Scouts Inc.'s Senior Bowl week coverage....

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Jake Locker's golden opportunity

Washington QB the biggest story in a Senior Bowl full of them

By Todd McShay
ESPN.com


MOBILE, Ala. -- The practice week leading up to the Senior Bowl is ready to kick off, and approximately 100 NFL prospects are gearing up for a chance to prove themselves in front of NFL scouts.

Senior Bowl week gives players a chance to receive NFL coaching and showcase their skills for all 32 NFL teams. Barring any late changes to the rosters, here are the players we'll be keeping an especially close eye on.

The biggest storyline heading into this week is Washington QB Jake Locker. Locker entered the 2010 season as the favorite to top the quarterback class and possibly be the first overall pick in the 2011 draft. But instead of progressing in his second year under coach Steve Sarkisian, Locker regressed and his draft stock took a sizeable hit as a result.

But this week, Locker has a chance to show that he can be a more efficient passer with quality pass protection and legitimate weapons at his disposal. And it's a chance to have the spotlight to himself as the other three quarterbacks with first-round potential -- Missouri's Blaine Gabbert, Auburn's Cam Newton and Arkansas' Ryan Mallett -- are all underclassmen and not at the Senior Bowl.

While Locker, Gabbert, Newton and Mallett represent the top four QBs, there are a handful of quarterbacks jockeying for position behind them, including four who will be making their case at the Senior Bowl.

Iowa's Ricky Stanzi can help himself by anticipating better than he did on film and we will keep a close eye on the velocity he puts on his vertical and deep out throws.

We are eager to see TCU QB Andy Dalton at Monday's weigh-in at the convention center to see his actual height. Dalton is one of the more underrated quarterback prospects in the class and this is a good opportunity to show NFL teams that he is capable of scanning the field and making all the necessary throws from within the pocket. Florida State's Christian Ponder, like Locker, didn't play as well as hoped this year. It's important that he's consistent both with his accuracy and decision-making. Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick, like Dalton, needs to look fluid dropping from under center and needs to make sound decisions.



Position battles

Several position units are loaded with talent this week and here are three to watch.


Offensive tackle

There is still plenty of wiggle room on top of our board. Colorado's Nate Solder, Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi and Boston College's Anthony Castonzo are the top three senior prospects (the only underclassman in the mix is USC's Tyron Smith, who is No. 11 overall).

Solder has the highest ceiling of the three, but he also may have the lowest floor. He has long arms and quick feet, but the concern with Solder is his inconsistent footwork. He won't be able to get away with that this week working against a talented group of defensive ends. Carimi is an NFL-ready right tackle but he'll have to turn in an impressive week to prove to NFL front offices that he can hold up on the left side. Castonzo has solid technique, a long frame and good mobility, but he needs to show the strength and toughness of a future NFL starting tackle.

SEC standouts Demarcus Love (Arkansas), Derek Sherrod (Mississippi State) and Lee Ziemba (Auburn) are three second-tier prospects competing for spots on Day 2. All three project as right tackles in the NFL.


Defensive end

Purdue's Ryan Kerrigan, Iowa's Adrian Clayborn and Miami's Allen Bailey can all get after the quarterback. Kerrigan excels at turning the corner and bending backs inside. Showing a little more variety and lateral agility would help boost his stock. Clayborn's stock has dipped but he's an effective hand fighter who closes well for his size. He has to show scouts that teams adjusting their protection schemes to account for him is the biggest reason for the drop-off in production as a senior. While Bailey possesses a rare blend of size and athletic ability, he needs to have a big week because his production hasn't consistently matched his talent.

Cal's Cameron Jordan is an underrated five-technique prospect who needs to prove he's in the same class as some of the other first-round prospects in Mobile this week. Jordan is more active and productive than most 3-4 defensive ends, but he needs to show he can control the point of attack versus some of the top offensive tackles playing in this game.


Running back

Kansas State's Daniel Thomas, Oklahoma's Demarco Murray, Oklahoma State's Kendall Hunter and Louisville's Bilal Powell form a strong running back group. Powell runs hard but he runs high and hasn't faced the same caliber of defenses the other backs on this list have faced this year. Running with better pad level and showing he's quick enough to produce against faster defenders is important for him. While Hunter has been one of the most productive backs in the country, Oklahoma State's spread scheme created vertical seams for him, and WR Justin Blackmon kept safeties off the line. Scouts will keep a close eye on his vision and power this week. Thomas is a big back who needs to show that he has the quickness to turn the corner and that he can contribute on third down. Murray is arguably the best third-down back prospect in this class, so he faces a different challenge. He needs to make sound reads and run with low pad level.


Five players to watch

Boston College OLB Mark Herzlich
Herzlich's story is well known at this point. He was one of the top outside linebacker prospects in the country when doctors discovered a tumor in his leg and he missed the entire 2009 season. The courage and resiliency he showed in coming back is remarkable. Unfortunately, teams can't afford to draft based on emotion and he hasn't been the same player since he's returned to the field. If he can show the same kind of range and athleticism he showed in 2008 this week, his stock will benefit.

Texas A&M DE/OLB Von Miller
Miller played a hybrid outside linebacker/defensive end role at Texas A&M and he projects best at outside linebacker. He has some experience dropping into zone coverage, but teams will want to see how well he opens his hips and matches up in man coverage drills. Miller should also wow scouts with his first-step quickness, body control and closing speed during one-on-one pass-rushing drills this week.

Troy WR Jerrel Jernigan
Jernigan is quick enough to separate from man coverage and is at his best creating after the catch, but he could be more consistent catching the ball. He can also help himself by showing teams that he can get off the line and hold up working against bigger corners.

Oregon State DT Stephen Paea
We don't question Paea's ability to play the run. At 6-foot-1, he has the low center of gravity to get under offensive linemen and the strength to hold his ground once he establishes position. The key for Paea will be showing he can get to the quarterback this week. Keep an eye on Baylor's Phil Taylor, LSU's Drake Nevis and Clemson's Jarvis Jenkins when watching defensive tackles this week, as well.

Hawaii WR Greg Salas
Salas' production has been inflated by Hawaii's pass-happy spread scheme, but he can quiet critics with a strong week. Scouts want to see if Salas has the burst to separate from tight man coverage and enough speed to stretch the field at the next level.

 

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Senior Bowl Day 1 practice blog

By Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl

Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl are blogging from the Senior Bowl. Keep checking in to see who is playing well and who's struggling during the first Senior Bowl practice.


Watching Young
Boise State's Titus Young was great in and out of his breaks. He can drop his weight without having to gear down and is a savvy route runner. In fact, he's a confident route runner -- he knows what he's doing. He was very streaky catching the ball today, but we are going to keep a close eye on him on how he handles adversity and how he carries himself. There are times when he looks like he's the most confident player on the field and has a swagger, but then the second he dropped one pass, it seemed like he went into a shell. He dropped one, then dropped the next two as well. Two of those three he dropped were over his head, and we'll keep an eye on that. In the same frame of dropping those passes, he also jumped offsides. In one drop, ball went off his hands and into the DBs hands for a pick and he watched the DB go down the field without even making an effort to chase him. Also, all three of them on shorter, quicker routes so we'll watch how he handles the ball coming at him with some velocity. If he's fighting the ball instead of plucking it cleanly, it can take away from his strength which is getting upfield after the catch.Two

Harris makes some plays
TCU's Dwayne Harris seemed reliable and comfortable fielding punts, made a great one-handed catch but we'll keep a close eye on his route running and getting in and out of breaks. He looked really choppy today and had to gear down anytime they were working on start/stop or change of direction stop compared to the other receivers.

Need more than speed
Nebraska's Niles Paul is fast, but too many drops. He runs very obvious routes. He doesn't sell his routes very well.

