Senior Bowl Rosters, Practice and Game thread

**oldschooler** · January 26, 2012

[size=6][b]Senior Bowl practice report: Wednesday[/b][/size]

[i]SI.com draft expert Tony Pauline is live in Mobile, Ala., where some of the draft's brightest talent are taking part in Senior Bowl week, the annual prospect showcase. He'll be providing live analysis from practice each day throughout the week.[/i]

[b]3:09 p.m. CT --[/b] The final full pads practice at the Senior Bowl is complete. After a few days of game planning all that's left is to play the game on Saturday.

Scouts came away impressed with Melvin Ingram today. He's a natural pass rusher who gets a lot of upfield momentum and is stronger than he's given credit for. What position Ingram plays in the NFL is yet to be determined. Is he a defensive end? Outside linebacker? Three technique tackle? The combine will help get us closer to the answer but rest assured, Ingram can be a force at the next level.

Louisiana Lafayette cornerback Dwight Bentley had another strong day, as did Chris Rainey of Florida, who continues to prove himself as a playmaker. If he keeps his concentration on the field, he'll make an offensive coordinator in the league happy.

It's been great providing SI.com readers live updates from Senior Bowl practices, a rather intense undertaking never previously attempted on the internet from the event. Next up is the analysis of Saturday's game. Let's hope it's a good game.

[b]2:57 p.m. CT -- [/b]For all the good play of Cordy Glenn the past three days, few scouts in attendance believe he's a left tackle prospect. He struggled with speed rushers during today's practice.

- Chris Rainey of Florida just made a tough reception in underneath coverage after beating the defense for a potential long gainer that Brandon Weeden underthrew.

- Weeden just made a magnificent pass to Joe Adams. The throw had tremendous speed and was perfectly timed to hit Adams as he left his break in the middle of triple coverage. Weeden has made some tremendous throws since Monday but really needs to improve his deep accuracy as a number of times he's underthrown open receivers.

- Leonard Creer, who played in the Shrine Game last week, was a late addition to the South squad and has looked good. He's not fast but patient and instinctive. He just picked up a nice gainer, waiting for blocks to develop then throwing several moves on defenders in the open field to keep the run alive. He also shows the ability to turn it on in a single step, with the ability to burst through the hole.

- Nick Foles continues to struggle. He rarely hits receivers in stride and constantly has them reaching backwards or vertical in an attempt to make the catch.

[b]2:33 p.m. CT -- [/b]DTBrandon Thompson of Clemson has been tough to stop. He fired past the guard with his patented first step and got a lot of penetration behind the line of scrimmage.
- Juron Criner and Ryan Steed are having a terrific battle in practice, with Criner getting the best. To his credit, Steed just stepped up and battled to defend a pass.

- DT Kheeston Randall of Texas has shown a lot of power the past two days. He just drove center Ben Jones of Georgia four yards deep into the backfield. Randall then came back and threw a terrific move on Philip Blake and again got into the backfield.

- Chalk up another positive play for Dwight Bentley of Louisiana Lafayette, who made a great move on a ball intended for Dwight Jones of North Carolina and broke up the pass.
- Zebrie Sanders of Florida State is really struggling today. He's been manhandled on a number of occasions and is struggling to stay on his feet.

- Melvin Ingram is eating opponents alive today. Out of a three-point stance he has Matt McCants of UAB spinning, then came back and lined up at defensive tackle to beat Will Blackwell of LSU.

- Cordy Glenn just manhandled Quinton Coples in one-on-one. Glenn was lined up at left tackle. Not to be outdone, Coples threw an inside move on Glenn the next time they faced off and beat him to the inside.

- Janoris Jenkins of North Alabama is the one to finally stop Juron Criner. Jenkins had terrific inside position, then dove in front of the pass to defend the throw.

- Brandon Thompson's quickness is impressive. Opposing blockers cannot adjust quickly enough off the snap, and he keeps blowing past the offensive linemen.

- Late addition Malik Jackson has made a good impression thus far. Lining up at defensive tackle, Jackson projects to end in the NFL and has shown athleticism, quickness and power.

[b]2:24 p.m. CT --[/b] OLB Nigel Bradham of Florida State continues to impress with his athleticism. He's fast and fluid moving in every direction and covers a terrific amount of area.
- Vick Ballard has started the day by running with authority. He just ran through three tackles for a nice gain.

- What's impressive about Joe Adams of Arkansas is not just his speed and hands, but also his moxie. He just battled the large Antonio Allen of South Carolina and beat him off the line to get into his route and make a nice catch.

- WR Juron Criner of Arizona is playing much better. He's a terrific athlete and dominant when on his game. Despite taking an elbow in his neck from Ryan Steed of Furman, Criner was able to get off the line, separate from the defender and make a nice catch. Criner just made another terrific over the shoulder reception down the field, beating DeQuan Menzie of Alabama.

- LaDarius Green of Louisiana Lafayette continues to impress with his pass-catching skills.

- Melvin Ingram of South Carolina is short but deceptively powerful. He's shown the ability to knock offensive linemen back with a jolt of his hands..

[b]2:05 p.m. CT[/b][i] --[/i] WR Dwight Jones of North Carolina is a large, imposing target who really struggles with his route running. Jones' footwork gets very choppy in route-running drills and he decelerates into breaks.

- On the other hand, Joe Adams of Arkansas is small but incredibly quick and fast. He runs terrific routes and shows the ability to carry his horizontal momentum into breaks.

- OL Cordy Glenn of Georgia has been the talk of the South by a lot of scouts. He's got the body type, strength and movement skills to quickly start in the NFL. He's being talked about as a late-round pick with his performance the past two days. He does not back down either, and just went after Quinton Coples in drills, battling hard after the whistle had blown.

- S Brandon Taylor of LSU is a fearsome run defender, but scouts have to be concerned about his play in coverage. During drills Taylor is noticeably slower in his backpedal compared to the other safeties. He's got to show he can do more than make plays up the field in a straight line if he's going to be anything other than a late-round choice.

- OLB Keenan Robinson of Texas has started the day with a vengeance and looks terrific in pass-rushing drills.

- Credit to Jake Bequette, the former defensive end from Arkansas who has switched between his college position and outside linebacker here. He looks much improved from yesterday and is really showing some explosion today. He's destroyed several running backs in pass-rushing drills.

- Add Zach Brown of North Carolina to the list of linebackers who can not be stopped in pass-rushing drills. That's a good sign, as Brown has shown terrific strength in these drills, which is the biggest question mark of his game.

[b]1:56 p.m. CT -- [/b]The final full pads practice at the Senior Bowl is underway, as the South has taken the field. How intense is Wednesday practice at the Senior Bowl? A veteran insider who's been covering the league for more than four decades told me he saw more hitting during the first 45 minutes of practice this morning than he's seen in any two days of practice on the NFL level.

A few final notes from the North.

T Mike Adams of Ohio State was not able to capitalize on his dominant performance from Monday and looked human at times this morning. How will this affect his draft stock? Let's say at this point he's not a lock to be a top-15 choice.

CB Alfonzo Dennard of Nebraska leaves Mobile with a draft grade much lower than when he arrived. Dennard was stiff and struggled all week. The projected first-rounder was beaten by receivers who are likely last-day picks. While it's a bit premature, some scouts on hand say Dennard may have to move inside to safety, a thought that could further depress his draft stock.

[b]11:00 a.m. CT[/b][i] --[/i] The North practice is complete. Vinny Curry of Marshall really stood out today and was impossible to stop at times. He's at a disadvantage as he's been used solely at defensive end and never allowed to stand up over tackle, but scouts leave the morning and the week highly impressed with his athleticism, quickness and general feel as a pass rusher.

- RB Dan Herron of Ohio State showed surprising foot quickness today. After being stuffed on the inside for a few handoffs, Herron suddenly displayed the ability to bounce around the outside and avoid defenders and piles.

- S Harrison Smith of Notre Dame has struggled. He looks good in pads but in scrimmage and during drills looks solely like a straight-line, downhill safety with limited skills in coverage.

- TJ Graham is another player to watch during special teams situations on Saturday. He's been fielding kicks and has shown impressive speed and the ability to get cleanly through the lanes on returns.

- OL Senio Kelemete of Washington was pushed inside to guard today and was effective. He's a solid athlete and his ability to block with sound fundamentals (knee bend, hand placement) is impressive.

- G Tony Bergstrom of Utah continues to improve. He's more than held his own during one-on-one blocking drills and in scrimmage. After a slow start Bergstrom has really elevated his play as the week progressed.

[b]10:47 a.m. CT --[/b] WR Marvin Jones of Cal continues to impress. We spoke of his route-running skills and burst earlier, but he's also a heady ball player. He just did a terrific job staying with the action and following his quarterback across the field, finding the open space to help out the signal caller, who was about to be sacked.

