quarterbacks
-Cal’s Davis Webb has the cleanest stroke of any of the QBs on the South team. His ball placement was the most consistent, although it wasn’t always in a perfect spot for the receiver. We’ll see if Webb can do a better job with his plant step and not lock up his hips before he throws.

-The quarterback most likely to draw Dak Prescott comparisons, Tennessee’s Josh Dobbs looked good throwing vertical routes, but consistently missed on quick outs. Had a smart throwaway during team drills. Dobbs often plays with loose feet and it tends to mess up the timing of his process, needs to tighten up. -Tiffin’s

-Tiffin’s Antonio Pipkin was certainly the surprise invite to the Senior Bowl, and he struggled as aspected. His ball placement was all over the place. He flashed a few nice throws, but struggle to keep it consistent. Pipkin’s release isn’t quick or powerful, most of his throws got there a tick late. Hopefully, he can speed up his process this week.

Running Backs
-BYU’s Jamaal Williams entered as the expected top running back and looked the part after Day 1. Williams is a smooth runner, and was making nice cuts during team drills and was consistently the most productive of the running back group. Williams simply looked natural.

-With 10-inch hands and expected to be the top pass-catching running back in Mobile this week, NC State’s Matt Dayes had a couple of plays where he won with speed and quickness and showed he’s danger in space. There were plays where he got locked in the backfield, but when he got a sliver of space, he made the most of it. We’ll see how he does in third down situations tomorrow.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
-Overall, the receivers looked solid but a couple had an underwhelming day. LSU’s Travin Dural didn’t impress with any specific trait and displayed heavy feet and not much burst out of his breaks. Compared to other receivers, it didn’t look like Dural wanted the ball as he showed minimal aggression in attacking routes or even really getting open.  

-Texas A&M’s Josh Reynolds struggled early in practice in individual drills with a couple drops but still finished the day with good marks. He displayed his crazy length by consistently snagging balls out of the air in one on one drills coming down with some hard grabs. He created separation with some suddenness and showed some short area quickness that may be new to some people.
 
Chad Williams of Grambling may have been the big winner of the day. He showcased great ball tracking skills and concentration in traffic. He made it a theme in bullying San Diego State cornerback Damontae Kazee in the one on one drills. Williams wow’d the crowd with his strong hands with glimpses of upper body strength when shaking off man coverage. Fellow Grambling receivers impressed at the HBCU Spirit of America Bowl two weeks ago, a game designed for HBCU seniors, but this week is Chad Williams’s chance to shine. Williams’s isn’t the most quick-twitch receiver and is a bit of a slow starter, but his finishing ability in traffic and vertical finishing ability shined for Day 1, as expected based on our preview.
Gerald Everett of South Alabama showed out in the receiving part of the game with plenty of impressive grabs within a high degree of difficulty. He displayed his athleticism and length laying out for one sideline grab while also coming away with a few grabs in traffic. His blocking technique was sporadic as in the drills he would shoot too high with coaches’ comments following right after.  
 
OJ Howard of Alabama checked all the boxes showing the athleticism, receiving ability and blocking technique in the first day of practice. He shined in the 11 on 11 drills threatening the seam multiple times beating defenders constantly (Auburn’s Rudy Ford and Houston’s Tyus Bowser). Howard started the day off with a couple one-handed grabs.

 

Offensive Line
-Troy’s Antonio Garcia gained Tyron Smith comps from us before the week because he’s so light on his feet and is able to generate ample power in his kick slide as he’s mobile. He played the part of the South’s top offensive tackles except against Daeshon Hall, who’s power and length seemed to out-match his sub-300 pound size. That may prove to be an issue this week, more than expected.

 
 

-Western Kentucky’s Forrest Lamp had a near flawless day of practice. While his arms aren’t ideally long enough, his transition to guard has made it almost a positive. He locks into position easily and with great technique, keeping his elbows out and maintaining great strength through his hands. He controlled multiple defensive tackles in one on ones, but his work in team drills in zone blocking and play-action protection were both very impressive.

-LSU C Ethan Pocic was up and down today. On one particular snap he was beaten by UCLA DT Eddie Vanderdoes with a swim move. On the next, snap he was able to thwart Alabama DT Dalvin Tomlinson on a speed move inside. Pocic showed the type of adjusting that you like to see after a mistake and looks to take coaching very receptively.

-Miami (FL) G Danny Isidora had a rough first day. He got beat again and again in 1 on 1’s whether it was a power bull rush or a swim move. He lacked the necessary quickness and punch to stall anybody today. He looked vastly overmatched in the strength category.

-UCLA OT Conor McDermott also had a rocky first practice. He is very susceptible to speed rushers on the edge getting beat by Villanova DE Tanoh Kpassagnon. McDermott looked out of his element from the right side as well. For McDermott to boost his stock he is going to have to slide his feet more quickly on the edge and keep his balance when the rusher dips inside.

Defensive Line
-The best defensive lineman of the day was easily Texas A&M’s Daeshon Hall. While he was overshadowed a bit by Myles Garrett, the expected first-overall pick, Hall proved today just how physically impressive he could be. He beat the South Roster’s best offensive tackle, Antonio Garcia, with a speed edge rush and a bull rush on back to back reps, and his ability to stay low and powerful as a rusher despite his 6’6 frame is really impressive.

-UCLA’s Eddie Vanderdoes displayed quick feet and a pretty impressive burst in 1 on 1’s. He performed a swift swim move on an inside rush against Western Kentucky’s Forrest Lamp who is arguably the best offensive lineman prospect here. Vanderdoes used a little bit of power and speed moves on his inside rushes.

-Tulane’s Tanzel Smart was ferocious during day 1 displaying the type of burst necessary for a 3-technique pass rusher at the next level. Smart was explosive winning numerous 1 on 1 battles. The acceleration and power/speed moves he put on today definitely made him some money. At one point in 11 on 11’s he and LSU C Ethan Pocic got into a post-play scuffle. That is the kind of fiery burst you want to see in an NFL job interview.

-Clemson’s Carlos Watkins didn’t impress like he was expected to in 1 on 1’s after a really productive year rushing the passer. He was slow off the ball and was routinely stalled with bull rushes. Look for Watkins to have a much better day two.


Linebackers
-Florida’s Alex Anzalone showed up strong for the first day of practice. He quickly swarmed to run plays, stood strong is his gaps and swallowed runners. He set a good tone for the week. In a somewhat lackluster inside linebacker class, Anzalone, the graduate junior, could rise with a strong week.

-Expected as the best true linebacker here, LSU’s Duke Riley’s speed was evident. He likely fits between Deion Jones and Kwon Alexander as a prospect He flew toward plays and his gaps. He’s not the biggest guy, but he was always near the play as he was at LSU this season.