QB review
All the QBs were a little bit fired up and you could see the adrenaline in their throws. If you talked to all three, they would say they had more juice than normal and, as in every all-star game every year, first practice there are timing issues, but figuring out routes with WRs and how coaches want routes run. Overall, they were erratic. Expect them to be more consistent with their accuracy as each day goes on.

Watch the hitch
Nevada Colin Kaepernick had fewer glaring misses than the other QBs today. He showed adequate arm strength and really good touch on throws that required touch. He just throws a nice catchable ball. But the biggest thing watching him live, he's trying to hide the fact he has a long delivery. It's like he has a hitch in his throwing motion and it takes too long and it's something that defenders can really pick up on. It's tough to just break a habit and that's something he's going to have to really fight. We knew he had it, but seeing it live it's a little more concerning.

Eyes on a Hawkeye
Iowa's Ricky Stanzi did a pretty good job today. He's clearly the second-best QB for the North team. Not a great athlete, but he had good footwork and very good touch and timing as a passer for the most part today. He threw best vertical sideline route of day during 7-on-7s. His arm strength didn't jump out either way. Doesn't have rifle but he passed the test from that standpoint today. When he missed, he missed high and it tended to be on throws between the numbers. He was missing high on curls and in routes and that's something to keep an eye on this week.

Checking in on Locker
Jake Locker was a little bit of a microcosm of his career. He made some unbelievable throws, like one fade route in pack of end zone. Perfect timing, perfect touch and dropped it right in. He nailed a couple skinny posts where he led receiver and put it in perfect spot for yards after catch. And maybe his best throw of the day was a sideline comeback route where he just drilled it with perfect timing. But he can't bottle it up and do it consistently. He had a handful throws that he made one time, but didn't do it the next time. It's that inconsistency that is frustrating. If it was just today and saw something on film, you put it to Day 1. But if this continues the pattern, it's not going be the week he needed it to be. Still, he did not have a bad day. In fact, he had the best day of the QBs here and there is no doubt who is the most naturally talented QB here.

Big battle
Mississippi State Derek Sherrod showed tightness in hips and his lack of mobility was exposed by Arizona's Brooks Reed. Twice Reed beat Sherrod with quickness -- once to the outside and once using a double move. Reed has a quick get off and uses his hands well.

A Bear inside
Baylor Danny Watkins lined up at guard some and he did well. He was good in his sets, got a good base and showed some power. He went against Baylor teammate Phil Taylor and showed good technique and held his own well.

Speed drills?
Mississippi State Pernell McPhee has power, but not a lot of speed but we have to wonder if he has the ability as a pass rusher on the edge.

Carimi makes an impression
Gabe Carimi worked at guard some today, but don't make anything of it yet. They moved everyone around. But he is tough, mean and powerful. Once he gets his hands on you, it's over.

On second thought ...
Shows how quickly things can change. One minute, Texas' Curtis Brown is looking good. Later, his tightness and lack of speed get exposed in 1-on-1 drills.

Epic battle
Purdue DL Ryan Kerrigan vs. Colorado OL Nate Solder has been great to watch all day. Kerrigan won some with power, while Solder won with quickness. Back and forth they go and it's fun to watch.

Hooked on Brown
Texas DB Curtis Brown has quick feet and is aggressive filling in run support. He looked good in drills too.

Cowboy up
Oklahoma State's Kendall Hunter is the quickest of the North RBs so far in drills.

Paul struggling
Nebraska WR Niles Paul is not polished a route runner and has dropped too many passes so far.

Brown, Young shine
Boise State's Titus Young is the quickest wide receiver on the North team, while San Diego State's Vincent Brown is showing off his great hands. He is catching everything. He just made a great catch, plucking the ball out of the air while on the run.

QB check
A quick look at the QBs on the North team: Washington's Jake Locker has made some great throws, but he's be inconsistent with his accuracy. The same can be said about Iowa's Ricky Stanzi. Nevada's Colin Kaepernick is throwing the ball pretty well, but his long delivery is a little concerning.

Battle royale
In 1-on-1 run blocking drills, Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi went head-to=head with Oklahoma DL Jeremy Beal. Beal looks to win with his initial quickness, but Carimi recovers and drives Beal out. Carimi just had too much power for Beal.

Nice moves for a big guy
Baylor DT Phil Taylor showing great feet through the bags for a 6-4, 337-pounder.

Where's the power?
Wisconsin OL John Moffitt off to a slow start. He's playing high, leaning and slipping off blocks. He showed better power on film.

Tough start
Connecticut LB Lawrence Wilson looked stiff laterally during the bag work. He slipped on the bag at one point.

 

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Look at Demarco Murray, Mark Herzlich

By Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl


Every day of practice, we'll pick two players from this year's Senior Bowl and look at how they're doing so far and what it's meant to their draft status.

Boston College LB Mark Herzlich

Herzlich measured in at 6-3½ and 250 pounds. He could have been better defined but he carried the weight well and didn't look soft. When he's on the field, he does things you love to see like being the first guy in line for a drill and his motor is always running. He is a big kid with long strides and can cover a lot of ground. He shows good range. During team period, he made a great read, shot the gap before an offensive lineman could put a body on him and wrapped up Maryland RB Da'Rel Scott in the backfield.

But it's also clear why his stock has dropped. He doesn't have the closing burst he showed prior to his battle with bone cancer, he's not getting to as many balls as he used to and a glaring issue is his stiffness in space. He really struggled to open it up in zone coverage and it wasn't just one play; he was consistently struggling. He also struggled in man coverage, including one play where he tried to stay with Nebraska TE Mike McNeill but Herzlich stumbled coming out of his break and had to grab on to McNeill to keep him from being open. He obviously won't get away with that in the NFL.

It's impossible not to root for Herzlich with all he's been through, but you can't ignore what you're seeing. Right now, he's a Day 3 pick, but he's also played like a first-rounder in the past. It's going to be a tough decision for any team and a lot will come down to the medical reports and a team's belief whether or not he will regain that first-round form.


Oklahoma RB Demarco Murray

Murray, who measured in at 6 feet and 214 pounds, is lean in the lower body. That could explain why he gets tripped up and goes down too easily. He has to get stronger in his lower body and also needs to learn to run with his legs higher. He's had that problem throughout his career and we saw it today as well. But he has the best burst and was the most explosive of the North running backs. He hit a crease faster than the other backs. During one-on-one passing drills, he looks like a wide receiver. He runs crisp routes, knows how to separate, has strong hands and makes it look effortless. It's obvious he's had more experience than most backs, having worked in the slot and been very involved in the passing game at Oklahoma.

There were a couple times he tried to bounce runs outside when he didn't need to but his quickness and athleticism really stood out today. He used his stiff-arm well and does a good job of not letting defenders get to his body or get a good shot on him. It's too bad Kansas State's Daniel Thomas, who was originally scheduled to be here, didn't make it. We have a slightly higher grade on Thomas and it would have been nice to see the competition. Now, it's Murray's job to prove he's the best back on the North team, with his biggest competition probably coming from Oklahoma State's Kendall Hunter.

Right now, without durability concerns, Murray is a late first-round to second-round pick. If he slides, it's because his durability issues at OU are a concern and NFL teams fear they will continue in the NFL.

 

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Weighing everything in

Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.


MOBILE, Ala. -- Believe it or not, the national scouting weigh in is a valuable scouting tool. It is a chance to verify, in person, all the numbers you had. You get to see if anything has changed from when scouts went to see college teams in the spring to gets the heights and weights. Sometimes, those numbers aren't accurate so if they've fluctuated, you want to see if they've moved for the better or the worse.

Specifically, you're looking at the numbers and the body type. Here's a quick breakdown of what to look for:

Skill positions you are looking for muscle tone. Are they ripped, or do they look flabby? You want them to have good, strong legs but skinny ankles for agility

On linebackers and running backs, you want to see a good base. You're looking for thickness in the trunk (the glutes and the thighs).