- Shea McClellin of Boise State looks better every day at the linebacker position. He's been planted in the middle today and has done a great job remaining patient with assignments, smoothly moving across the field and showing a good degree of awareness.

- Kirk Cousins just threw a beautiful pass to Marvin McNutt for a long gainer. Cousins was pressured heavily by Cam Johnson of Virginia, but patiently sat in the pocket and delivered an accurate strike.

[b]10:35 a.m. CT[/b] -- DT Alameda Ta'amu of Washington is still showing tremendous power and has been tough to stop. On the last play he drove Ohio State center Mike Brewster into the backfield, three yards behind the line of scrimmage.

- T Mike Adams of Ohio State is really having a tough time this morning handling Vinny Curry. Curry has convincingly beat the big tackle off the snap every time. Curry was just moved inside to defensive tackle and annihilated Kevin Zeitler with a swim move. We got ahead of ourselves in our praise for Kevin Zeitler. He's been beaten the past three downs by three different defensive linemen.

- DE Cam Johnson of Virginia has displayed a lot of quickness and speed off the edge in one-on-one drills.

- C Mike Brewster of Ohio State is having a tough go of it this morning. He was just beaten badly by Mike Martin of Michigan, who had been quiet most of the day. Brewster has been struggling to hold the point and continues to get pushed back off the line.

- T Kelechi Osemele of Iowa State looks good at right tackle. He completely shut down Jack Crawford of Penn State, who's supposedly quicker and more athletic than Osemele.

- LB James Michael Johnson of Nevada continues to look very athletic on the field, but today he's starting to make plays on the ball.

- LB Lavonte David of Nebraska continues to impress. He just made a great play in full scrimmage against the run, exploding up the field to stop Isaiah Pead behind the line of scrimmage.

- QB Russell Wilson of Wisconsin has shown he's able to make plays based on his athleticism. Wilson looked like he was going to be sacked in scrimmage for a big loss, but was able to escape the rush to make a nice completion to Chris Polk.

- QB Kellen Moore shows terrific timing on his passes. The consensus is he'll be a No. 3 quarterback for a West Coast offense in the NFL.

[b]10:22 a.m. CT[/b] -- Late addition Rishaw Johnson of Cal-Pa, who played guard during his college career, has been used at center in the early going and has struggled. Too many center/quarterback fumbled snaps thus far.

- Many on hand believe the problem with Kellen Moore's poor arm strength starts with his delivery. Moore has a short throwing motion and looks like he's pushing the football. The comparison to Tyler Palko of the Kansas City Chiefs is being made.

- Vinny Curry of Marshall is once again displaying a lot of quickness and athleticism. He really struggles handling blocks, and looks more and more like he'll be a natural as a 3-4 outside linebacker rather than at defensive end.

- Doug Martin just had a nice run in which he put a move on Trent Robinson and left the Michigan State safety grasping at air.

- WR TJ Graham of North Carolina State has displayed a great burst of speed in drills and just ran by Leonard Johnson for a deep pass. Graham has elevated his stock the past three days.

- G Kevin Zeitler of Wisconsin has upped his game this morning. He's been just about the only lineman who's been able to slow down Mike Martin of Michigan and stopped him cold on one snap.

- DT Derek Wolfe of Cincinnati looks good this morning. He does not get a lot of penetration, but he's quick and impossible to move off the line of scrimmage.

[b]9:48 a.m. CT[/b] -- The North squad began the day with special teams drills, specifically kick return and coverage game plans for Saturday. Doug Martin of Boise State again looks good showing both a burst and long speed. This is something to keep an eye on during Saturday's game, which will be the first and only time both squads run special teams at full speed and full contact.

- Isaiah Pead, the running back from Cincinnati, has been returning punts for the North this morning and doing a good job. Several scouts have commented that Pead's quickness and short burst of speed are the skills needed for a punt returner in the NFL. Something else to keep an eye on Saturday.

- TE Brian Linthicum of Michigan State sat on the sidelines yesterday, but looks terrific this morning. He moves incredibly well for a big man and is smooth in and out of his routes.

- WR Devier Posey of Ohio State continues to impress with his physical skills. He shows exceptional quickness in and out of routes and a nice burst of speed. He hasn't shown the strong hands or ability to pluck the ball from the air, but to his credit Posey has not dropped many passes the past three days.

- WR Marvin McNutt of Iowa looks improved this morning. Early-week jitters may have resulted in some stiffness and dropped passed but thus far he's looked very smooth and has caught the ball well.

- Doug Martin is impressing outside of special teams drills, too. He's showing terrific quickness and just put a great move on former Boise State teammate Shea McClellin to come free in the flat for a nice reception. Martin has shown soft, strong hands all week.

- LB Lavonte David of Nebraska has looked good in coverage drills all morning. He's athletic, easily runs downfield with backs or tight ends and nicely positions himself to defend the pass.

- LB Audie Cole of North Carolina State is not known for his foot speed or athleticism, but he's just a good, tough football player. Every time Cole has stepped to the line this morning he seems determined to stop his opponents by any means necessary, and for the most part he has.

[b]9:35 a.m. CT[/b] -- The North has taken the field for the final day of full-pads practice at the Senior Bowl. Today is always the most important day of the week, as the intensity is turned up several notches. There are more general managers, coaches and scouts on hand for Wednesday practice than at any point in time during the week.

Rishaw Johnson, the guard from Cal-Pa, flew to Mobile last night and is a late addition to replace the injured Joe Looney. Johnson really impressed during two days of Shrine Game practice last week.

It's hotter and muggier this morning than any of the past two days, so it's going to be a real test for these NFL hopefuls.

Read more: [url="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/tony_pauline/01/25/senior.bowl.practice.wednesday/index.html#ixzz1kZ6GRi00"]http://sportsillustr...l#ixzz1kZ6GRi00[/url]

**oldschooler** · January 26, 2012

[size=6][b] Senior Watch: Doug Martin, Boise St.[/b][/size]

AUTHOR: [url="http://nflmocks.com/author/bomartin29/"]Bo Martin[/url] | IN: [url="http://nflmocks.com/category/2012-nfl-draft/"]2012 NFL Draft[/url]

[url="http://nflmocks.com/"]Home[/url] » [url="http://nflmocks.com/category/2012-nfl-draft/"]2012 NFL Draft[/url] » [b]Senior Watch: Doug Martin, Boise St.[/b]

Boise St. running back Doug Martin is really starting to turn heads at the senior bowl, while he has been ranked a bit lower in most rankings he might be making people reevaluate where they have placed him on their big board. Primarily Doug Martin has been considered in the top 5-6 running backs in the draft but I can see his value climbing steadily and he could easily find himself in the top 2-3 and a first round pick.

[b]What to Like[/b]
- Martin is really good… I mean really good. Just from the onset, he shows a very large lower body anchored by huge thighs. This size in the lower body helps Martin run with great balance and power. Martin does a great job running low and having such power churning through his legs allows him to get passed first contact pretty regularly.

- Vision is the key for Martin’s success. When running between the tackles he does a good job of identifying gaps and hitting them. It’s very rare that he’ll be tackled immediately and Martin is able to use a very explosive burst to quickly hit top speed and take advantage of whatever the defense is giving him. He is an explosive player in the college level who should be able to use his vision and ability to be very effective in the next level.

- Martin is a very willing blocker. He does lack great technique and will need some coaching in the matter, but the fact that he is willing to sit back in protection says a lot about his ability.

- Considered a workhorse in the gym, Martin is well known for his great work ethic and dedication to the system. Martin transitioned to linebacker early in his career just to get playing time.

- A balanced back, Martin has great control and recognition in situations that call for him to differentiate whether to utilize his shifty finesse ability or lower his shoulder and try and truck through.

[b]What Not to Like[/b]
Bueller?….
- On a serious note, there are a few things to keep an eye on moving forward. Martin is a capable ball catcher, some have questioned his ability to catch passes outside of the backfield, but this is something that’s coachable. He has had a productive career when asked to catch the ball, so I don’t really consider this a big problem
- Martin doesn’t really have great top end speed. His 40 time is unofficially around 4.5 which isn’t bad, but isn’t great either. His ability to accelerate I think is a good thing to notice but he wont be breaking tons of Tony Dorsett style runs. He will be a balanced runner who should be able to supply a good average but I don’t see him outrunning some of the faster defenders in the game consistently.
- Martin needs to improve his blocking technique. Period. This is a pass happy league in the NFL and while I don’t foresee it being like this forever, a capable running back who is an asset in the passing game and protection schemes is vital towards the success of the offense. He’ll need to be coached here if he hopes to be an every down consideration.