 

Defensive Backs
Jonathan “Rudy” Ford of Auburn was one of the more technically sound defensive backs in the first day of practice. He wet through the walk through drills and positive comments followed from the coaches of the drill. He got beat over the middle of the field once to Alabama’s OJ Howard but overall maintained to keep the separation in check.

-Miami’s Rashawn Jenkins was a fluid mover and shows the ability to quickly turn and run. He impressed with ball skills (looked like a natural receiver high pointing passes) showing soft hands and vision in the defensive backfield.
 
Damontae Kazee of San Diego State had some hiccups early as he was out muscled a few times by Grambling’s Chad Williams. Kazee’s small frame showed up today but his quickness and anticipation was still impressive. He showed today that being a slot cornerback is probably his best destination.
 
 
-Tre’Davious White of LSU looked the best in weigh-ins this morning and continued to impress the first day of practice. His anticipation was most notable as he picked of a Joshua Dobbs’ early in the practice. He constantly jumped routes in front of receivers with a few pass breakups but plenty of contested catches.

 

http://thesportsdaily.com/optimum-scouting/2017-senior-bowl-south-roster-day-1-practice-report/

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2017 Senior Bowl: 10 things to know about the weigh-ins for NFL Draft hopefuls

While the action on the practice field at Ladd-Peebles Stadium is clearly most important, scouts place a great deal of value on the measurables conducted prior to the action beginning Tuesday at the annual Senior Bowl.

Each player involved is paraded on stage in front of hundreds of NFL scouts with his shirt and shoes off, wearing only skin-tight athletic pants. Players' heights are recorded to the eighth of an inch with their weight, arm length, wingspan and hand size (measured from the out-stretched thumb to pinkie) all announced to the crowd.

Each NFL team has its own size requirements for certain positions. The "bigger the better" is generally a good rule to go by, with long arms being especially valued among edge rushers, offensive tackles and defensive backs. Large hands are especially important among skill-position players, as this theoretically helps with ball security.

With a combined 22 years of experience evaluating the measurables that matter in the Senior Bowl "catwalk," here is what you need to know about this year's prospects.

Observations on the North roster

  • Usually weighing in at 5-foot-10 and 188 pounds would be discouraging for an NFL prospect. But for Michigan cornerback Jourdan Lewis, those numbers represent a win for him during the Senior Bowl weigh-ins. Anyone who watches the talented cornerback can obviously tell he's a smaller player -- there is no disputing that. But just how small? Certain teams have certain thresholds for the cornerback position and hitting the 5-10 mark as opposed to coming in at 5-9 3/4-inches or smaller is important, especially in a loaded cornerback class. The arms of Lewis also measured 31 inches, which is much better than expected and above average for the position.
  • Sticking with the Wolverines, defensive lineman Chris Wormley is no stranger to the weight room. He showed off his developed physique during weigh-ins with his thick, muscular build in his upper and lower halves. Wide receiver Amara Darboh didn't appear to have an ounce of fat on him with his lean, but shredded muscle tone, including a defined six pack. At 6-1 3/4 and 215 pounds with 32 5/8-inch arms, his measurements and body type are what scouts are looking for at the position. Linebacker Ben Gedeon also impressed at 6-1 5/8 and 243 pounds of muscle. His frame sported minimal bad weight with well-developed muscle tone throughout. Bottom line, the Michigan strength and conditioning program prepared these players extremely well.
  • Charlotte defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi is trying to be the first player in program history to hear his name called in the NFL Draft. And Tuesday's Senior Bowl weigh-ins were another positive step in that direction. Ogunjobi measured at 6-2 1/2 and 304 pounds with 32 3/8-inch arms and 10-inch hands. And it was all good weight, properly distributed throughout with meaty hips and a thick lower body. For a player who tipped the scales at 350 pounds-plus in high school, Ogunjobi has clearly developed an improved work ethic to take care of himself.
  • This year's Senior Bowl boasts a few of the largest prospects in the 2017 draft class. USC offensive lineman Zach Banner was the heaviest at 361 pounds, also measuring at 6-8 3/8 with 33 5/8-inch arms and 10 3/4-inch hands. Bucknell offensive tackle Julien Davenport has a massive wingspan (87 1/2-inches) with the longest arms in Mobile (36-inches). And Western Michigan offensive lineman Taylor Moton deserves a mention as well for his impressive 6-5 3/8 and 330-pound frame, distributing that weight evenly throughout with minimal bad weight.
  • On film it appears Toledo tight end Michael Roberts swallows the ball as a pass-catcher. So it makes sense that his hands would measure at 11 5/8-inches, easily the biggest on the roster. At 6-4 3/8 and 261 pounds, his upper body was average, but it is clear Roberts doesn't skip leg day with powerful legs. Another tight end from the North roster who deserves mention is Florida International's Jonnu Smith who doesn't have prototypical size at 6-2 7/8 and 245 pounds, but his shredded physique showed his work ethic and dedication to taking care of himself.