On linemen, you want them to be well proportioned and are they carrying the weight well. You don't want to see someone top heavy with a barrel chest and skinny legs. Or you don't want a wide body with skinny arm. Also, you look at the length of arm, especially for offensive tackles.

You look at hand size for wide receivers and quarterbacks. Obviously, bigger hands for receivers can help them catching the ball. Same for QBs throwing it.

Keeping that in mind, here were a few players who stood out in today's weigh in.

Colorado's Nate Solder and Boston College's Anthony Castonzo both looked good and have similar builds. Castonzo came in at 6-7⅛ and 305 pounds while Solder was 6-8¼ and 314 pounds. Both had good builds, carried their weight well and were well proportioned. They were very long and had very little fat for being over 300 pounds.

For a 224 pounder, Nebraska WR Niles Paul doesn't look like a 224 pounder. He has really wide shoulders and has the V cut from his shoulders to his hips. When you see him at the weigh in, he's ripped, but on the field it makes him a little stiff and a little tight in the upper body. He kind of looks like a running back on the field and is as smooth or fluid as you'd expect.

Baylor DT Phil Taylor carried 337 pounds very well. He has thick calves, broad shoulders and was not a sloppy 337 pounds. He has a similar build to former Tennessee Vol Dan Williams, who was Arizona's first round pick last year.

Boise State WR Titus Young measured in at 5-11 and 174 pounds, but he looks small. He has a thin frame and no fat on him. He looks like he'll get pushed around.

Clemson DT Jarvis Jenkins measured in at 6-4 and 309 pounds, but it was a very fleshy and very sloppy 309 pounds. We didn't really see any muscle definition.

Arkansas TE D.J. Williams came in at 6-2, 236 pounds and just by those numbers alone, he is clearly an H-back prospect or a glorified receiver. He'll have to line up in the slot or at FB in the passing games to create some favorable matchups, but he does not look enough or strong enough to hold up as an inline blocker, which weakens his value.

 

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Position spotlight: offensive tackles

Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.


MOBILE, Ala. -- If you can win Day 1 of the Senior Bowl practices, Colorado OT Nate Solder did just that.

Offensive tackle was one of the positions where we thought there would be a lot of competition to see who came out as the top guy, but Solder took charge from the very start of the day beginning at the weigh in, where he measured 6-8*#188; and 314 pounds. He looked like he was put together at a laboratory. Then he stepped on the practice field and dominated from early on. For a 6-8 guy, he plays with pretty good pad level, has a quick first step and can pop a guy coming off the ball. He gets a good initial surge and has the lower body strength and hip flexibility to drive people off the ball.

And he wasn't doing this against just the bags or inferior opposition. He was consistently going against Purdue DE Ryan Kerrigan, who should be a first-round pick. He got the better of Kerrigan in run blocking drills and in a pass protection drill, Kerrigan got a step on him using a speed move to the outside, but Solder recovered and got a two-hand punch on Kerrigan and just put him on his back by the end of the play. Love to see that. They went right at it again and Kerrigan tried to beat him with a spin move inside, but Solder side-stepped the initial move, redirected Kerrigan and by the time he came out of his spin move, Solder was there waiting for him. He moved well laterally, showed great balance and made plays against the best defenders here in Kerrigan and Cal's Cameron Jordan.

Now he's not perfect and his footwork could be crisper and there's still plenty of talented OTs here, even though they didn't have the same kind of first day. Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi is not the most athletic, but he's more technically sound than any of the other tackles here. Boston College's Anthony Castonzo started slow and has some ground to make up. Some believe Mississippi State's Derek Sherrod is a first-round offensive tackle, but he showed some of his weaknesses today, struggling with lateral agility and keeping a consistent pad level. They'll have to pick it up as Solder won Day 1.

 

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Todd McShay's top performer: San Diego State WR Vincent Brown

Brown caught everything. Not just easy catches either. One of the first plays that caught my attention during the North practice, Jake Locker threw a fastball on a quick slant. The ball was zipping at him on target, maybe a little in front of him, and Brown just plucked it out of the air effortlessly and got right upfield. I think he's a good route runner who will continue to improve by working on his technique, but his hands were the story. He did a great job in 7-on-7s catching the ball in traffic and he clearly wasn't afraid to go over the middle or of taking a big hit. Every time I looked up, he was catching the ball and the QBs already seem to trust him the most. Throw it in his direction, he's catching it. He's not a burner and doesn't have elite size but he's adequate in both those areas. Other guys are bigger, faster or had more national exposure, but I wouldn't be surprised if by the end of the week Brown has out performed just about every WR on the North team.

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Steve Muench's top performer: Cal DE Cameron Jordan

No one was able to move Jordan today. Even Nate Solder, who dominated everyone, had a tough time with Jordan in run periods. Jordan did an excellent job of staying low coming out of his stance and jacked up Solder, effectively taking away his power base, and gaining control in the battle. We wouldn't say he has violent hands, but he has a strong upper body and gets good hand placement so he can control guys. That's what you look for in a five-technique guy. He slid in to play DT where he looked a little quicker and he certainly big and strong enough to play that position at the next level. We'd like to see him battle some of the top offensive linemen some more this week but he's off to a strong start and is the top five-technique guy here and probably the best one in this class.

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Kevin Weidl's top performer: Miami WR Leonard Hankerson

At the weigh in, they measured Hankerson's hands at 10⅝ inches and those massive hands didn't drop anything. He caught everything outside of his frame and his hands just swallowed the ball. He is a long target with a wide strike zone and he adjusted to the ball very well. In 1-on-1s, he ran a deep route toward the sideline of the end zone and did a great job of opening his hips, turning around to catch the ball and keep his feet in bounds. He also competed for the ball in traffic and with a guy on him, he still caught everything. He has the size (6-1½ and 205 pounds) to be a matchup problem and the ability to shield defenders from the ball. He did that today and just always fought to make the catch. He's not a burner, doesn't have a big burst and it takes a few steps from him to get going, but he runs good routes. We want to see if he can separate at this level, but we know he can catch the ball.

 

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More weigh in notes

By Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl

Here are a few more notes from Monday's national scouting weigh in.


Five tallest players
Nate Solder, OL, Colorado, 6-8¼
Gabe Carimi, OL, Wisconsin, 6-7⅛
Anthony Castonzo, OL, Boston College, 6-7⅛
James Brewer, OL, Indiana, 6-6¼
Marcus Gilbert, OL, Florida, 6-6½

Five shortest players
Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia, 5-7
Kendall Hunter, RB, Oklahoma State, 5-7¼
Derrick Locke, RB, Kentucky, 5-8⅛
Kendric Burney, DB, North Carolina, 5-9
Jeremy Kerley, WR, TCU, 5-9¼

Five heaviest players
Phil Taylor, DL, Baylor, 337 pounds
Marcus Gilbert, OL, Florida, 329 pounds
James Brewer, OL, Indiana, 323 pounds
Demarcus Love, OL, Arkansas, 318 pounds
Lee Ziemba, OL, Auburn, 317 pounds

Five lightest players
Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia, 160 pounds
Demarcus Van Dyke, DB, Miami, 168 pounds
Josh Jasper, K, LSU, 173 pounds
Titus Young, WR, Boise State, 174 pounds
Alex Henery, P, Nebraska, 178 pounds

Five biggest hands
Cameron Jordan, DL, California, 11¼ inches
Derek Sherrod, OL, Mississippi State, 11 inches
Chris Neild, DL, West Virginia, 11 inches
Sione Fua, DL, Stanford, 10¾ inches
Phil Taylor, DL, Baylor, 10¾ inches

Five smallest hands
Josh Jasper, K, LSU, 8¼ inches
Johnny Patrick, DB, Louisville, 8⅜ inches
Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia, 8½ inches
Alex Henery, P, Nebraska, 8¾ inches
Casey Matthews, LB, Oregon, 8¾ inches