[b]Summary[/b]
Martin is a very solid all around back. This year alone he’s displayed his ability to use power through low center of gravity and be a shifty runner. I consider him very valuable for his skill set. He is of good character and a hard worker, anyone who thinks this doesn’t translate to the football field should see Tim Tebow. I love his potential at the next level as an every down back. Maybe he won’t consistently break long homeruns but he will break them occasionally and he’s always been able to run for a good average even against some of the tougher opponents Boise St. has faced. Should be a stud in the next level-keep your eye out.

[b]Professional Comparisons[/b]
Maurice Jones-Drew
Ray Rice

[b]Draft Projection:[/b]
Stock Rising!

It’s tough to say where he will end up but I see him going in the second to third rounds before the senior bowl. I don’t want to get too crazy but I could see Denver or [b]Bengals[/b] at least looking at him in the first round, especially if they feel more comfortable with his skill set over someone like Lamar Miller.

http://nflmocks.com/2012/01/26/senior-watch-doug-martin-boise-st/#more-21142

mongo · January 26, 2012

[quote name='JC' timestamp='1327553526' post='1092261']
If people think that there isn't worse going down in gainesville than marijuana possession and fights, they're crazy.

Sure..he shouldn't be smoking pot. But I'm willing to bet a lot of NFL players still smoke some form of weed and have a way to get around drug testing. Fights happen. Bernard Scott got kicked off a team for fighting. Some guys are just passionate.

Truth is..Janoris Jenkins will likely be the top talent on the board when we pick. He will be a position of need. One rookie isn't going to tear this team apart. He'd get his ass whooped real quick in that locker room if he starts trouble.
[/quote]

My concern in situations like this is rarely with the actual offense. It's a combined concern with being stupid enough to get caught, and with what he hasn't been caught doing yet... In general, I think smart guys don't get caught for anything, less smart and/or unlucky guys get popped for weed, and dummies get popped twice in six months when college scholarships and millions of NFL dollars are at stake (getting tased and busted for a fight isn't good either). Maybe he's the exception to the rule. Maybe he's learned from his mistakes. It's a big risk.

Personally, I'd pass on him without major evidence he's on the straight an narrow for good. We have a solid foundation of young talent here. We don't need to be swinging for the fences with boom or bust prospects.

**oldschooler** · January 26, 2012

[b][size=6]Boise State's Martin, Ohio State's Herron stand out in backfield[/size][/b]

By Bucky Brooks

The third day of practice at the Senior Bowl typically provides scouts with an opportunity to finally see prospects at their best. Players from both squads are finally comfortable in their new surroundings, and their gradual mastery of the playbook allows them to play at game-like speed in drills.

With an opportunity to finally see prospects perform free of the nerves and anxiety that hinders some of their games, here are some observations from the third day of workouts in Mobile:

The Senior Bowl -- one of the premier pre-draft events -- features the best senior college stars and top NFL draft prospects. NFL Network has coverage of the event, including the game on Jan. 28.

» Boise State RB Doug Martin has created quite a buzz in scouting circles with his performance this week. He has impressed evaluators with his versatility and toughness as a playmaker in the backfield. An AFC college scouting director compared him to Maurice Jones-Drew and Ray Rice, and envisions him blossoming into a productive feature back in a zone-based scheme. In watching Martin during team drills, his balance, body control and burst stand out. He has a knack for slithering through cracks and flashes surprising power at the end of runs.

» Boise State DE Shea McClellin is drawing comparisons to Senior Bowl alum Brooks Reed from scouts in attendance. An AFC South personnel man spoke at length about the similarities between their respective games and how McClellin could make an immediate impact as a situational pass rusher. He went on to suggest that he is one of the toughest players on either squad, and his superb intangibles will help him enjoy a long career as a starter. When I look at his game, I see a high-motor pass rusher with sneaky explosiveness and burst. He surprises blockers with his "get off" and his relentlessness makes him difficult to contain.

» Ohio State RB Noah "Boom" Herron is another player generating some momentum. He has impressed several RB coaches with his combination of speed, quickness and agility, and one NFC North offensive assistant cited him as the top runner in the game. I love his gritty running style, but he has been most impressive as a receiver out of the backfield. He catches the ball well with his hands, and shows surprising polish as a route runner in space. Herron will be an ideal fit in an offense that features running backs prominently in the passing game.

» Virginia DE Cam Johnson has flown under the radar for most of the season, but he has certainly opened some eyes in Mobile. He is one of the most physically gifted players in attendance, and his impressive skill set should make him a productive NFL pass rusher. In breaking down his game, I was impressed with his first-step quickness and closing burst. He has the ability to turn speed into power, and flashes a series of rush moves that allow him to counter blockers' tactics on short sets. Johnson also plays with an energy and relentlessness that will produce garbage sacks on sheer effort. Although there are some whispers about Johnson's character, his on-field performance makes him a solid Day 2 prospect.

» California WR Marvin Jones is the most polished receiver on the North squad according to one of the offensive assistants working with the team. He flashes quickness getting in and out of cuts, and does a good job of separating from defenders out of his break. He also shows strong hands and concentration snagging balls in traffic. His combination of ball skills and route running makes him an ideal candidate to move into the slot in multiple receiver sets.

» Georgia guard Cordy Glenn looks like a "can't-miss prospect" as an interior blocker. His size, strength and power allows him to hold his own against powerful defensive tackles, but he also displays the agility to shadow finesse rushers in tight quarters. Glenn's athleticism will certainly prompt some teams to entertain the idea of playing him at offensive tackle, but the move outside would lead to isolated matchups against speed rushers. While Glenn appears capable of doing an adequate job at the position, the best chance for him to maximize his potential appears to be at offensive guard.

» Texas A&M DT Tony Jerod-Eddie displays outstanding strength and power as a run defender. He creates a new line of scrimmage as a low-leverage player, and his ability to create penetration snuffs out running plays in the backfield. In closely studying his play during 9-on-7 drills, I loved his hand usage and quickness disengaging from blockers. His natural instincts as a run defender is certainly impressive, and teams coveting aggressive run defenders should spend time studying Jerod-Eddie's performance at practices this week.

http://www.nfl.com/seniorbowl/story/09000d5d82655564/article/boise-states-martin-ohio-states-herron-stand-out-in-backfield

**oldschooler** · January 26, 2012

[b] [size=6]Senior Bowl notebook: Wednesday[/size][/b]

Posted Jan. 25, 2012 @ 6:29 p.m. ET
By Mike Wilkening

MOBILE, Ala. — It was a beautiful day at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on Wednesday. Here are PFW's observations from the third day of Senior Bowl practices.

South practice observations from senior editor Mike Wilkening:

• Illinois OT Jeff Allen got a few reps at guard and appeared to fare well in a pair of one-on-one matchups with Texas A&M DL Tony Jerod-Eddie.

• Georgia OL Ben Jones acquitted himself in one-on-one drills, showing good hand use.

• Florida State OT Zebrie Sanders had trouble with North Carolina DE Quinton Coples' strength, and South Carolina DE Melvin Ingram bull-rushed him with great success, getting low and knocking him over. And in the first play of the scrimmage, Alabama DE-OLB Courtney Upshaw, rushing against Sanders, collapsed the pocket.

• Alabama C William Vlachos started one-on-one drills well, anchoring well against Texas A&M DL Tony Jerod-Eddie, but there were multiple other instances where he was pushed back too easily.

• Texas A&M WR Jeff Fuller beat well-regarded North Alabama CB Janoris Jenkins in a one-on-one drill, getting good separation. Fuller was one of the South's standouts Wednesday, according to an evaluator.

• Vanderbilt CB Casey Hayward's physicality is strength. He seems well-suited for a scheme where he can get an initial jam on the opposition. In a one-on-one matchup with Florida's Chris Rainey, Hayward used his hands well; keeping the receiver close, but Rainey spurted away. The play highlighted skills that each player needs to hone. Hayward will need to cover for extended stretches to succeed, and Rainey will need to fight off the attempts to neutralize him with might at the line.

• Alabama DE-OLB Courtney Upshaw has respect for the effort of the South's offensive tackles. "They don't really have too many guys," Upshaw said. "Some guys have to go back-to-back plays. Every end out here is going at them hard." Upshaw said that Georgia OT-OG Cordy Glenn has particularly impressed him this week.

South practice observations from associate editor Kevin Fishbain:

• North Carolina DE Quinton Coples looks the part and had some plays where he easily powered his way into the backfield. He even took time to take a bow after a "sack" in 11-on-11 drills (he touched the quarterback, though the play continued as if a sack was not made). Coples got into it for a moment after a play with Illinois OT Jeff Allen, the first real chippy, extra-curricular activities I've seen this week. It didn't last long, though.

• Coples' college teammate, LB Zach Brown, made a nice play shooting the gap from his linebacker position, untouched, to make a play on the running back in the backfield. I asked the speedy Brown what he expects to run in the 40-yard dash. He responded: "4.3." He doesn't lack confidence.