Observations on the South roster

  • Offensive tackles Antonio "Tony" Garcia (Troy) and Forrest Lamp (Western Kentucky) stand out on tape as two of the better blockers on this year's roster but the weigh-in process was not kind to either. The 6-6 3/8, 293-pound Garcia possesses a relatively narrow waist for an offensive linemen, which raises questions about his ability to add and maintain "good" weight, as well as hold up to the powerful bull-rushers he will face in the NFL. The compactly-built Lamp is the polar opposite at 6-3 3/4, 305 pounds but he possesses the shortest arms of any offensive lineman in Mobile at just 31 1/8, virtually guaranteeing that he will be projected inside to guard or center for most teams.
  • Another potential early-round pick who, unfortunately, did not measure up as well as expected was South Alabama tight end Gerald Everett, who came in at "just" 6-2 3/4 and 227 pounds after being listed at a more traditional 6-foot-4, 240 pounds for the Jaguars. Worse, Everett tied with the smallest hands of any pass-catcher invited to this year's game with his mitts measuring just 8 1/4 the same as San Diego State running back Donnell Pumphrey, who is just over 5-foot-8 and 169 pounds.
  • Sporting a Mr. Universe-type build does not necessarily equate to being a top NFL draft pick but it does speak to a player's work ethic. Among the more physically imposing players on the South's roster were Houston outside linebacker Tyus Bowser (6-2 1/2 and 244 pounds), Villanova defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon (a shade under 6-7, 280 pounds) and Kansas State defensive end Jordan Willis (6-3 3/4 and 255 pounds), each of whom looked like they might pay rent at their team's weight rooms.
  • Prior to the start of the weigh-ins, Senior Bowl executive Phil Savage announced that a number of players turned down invitations to the game, with several opting out because of injuries. The 10 players who declined the invitation were DL Jonathan Allen (Alabama), Taco Charlton (Michigan), center Pat Elflein (Ohio State), RB Wayne Gallman (Clemson), CB Kevin King (Washington), TE Jordan Leggett (Clemson), CB Cordrea Tankersley (Clemson), QB Deshaun Watson (Clemson), WR Dede Westbrook (Oklahoma) and WR Mike Williams (Clemson). Savage noted that each of these players declined in a courteous manner.
  • Savage also mentioned that 13 players suffered injuries since the end of the season or were in the process of rehabbing them and therefore were unable to participate this week. They include Colorado CB Chidobe Awuzie (toe), LSU LB Kendall Beckwith (knee), Michigan TE Jake Butt (knee), Western Michigan WR Corey Davis (shoulder), Florida LB Jarrad Davis (ankle), Alabama LB Reuben Foster (hand), Louisville S Josh Harvey-Clemons (hamstring), Louisville TE Cole Hikutini (knee), Virginia Tech TE Bucky Hodges (undisclosed), Pittsburgh OG Dorian Johnson (ankle), UCLA edge rusher Takkarist McKinley (shoulder), Florida State DL Demarcus Walker (foot) and Alabama edge rusher Tim Williams (elbow). This is in addition to four other players who had previously accepted an invite and will be here to participate in interviews with clubs and the media but suffered season-ending injuries earlier in the year and will not play this week. They include Alabama safety Eddie Jackson (leg), Mississippi quarterback Chad Kelly (knee), Florida safety Marcus Maye (arm) and Baylor quarterback Seth Russell (ankle).

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2017-senior-bowl-10-things-to-know-about-the-weigh-ins-for-nfl-draft-hopefuls/

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http://www.draftcountdown.com/2017-senior-bowl-weigh-in-results/

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Senior Bowl: Mike Mayock's Day 1 practice stars

  • mike_mayock-110726_65.jpg
  • By Mike Mayock
  • NFL Media draft analyst
  • Published: Jan. 24, 2017 at 09:22 p.m.
  • Updated: Jan. 24, 2017 at 09:37 p.m.

MOBILE, Ala. -- Senior Bowl week is always my favorite week of the year. I love watching the nation's top seniors compete in live practices. Tuesday was the start of three straight practice days, and there were plenty of players who made quick impressions. Here are five that stood out to me on Day 1:

Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington

I like this kid. He had 22 catches, including six touchdowns, against two Pac-12 teams in his college career at EWU. He can play at any level; don't let the small school fool you. What I saw on tape is what I saw Tuesday. He's fast. He won deep, he won shallow, he beat press coverage. He can win at all three levels. And he gets it. I think he's going to play and play well very early in his NFL career.

Forrest Lamp, LT, Western Kentucky

The best single tape in the last five years that I've seen against Alabama's defensive front was Lamp's. When they measured him here in the morning, his arm length was just over 30 inches. That's short, and a reason why there's so much talk about moving him inside to guard, perhaps even center. He reminds me of Zack Martin or Joel Bitonio -- guys who were dominating left tackles in college but got kicked inside in the NFL, and still remained really good players. He had a very solid day.

Dan Feeney, OL, Indiana

Feeney and Lamp will both be in the conversation of who's going to be the No. 1 interior offensive linemen in this draft. I'm going to have fun watching them compete all week. They certainly competed in their first practice here. Going into the season, many had Feeney as the No. 1 interior offensive lineman, but when he got back from an early season concussion, he was moved to tackle and played out of position, so there's mixed opinions on him among scouts. But he had a solid start to this week, especially when he shot his hands inside.

Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova

He's really fascinating to me. There was a buzz around him in the scouting community before this week and I think it will pick up even more steam coming out. He was impressive in the morning weigh-in with a ready-made NFL body. And he competed at a high level when he hit the field. When you come from a small school like Villanova you have something to prove, and he did on Day 1, with his effort and toughness. He's raw but had a lot of upside.

Montravius Adams, DT, Auburn

When he keeps his pad level down he can be a monster inside. You don't see many people with that size with those type of movement skills. He's got superior short-area quickness and comes off the ball both in the run and the pass game. In the one-on-one drills nobody could block him on Day 1. He was dominant.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000778827/article/senior-bowl-mike-mayocks-day-1-practice-stars

Few of things that really stand out to me here:

  1. Mike Mayock has proven to be one of the most respected and accurate college scout in the business, very rarely does he give a player his stamp of approval and they don't have a successful career. Everyone makes mistakes and this is speculative endeavour, however he knows his stuff.
  2. The guys on this list are all solid players and the Bengals could use them all on their roster. The Forrest Lamp reviews keep coming back very positive, hopefully the Bengals consider him early in the draft. 
  3. Kpassagnon is going to make himself some money this week, NFL coaches are going to fall in love with his work ethic, smarts, and athletic ability. Even though he played against inferior competition, he dominated and has the stats to he can play the game at a high level.
  4. The more research I do on Cooper Kupp the more I like this guy, a real diamond in the rough. He has completely dominated the FCS level, being named a 4x All American and winning awards named after two football gods, Walter Payton and Jerry Rice. He has the bloodlines as his paternal grandfather and father both played in the NFL and his mom was a great soccer player and maternal grandfather played college football and is a legendary coach in Tacoma, Washington. Coaches rave about his consistency and ability to continue to produce at a high level even though he was the Jerry Rice freshman of the year, he got better every year despite the hype and game planning to stop him. Also he was a 3x Academic All American and graduated with a 3.6 GPA and a degree in Economics. 
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7 minutes ago, akiliMVP said:
Posted by OptimumScouting on January 24, 2017
 

Winners from Day 1 of the South Practice: Grambling State receiver Chad Williams, Alabama TE OJ Howard, Western Kentucky OG Forrest Lamp, Texas A&M DE Daeshon Hall and LSU CB Tre’Davious White.

Notes from:
Eric Galko (ALL), Derrik Klassen (QB/RB/WR)
Christian Page (WR/DB), Austin Baumer (OL/DL)

 

Quarterbacks
-Cal’s Davis Webb has the cleanest stroke of any of the QBs on the South team. His ball placement was the most consistent, although it wasn’t always in a perfect spot for the receiver. We’ll see if Webb can do a better job with his plant step and not lock up his hips before he throws.