Five longest arms
Derek Sherrod, OL, Mississippi State, 35½ inches
Pierre Allen, DL, Nebraska, 35⅜ inches
James Brewer, OL, Indiana, 35⅜ inches
Gabe Carimi, OL, Wisconsin, 35¼ inches
Anthony Castonzo, OL, Boston College, 35¼ inches

Five shortest arms
Derrick Locke, RB, Kentucky, 29¼ inches
Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia, 29½ inches
Kendric Burney, DB, North Carolina, 29½ inches
Ahmad Black, DB, Florida, 29½ inches
Colin McCarthy, LB, Miami, 30 inches

Five longest wingspans
Derek Sherrod, OL, Mississippi State, 83⅞ inches
Gabe Carimi, OL, Wisconsin, 83¼ inches
Pierre Allen, DL, Nebraska, 83 inches
Demarcus Love, OL, Arkansas, 82⅞ inches
James Brewer, OL, Indiana, 82⅝ inches

Five shortest wingspans
Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia, 70½ inches
Kendric Burney, DB, North Carolina, 70½ inches
Derrick Locke, RB, Kentucky, 71⅝ inches
Jeremy Kerley, WR, TCU, 72 inches
Josh Jasper, K, LSU, 72⅛ inches

 

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Senior Bowl Day 2 practice blog

By Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl


Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl are blogging from the Senior Bowl. Keep checking in to see who is playing well and who's struggling during the second Senior Bowl practice.


North team

Tough competition
Purdue DT Ryan Kerrigan isn't standing out, but he's playing well and remember, he's going against the top two OTs here in Colorado's Nate Solder and Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi. He showed quickness and power but didn't see the ability to counter once he got caught by those two.

Not in a zone
UConn LB Lawrence Wilson showed good instincts earlier, but he didn't look as sure of himself dropping into zone coverage. He got caught drifting with one route that took him out of position and allowed another receiver to come in behind him.

Kendricks struggles
Wisconsin TE Lance Kendricks did not have a good day. He showed no pop or power as a blocker and as a receiver he was trapping everything against his pads. You could hear it thudding off his pads. The other North TEs had good days, so his poor performance stood out a little more.

Slippery Rock's in the house
Slipper Rock OL Brandon Fusco showed good inline strength and good core strength, but the problem is he is very stiff in his lower and upper body. He does not bend well at the knees and really struggles with quickness. He isn't good at recovering and redirecting. He was beat in 1-on-1s when defenders exposed his lack of lateral quickness.

Nothing brewing
Indiana's James Brewer had an awful day. He plays very high and doesn't bend at the knees well. He's a waist bender and struggles moving laterally. I didn't see a strong punch either. Also, he had two blown assignments during team periods.

Jordan rules
Cal DE Cameron Jordan is a beast today. He has long arms and is killing blockers with his swim move during the 1-on-1s.

Brewer's struggles
Indiana OT James Brewer plays high, which limits his ability to anchor and affects his inline power. He's also struggling to move laterally.

New faces
Ohio State WR Dane Sanzenbacher and Stanford CB Richard Sherman added to the North roster. Sherman is overmatched by most wide receivers' quickness. Sanzenbacher is small but he's quick and has shown good hands so far.

Good day
Boise State's WR Titus Young having a much better day today. He's quick and catching the ball consistently.

Passing drills
Stanford RB Owen Marecic caught two passes during team period. While he could extend and snatch better, he looks the ball in without breaking stride.

Basic instincts
UConn's Lawrence Wilson is showing great instincts. He sniffed out the screen and stuffed Maryland's Da'Rel Scott in the backfield. Then on the next play he diagnosed the reverse and made the play.

Stuffing the run
Michigan State LB Greg Jones did not look good during passing drills. Too many drops in the individual drills. He's a little stiff and misplayed the ball. But he made a nice read and wrap on a play during the run period.

Making a change Nebraska TE Mike NcNeill lined up at fullback and did a good job of getting into position at the second level. He took good angles and made the blocks.

Second impression
Marshall's Lee Smith is helping himself. He's very strong at the point of attack.

Strugging to catch the ball
Linebackers Mason Foster (UCLA), Mark Herzlich (Boston College) and Lawrence Wilson (Connecticut) are fighting the ball during individual drills. Ohio State's Ross Homan made a clean catch on one pass, but dropped the next one.

First impressions
Marshall TE Lee Smith is stiff and slow off the line, but he has a big frame, long arms and can snatch the ball out of the air.

 

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Senior Bowl Day 2 practice blog

By Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl

Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl are blogging from the Senior Bowl. Keep checking in to see who is playing well and who's struggling during the second Senior Bowl practice.


South team

Jekyll and Hyde
Hawaii WR Gregory Salas had the most up-and-down practice I've seen in a long time. He had some early drops and at one point he tried to make a cut and came out of his left cleat. He was frustrated and nothing was going right during drills. But the second the players got to the teams, he was getting open and catching everything. It was strange to see such a difference in his play, but we'd rather see him light it up and catch everything in team drills as opposed to performing well during individual drills but struggling in game situations.

Tough day
It was not a good day for Allen Bailey. On the first play during the team period, he was unable to stay balanced and was rolled to the ground by Mississippi State's Derek Sherrod. It was a tough start and it never got better. He had a tough time winning at one-on-ones in pass protection. He is all power and no quickness. There is no suddenness to countermoves and he really struggled to get off blocks or create penetration as a run-blocker. It was just a bad day for him.

Wildcat strikes
Arizona's Brooks Reed had another good day. He has heavy, violent hands. You can hear the difference in bag drills between him and other D-linemen. He used his hands really well in one-on-ones and during team periods and disengaged defenders to keep them from shooting inside. He showed a variety of pass-rushing moves from outside pass rush to inside countermoves to a great spin move to beat Georgia's Clint Boling during the team period. Just love the way the guy plays the game. He hustles, chases the ball downfield and is relentless off the edge as a pass-rusher.

Miller time again
Texas A&M LB Von Miller went down with the linemen to rush the passer in one-on-ones and was lights out. He's so quick around the corner and the blockers had no chance. On the flip side, NC State LB Nate Irving also went down to rush the passer and followed Miller and you could see the difference. He didn't have the same first-step quickness and was unable to turn the corner as a result.

Staying balanced
Georgia Tech RB Anthony Allen runs hard, but can he get around the corner? The concern with him today is that he lost his balance and had too much forward lean. He has to do a better job of keeping his pads over his feet.

Bear-ing down Baylor OG Danny Watkins is a technician on the inside. He is very good at sliding and mirroring defenders to stay in front of them. He got a little chippy at the end of plays, too.

Tale of a Tiger
LSU LB Kelvin Sheppard has good straight-line speed, especially for his size (6-3, 240 pounds), but he takes too long to regain momentum when forced to change direction quickly. He's quicker than he is fast.

Nice catch
Louisville RB Bilal Powell and Virginia RB Anthony Allen are catching the ball well. They're using their hands well, catching the ball in stride and away from their frames.

Guard down
Auburn OT Lee Ziemba is having issues lining up inside at guard. He's not able to bend at the knees, is playing with poor pad level and was driven back by Baylor DT Phil Taylor.

Oh-fer
Texas DT Sam Acho lacks quickness and power. He was shut out in one-on-ones, going 0-for-7 in the drill. Tough session for him.

Wind it down
Alabama TE Preston Dial is a tough blocker, but there's too much windup in his punch and it allows defenders to shoot their hands inside.

More on Williams
Arkansas' D.J. Williams is a great player. He shows good hands and is running better routes, but at 236 pounds, he looks more like a fullback than a tight end.

Special K
TCU WR Jeremy Kerley is having a good day and he's catching everything. He's quicker than he is fast.

Cutbacks
Bilal Powell is running hard but we'd like to see better vision from him. He missed a cutback lane in one drill and he needs to see the field better.

Williams moving well
The South team is off to a slow start today. Arkansas' D.J. Williams is athletic, quick and catches the ball well, but he rounds off his routes.