• The cornerbacks again looked significantly better than the wide receivers on the South squad. Georgia's Brandon Boykin made a couple nice plays and Janoris Jenkins continued to look as good as advertised. All of the corners were very physical and won more often than not in red-zone drills. The North receivers will have a tough time — even with the cushion they will get — in the Senior Bowl game on Saturday.

• South Carolina DE Melvin Ingram played with his hand in the ground as well as at linebacker today. He made a couple nice spin moves, but will need to continue to be fast with power to succeed against big tackles in the NFL, as he measured at a little less than 6-foot-2.

• The offense seemed to have a few issues with players moving early. One one play, the left tackle, fullback and wide receiver all moved and the other eight players stood still. Clearly, it's not easy to be on the same page in just a couple days with a new group of players, but the South had multiple false starts.

• The two new running backs, Alfred Morris of Florida Atlantic and Louisiana Tech's Lennon Creer, both flashed plenty of speed once they got into the open field on a few plays, making their mark on a squad with high-profile backs like Chris Rainey, Vick Ballard and Terrance Ganaway.

North practice observations from associate editor Kevin Fishbain:

• Michigan State QB Kirk Cousins continued to impress. I thought he looked better on Wednesday than Tuesday on his throws. He also showed a little mobility when the pocket collapsed and he had to get outside and decided to take off.

• Wisconsin's Russell Wilson made a real nice throw on the run. With a defender coming at him, Wilson threw a strike to Ohio State WR Devier Posey. Wilson said after the practice that one of the things he is working on this week is his feet, though he maintained that he has no problem staying in the pocket, despite his lack of height, to make the throws. He also made a nice throw running to his left.

• During the offensive line drills, it was impossible to ignore that Ohio State OT Mike Adams is clearly the biggest tackle on the North squad and he showed well. Washington OL Senio Kelemete received lots of praise from the coach for his work in the drill and his ability to finish the play.

• A pair of running backs stood out running routes — Cincinnati's Isaiah Pead and Ohio State's Dan Herron. Both backs made crisp routes against the North's linebackers and defensive backs. Boise State RB Doug Martin again showed a great burst, htiting the holes hard.

• Connecticut DL Kendall Reyes made a nice inside move to record a tackle for loss, blowing up a running play in the 11-on-11 drills.

• I spoke with both Boise State S George Iloka and Penn State DB D'Anton Lynn after practice. In this new era of explosive tight ends, both have the size teams want at safety to counter it and discussed how their physical play will help in covering the Rob Gronkowskis and Jimmy Grahams of the NFL.

North practice observations from senior editor Mike Wilkening:

• I wasn't watching the North quarterbacks closely this morning, but Wisconsin's Russell Wilson nonetheless caught my eye. He showed excellent touch and accuracy when he hit Boise State RB Doug Martin on a wheel route. There was nothing that N.C. State LB Audie Cole, who was covering Martin, could have done. Later, I looked to my right just in time to see a defender leaping in vain as a Martin pass sailed over him and into the arms of Arizona State WR Gerell Robinson.

• Virginia LB Cam Johnson was fast off the edge in pass-rush drills and held his own matched up against well-regarded Ohio State OLT Mike Adams. The 6-4, 270-pound Johnson stayed low on the taller Adams, a good technique for him to hone if he's going to be rushing against taller tackles in the pros.

• Boise State DL Shea McClellin earned praise from Vikings LB coach Mike Singletary coach as he went through individual drills this morning. Singletary told McClellin — whom he referred to as "Boise" in a later drill — that he had showed improvement Wednesday. "I like that," Singletary said to him.

• Penn State DL Jack Crawford won the leverage battle on Iowa State OT Senio Kelemete and bowled him over in a one-on-one drill. I haven't watched Crawford enough to know if the bull rush is something he frequently utilizes but he definitely showed some power and good technique in that particular instance.

• I liked the playing temperament of California (Pa.) C Rishaw Johnson, a late addition to the roster. I thought he played aggressively and worked to finish his blocks, and I liked his energy. Johnson, however, was beaten by Michigan DT Mike Martin in a one-on-one drill.

http://www.profootballweekly.com/2012/01/25/senior-bowl-notebook-wednesday-2

**oldschooler** · January 26, 2012

[size=6][b] Under-the-radar prospects rising[/b][/size]

Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.

MOBILE, Ala. -- Senior Bowl week presents an opportunity for players from smaller programs and conferences to step up and show they belong with the big boys, and three 2012 prospects have taken full advantage of that chance at this year's game.

[b]Marshall DE [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/27949/vinny-curry"]Vinny Curry[/url] (6-foot-3, 265 pounds)[/b]
Curry is well-known in scouting circles and was considered a potential Day 2 (Rounds 2-3) pick even last season, but I doubt many fans across the nation realize Curry was third in the FBS with 22 tackles for loss in 2011, and tied for sixth with 11 sacks.

He doesn't have elite burst, top-end speed or athleticism, but Curry's initial quickness has been very good during Senior Bowl week and he is showing the ability to transition that quickness into power moves. Once he forces offensive tackles to stand up and respect his power, Curry does a nice job using rip or swim moves to beat them inside or outside.

What stands out above all, though, is his relentless motor, toughness and passion for the game, and one game from 2011 illustrates those qualities perfectly. Curry's mother, Linda Jackson, fought cancer for more than a year -- something he dealt with while still remaining committed to his teammates -- and she passed away early in the week leading up to Marshall's game against Rice. Curry did not practice at all during the week while mourning his mother, not even returning to campus until an hour before kickoff.

However, he decided to play and dedicate his performance to his mother. All Curry did against the Owls was record nine total tackles, 3.5 sacks, a fumble recovery, and force a fourth-quarter fumble that led to the game-winning touchdown for Marshall. He's the kind of player it's easy to pull for, and Curry had done everything he can this week to solidify a Day 2 grade. In fact, it won't surprise me if he ends up working his way into the second round before all is said and done.

[b]Louisiana-Lafayette CB [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/27936/dwight-bentley"]Dwight Bentley[/url] (5-9⅞, 176)[/b]
Bentley played high school football with fellow South team CB [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/28085/janoris-jenkins"]Janoris Jenkins[/url] (North Alabama), and they have clearly been the top two defensive backs on the South roster. Bentley is undersized, but with his quickness, fluidity and body control he can flat-out cover.

He had only seven career interceptions -- due in part to teams preferring not to challenge him -- and while his ball skills are not elite he has shown in Mobile the ability to find, adjust to and fight for the ball in the air.

Two other things have stood out about Bentley, including his confidence. He has the ability to put negative plays behind him and bounce back on the next snap, something that is very important for a cornerback. Bentley has also taken coaching well this week, picking up what the coaches are telling him and making the necessary adjustments on the next play.

He was considered a Day 3 possibility coming into the season, but his improvement as a senior and his showing this week against future NFL receivers has improved his stock. Bentley has risen as much as any other prospect in attendance, and could very well come off the board on Day 2.

[b]Utah State LB [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/28903/bobby-wagner"]Bobby Wagner[/url] (6-0¼, 241)[/b]
Wagner has a solid frame, and he's showing some scheme versatility lining up on the strong side after spending a lot of time inside in college. He was highly productive for the Aggies, ranking eighth nationally in tackles per game in 2011, and is very strong at the point of attack.

Wagner takes good angles to get into sound position, and his pop and power at the point are very good. And while he lacks elite range in coverage, Wagner has been great pressing tight ends at the line of scrimmage and has shown good instincts and awareness against the pass. He gets good leverage -- not just depth, but also width -- to cover as much ground as possible, and he is far from a liability in that area.

Wagner now ranks as the No. 4 inside linebacker on the board -- behind the likes of [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/28618/luke-kuechly"]Luke Kuechly[/url], [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/27475/vontaze-burfict"]Vontaze Burfict[/url] and [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/27430/dont"]Dont'a Hightower[/url] -- and he's gotten himself to the fringe of Day 2.

[b]South team notebook[/b]

Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl
Scouts Inc.

The South running backs had a pretty good showing on Day 3, beginning with Louisiana Tech's [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/27930/lennon-creer"]Lennon Creer[/url], who was a late addition as an injury replacement after taking part in the East-West Shrine Game last week. Creer continued the momentum be built at the Shrine Game, running downhill and hitting seams as soon as they opened, and also catching the ball better than he did during Shrine week.

Baylor's [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/28998/terrance-ganaway"]Terrance Ganaway[/url] is an interesting prospect with his size (5-11½, 241), which helped him during one-on-one pass protection drills. Ganaway was aggressive and fought hard, holding up better than the other backs on the roster.