-The quarterback most likely to draw Dak Prescott comparisons, Tennessee’s Josh Dobbs looked good throwing vertical routes, but consistently missed on quick outs. Had a smart throwaway during team drills. Dobbs often plays with loose feet and it tends to mess up the timing of his process, needs to tighten up. -Tiffin’s

-Tiffin’s Antonio Pipkin was certainly the surprise invite to the Senior Bowl, and he struggled as aspected. His ball placement was all over the place. He flashed a few nice throws, but struggle to keep it consistent. Pipkin’s release isn’t quick or powerful, most of his throws got there a tick late. Hopefully, he can speed up his process this week.

Running Backs
-BYU’s Jamaal Williams entered as the expected top running back and looked the part after Day 1. Williams is a smooth runner, and was making nice cuts during team drills and was consistently the most productive of the running back group. Williams simply looked natural.

-With 10-inch hands and expected to be the top pass-catching running back in Mobile this week, NC State’s Matt Dayes had a couple of plays where he won with speed and quickness and showed he’s danger in space. There were plays where he got locked in the backfield, but when he got a sliver of space, he made the most of it. We’ll see how he does in third down situations tomorrow.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
-Overall, the receivers looked solid but a couple had an underwhelming day. LSU’s Travin Dural didn’t impress with any specific trait and displayed heavy feet and not much burst out of his breaks. Compared to other receivers, it didn’t look like Dural wanted the ball as he showed minimal aggression in attacking routes or even really getting open.  

-Texas A&M’s Josh Reynolds struggled early in practice in individual drills with a couple drops but still finished the day with good marks. He displayed his crazy length by consistently snagging balls out of the air in one on one drills coming down with some hard grabs. He created separation with some suddenness and showed some short area quickness that may be new to some people.
 
Chad Williams of Grambling may have been the big winner of the day. He showcased great ball tracking skills and concentration in traffic. He made it a theme in bullying San Diego State cornerback Damontae Kazee in the one on one drills. Williams wow’d the crowd with his strong hands with glimpses of upper body strength when shaking off man coverage. Fellow Grambling receivers impressed at the HBCU Spirit of America Bowl two weeks ago, a game designed for HBCU seniors, but this week is Chad Williams’s chance to shine. Williams’s isn’t the most quick-twitch receiver and is a bit of a slow starter, but his finishing ability in traffic and vertical finishing ability shined for Day 1, as expected based on our preview.
Gerald Everett of South Alabama showed out in the receiving part of the game with plenty of impressive grabs within a high degree of difficulty. He displayed his athleticism and length laying out for one sideline grab while also coming away with a few grabs in traffic. His blocking technique was sporadic as in the drills he would shoot too high with coaches’ comments following right after.  
 
OJ Howard of Alabama checked all the boxes showing the athleticism, receiving ability and blocking technique in the first day of practice. He shined in the 11 on 11 drills threatening the seam multiple times beating defenders constantly (Auburn’s Rudy Ford and Houston’s Tyus Bowser). Howard started the day off with a couple one-handed grabs.

 

Offensive Line
-Troy’s Antonio Garcia gained Tyron Smith comps from us before the week because he’s so light on his feet and is able to generate ample power in his kick slide as he’s mobile. He played the part of the South’s top offensive tackles except against Daeshon Hall, who’s power and length seemed to out-match his sub-300 pound size. That may prove to be an issue this week, more than expected.

 
 

-Western Kentucky’s Forrest Lamp had a near flawless day of practice. While his arms aren’t ideally long enough, his transition to guard has made it almost a positive. He locks into position easily and with great technique, keeping his elbows out and maintaining great strength through his hands. He controlled multiple defensive tackles in one on ones, but his work in team drills in zone blocking and play-action protection were both very impressive.

-LSU C Ethan Pocic was up and down today. On one particular snap he was beaten by UCLA DT Eddie Vanderdoes with a swim move. On the next, snap he was able to thwart Alabama DT Dalvin Tomlinson on a speed move inside. Pocic showed the type of adjusting that you like to see after a mistake and looks to take coaching very receptively.

-Miami (FL) G Danny Isidora had a rough first day. He got beat again and again in 1 on 1’s whether it was a power bull rush or a swim move. He lacked the necessary quickness and punch to stall anybody today. He looked vastly overmatched in the strength category.

-UCLA OT Conor McDermott also had a rocky first practice. He is very susceptible to speed rushers on the edge getting beat by Villanova DE Tanoh Kpassagnon. McDermott looked out of his element from the right side as well. For McDermott to boost his stock he is going to have to slide his feet more quickly on the edge and keep his balance when the rusher dips inside.

Defensive Line
-The best defensive lineman of the day was easily Texas A&M’s Daeshon Hall. While he was overshadowed a bit by Myles Garrett, the expected first-overall pick, Hall proved today just how physically impressive he could be. He beat the South Roster’s best offensive tackle, Antonio Garcia, with a speed edge rush and a bull rush on back to back reps, and his ability to stay low and powerful as a rusher despite his 6’6 frame is really impressive.

-UCLA’s Eddie Vanderdoes displayed quick feet and a pretty impressive burst in 1 on 1’s. He performed a swift swim move on an inside rush against Western Kentucky’s Forrest Lamp who is arguably the best offensive lineman prospect here. Vanderdoes used a little bit of power and speed moves on his inside rushes.

-Tulane’s Tanzel Smart was ferocious during day 1 displaying the type of burst necessary for a 3-technique pass rusher at the next level. Smart was explosive winning numerous 1 on 1 battles. The acceleration and power/speed moves he put on today definitely made him some money. At one point in 11 on 11’s he and LSU C Ethan Pocic got into a post-play scuffle. That is the kind of fiery burst you want to see in an NFL job interview.

-Clemson’s Carlos Watkins didn’t impress like he was expected to in 1 on 1’s after a really productive year rushing the passer. He was slow off the ball and was routinely stalled with bull rushes. Look for Watkins to have a much better day two.


Linebackers
-Florida’s Alex Anzalone showed up strong for the first day of practice. He quickly swarmed to run plays, stood strong is his gaps and swallowed runners. He set a good tone for the week. In a somewhat lackluster inside linebacker class, Anzalone, the graduate junior, could rise with a strong week.

-Expected as the best true linebacker here, LSU’s Duke Riley’s speed was evident. He likely fits between Deion Jones and Kwon Alexander as a prospect He flew toward plays and his gaps. He’s not the biggest guy, but he was always near the play as he was at LSU this season.

 

Defensive Backs
Jonathan “Rudy” Ford of Auburn was one of the more technically sound defensive backs in the first day of practice. He wet through the walk through drills and positive comments followed from the coaches of the drill. He got beat over the middle of the field once to Alabama’s OJ Howard but overall maintained to keep the separation in check.