Good hands
Miami LB Colin McCarthy moved well and snatched the ball out of the air during cover drills.

 

[sbk92]

Look at Casey Matthews, Noel Devine

By Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl


Every day of practice, we'll pick two players from this year's Senior Bowl and look at how they're doing so far and what it's meant to their draft status.


Oregon LB Casey Matthews

The concern about Matthews is his power base. At 232 pounds, he's having a hard time holding his ground working against bigger blockers. For example, Marshall's 6-foot-6, 267-pound tight end Lee Smith put Matthews on his back during one-on-one drills. Matthews will probably need to be in a system with bigger defensive tackles who can keep blockers off him. Think Minnesota, for example, where those big D-tackles free the linebackers up to make plays.

It's not a question of toughness with Matthews. He's a tough player and will take people on. He's definitely not afraid to mix it up. What you really like about him are his instincts. He locates the ball quickly, gets downhill and takes sound angles, which makes it tough for blockers to get in position. The speed of his reaction make it hard to get bodies on him. The other thing we noticed is how well he's taking coaching. With his bloodlines, he could have had an attitude, but he's been nothing but hard-working, humble and has such a good motor.

There are some problems with his game, but he plays hard, can tackle, wraps well and has great instincts. At worst he's a fourth-rounder but has the potential to climb higher.


West Virginia RB Noel Devine

On the plus side, Devine is the quickest back here. He's starting from a standstill and he reaches top speed so quickly and gets through the hole. He also caught the ball well.

But the biggest thing working against him is his size. At 5-7, 160 pounds, he's the shortest and lightest player here. On one play, Alabama QB Greg McElroy looked for him in the flat and couldn't see Devine because he's so short. Sometimes small backs get away with their lack of height because they have great balance, but that was one of the most concerning things about Devine's performance. His lack of balance showed during drills whenever a linebacker or safety would come to wrap up, he'd try to make a move and fall to the ground. At one point, he was one-on-one with OLB Von Miller in space and tried to shake him but lost his balance.

He could be a third-down or change-of-pace back, but his lack of size and power are clearly an issue. Right now, because he's so one-dimensional, he looks like a fourth- or fifth-round pick.

 

[sbk92]

Head of the class

Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.


MOBILE, Ala. -- One of the best aspects of the Senior Bowl is it helps separate the elite players from the good players. While some elite seniors (such as Nebraska's Prince Amukamara and Iowa's Adrian Clayborn) opted not to play and the underclassmen (including roughly 15 with first-round potential) are not here, there still are close to a dozen players here who have a chance to be selected in the first round.

Each year, there are players who separate themselves from the pack. They enter the week among the handful of players with first-round grades, but they quickly emerge as the elite class. In recent years, it's been OL Mike Iupati in 2010; DT B.J. Raji, TE Brandon Pettigrew, LB Brian Cushing and LB Clay Matthews in 2009; DT Sedrick Ellis in 2008; and LB Patrick Willis in 2007.

While there have been just two practices this year, Texas A&M OLB Von Miller and Colorado OT Nate Solder are well on their way to joining that list. Their timing couldn't have been better. This setting affords NFL personnel departments and coaches a one of a kind chance to evaluate players. They get to watch players battle other elite players. Maybe once or twice do they get to see these kinds of individual matchups on film, but here it's every rep and in drills they want to see. If they want to see whether an offensive lineman can get set against a speed rusher and then shuffle his feet laterally to contend against a double move, they line it up. Maybe a cornerback from a small school looks like he has the fluid hips and transition speed to turn and run vertically on tape, but now they get to evaluate him up close against a a receiver who runs a legitimate 4.4-second 40-yard dash and has a quick double move.

But there's more than just what happens on the field. Once the stadium lights are off, the interview process is on. Each team has its own process, and some include questionnaires or psychological tests. Scouts keep evaluating players, but for many NFL coaches (who for the past several months have been immersed in their respective teams' seasons), this is the first time they get to spend any quality time with these players. Ultimately, it's all about answering questions. Is the player coachable? What's his background? Is this the type of player we want in our locker room? Is he a team player or a me player? These are questions coaches and scouts are trying to answer beginning now, continuing on through the combine and in individual workouts leading up to the draft.

From what we see on the field and what we're hearing about their interviews off it, Miller and Solder are standing out the most this week.

Miller has been spending most of his time at linebacker; at 6-foot-3, 237 pounds, that is where he'll need to play in the NFL. He was allowed to leave the LBs and join the D-linemen for one-on-one pass rush drills Tuesday, and it was impressive. He was unstoppable against players who are expected to go in the first two days of the draft. On the first play, he did an outside-in double move to beat Mississippi State's Derek Sherrod, and it wasn't even close. The move was so quick and so natural, Sherrod had no chance. The next play, Miller did a quick stutter fake inside, and then showed great torso flexibility by dipping his shoulder and following with a rip move that allowed him to tightly bend the edge and get to the QB (or in this case, a bag that was representing the QB). There were no wasted steps with him as a pass-rusher.

To see it in person in a one-on-one situation against a quality offensive tackle helps drive home everything you've seen on film. Another thing that stands out is just how athletic he is. When you think of a defensive end moving to outside linebacker, you think it will be a challenge athletically. But it does not appear to be so for Miller. It reminds me of Matthews -- and even Cushing to a lesser degree -- in how smooth the transition was for them. Both had experience playing hybrid DE/OLB roles at USC, but when they got to the Senior Bowl, they really showed they could do it all as traditional 4-3 outside linebackers as well. Also like Matthews and Cushing, Miller is proving he's receptive to coaching, specifically on improving his technique in drops and overall awareness in zone coverage. It's very clear Miller has the athleticism, speed and raw, natural football instincts to not only become adequate in coverage, but to make it a strength of his game, which already includes man-to-man coverage ability.

He's looking like a perfect fit for a strongside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme, but from talking to teams here that run a 3-4, don't count him out just yet as an outside linebacker in that alignment.

On the other side of the ball, Solder continues to be dominant. The thing that's impressed me is how stong he's been at the point of attack and finishing. We knew about his size and natural feet, and he's been all those things, but he's been nasty this week and it's been good to see. There are no cheap shots, but a couple of times when he could have finished a play a little easier, he just finished the guy. He buried Purdue's Ryan Kerrigan (who has a first-round grade) on Monday, and he went on the second level to pancake Boston College LB Mark Herzlich on one play and Ohio State's Ross Homan on another.

His play here is starting to match the size and athleticism we've seen on film, and that hasn't always been the case. For months, we've been talking about an offensive tackle class that has a lot of good players but no one who stood out. Solder is starting to show he's the most complete lineman.

Now, we know we're just midway through the week, but if Miller and Solder continue to perform both on and off the field in the last few days the way they have the first few here in Mobile, they'll join an elite fraternity of players, including Cushing, Matthews and Raji, who played their way to the top of the class.

 

[sbk92]

Position spotlight: defensive line

Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.


MOBILE, Ala. -- No player has helped his stock more this week than Cal DE Cameron Jordan. We've had Jordan somewhere between 20 and 32 for more than a month now. We watch some game film and feel good about that first-round grade. Then we put in a different game and we're not as sold. But after this week, we're feeling better about his first-round grade.

We knew coming in that with his size (6-4, 283 pounds) and playing as a 3-4 defensive end, he's not the most stout guy, but he's strong and very good against the run. The things that have impressed me the most are his hands, long arms and the fact that he can be an every down contributor because he can get pressure on the quarterback.

He's been absolutely dominating in the one-on-one drills. He has the biggest hands (11¼ inches) and he does a great job of using them to his advantage as a pass-rusher. He gets blockers' hands off his body easily and he uses his swim move well. He's not a one-trick pony, either. He can use the swim move inside or out (some can go only one way effectively) and he uses different ripping techniques. He has been relentless and has a nonstop motor.