Meanwhile, Florida's [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/27661/chris-rainey"]Chris Rainey[/url] has taken most of his snaps at wide receiver, showing good quickness and the ability to get in and out of breaks. He had trouble tracking one pass downfield, but he's proving he can work out of the slot as well as the backfield in the passing game.

Finally, Mississippi State's [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/28711/vick-ballard"]Vick Ballard[/url] flashed the ability to press the line and bounce the ball outside, and he showed better burst around the corner than expected.

[b]Up-and-down DBs[/b]

Janoris Jenkins continues to impress, and there's no question he is the best defensive back on either roster. Jenkins has the ability to flip his hips and run with receivers downfield, and he is one of the more sudden, fluid athletes here this week. He was all over Texas A&M WR [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/28391/jeff-fuller"]Jeff Fuller[/url] throughout the day, and while Jenkins did get beaten once after guessing on a route his overall talent continues to shine.

Oklahoma State S [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/28778/markelle-martin"]Markelle Martin[/url] has shown the ability to deliver big hits, but there are concerns about his coverage ability. Martin is good diagnosing running plays, but he's tight and lacks ideal speed in coverage. He also failed to finish a play against LSU TE [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/27929/deangelo-peterson"]Deangelo Peterson[/url] that could have been an interception, though he did knock the ball away. Martin has also shown that he will take risks in coverage, but his tightness doesn't allow him to recover when he guesses wrong.

[b]Criner still shining[/b]
Arizona WR [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/27467/juron-criner"]Juron Criner[/url] has had a sneaky-strong week, showing smoothness for his size (6-2⅛, 220) and impressive hands. Criner uses his frame effectively when shielding defenders from the ball, and his 10-4 hands were on display today on over-the-shoulder grabs and catches in traffic. He continued to help himself with another solid effort.

[b]Linebacker report[/b]
Kennan Robinson of Texas has been an interesting player to watch this week. Robinson moves well early in practices and during one-on-one drills, but when the team period arrives he does not stack and shed blockers effectively and lacks violence in his hands.

North Carolina's [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/28094/zach-brown"]Zach Brown[/url] is showing quickness and speed, and he can shoot gaps as soon as they open up. Brown also has good range in coverage, but he simply could not catch the ball on Day 3. He's using his hands to attempt to snatch the ball out of the air, but Brown had three drops during coverage drills and looked shaky all day.

[b]QB battle continues[/b]
We've talked a lot about quarterbacks this week, but it's worth noting that Oklahoma State's [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/28779/brandon-weeden"]Brandon Weeden[/url] continued to show he's the best quarterback in attendance this week. He is playing with good tempo and during 7-on-7 drills drove the ball into a tight window downfield. He's also throwing with good balance, putting good zip on a hook route to fit the ball between two defenders.

And while Weeden didn't play in a pro-style offense in college, he's adjusting well to five- and seven-step drops and executing play-action without much problem.

Day 3 was a bit better for Arizona's [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/27468/nick-foles"]Nick Foles[/url], who showed better balance and accuracy. Foles is playing smart and making good decisions, though we would like to see him be a bit more aggressive. He's making a lot of safe throws, but we'd like to see him let it rip a bit more and show off his arm talent. He's doing what's asked of him within the system but little more, but there's not a lot of excitement or creativity in his game this week.

[b] Senior Bowl Stock Up[/b]

[b]Arkansas DE [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/27489/jake-bequette"]Jake Bequette[/url][/b]
Bequette (6-4½, 264) lined up at end in college but has been primarily a linebacker during Senior Bowl week. He's shown some tightness when changing directions quickly in coverage and hasn't displayed great closing burst, but he's more fluid than I thought and can turn and run with tight ends if he has to. We saw that against Louisiana-Lafayette TE [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/27935/ladarius-green"]Ladarius Green[/url], when Bequette flipped his hips and stayed with Green, and Bequette also has the size and strength to set the edge against the run. The versatility to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme or end in a 4-3 will certainly help his stock.

[i]-- Steve Muench[/i]

[b]Georgia CB [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/27704/brandon-boykin"]Brandon Boykin[/url][/b]
Boykin has displayed good speed all week, but today he showed the ability to open his hips fluidly and did a good job recognizing routes and breaking on the ball. He stayed with North Carolina WR [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/28091/dwight-jones"]Dwight Jones[/url] after getting a good jam at the line of scrimmage during one-on-one drills, and Boykin flashed excellent recovery speed to get back into position after being beaten by Jones on another play. He's undersized (5-9¼, 183), but Boykin has the leaping ability to climb the ladder and play the ball. He was also natural catching the ball as a kickoff returner, with the explosiveness to hit creases as soon as they open. Boykin might be a better athlete than football player at this point, but he turned in a solid day and is helping himself this week.

[i]-- Kevin Weidl[/i]

[b] Senior Bowl Stock Down[/b]

[b]LSU TE [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/27929/deangelo-peterson"]Deangelo Peterson[/url][/b]
Peterson's lack of size (6-2⅞, 230) showed up when he was run over during a blocking drill, and he does not separate from coverage as well as you would like from a player his size. He's too mechanical in his cuts and does not show great burst. It's easy to blame his lack of production on the run-heavy scheme he played in at LSU, but Peterson has not delivered on his chance to prove that was the case. His ball skills are inconsistent and his blocking is an issue, and Peterson's stock is taking a hit.

[i]-- Steve Muench[/i]

[b]North Carolina WR [url="http://insider.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft/tracker/player?id=28091&year=2012"]Dwight Jones[/url][/b]
There's a lot to like about his frame (6-3⅛, 226), hands and ball skills, and Jones' long strides give him deceiving top-end speed. He's tight and stiff, though, and that showed today when he struggled to stay low against press coverage and allowed defenders into his chest. Jones also had a hard time dropping his weight and transitioning out of breaks on underneath routes. He is limited in the route tree, and while he flashed the ability to track the deep ball Jones has trouble adjusting on the move. Given all the issues we've seen today and over the rest of the week, Jones could end up dropping from a second-rounder entering the season all the way out of Day 2.

[i]-- Kevin Weidl[/i]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft2012/notebook?page=seniorbowlbuzz0125

**oldschooler** · January 26, 2012

[b] [size=6]Buckeyes' Adams an open book ready for a new chapter[/size][/b]

Posted Jan. 25, 2012 @ 11:55 p.m. ET
By Mike Wilkening

MOBILE, Ala. — The day NFL teams won't have a need for big, athletic left tackles on their rosters is the day the league no longer exists.

Advantage, Mike Adams.

Watch a week of practices here and some players are bound to get lost in the shuffle. Adams? At a reported 6-7 and 323 pounds, the Ohio State left tackle is impossible to miss.

So is his potential.

Adams' sheer size works in his favor. His long arms and strong hands can keep pass rushers at bay. He also has excellent feet.

"He's athletic for how big he is," said RB Dan "Boom" Herron, his teammate at Ohio State.

Adams' promise will earn him an NFL job. He very well could hear his name called on the draft's second day, perhaps as early as Round Two. Before that happens, though, he will have to have answered numerous questions about his past.

Adams, 21, was arrested in January 2009 for possession of drug paraphernalia, though he passed a drug test, and the charge was eventually dropped. He also was suspended two games in '09 for a team rules violation. Then, he was suspended for the first five games of last season after he sold his 2008 Big Ten championship ring.

Adams has been forthright about the off-field incidents, both with the media and NFL team personnel. As a high-profile player for one of college football's storied programs, Adams' off-field incidents were well-publicized. He is happy to tell his side of the story.

"I get a lot of questions," he said of team interviews. "I've had my trials and tribulations early in my career, and oh yeah, I'm open and honest about it. I think that's the best way to go about it, and that's definitely the approach I've taken."

Adams believes the ring controversy is a non-issue for clubs.

"To be honest, I don't think that's really that big of a deal to these guys," he said. "Some of the other issues I had earlier in my career, it's good to sit down and let them know that all of that's behind me. I've grown from my mistakes, and I fully acknowledge that I was wrong. It's all in the past, and I've learned from it."

At Wednesday's North practice, Adams played well in most one-on-one drills, although he struggled with Virginia LB-DE Cam Johnson, whose speed seemed to give him trouble. He lined up primarily at left tackle, though he did get some practice reps on the right side.

One league source who has watched Adams at the Senior Bowl said he was "(better) this week than (on) film." Adams, the source said, is "a (horrible) technician but you can see he has a lot of ability."

Among the areas Adams is working to improve upon is his tendency to lean too much. He also wants to work on keeping his hands together and keeping his head back.

"I like to think I'm a pretty good pass blocker, moving well in space," he said. "But I definitely need to clean up all aspects of the game, keep learning new techniques. That's why it's been great to be here learning from this Vikings coaching staff. (Assistant OL coach Ryan) Silverfield's had a lot of insight, a lot of great things to teach us, and to be able to implement new things in your game is something that can only help you."