-Miami’s Rashawn Jenkins was a fluid mover and shows the ability to quickly turn and run. He impressed with ball skills (looked like a natural receiver high pointing passes) showing soft hands and vision in the defensive backfield.
 
Damontae Kazee of San Diego State had some hiccups early as he was out muscled a few times by Grambling’s Chad Williams. Kazee’s small frame showed up today but his quickness and anticipation was still impressive. He showed today that being a slot cornerback is probably his best destination.
 
 
-Tre’Davious White of LSU looked the best in weigh-ins this morning and continued to impress the first day of practice. His anticipation was most notable as he picked of a Joshua Dobbs’ early in the practice. He constantly jumped routes in front of receivers with a few pass breakups but plenty of contested catches.

 

http://thesportsdaily.com/optimum-scouting/2017-senior-bowl-south-roster-day-1-practice-report/

  • Alex Anzalone is a intriguing prospect, if he's healthy he's a good player. 
  • Daeshon Hall is another one, he has the size the Bengals like and if he can show he can be consistent throughout the week I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't get drafted by the Bengals.
  • Once again Forrest Lamp gets positive reviews
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51 minutes ago, akiliMVP said:

Seems like there are a lot more small school studs than usual

I believe it's because there is more parity in college football than in the past and players realize you don't have to go to power 5 conference school to make it in the NFL.

Also, technological advances make it easier for scouts to find the small school studs than in the past. Thanks to the interwebz you can see highlights or game film on a guy from Lindenwood, Eastern Washington, BFE University, etc..without having to go to those remote locations.

 

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3 hours ago, akiliMVP said:

Tanoh Kpassgnon strikes me as a guy we'd like. Long and athletic. There was some doubt about the level of talent he played against in college but he has been unstoppable so far.

Haven't seen him, but what I have read says "Project" to me.  And we haven't done all that well with projects.

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5 minutes ago, Jason said:

Haven't seen him, but what I have read says "Project" to me.  And we haven't done all that well with projects.

His tape vs the small schools is dominating. The biggest question he has is level of competition. Senior Bowl is huge for him. If he proves he can handle the higher level of competition his stock will skyrocket. 

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3 minutes ago, akiliMVP said:

His tape vs the small schools is dominating. The biggest question he has is level of competition. Senior Bowl is huge for him. If he proves he can handle the higher level of competition his stock will skyrocket. 

That's the thing though.  His raw physical abilities are great.  When he can out-talent the guy across from him he's great.  He won't do that much in the NFL.  He will need a LOT of coaching to catch his technique up to his physical ability before he will be any good in the NFL.  We haven't shown we can do that.

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4 hours ago, akiliMVP said:

Tanoh Kpassgnon strikes me as a guy we'd like. Long and athletic. There was some doubt about the level of talent he played against in college but he has been unstoppable so far.

I agree, some team is going to fall in love with this kid and draft much earlier than anyone expects ala Ziggy Ansah. 

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53 minutes ago, Jason said:

That's the thing though.  His raw physical abilities are great.  When he can out-talent the guy across from him he's great.  He won't do that much in the NFL.  He will need a LOT of coaching to catch his technique up to his physical ability before he will be any good in the NFL.  We haven't shown we can do that.

He played DE in high school and 4 years in college, he's not as raw as you are making him out to be. He's not like Margus Hunt, a guy who only played DE for a few years in college so he could stay in school and make money. 

He's as raw as any other senior coming out of the draft, but he's smart enough to graduate with a Finance and Accounting degree and intern with PwC so I think he can pick up a few techniques on hand placement, footwork, etc. 

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5 hours ago, PatternMaster said:

He played DE in high school and 4 years in college, he's not as raw as you are making him out to be. He's not like Margus Hunt, a guy who only played DE for a few years in college so he could stay in school and make money. 

He's as raw as any other senior coming out of the draft, but he's smart enough to graduate with a Finance and Accounting degree and intern with PwC so I think he can pick up a few techniques on hand placement, footwork, etc. 

From his scouting report:

Quote

Undeniably a project and one whose success has come against inferior competition.

Almost too quick for his own good, too often blindly rushing upfield only to allow ball-carriers to escape past him on draws and screens. Attempts to spin away from double-teams, losing sight of the ball and effectively taking himself out of the play.

Link: http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/2006627/tanoh-kpassagnon

Not to say he doesn't have positive traits, he's an athletic freak, but our staff hasn't shown me much ability to turn those guys into football players.

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10 hours ago, PatternMaster said:

Few of things that really stand out to me here:

  1. The more research I do on Cooper Kupp the more I like this guy, a real diamond in the rough. He has completely dominated the FCS level, being named a 4x All American and winning awards named after two football gods, Walter Payton and Jerry Rice. He has the bloodlines as his paternal grandfather and father both played in the NFL and his mom was a great soccer player and maternal grandfather played college football and is a legendary coach in Tacoma, Washington. Coaches rave about his consistency and ability to continue to produce at a high level even though he was the Jerry Rice freshman of the year, he got better every year despite the hype and game planning to stop him. Also he was a 3x Academic All American and graduated with a 3.6 GPA and a degree in Economics. 

I discovered him first on here, I want him in the 1st round. He is the best. To me, he is the equivalent of a 400 LB DT doing a backflip for BJ.

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23 hours ago, akiliMVP said:

Tanoh Kpassgnon strikes me as a guy we'd like. Long and athletic. There was some doubt about the level of talent he played against in college but he has been unstoppable so far.

I agree, some team is going to fall in love with this kid and draft much earlier than anyone expects ala Ziggy Ansah. 

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2017 Senior Bowl North Team Practice Report Day 1 and 2

Written by Steve Shoup

January 26, 2017

Quarterbacks:

Nate Peterman- Was the top QB both days of practice so far, not just on the North team but in general. He doesn’t blow you away in any one area, but he also doesn’t have any major flaws and has been the most consistent QB in practice. Peterman has a lot of feel for the game, and that was evident today during some full team scrimmage drills where he faced pressure, stepped up and delivered a solid throw. Typically in these events when QBs get pressured they either scramble around for an unrealistic time or just ignore the rusher since they can’t actually hit them. Peterman’s response was much more akin to what he will have to do at the next level and that kind of pocket feel is important as young QBs are notorious for taking sacks.

C.J. Beathard and Sefo Liufau- Beathard and Liufau have had pretty average practices so far, with a few good throws, but mainly they’ve been below average. Their upside seems limited and they don’t seem to have separated themselves from other later round prospects. I give an edge to Beathard so far between these two, but it’s not by much.

Running backs:

Kareem Hunt- Hunt has been the best back on the North squad through two practices displaying a nice blend of burst, shiftiness and long speed. He also caught the ball well out of the backfield today. Hunt was explosive on a couple of plays in full team scrimmage and made multiple defenders miss. Hunt also looked fine in a couple blitz pick-up drills, but this is probably still an area of work for him.