We're hearing that he's been just as impressive in the interview room as he has been on the field. From everything we're gathering, Jordan is on a business trip here and he's proving to the people who matter that he's ready to be a pro. While he hasn't locked himself into the top part of the first round like Miller and Solder, he's in the process of locking down his spot somewhere in the first round.

Jordan has been the bright spot in an otherwise sluggish start for the defensive linemen. As Chris Mortenson reported, Oregon State's Stephen Paea will miss the rest of the Senior Bowl with a knee injury. He had a solid season but didn't break through like expected. Then he measured in at 6-2, 292 pounds, which limited the number of systems he fits. There were concerns coming in. Add in the official height and weight not being great and now the injury, and there's a lot of negative momentum for a player who already had slipped down to a second-round grade.

Purdue DE Ryan Kerrigan, in his defense, has taken just about every rep against either Solder or Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi, the two best offensive tackles here. He hasn't been terrible, but guys with first-round grades tend to come in here and elevate their game and dominate. Kerrigan hasn't done that. We know he's not an exceptional athlete, but he's been a little too straight line this week.

Miami's Allen Bailey is one player whose production on the field does not always match his natural tools. Because he's so naturally talented and because so much of the focus is on one-on-one matchups and group drills, Bailey had a chance to exceed expectations and really flash. If nothing else, he could have had the type of week that gets coaches who have studied little of his film excited and forced scouts who have studied his film to go back and study some more to re-evaluate. But he hasn't done that. We know he's not a speed rusher, but he hasn't shown an explosive first step. He couldn't get off the ball Tuesday, and the most frustrating part is that he hasn't been able to get off blocks. Bailey entered the week with a second-round grade, and the arrow now is starting to point more south than north.

But while it hasn't been the dominating performance from the defensive linemen that we were expecting, there's still lots of football left to be played.

 

[sbk92]

Todd McShay's top performer

North: Boise State WR Titus Young
There were concerns about his consistency and whether he lost confidence Monday. He got off to a fast start, but after a couple of drops, he seemed to struggle. He really bounced back Tuesday and showed he was able to shake off his roller coaster Day 1. He is still improving his technique, and his flaws are coachable. Also, while we didn't see him catching the ball overhead Tuesday, which was one of our concerns, every ball I saw thrown in his direction he hauled in. He's not overly big but he's the quickest wide receiver on the North team. He is really quick off the line, and gets in and out of his breaks. He also is snatching the ball on the run and getting upfield in a hurry, which he needs to continue to do as it will be a big part of his game at the next level. What gives him a chance to be an impact player is his open-field running ability both as a receiver and potentially as a punt returner.

South: TCU QB Andy Dalton
The more you watch him, the more you see him do all the little things that are so important to the quarterback position. He doesn't have the big size, strong arm or great athleticism, but he's doing a really good job. He's a sponge. He's always around the QB coaches or offensive coaches, always asking questions, always talking, always engaged. He's never standing off on his own. He's leading everything. His ball is not pretty -- it flutters sometimes -- but he's got adequate arm strength and probably the third-strongest arm of the QBs here. He can make the deep throws and he does the other little things right, so he has a good enough arm. He missed two times, throwing high on a couple of inside routes, but he was the most accurate QB from beginning to end.

--

Steve Muench's top performer

North: Oklahoma RB Demarco Murray
As a runner, he looked quick around the corner and did a better job of lowering his pads into contact. He was making nice cuts during the run period, and although he didn't catch a pass, he consistently got separation and was open. It was just that QBs were looking downfield so he didn't get any balls his way. When you talk about third-down backs, you think about the ability to get separation, lining up in the slot and catching the ball. But Murray is a good pass-blocker, and you saw that during one-on-one matchups when he stepped up, anchored and stopped UConn LB Lawrence Wilson. His blocking is another reason he's considered the best third-down back in this class.

South: Tennessee TE Luke Stocker
As a blocker, Stocker leans a little and he can play with better leverage, which isn't surprising for a 6-foot-5 guy. But he showed good toughness, got in position and walled off defenders Tuesday. Catching the ball over the middle was where he made his mark. He made a one-handed catch behind the linebackers and in front of the safeties. He took a big hit but held on to the ball and popped right back up. He did an excellent job of settling underneath and using his frame to shield linebackers from the ball. He made plays in traffic, and is very comfortable working over the middle and posting guys up. He caught everything Tuesday. His routes could be crisper, but because he is such a physical receiver, it's not as big of a concern as it would be for a smaller tight end.

--

Kevin Weidl's top performer

North: Wisconsin OT John Moffitt
After a shaky Day 1, Moffitt bounced back with a solid day Tuesday. He looked more comfortable and confident. He moved his feet well and did a good job of getting in strong position, which allowed him to use his natural inline power. He also did a better job of staying engaged with blockers, staying locked on, moving his feet and using his hands well. He was good in one-on-one matchups at anchoring against bull rushes and showed nice athleticism by getting downfield on a screen pass, getting in the open field, adjusting in the open field and covering up Virginia Tech CB Rashad Carmichael. He also ran a little at guard and center, and looked OK as an emergency center.

South: Georgia OG Clint Boling
He showed good balance, and displayed inline power and strength as a run-blocker. He projects as a guard, but they lined him up at tackle and he did well during the one-on-ones. He moved his feet well and used a strong, compact punch. He also showed some athleticism, getting out front on a screen and covering up a defender downfield. He wasn't perfect as a tackle -- his lack of elite athleticism and lateral agility was exposed by Arizona DE Brooks Reed's quick spin move to the inside -- but he helped himself with a strong overall showing Tuesday.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I can't say this enough, but we NEED to draft Von Miller.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

I can't say this enough, but we NEED to draft Von Miller.

You also wanted to keep Pasqualoni and now Miller....Hmmmm.... sounds likie sabotage to me.

 

[sbk92]

Senior Bowl Day 3 practice blog

By Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl


Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl are blogging from the Senior Bowl. Keep checking in to see who is playing well and who's struggling during the third Senior Bowl practice.


North team

Jordan rules, again
Cal's Cameron Jordan had another good day. It's all hands, hands, hands with him. He split double teams and was making plays.

Irish spring
We were surprised how well Notre Dame DT Ian Williams played today. He's not a great athlete but had a quick first step, used good leverage, showed good initial power and the ability to hold his position against the run. One of the most effective linemen during the 2-on-1 (two offensive linemen) drills.

Strong effort
Oklahoma DL Jeremy Beal plays hard, has a great motor and is a little stronger than expected. He has good initial pop, but he's not nearly as quick or athletic as his sack production indicates.

Carimi struggles
Wisconsin OT Gabe Carimi did not have his A-game today. He was beat Iowa DT by Christian Ballard in 1-on-1 drills and was tossed to the ground by Notre Dame's Ian Williams at the end of a play in drills. He didn't look as sharp as he normally does.

Feel the need for speed
We love WR Vincent Brown's hands and his ability to make plays in traffic. But the one reason he's making plays in traffic is he doesn't have great burst. You see it when he's trying to separate from corners. He had a chance to make a play coming out of his break but could not close on the ball while it was in the air.

Physical presence
There's a lot to like about Stanford CB Richard Sherman's size and how physical he can be. He made a great read on a five-yard out by Ohio State's Dane Sanzenbacher, but he couldn't get to the ball. He just doesn't have the closing speed.

Mr. Jones
Michigan State LB Greg Jones showed tightness and lack of athleticism throughout the day, especially playing in space. He was exposed in 1-on-1 coverage drills with RBs. He struggled when he had to quickly change momentum off cuts and was often trailing the RBs and out of position. He has a good motor and shows good instincts. When he can quickly recognize and find the ball between tackles, he does not have a problem getting in position to make the stop. We question if he can consistently get off blocks and make plays outside the tackle box.

Picking up blitzers
Roy Helu had a solid day. We liked him in blitz pickup and 1-on-1 pass protection drills. He did a good job of getting in position, sliding his feet and showed great technique and strength to anchor in, stay low and absorb when LBs bull rushed him. But it wasn't all gravy for Helu as he was overpowered by Purdue DT Ryan Kerrigan.