Most of all, Adams wants to be consistent.

"You're going against the best of the best every play, so you can't be inconsistent, or you're going to look really bad," he said.

Adams' collegiate career was a series of stops-and-starts; in addition to the suspensions, he had shoulder, knee and foot injuries in his two seasons.

When asked, Adams will talk about his past, and freely, but it is his future that is his focus — and that of NFL clubs.

"It's a blessing to be here, period," he said. "If I can come out and improve every day and learn new things every day, that's what I'm here for."

http://www.profootballweekly.com/2012/01/25/buckeyes-adams-an-open-book-ready-for-a-new-chapte

**oldschooler** · January 26, 2012

[b] [size=6]Senior [/size][size=6]Bowl: [/size][size=6]South [/size][size=6]Practice [/size][size=6]Report [/size][size=6]Day [/size][size=6]3[/size][/b]

[b]A pair of defensive backs are starting to move up draft boards.[/b]
[url="http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/wes-bunting.html"]Wes Bunting[/url]

January 25, 2012

[u][b]Notes from the South practice…[/b][/u]

I thought [url="http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/college_big_board_rankings.html"]North Alabama CB Janoris Jenkins[/url] looked a bit rusty yesterday. However, Wednesday he showcased impressive balance off the line in press bail, was consistently able to turn and run, and tracked the football extremely well. He was impossible for the bigger receivers on the South squad to separate from and was as dominant as any defensive back down here this week.

However, not to be outdone was [url="http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/college_big_board_rankings.html"]Georgia CB Brandon Boykin[/url]. Boykin was again physical off the line today, smooth when asked to re-direct and much more balanced breaking down and closing on the football. He was really able to do a number on North Carolina WR Dwight Jones off the line, re-routing him out of a play before breaking up the pass.

Speaking of [url="http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/college_big_board_rankings.html&position=wr"]North Carolina WR Dwight Jones[/url], no prospect has disappointed me more this week than him. He hasn’t been able to get off the line and beat any kind of jam. He was routinely re-routed significantly vs. smaller corners and looks more like an inside player only.

[url="http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/college_big_board_rankings.html&position=wr"]Texas A&M wide out Jeff Fuller[/url] is never going to separate much in the NFL, but he adjusts to the football and can balance himself well when going up to make a play down the field. However, he really struggled catching the football all practice long Wednesday. And for a guy who is going to need to win with corners draped all over him at the next level, having “plus” hands is a must, something he hasn’t shown since his junior year.

On the D-line, [url="http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/college_big_board_rankings.html&position=olb"]Alabama DE Courtney Upshaw[/url] again used his combination of strength and leverage to overwhelm on contact as a pass rusher. However, he also did an impressive job turning speed into power on his outside speed rush, dropping his pad level and running his legs through the corner. He’s been a bear to block all week and looks like one of the safer prospects in this year’s draft.

[url="http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/college_big_board_rankings.html&position=ot"]Illinois OL Jeff Allen[/url] rebounded with a strong practice today. He played primarily at guard and did a nice job quickly getting off the football, extending his arms and sliding his feet through contact. He will struggle with leverage, but with some development he looks like a guy who can start inside in the NFL.

There is no denying the talent of [url="http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/college_big_board_rankings.html&position=te"]LSU TE Deangelo Peterson[/url]. He’s an athletic kid who can run, get down the seam and has the potential to be a mismatch type “off the line Y” in the NFL. However, he’s struggled with attention to detail throughout his entire career, isn’t the cleanest of route runners and will drop the football. Looks like a “boom” or “bust” type guy.

Finally, [url="http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/college_big_board_rankings.html&position=rb"]Florida WR Chris Rainey [/url]looks like the most explosive skill guy down here. He’s run by opposing corners a number of times this week and has a “plus” natural burst to his game. Now, he is a bit inconsistent catching the football and is a developing route runner. However, this is a guy who can make plays with the football in space and certainly warrants a draft pick as a potential dynamic sub-package option.

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Senior-Bowl-South-Practice-Report-Day-3.html

**oldschooler** · January 26, 2012

[b] [size=6]Senior [/size][size=6]Bowl: [/size][size=6]North [/size][size=6]Practice [/size][size=6]Notes [/size][size=6]Day [/size][size=6]3[/size][/b]

[b]Who made their mark Wednesday?[/b]
[url="http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/wes-bunting.html"]Wes Bunting[/url]

January 25, 2012

I got a good look at the linebackers this morning and it might be the strongest position on the North squad…

[b]Arkansas State LB Demario Davis[/b] again stood out with his natural foot quickness and athleticism in coverage. He quickly can redirect, finds the football well and has a burst out of his breaks. Plus, he displayed good change of direction skills limiting tight ends in man coverage.

[b]Utah State LB Bobby Wagner[/b] was also surprisingly solid in man coverage today considering he’s a guy who was used off the edge routinely on third down in college. He’s a physical kid who did a nice job anticipating routes, was able to sink his hips when trying to change directions and close. He’s isn’t the type of dynamic athlete who is able to get out of his breaks and make plays on the ball, but he understands angles and was able to close quickly in man.

[b]Nebraska LB Lavonte David[/b] is a bit undersized. However, he’s a “plus” athlete who can turn and run down the field. He’s loose in the hips, diagnoses plays quickly and always puts himself around the football. In the run game he’s routinely getting early jumps on the actions and knows how to scrape the edge and break down into contact.
Other day three notes…

In the secondary today, [b]Michigan State safety Trenton Robinson [/b]showcased the ability to sit into his drop, stay compact with his footwork and quickly get out of his breaks in the deep half when driving on throws. He displayed an initial burst and had some closing range. However, he looks tighter in the hips when asked to turn and run, and doesn’t have a great feel when asked to match-up on the wheel routes out of the backfield. Twice he looked slow to decipher the action and gave up a step when trying to turn and run.

[b]Utah OL Tony Bergstrom[/b] is another guy who I have been warming up to this week. He’s limited off the edge as a tackle. However, when kicked inside to guard he showcases a good first step, sits his base down and “fits” well into contact. He isn’t a guy I see as a potential NFL tackle, but as a guard prospect could see him starting at the next level.

On the other hand, [b]Wisconsin OG Kevin Zeitler[/b] had a much tougher day. He’s a strong kid who can stick through contact once he gets his hands on you. However, he’s not real comfortable when trying to mirror in space laterally and would routinely get overextended trying to get his hands on defenders. The more space he’s asked to play in the less effective he is in pass protection.

I have to tip my hat to [b]Boise State LB Shea McClellin[/b]. The guy has done a nice job this week competing in linebacker drills. Plus, he showcases sneaky fluidity when asked to turn and run down the field with running backs and has a good feel finding the football when lined-up inside. Overall, he’s a versatile kid who will get looks in both a 34 and 43 scheme and should be able to create pressure from a number of spots at the next level.

Wednesday was the best day of practice in my view for [b]Nebraska CB Alfonzo Dennard[/b]. He was physical in press coverage, did a nice job staying in receivers back pockets down the field and competes when asked to go make a play on the football. He still lets opposing wide outs get behind him. However, as a potential cover two guy he should be able to find a home.

It’s been a pretty “blah” week of practice for [b]Missouri TE Michael Egnew[/b]. He hasn’t shown much burst off the line from a three-point stance and is tighter when trying to get out of his breaks and separate. Now, he is a big kid, but looks limited in the type of routes he can run at the next level.

Finally, [b]Appalachian State WR Brian Quick[/b] finally started to flash a little for me today. He’s a good-looking kid with a big frame and can track the football down the field. Plus, he did a better job dropping his pad level working the comeback and looked more natural catching the football. I still don’t see the guy as a big time NFL receiver who consistently is going to be able to win off the line and separate out of his breaks. But he’s got enough natural talent to create some mismatches at the next level.

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Senior-Bowl-North-Practice-Notes-Day-3.html

**oldschooler** · January 26, 2012

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzlj_2tGMHo&feature=player_embedded[/media]

**akiliMVP** · January 26, 2012

I was extremely against Janoris Jenkins in the first round... but I'm very much warming to the idea. Sounds like he is a legit top 10 talent and could have been in consideration for #1 CB had he stayed for his senior season at Florida and not gotten into trouble. Hopefully he has gotten his act together because he has all the tools to be a dominating player.

SocalBengalEd · January 26, 2012

if they really want to build around Dalton maybe drafting Glenn and Rb Martin in round one is the way to go. They have been the most impressive offensive players this week.

Bengals1181 · January 26, 2012

[quote name='SocalBengalEd' timestamp='1327584886' post='1092309']
if they really want to build around Dalton maybe drafting Glenn and Rb Martin in round one is the way to go. They have been the most impressive offensive players this week.
[/quote]

I'm one of the biggest Martin fans around here, but he's not worth a #21 pick IMO. At least trade down a hefty bit, even to the early 2nd to get him.