Wide Receivers:

Cooper Kupp- Kupp is clearly the top receiver on this squad and might be having the best receiving week on either team. Kupp is excelling in every area, from route running, separation creation, deep speed, hands, etc. You name it and Kupp is getting the job done. That’s pretty impressive because other receivers might be good in one or two areas but they seem to need work in other areas. One thing I enjoyed seeing was that in the first practice Kupp was coached up after a rep in a come back drill where he was knocked for not being aggressive in attacking the football to ensure that a DB didn’t break on it. Today in practice Kupp learned from that rep from yesterday and was much better in this area, earning some praise from coaches. This is exactly the type of thing that teams are looking for at these scouting events.

Zay Jones- Jones has had two pretty solid days so far. He’s displayed excellent hands catching just about everything thrown his way with ease and away from his body. Even on off target throws he’s made them look pretty routine. One concern is that Jones has not shown the ability to create a lot of separation on his own vs man coverage.

Jalin Robinette- He’s only had one day as he had a school commitment at Air Force Monday and Tuesday, but he didn’t look lost out there in practice and in fact had a couple really nice catches. He’s got a nice blend of size and speed, and he’ll be interesting to watch in tomorrow’s final practice and in the game on Saturday.

Trent Taylor- Trent Taylor had a really good second day of practice improving on a pretty average showing day one. In the first practice Taylor had some issues slipping in and out of his breaks which negated his greatest strength, his quickness. He still managed some good reps on Tuesday, but overall it was a bit disappointing. Day two though Taylor looked a lot better changing direction and on more than one rep it was the defensive back who ended up on the ground. Taylor hasn’t been the cleanest catching the football, but he was okay in this area today.

Tight Ends:

Michael Roberts- Roberts is quickly becoming the top TE on the North squad which is a nice follow up from a strong East/West Shrine week performance. He’s been arguably the best TE on either team in blocking drills, showing a bit of dominance. As a receiver and pass catcher, Roberts has impressed showing good speed and route running (particularly for a TE his size), and he’s caught most balls thrown his way.

Offensive Line:

Julien Davenport- He’s a smaller school guy and at times that shows, but overall I’ve been impressed by Davenport as he’s mostly proved that he belongs here. Davenport has an excellent frame and nice quickness for a player his size. His technique needs refinement and he needs to use his big hands and arm length to his advantage more, but I’ve liked what I’ve seen so far.

Taylor Moton- Moton has had two really good practices overall and looks like he could be a RT starter at the next level or maybe kick inside and become a really good guard. He is really strong, and uses that power to eat up bull rushers and keep the pocket clean. He uses his hands well to redirect speed rushers and slow them down.

Adam Bisnowaty- Bisnowaty has had a rough two days of practice and has not looked good playing LT. He played better in day two, but it was still an up-an-down practice for him. He had a few nice reps where he was able to show a nice kick slide and protect the edge, but typically those came versus some of smaller EDGE rushers. When Bisnowaty faced guys with a better speed/power combo he struggled. He is likely to need to move inside at the next level as his shorter arms definitely appeared to be a factor at times as he couldn’t redirect rushers.

Dan Feeney- Feeney has been the star OL down here in Mobile this week, checking every box you look for in an interior offensive lineman. He’s so technically sound and plays with great base and leverage. Feeney had maybe two bad reps all practice, but otherwise he stonewalled defenders left and right. One thing I liked to see in some of the rushing drives in 9-0n-7 and full team, he did a nice job work off a double-team and getting to the second level taking out a LB. He looks like a day 1 starter and likely a first round pick come April.

 

Defensive Line:

Chris Wormley- The best praise you can give Wormley for his day 2 performance was the fact that he was the only guy who gave Feeney any sort of trouble in practice today. He beat Feeney completely on one rep, and was able to get a little push on him in a couple of other reps which would have helped collapsed the pocket in a game setting. Wormley was the most complete interior defensive lineman in day two (following up a solid day 1). Throughout the practice he performed well and got a lot of praise from the coaching staff for his technique and quickness off the ball.

Tarell Basham- Basham has had two really nice days rushing the passer and he looks like he can have success on the edge in either an even or odd man front. He shows really nice burst off the edge and was by some OT’s before they could even get a finger on him.

Dawaune Smoot- Smoot has been inconsistent so far, he’s got decent speed to go around the edge, but he seems to only win when the OT is slow to react. While you like having speed to threaten the edge it seemed like Smoot was more a beneficiary from poor OL play, then elite edge speed. Smoot was washed out of a number of running plays in full team work, and that’s an area he needs to work on.

Derek Rivers- Rivers had a really good second practice getting pressure off the edge on a number of reps. He plays with excellent quickness and some bend to his game. Offensive tackles struggled to get to the edge versus him consistently and when they did reach him he was able to shake them off on more than one rep.

Jaleel Johnson- Johnson had a pretty strong Tuesday practice, but was a bit more inconsistent on Wednesday. Early in practice during position drills Johnson was critiqued by the coaching staff for a slow get off and some wasted steps in drills. Later in 1-on-1’s Johnson redeemed himself with a number of nice rushes displaying really good hand usage to disengage from blocks. In team drills Johnson had a couple nice reps when he got off the ball quickly on the snap and was able to penetrate, but other times he was pretty easily blocked. Overall it was a mixed bag for Johnson.

 

Linebackers:

Haason Reddick- Reddick has been one of the stars of the North team so far as he’s excelled in every role asked of him. He’s a bit of a tweener as he could be an edge rusher or move to more of an ILB role depending on the team. In either case he excels as he displayed fantastic fluidity in coverage drills and he was basically unblockable off the edge when rushing the passer. He does a nice job of finding the ball carrier and quickly reacting, while usually showing strong pursuit angles as well.

Defensive Backs:

Desmond King- King has gotten beaten a couple times on deeper routes, but overall he’s had a solid two days of practice. He’s a willing run defender (which could help him if he moves to safety), and takes good angles to the ball carrier. In coverage King has shown good ball skills and has been aggressive defending passes. He’s been strong in coverage and has helped himself overall down here in Mobile.

Jourdan Lewis- Lewis has been the best cover corner on the North team, rarely giving up separation from opposing receivers. He’s displayed a nice ability to track the football in drills and has a couple nice passes defensed.

Obi Melifonwu- Melifonwu had a standout Day 2 of practice displaying his rare combination of size, speed, and coverage ability. Melifonwu flew all over the field today from his safety position and made a number of big plays both in coverage and run support. His play recognition on a scramble play and a couple of runs was incredibly impressive, as was the range he showed to get to the ball carrier in time. Melifonwu is answering any questions about whether or not he can perform at a high level in the NFL, and has probably been one of the biggest beneficiaries of this week.