Getting it done
Boise State WR Austin Pettis had some problems getting off the line working against Stanford's Richard Sherman, but he got enough separation to make the catch.

Find the ball
Colorado CB Jalil Brown did a good job of mirroring Ohio State WR Dane Sanzenbacher underneath, but he never turned to pick up the ball.

Love/hate
Love Stanford RB Owen Marecic's fight, strength and competitiveness in 1-on-1 blitz pickups. On the downside, he really fought the ball in pass catching drills.

Power of the Irish
Notre Dame DT Ian Williams is having a good day. He's showing good first-step quickness, leverage and power.

Getting exposed
Michigan State LB Greg Jones' lack of change of direction skills are really exposed in man-to-man cover drills versus the running backs.

Mason work
Washington LB Mason Foster is having a good day finding the ball and he's showing some explosiveness.

Good and bad
East Carolina WR Dwayne Harris is inconsistent with his hands today. He made a great one-handed catch down the left sideline, but dropped two passes and trapped others.

Young shines again
Boise State WR Titus Young looks quick and is snatching the ball out of the air.

Competitive spirit
Ohio State WR Dane Sanzenbacher is having some problems separating from the defensive backs, but he's a great competitor when the ball is in the air.

 

[sbk92]

South Team

On the offensive
Georgia's Clint Boling and Alabama's James Carpenter are standing out on the offensive line. Both are strong at the point of attack and doing a good job against a big group of defensive tackles like Clemson's Jarvis Jenkins and Baylor's Phil Taylor.

Fight on
USC WR Ronald Johnson had a real up-and-down day. He looked quick working the middle of the field, caught the ball in stride and did a nice job of tracking the ball in individual drills, but had some drops. He tried to run a double-move at the end of team drills and was far too slow and mechanical getting in and out of the break.

Looking at Allen
Georgia Tech RB Anthony Allen displayed good burst, straight line speed, however we question his lateral quickness and vision. He's more of a straight ahead runner and is not going to make a lot of people miss.

White struggled
Mississippi State LB Chris White didn't have the best day today. He doesn't have great range and is limited in space. He had issues getting off blocks and his angles were a bit inconsistent in pursuit. But we like his fight and effort.

Got you covered
Miami CB DeMarcus Van Dyke is blanketing South Alabama WR Courtney Smith and USC WR Ronald Johnson. He is reading routes and looking quick.

Bouncing back
USC WR Ronald Johnson dropped one pass early but bounced back. He tracked the ball well during individual drills and opened up and made a nice adjustment on a pass thrown slightly behind him.

Sleeper alert
Alabama TE Preston Dial make some nice grabs early, including two one-handed grabs. He's not a flashy player, but may be great value as a late round pick.

Mixed messages
Clemson CB DeAndre McDaniel tracked the ball well and showed he can highpoint the ball during individual drills, but he also had a pass pop off his hands.

Off and running
Louisville RB Bilal Powell's is running well today. He is displaying a natural feel for the cutback lanes and doing a great job of running north and south.

Go get it
Hawaii WR Gregory Salas is stiff in and out of his routes, but we like the way he is attacking the ball. He's not waiting for it and he can snatch it out of the air.

Freak of nature
Texas A&M LB Von Miller's movement skills are ridiculous during drills.

Tough day so far
South Alabama WR Courtney Smith continues to have problem extending and fielding the ball with his hands. He also dropped a pass after getting popped, his second drop of the day.

 

[sbk92]

Locker still the class of Senior Bowl QBs

Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.


MOBILE, Ala. -- Deciding to return to school and passing on several million dollars might wind up being the best thing that ever happened to Jake Locker's career.

Had the Washington quarterback been a top-five pick, as projected last year, and thrust into a situation like Sam Bradford in St. Louis, there's a real good chance Locker would have crashed and burned. He's just not ready and is still a work in progress. In fact, there's no guarantee it all ever comes together, and we know from getting 13 more game tapes and a week of watching him here in practice that it hasn't all come together yet. He shows all the right things but just at different times. He's not consistent but he flashes enough to make you think his best football could still be in front of him.

We've known all along that Locker has the size (6-3, 230 pounds), arm strength and athletic ability, but the positive that came out of this week is by playing with better players around him, he is better than what you see on film when he was playing behind the line and using only the weapons he had at Washington. I think it also has been helpful for Locker to go through the process. He's showing NFL personnel and coaches that he's committed to get better and has good football character. He understands he's flawed and has areas he needs to improve on.

Locker knows he's thinking about his footwork too much and he's robotic with his mechanics. It's not second nature and he's not comfortable like most quarterbacks who are able to just go out and play the game. The bottom line is if you're inconsistent with footwork, you're going to be inconsistent with your accuracy. QB coaches can tell where the ball is going and how well it's thrown by watching a quarterback from the waist down. Watching Locker, his feet are good on one play and then they're not on the next. That's making Locker think too much and focus on his feet too much instead of just being natural. Think of it like a golf swing. If you step up to the tee with 10 things running through your head -- I have to keep my head down, my elbow straight, my back firm, my feet lined up properly, etc. -- your swing is choppy and inconsistent. Tiger Woods, who has 3 million reps swinging, swings smoothly because it's second nature to him.

A lot of people around Locker might have hit the panic button, especially during the season when he and the Huskies were struggling, but he hasn't. He is still learning, still growing and what is natural to others isn't natural to Locker yet. He knows he needs reps and he knows he needs to improve.

The best thing that could happen to Locker is for him to wind up in an Aaron Rodgers situation. Rodgers got the last laugh, going to the Super Bowl now after dropping to the 24th pick in the 2005 NFL draft, but that might not have been the case had he been picked No. 1 by San Francisco and forced into the fire. The variable is that there is still no guarantee Locker gets in that kind of situation even if he drops into the middle of the first round instead of being a top-five pick. At this point, I'd be comfortable drafting Locker in Round 1 only if I had a veteran starting quarterback whom I could rely on for at least one more year, an owner I know would not push for Locker to play until he was ready and a quarterback coach who knows what's he doing.

Here's a quick look at the other QBs at the Senior Bowl:


Nevada's Colin Kaepernick

His delivery is flawed but I don't know if it's necessarily a deal breaker or that he has to completely retool it like a Tim Tebow process. He's working on his delivery and though he's improved every day, he's still a long-term developmental project and I wouldn't expect him to be drafted in the first two rounds. The positive thing about him is during the 11-on-11 and team drills, he made his best plays and best throws and we were impressed with his accurate throws in tight windows.

Iowa's Ricky Stanzi

Someone will draft Stanzi in the middle rounds with the idea that he will develop into a solid backup. If forced into the game, he'll be prepared, competitive and can make accurate throws underneath and most of the intermediate throws. The problem we saw this week, and it matched what we saw on film, is his arm strength is limited. While arm strength can be the most overrated part of evaluating a QB, he has to have a certain base level. Watching Stanzi in windy conditions when he was forced to make some throws, he couldn't get the ball out easily and it started to affect his accuracy. It's something he'll work to overcome, but teams shouldn't draft him thinking they will develop him into a future starter.

TCU's Andy Dalton

He exceeded expectations but Dalton didn't blow anyone out of the water this week. He has a good sense of timing and is accurate. He doesn't have elite arm strength but understands his tools and what he can and can't do. He's very efficient. He won't impress anyone with his size or arm strength but there's no denying his competitiveness. He makes his best plays in game situations.

FSU's Christian Ponder

He showed good poise and went through his progressions, but he played it safe this week. He showed good touch and accuracy underneath, but he never aired it out. Every throw he made over 15 yards was a touch throw. He claims he's 100 percent, but that elbow injury he suffered during the season snowballed so maybe he was afraid to let it rip, or maybe he was worried he'd be injured again and have to start over. Don't think we got a real good read on Ponder either way. But the upside is he got face time with coaches, scouts and the Buffalo Bills staff, but teams will learn a lot more about him when they bring him in to work out over the next two months than they did this week.