FulcherVulcher33 · January 26, 2012

Nothing but praise for my Georgia boy boykin

The PatternMaster · January 26, 2012

[quote name='SocalBengalEd' timestamp='1327584886' post='1092309']
if they really want to build around Dalton maybe drafting Glenn and Rb Martin in round one is the way to go. They have been the most impressive offensive players this week.
[/quote]

I read that Glenn struggled yesterday, but Jeff Allen from Illinios has been very impressive.
[quote]
The South team hit the field at Ladd Peebles stadium for a Wednesday afternoon practice under cloudy skies and windy conditions with a temperature of 73 degrees. The South followed their usual routine, stretching for ten minutes and then going right into a couple of individual group periods.

The offensive coaching staff changed up their unit’s normal midfield warm-ups and instead had the quarterbacks and receivers working in the redzone. The QBs threw passes from inside the five yard line and mainly worked on their timing, gunning in passes to receivers on quick slant routes. All of the other positions worked on similar drills as the previous day, with the defensive backs running agility drills with secondary coach Raheem Morris, the linebackers running cone drills, and the linemen running drills that showed off their strength and quickness.

The next period of practice featured one-on-ones and the big focus was at midfield, where the linebackers and running backs took part in pass-protection drills for the first time this week instead of running coverage drills.

Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette warmed up and practiced as an outside linebacker, where he showcased some impressive short-area quickness. Bequette looked fluid and played well in pass coverage. The Arkansas product really excelled in the one-one-ones against the backs and was simply too big and powerful for the backs to handle. Bequette performed swim moves easily against Louisiana Tech’s Lennon Creer and Mississippi State’s Vick Ballard. The Razorback also looked the most natural in the blitzing drill.

Baylor running back Terrance Ganaway was horrible as a blocker on Wednesday. He was beat like a drum by almost every linebacker on the South squad. North Carolina linebacker Zach Brown performed a nasty spin move that left Ganaway in the dust, and the Baylor back was beat badly again by Brown later on in the drill.

Texas linebacker Keenan Robinson excelled in this portion of practice and looked very aggressive as a blitzer. He shoved Ganaway into the ground on a rep early in the drill that drew a “wow” from the crowd. Robinson had a solid day of practice, in which he was effective against the run and pass. He covered a lot of ground in pass coverage and moved very well laterally.

A player that impressed scouts in pass protection was Mississipi State’s Vick Ballard. He was very feisty and aggressive in blitz pick-up. Ballard stopped the likes of Jake Bequette, Zach Brown, and Nigel Bradham. His ability to block in addition to his running skills will make him a highly sought-after commodity.

The next one-on-one drill featured receivers going up against secondary men. The defensive backs won this drill for the most part and made a big improvement from their effort in Tuesday’s practice, dominating at times. The South quarterbacks also played a role in making the secondary look good on Wednesday, as they put together another below average practice for the most part and struggled with their accuracy on intermediate to deep passes.

North Alabama cornerback Janoris Jenkins put together another solid practice for the second day in a row. The former Florida star stayed in tight coverage with his receivers and especially excelled in coverage deep down field, blanketing his opponents.

Georgia corner Brandon Boykin also stood out on Wednesday. The undersized Boykin (5-foot-9, 183 pounds) went up against the 6-foot-4, 217 pound Jeff Fuller in what was the matchup of the day and shut Fuller down. Boykin forced Fuller to the outside on their first go around and had good coverage on him, causing the incompletion. During their second matchup up, Boykin broke up the pass intended for Fuller as Morris yelled for him to “look and lean” when the ball was in the air.

Boykin also excelled in his other matchups and shut down the rest of his competition for the most part. On one play, Boykin had a great jump on the ball when covering North Carolina receiver Dwight Jones and batted down the ball. Jones was also jammed at the line a few times and had a poor practice overall. Boykin consistently displayed good press coverage and only had on misread during this drill, allowing just one touchdown.

The corner that struggled the most during one-on-ones was Vanderbilt’s Casey Hayward. Hayward had a hard time staying with fast receivers and got destroyed by Patrick Edwards on a comeback route. Arkansas receiver Joe Adams ran an inside slant on Hayward and the Commodore just didn’t have enough speed to keep up with him.

Wide receiver Juron Criner once again had an impressive practice on Wednesday and has proven to be the star receiver on the South team. Criner destroyed Furman’s Ryan Steed with an inside juke on a post route, scoring a touchdown from his Arizona teammate Nick Foles. Criner also beat Alabama corner DeQuan Menzie to the inside on a post and made a beautiful diving catch 30 yards down the field.

The tight end that also impressed once again as a receiver was Alabama’s Brad Smelley. Smelley ran great routes and caught everything thrown his way. Smelley’s most impressive play was a great diving catch in which he positioned his body in front of the ball, drawing cheers from the Alabama fans in the crowd.

The next period of practice featured seven-on-sevens with offensive and defensive linemen at midfield. During the seven-on-seven’s, several South players had standout practices.

South Carolina defensive end Melvin Ingram really held strong at the point of attack as an outside linebacker in the Redskins’ 3-4 scheme. He displayed good lower body strength and did a great job of staying low. Ingram made a nice stop on Baylor running back Terrance Ganaway as a five-technique defensive lineman. He got a nice push on guard Will Blackwell, which forced Ganaway to cut back inside to another defender. Ingram is a versatile player that could fit into a number of defenses.

Baylor center Phillip Blake really struggled during this drill. He had two bad snaps that resulted in fumbles. Not only that, he got destroyed by North Carolina Tydreke Powell on a passing play during the seven-on-seven period.

The linemen then moved to the 10-yard line to take part in one-on-ones while the skill position players took part in seven-on-seven’s at midfield.

The best lineman in the one-on-ones, and possibility the entire practice, was Illinois’ Jeff Allen. The Fighting Illini senior turned in a terrific practice, in which he shut down stud pass-rushers Courtney Upshaw, Quinton Coples, and Mevin Ingram. He showed off his versatility by excelling at both the left and right tackle positions, along with impressing at left guard. Allen crushed Melvin Ingram on an inside rush, which forced Ingram into the turf. At the left guard position, Allen stoned Clemson’s Brandon Thompson by using good technique and strength. The Illinois senior put together a phenomenal performance on Wednesday.

Someone that disappointed scouts during the one-on-one session was Texas defensive tackle Kheeston Randall. The former Longhorn was dominated during this drill, and failed to make a solid impression on talent evaluators. He was handled easily by Georgia center Ben Jones, and was later pancaked by LSU guard Will Blackwell. Randall really struggled to disengage from offensive lineman, and when he did he failed to explode into the backfield.

Quinton Coples from North Carolina continued to show why he is the draft’s top defensive end prospect. He beat Florida State tackle Zebrie Sanders on bull rushes three times during the one-on-one period. Coples also had his way with Georgia’s Cordy Glenn, who spent the majority of the day positioned at left tackle. The North Carolina stud beat Glenn early on in the drill by using a nasty rip move. Later, he bull rushed the Georgia tackle all the way into the backfield where the quarterback would have been. Coples isn’t really explosive, but he wins battles by using his strength and technique.

Cordy Glenn does not look like he can play the left tackle position at a high level in the NFL. He struggles to keep with faster pass-rushers, and doesn’t have great footwork. The former Bulldog should really be used as a guard, which fits his skill set much better than at the tackle position.

During the skill position portion of seven-on-seven’s, the quarterbacks again struggled with their accuracy and when Foles made a great deep pass to a wide open Joe Adams it was dropped, which prompted the scouts in the crowd to let out their disappointment. Criner did however remain his consistent self and made a few good catches, including an impressive back shoulder grab with Boykin draped on him.

The defense once again dominated their opponents and Boykin made an impressive play, jumping a route and knocking down a pass intended for Jones. Jenkins also made a play on a ball intended for Jones, jarring the ball loose after Jones caught it on a quick slant.

Following the conclusion of the one-on-one and seven-on-seven sessions, the team then began the scrimmage period of practice.

Once again, Illinois offensive lineman Jeff Allen was dominant at multiple positions along the offensive line. He opened up an enormous hole for Lousiana Tech running back Lennon Creer on a stretch run play to the left side. Allen made contact with Kheeston Randall and used great technique to open up a nice hole for the back to run through. On a play later in the session, the Illinois senior drove Texas A&M defensive tackle Tony Jerrod-Eddie backwards and into linebacker Sean Spence. Allen eliminated both from having a chance to wrap up running back Vick Ballard, who ran for a nice gain.

Defensive end Quinton Coples also flashed in during the team scrimmage. On a handoff to the right side, Vick Ballard attempted to bounce outside but was stopped the long arm of Coples. The Tar Heel overpowered tackle Zebrie Sanders, disengaged his hands from the lineman, grabbed Ballard by the jersey, and threw him to the ground.