John Johnson- While lost in the hype of Melifonwu’s impressive performance, Johnson has had two really nice days of practice. Johnson shows natural center field abilities in coverage reacting well in full team drills. In run support Johnson took nice angles to the ball carrier and would have stopped a few runs for little gain despite coming from 10+ yards off the LOS.

 

http://fanspeak.com/nfldraft/2017/01/26/2017-senior-bowl-north-team-practice-report-day-1-2/

  • Jalin Robinette is a guy I want to see more of this week, he has great measurables that you look for in a WR with almost 11" hands. 
  • Michael Roberts is another guy I want to see play, he has all of the physical traits for the NFL and has performed well at various levels of competition. I know the Bengals have some good young TE's on the roster but with Eifert and Kroft injury issues this guy could an asset for the Bengals. 
  • Wormley could be a good 2nd round pick at DE, he has the size, pedigree, skill set to be a good NFL player.
  • Julien Davenport is very intriguing, his 6" arms, 10.5" hands, and very impressive 87.5" wingspan tells you that he has the physical traits to be a good NFL player but he hasn't played against NFL caliber players and received NFL caliber coaching. Reports of him holding his own against bigger name competition is good, he could be a good 3rd round pick. 
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13 hours ago, sois said:

I discovered him first on here, I want him in the 1st round. He is the best. To me, he is the equivalent of a 400 LB DT doing a backflip for BJ.

Lol...I doubt we take him at #9 but I could see a team late in the first taking him, a #teamlikethePatriots for example. I think fact that he played in the Big Sky and not a more well known conference is the only thing that is hurting his draft stock at this point. By all accounts though he is showing he can handle the level of competition at the Senior Bowl, if he kills the combine you never know what could happen. 

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2017 Senior Bowl Day 3- North Team breakdown


Written by Steve Shoup
January 27, 2017

Quarterbacks:

Nate Peterman- Peterman continued to be the top QB at the Senior Bowl and had a really strong day in all phases of practice. Peterman continued to show solid zip on his passes and good accuracy, fitting some passes in tight windows. Peterman continued to have the best pocket presence in team drills and stepped up on multiple occasions. Early in practice Peterman showed nice touch on some 20+ yard throws in 1-on-1 drills. Overall it was another strong practice for Peterman and cemented him as the top QB of the practice week.

Wide Receivers:

Zay Jones- Jones really shined today, and was arguably the toughest receiver for the defense to cover. Early on in position drills he displayed good hands and footwork in sideline drills. He later found a lot of success in both 1-on-1 and team drills. This was Jones best practice of the week and he seemed to improve each day, which is exactly what you want to do this week. Jones had probably the best hands of the North squad, and was able to get easy separation in a number of drills.

Cooper Kupp- Kupp continued to have a stand out week, and finished a close 2nd to Jones in practice today. He had a couple drops early in practice, but after that he caught just about everything thrown his way. What was most impressive is how he created separation with his route running on a number of reps. Kupp has good speed, but it’s his route running that really got him open today, and that is something that translates to the next level.

Amara Darboh- This was Darboh’s best practice of the week in my opinion as he really showcased his ability to catch the ball in traffic and win contested battles. He’s a bigger physical receiver who uses his body position and strong hands to win a lot of battles. Darboh’s not going to win vertically, but he can be a very effective short and intermediate level receiver. He had a number of nice catches in 1-on-1 battles in this area.

Tight Ends:

Michael Roberts- Roberts shined again today as a complete 2-way TE. He’s an excellent blocker both versus the run and the pass. At the same time he’s a big physical pass catcher that out muscles linebackers and safeties for balls. For a guy his size he moves really well and can create some big plays after the catch.

Jonnu Smith- Smith needs to work on his blocking, but he’s a nice athletic pass catcher who showed himself to be a coverage nightmare today. He caught the ball well, and had a good practice in any receiving situations. His blocking remains underwhelming, but early in his career he can be used as more of a pass catcher.

Offensive Line:

Taylor Moton- Moton worked primarily as a tackle the first two days of practice, but got a lot of reps inside today at guard. He continued to play well, though he got overpowered a couple times inside today. Overall it was another good practice for Moton as he plays with good power and size and he probably can start at either RT or guard at the next level pretty early in his career. He seemed a bit more unsure at guard today, but that is more likely due to being thrust in the position during a short week.

Dan Feeney- Feeney continued his dominance both at guard and a little at center. He plays with a really good base and has excellent feet. I didn’t really see him lose or struggle in many reps either in 1 on 1’s or team drills, and typically he was clearly winning his battles. Overall this was a really good week for Feeney as he could have helped himself be the top interior offensive lineman taken in April.

Dion Dawkins- Dawkins had one of his better practices I thought today. He had success at both tackle and guard today, and has improved throughout the week. He loses to power at times and he needs to anchor better and reset when he starts to give ground, but he had a lot of good reps. He’s got good technique and has the athleticism to protect the left edge. I thought today might have been his best day run blocking as well.

Defensive Line:

Chris Wormley- Wormley had a really good practice today and shows nice balance between the run and the pass. In running drills he blew up a couple of plays in the backfield that would have been tackles for a loss if it was full hitting. In team drills versus the pass he did a nice job pushing the pocket and getting a couple of hurries.

Jaleel Johnson- Johnson had a fantastic practice today making plays in team drills, 1-on-1, and earning a lot of praise in position drills. Earlier in the week he seemed slow getting off the line, and he was even critiqued for it by coaches on a couple of occasions. Today though was a different story as I only noticed one or two reps where he seemed slightly slow to react to the snap. The rest of the time he used his quickness combined with his excellent hand usage to dominate the OL.

Derek Rivers- Rivers continued to have a really good week excelling off the edge both in team drills and 1-on-1’s. He’s looks to be a natural pass rusher and he won with speed and with counter moves. One concern with Rivers is he did have a couple poor rushing down reps where he was easily blocked out of the play.

Dawaune Smoot- Smoot plays with excellent speed off the edge and when he gets by the tackle he hunts the QB as well as anyone. The one concern is his counter when the tackle actually gets to the edge. In those instances I didn’t see him able to disengage and continue to pressure the QB.

Linebackers:

Haason Reddick- Reddick has had maybe the best week of practice on the North squad, and that didn’t change today as he simply looked dominant out there. He has flashed in all areas, but he continues to make his biggest plays as a pass rusher. In 1-on-1’s versus RBs and TEs, Reddick had a couple great reps where he was barely touched on his way to the QB. He later replicated that in full team work when he blew by RT Zach Banner on his way to the sack on Peterman. Reddick also showed well in both coverage and run defense throughout practice, and really showed that he can do it all.

Defensive backs:

Obi Melifonwu- Melifonwu had another fantastic day of practice, where he showcased his range, coverage ability and reaction time. In 1-on-1 coverage, Melifonwu looked incredibly smooth and didn’t give up much separation. He also breaks on the ball well to knock away passes. His coverage ability looked better than a number of corners here, and he looks like he can match-up with just about anyone. In addition to his natural coverage ability, Melifonwu continues to showcase his range and pursuit angles when coming up in run support.

John Johnson- Johnson doesn’t make the splash plays of Melifonwu, but he showed excellent range and coverage ability throughout the day.

Rasul Douglas- Douglas has excellent size and he knows how to use his length and it really translated today as he stood out in coverage throughout practice. He had a few rough reps, but I liked how he talked to his coaches about what he saw and tried to correct it in the next rep.

Desmond King- King had a rough day today as he had a lot of match-ups versus Zay Jones, who got the best of him a number of times. It wasn’t all bad for King as he did better in 7-on-7 and team drills, showing really nice recognition and ball skills.

http://fanspeak.com/nfldraft/2017/01/27/2017-senior-bowl-day-3-north-team-breakdown/

 

 

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On 1/25/2017 at 9:15 AM, akiliMVP said:

Tanoh Kpassgnon strikes me as a guy we'd like. Long and athletic. There was some doubt about the level of talent he played against in college but he has been unstoppable so far.

Would not mind Foster @ 1 & Kpassgnon 2 (if he makes it that far) - then maybe Tay Jones @ 3

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http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000780164/article/what-we-learned-from-senior-bowl-zay-jones-boosts-draft-stock

What we learned from Senior Bowl: Zay Jones boosts draft stock

  • 0ap1000000217559.jpg
  • By Chase Goodbread
  • College Football 24/7 writer
  • Published: Jan. 28, 2017 at 05:52 p.m.
  • Updated: Jan. 28, 2017 at 06:52 p.m.

 

 

A lot of players left a strong impression on NFL scouts during the practice week leading up to Saturday's Reese's Senior Bowl, but not as many can pair that with a similarly impressive performance in the game.

 

 

Count Zay Jones as one who did both.

The former East Carolina wide receiver caught six passes for 68 yards and a touchdown for the North squad, which lost 16-15. But it was perhaps two plays Jones didn't make that scouts will remember most. Along with his touchdown, which came on a slant route in the red zone late in the fourth quarter, Jones also had two would-be touchdowns taken away -- one on a boundary ruling and the other on a penalty. Nevertheless, the ex-Pirates star left a strong impression on the Chicago Bears coaching staff, which handled the North squad.

"Those two have had a really impressive week," Bears offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said, during the NFL Network broadcast, of Jones and fellow North receiver Cooper Kupp. "They're really football-smart guys and they've shown up (on game day) and showed up all week. It wasn't a surprise to us that they've played the way they have."

Jones, who led the FBS with 158 receptions in 2016, was among 10 players who made money during the Senior Bowl practice week, per NFL Network draft expert Mike Mayock.

"I think (Temple LB Haason) Reddick and Zay Jones, in what they did during the week and then watching them (in the game), helped themselves more than anybody," NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said.

Here are seven other things we learned Saturday from the 2017 Reese's Senior Bowl.

 

 

2. More from Mayock. Who else besides Jones made money this week by improving their NFL draft stock? Mayock's list included five players from each squad. On the South team, he said Alabama TE O.J. Howard, Ole Miss TE Evan Engram, LSU CB Tre'Davious White, San Diego State CB Damontae Kazee and Clemson DT Carlos Watkins helped themselves. White missed the game due to an ankle injury. Howard caught four passes for 39 yards in the first half before coming out of the game to give way to other South tight ends. Mayock projected him as a top-20 pick, and compared him to one of the NFL's best tight ends. On the North squad, Mayock identified Jones, Temple LB Haason Reddick, Eastern Washington WR Cooper Kupp, West Virginia CB Rasul Douglas and UConn S Obi Melifonwu

3. Webb takes MVP honor. Cal QB Davis Webb was selected the Senior Bowl's Most Valuable Player after completing 11 of 16 passes for a game-high 165 yards and a touchdown. Last year's Senior Bowl Most Outstanding Player was none other than Dak Prescott, who went on to instant stardom with the Dallas Cowboys. This year, the North's Most Outstanding player was Toledo RB Kareem Hunt (15 carries, 118 yards), while the South's MOP was Kansas State DE Jordan Willis.

4. NFL comp for Pitt QB. Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi likens Senior Bowl QB Nathan Peterman to Washington Redskins QB Kirk Cousins as a draft prospect, per Mayock. Narduzzi coached Cousins at Michigan State before taking the Pitt job. After seeing minimal action at Tennessee early in his college career, Peterman started for two years for the Panthers under Narduzzi.

5. Melifonwu on the rise. One of the highest compliments Mayock paid during the Senior Bowl broadcast was to Melifonwu. Mayock believes his draft trajectory, depending on his performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, could be similar to that of a former Dallas Cowboys first-round pick.

"Melifonwu, if he runs as well at the combine as I think he does, he might have a meteoric (draft) rise like Byron Jones, another UConn player," Mayock said.

6. Kpassagnon comp. Mayock provided an interesting comparison for Tanoh Kpassagnon in pre-game remarks, likening the Villanova defensive end to Carlos Dunlap of the Cincinnati Bengals. Mayock named Kpassagnon as one of his star performers on Tuesday. It's certainly an apt comparison from a size standpoint: Dunlap is listed at 6-foot-6, 280 pounds, while Kpassagnon measured 6-6 7/8, 280 at the official weigh-in on Tuesday.

7. Pumphrey gets his return shot. San Diego State RB Donnel Pumphrey told College Football 24/7 at the beginning of the week that he hoped to return punts Saturday. The diminutive Pumphrey (5-8, 169) didn't return kicks in college, but is well aware that the return game might be his only ticket into the NFL because of his size. On Saturday, he broke a 24-yard punt return and finished with four returns for 44 yards and an impressive 11-yard average.

8. Red Flash flashes. St. Francis S Lorenzo Jerome came up with three big plays on defense for the North squad, with a pair of interceptions and a forced fumble. One of those interceptions couldn't have been easier, as South QB Antonio Pipkin threw into double coverage and lofted the ball so high, it was easy for Jerome to get into position. On the other, QB Josh Dobbs was hit upon release and the disrupted throw fell right into Jerome's hands.

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