Later in the scrimmage, the Tar Heel pass-rusher again beat Zebrie Sanders, who was positioned at right tackle. Coples beat Sanders off the ball and sacked quarterback Nick Foles as he tried to roll out to his right.

The last period of practice featured special teams and the South team worked on kick returns and their kick return formations on Wednesday. The South squad will return to the practice field again on Thursday afternoon.

[/quote]

[url="http://www.pewterreport.com/index.php?option=com_k2&Itemid=20&view=item&layout=item&id=7739"]http://www.pewterreport.com/index.php?option=com_k2&Itemid=20&view=item&layout=item&id=7739[/url]

It seems like Boykin is really making himself alot of money this week by his consistent dominance in the practices, if he can play like he did all season he would be a steal #17.

The PatternMaster · January 26, 2012

[quote name='akiliMVP' timestamp='1327583888' post='1092308']
I was extremely against Janoris Jenkins in the first round... but I'm very much warming to the idea. Sounds like he is a legit top 10 talent and could have been in consideration for #1 CB had he stayed for his senior season at Florida and not gotten into trouble. Hopefully he has gotten his act together because he has all the tools to be a dominating player.
[/quote]

I just don't trust him to stay clean, because if he is broke, has so much to lose and still smokes weed to the point that he will fail two drug test and get kicked off one of the best CFB teams in the nation, why wouldn't he do the same thing with millions of dollars in the bank? Maybe he's changed and gotten over his addiction to marijuana and has become a better decision maker off the field, but do you want to risk a first round pick on Jenkins. The Bengals have enough trouble with guys and weed, don't think we need more questionable character guys in the locker room.

Cricket · January 26, 2012

[quote name='oldschooler' timestamp='1327580450' post='1092294']
[size=6][b]Senior Bowl practice report: Wednesday[/b][/size]
...

[i]SI.com draft expert Tony Pauline is live in Mobile, Ala., where some of the draft's brightest talent are taking part in Senior Bowl week, the annual prospect showcase. He'll be providing live analysis from practice each day throughout the week.[/i]

[snip]

- [b]OL Cordy Glenn[/b] of Georgia has been the talk of the South by a lot of scouts. He's got the body type, strength and movement skills to quickly start in the NFL. [b]He's being talked about as a late-round pick with his performance the past two days. [/b]He does not back down either, and just went after Quinton Coples in drills, battling hard after the whistle had blown.

[snip]
[/quote]

Do you suppose the writer intended to say "late [b]first[/b]-round" pick instead of "late-round" pick? :shrug:

SocalBengalEd · January 26, 2012

Most scouts have said Cordy Glenn was dominant this week at guard and tackle. He even dominated Couples. I'll go with what 95% of the scouts are saying over one guy. He looks like a lock in round #1.

**Jason** · January 26, 2012

[quote name='Cricket' timestamp='1327592366' post='1092333']

Do you suppose the writer intended to say "late [b]first[/b]-round" pick instead of "late-round" pick? :shrug:
[/quote]

Most likely.

Oldcat · January 26, 2012

[quote name='SocalBengalEd' timestamp='1327593387' post='1092338']
Most scouts have said Cordy Glenn was dominant this week at guard and tackle. He even dominated Couples. I'll go with what 95% of the scouts are saying over one guy. He looks like a lock in round #1.
[/quote]

From what I've seen, Cordy's slipups were when he was trying to play T, not at G.

Squirrlnutz · January 26, 2012

[quote name='oldschooler' timestamp='1327581077' post='1092295']
[size=6][b] Senior Watch: Doug Martin, Boise St.[/b][/size]

AUTHOR: [url="http://nflmocks.com/author/bomartin29/"]Bo Martin[/url] | IN: [url="http://nflmocks.com/category/2012-nfl-draft/"]2012 NFL Draft[/url]

[url="http://nflmocks.com/"]Home[/url] » [url="http://nflmocks.com/category/2012-nfl-draft/"]2012 NFL Draft[/url] » [b]Senior Watch: Doug Martin, Boise St.[/b]

Boise St. running back Doug Martin is really starting to turn heads at the senior bowl, while he has been ranked a bit lower in most rankings he might be making people reevaluate where they have placed him on their big board. Primarily Doug Martin has been considered in the top 5-6 running backs in the draft but I can see his value climbing steadily and he could easily find himself in the top 2-3 and a first round pick.

[b]What to Like[/b]
- Martin is really good… I mean really good. Just from the onset, he shows a very large lower body anchored by huge thighs. This size in the lower body helps Martin run with great balance and power. Martin does a great job running low and having such power churning through his legs allows him to get passed first contact pretty regularly.

- Vision is the key for Martin’s success. When running between the tackles he does a good job of identifying gaps and hitting them. It’s very rare that he’ll be tackled immediately and Martin is able to use a very explosive burst to quickly hit top speed and take advantage of whatever the defense is giving him. He is an explosive player in the college level who should be able to use his vision and ability to be very effective in the next level.

- Martin is a very willing blocker. He does lack great technique and will need some coaching in the matter, but the fact that he is willing to sit back in protection says a lot about his ability.

- Considered a workhorse in the gym, Martin is well known for his great work ethic and dedication to the system. Martin transitioned to linebacker early in his career just to get playing time.

- A balanced back, Martin has great control and recognition in situations that call for him to differentiate whether to utilize his shifty finesse ability or lower his shoulder and try and truck through.

[b]What Not to Like[/b]
Bueller?….
- On a serious note, there are a few things to keep an eye on moving forward. Martin is a capable ball catcher, some have questioned his ability to catch passes outside of the backfield, but this is something that’s coachable. He has had a productive career when asked to catch the ball, so I don’t really consider this a big problem
- Martin doesn’t really have great top end speed. His 40 time is unofficially around 4.5 which isn’t bad, but isn’t great either. His ability to accelerate I think is a good thing to notice but he wont be breaking tons of Tony Dorsett style runs. He will be a balanced runner who should be able to supply a good average but I don’t see him outrunning some of the faster defenders in the game consistently.
- Martin needs to improve his blocking technique. Period. This is a pass happy league in the NFL and while I don’t foresee it being like this forever, a capable running back who is an asset in the passing game and protection schemes is vital towards the success of the offense. He’ll need to be coached here if he hopes to be an every down consideration.

[b]Summary[/b]
Martin is a very solid all around back. This year alone he’s displayed his ability to use power through low center of gravity and be a shifty runner. I consider him very valuable for his skill set. He is of good character and a hard worker, anyone who thinks this doesn’t translate to the football field should see Tim Tebow. I love his potential at the next level as an every down back. Maybe he won’t consistently break long homeruns but he will break them occasionally and he’s always been able to run for a good average even against some of the tougher opponents Boise St. has faced. Should be a stud in the next level-keep your eye out.

[b]Professional Comparisons[/b]
Maurice Jones-Drew
Ray Rice

[b]Draft Projection:[/b]
Stock Rising!

It’s tough to say where he will end up but I see him going in the second to third rounds before the senior bowl. I don’t want to get too crazy but I could see Denver or [b]Bengals[/b] at least looking at him in the first round, especially if they feel more comfortable with his skill set over someone like Lamar Miller.

[url="http://nflmocks.com/2012/01/26/senior-watch-doug-martin-boise-st/#more-21142"]http://nflmocks.com/...-st/#more-21142[/url]
[/quote]

This was posted at 7:31am and I have yet to see Tigris post today...is there anyone who can check on him? He might have died from priapism.

no ninja

Bengals1181 · January 26, 2012

[quote name='Oldcat' timestamp='1327594286' post='1092342']

From what I've seen, Cordy's slipups were when he was trying to play T, not at G.
[/quote]

yep. Most I've read said he's been so-so at left tackle, dominant at guard.

texbengal · January 26, 2012

[quote name='Bengals1181' timestamp='1327599493' post='1092353']

yep. Most I've read said he's been so-so at left tackle, dominant at guard.
[/quote]

Right - he's more of a "in the phone booth" guy than a guy who can play effectively in space, especially vs. pass rushers. Kind of an anti-Anthony Collins (not saying he can't play guard... but I'm guessing that he clearly prefers tackle).

**akiliMVP** · January 26, 2012

I really didn't think Glenn would play so well. Expected him to be exposed as out of shape and not a great athlete. I was way wrong. I think it's safe to pencil him in on the depth chart at right guard.

spicoli · January 26, 2012

[quote name='akiliMVP' timestamp='1327602363' post='1092360']
I really didn't think Glenn would play so well. Expected him to be exposed as out of shape and not a great athlete. I was way wrong. I think it's safe to pencil him in on the depth chart at right guard.
[/quote]

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