Alabama's Greg McElroy

McElroy showed very good footwork and might be the most mechanically sound quarterback here. He doesn't need a lot of coaching and doesn't need a lot of work in terms of understanding progressions and the passing game. He can be accurate with the throws he can make, but arm strength is an even bigger problem for McElroy than it is for Stanzi. As a result, there's a chance a team drafts McElroy in the sixth or seventh round, but there's also a chance he goes undrafted.

Locker is the elite of this Senior Bowl class even though he's still a project. McElroy is at the bottom of this group. In the middle there are the other four quarterbacks each competing to prove he is the best of the bunch. All of them bring different qualities to the table and different evaluators have different impressions based on what they look for in a QB and their scheme. Even in our group, there's some debate about the order of the middle four. I say it's Dalton, Stanzi, Kaepernick and Ponder. Steve Muench goes with Stanzi, Dalton, Ponder and Kaepernick, while Kevin Weidl goes with Dalton, Stanzi, Ponder and Kaepernick. So, obviously, there's still plenty of evaluating to be done on these QBs.

 

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Deep six

Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.


MOBILE, Ala. -- A six-pack of notes from the week:

The thing I took from today is the more I see Cal's Cameron Jordan, who was a 3-4 DE in college, the more I think he's a better fit as a 4-3 left defensive end. He's a lot like Wisconsin's J.J. Watt. People look at them physically and see a great five-technique guy, but I think because they both have great hands, are active on the move and can make things happen that they are better fits at left DE. After studying both on film and seeing Watt in the Rose Bowl and Jordan here at the Senior Bowl, there's not a huge difference between them but it's obvious Jordan is the better all-around prospect. Jordan is fighting to get in the top 20, while Watt is slightly behind him.

Oklahoma's Jeremy Beal has been disappointing. His effort has been fantastic and you watch him on TV during the season and he's always standing out and making plays. At Oklahoma, he has 224 total tackles for his career, including 58½ for loss and 29 sacks. But when you break him down on tape and see him here with rep after rep against adequate-to-elite competition, it becomes obvious that Beal's athleticism and natural gifts don't measure up as much as those college numbers would suggest. The two things that really stand out are his lack of explosive speed around the edge and the athleticism. You watch a guy like Texas A&M's Von Miller and see how explosive he is changing directions and with his spin moves, etc., and Beal just doesn't have those natural tools. He is a little bit stronger than I expected and I think after a few years of really working on technique and mastering the position he could develop into an every-down starter. But at this point, it's hard to see what part of his game is special. He's not an overpowering defensive end, and for an average size guy, he doesn't have great explosiveness. Right now, it's hard to see spending a pick any higher than the third round on him.

It's not a good tight end class so there are a lot of opportunities this year for an under-the-radar guy to move up over the next few months and come off the board higher than anticipated as opposed to a year with a deeper tight end class. Don't be surprised if Marshall TE Lee Smith emerges as one of those guys. In a class that features many undersized H-back/WR types, Smith, at 6-5 7/8 and 269 pounds, has prototypical NFL tight end size. He does an average to good job of blocking. He can improve his footwork, but when he locks on he's strong enough to sustain the block. Tennessee's Luke Stocker is the best blocking tight end, but Smith isn't far behind.

The biggest problem with Smith's game is that he doesn't have the top-end speed to stretch the field and he's not explosive enough getting in and out of breaks. But I do think he has enough quickness and body control to separate as a short-to-intermediate target in the passing game. The thing that jumped out to me more than anything this week is that he has such good hands. He can adjust to the ball below his waist, which a lot of big tight ends struggle to do. We saw him catch the ball over his head and also adjust to poorly thrown balls away from his frame. Most importantly for the position, he has strong hands in traffic.

When we get back from the Senior Bowl, he's on a short list of guys we have to re-evaluate and study more tape of and he's forced us to do that with his performance this week. We had him as a fringe draft pick coming into week, but after watching him this week it wouldn't surprise us if he came off the board early in Day 3.

TCU WR Jeremy Kerley has had a good week of practice in terms of catching the ball and finding a way to be productive during team sessions. He's a prototypical NFL slow receiver/return specialist. He was phenomenal in both areas in college. While I do think he can contribute in the NFL, watching Kerley in the South's afternoon practices after watching a similar player in the North's morning practice in Boise State's Titus Young, it became very clear that Kerley is a notch or two behind Young in terms of initial burst off the line, quickness as a route runner and transition quickness (catching the ball and getting up the field). I think Young will have a much easier time getting off the line of scrimmage and separating from man-to-man coverage at the next level than Kerley. While Kerley hasn't done anything wrong, I feel like I'm watching his legs move 100 mph, but he's not getting there as quickly as Young.

Florida State C Rodney Hudson is undersized at 6-2 and 291 pounds and he's not a good fit for every NFL team. He's better suited for zone blocking teams like the Texans and Colts. But among teams that don't mind undersized offensive linemen, I think someone is going to wind up with a steal if it takes a chance on Hudson. He might not get drafted in the first two rounds, but it doesn't matter where he gets drafted. As long as he goes to the right scheme and has an opportunity to compete, he could be ready early in his career to step in as a starter and play at a satisfactory level. I say this because he has good experience and was very well coached, especially late in his career at FSU by Rick Trickett. Three things jump out at you about Hudson -- he takes good angles, gets good leverage (he gets low against bigger guys and holds his ground) and has good hands. He's not overly strong, but he gets his hands in the right places and walls guys off well enough to execute his assignment. Hudson is one of those guys who generates a lot of different opinions, but he's the type of guy who will be ready to play when he gets to the league and has a chance to prove a lot of people wrong.

 

[sbk92]

Todd McShay's top performer

North: Purdue DT Ryan Kerrigan
His strength is getting up the field and getting to the quarterback. After a trip to the LBs group for some drills that exposed his lack of athleticism and tight hips that aren't ideal for coverage, he showed he is a DE in a 4-3 scheme no questions asked and should drop into coverage rarely in the NFL. After coming back to the D-line he was as dominant as he's been all week in practice. He showed good initial quickness off the line and did a really good job of dipping his shoulder into the offensive tackle and bending the edge from that point. He gets down low and uses that leverage to turn the corner. He beat Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi with a rip move, then he speed rushed Indiana's James Brewer twice and it wasn't even close. He was flying around the field during team drills and showed a great motor and good instincts making plays in the run and the passing game. By far, it was his best day.

Georgia OG Clint Boling
Having watched Boling on tape and during Senior Bowl week, I think there might be an outside shot he could get by at right tackle in the NFL. But I think he could be a really, really good guard so I would draft him at guard with every intention of playing him inside. The reason is his only real weakness seems to be the lack of elite agility or lateral quickness. The only time I saw him get beat in any drill or during team period was when a quicker DE, Miami's Allen Bailey, moved inside. Otherwise, he was efficient when he wasn't overpowering. He has good balance as a blocker, is aggressive and physical, and just knows where he wants to go. He attacks pass-rushers, does a good job with hand placement, and for a guy who's not a great athlete, he's capable of sinking his hips and getting good leverage. The best part of his game is his strength. He's underrated in terms of his overall strength and power at the point of attack. I think out of all the offensive linemen, Boling had the best day today and has the looks of a guy would could be drafted on Day 2.


Steve Muench's top performer

Boise State WR Titus Young
From the very beginning, it was obvious Young was the quickest receiver on the field. His routes could be crisper, but he did a good job of using his head and shoulders to set up inside and outside breaks. The highlight was just how well he caught the ball today. It was all hands and away from his frame. He showed he could open his hips and adjust to balls thrown behind him as well. One area of concern is that after the catch he can let the ball drift away from his frame. One time he lost it, but whereas a couple days ago he stood and watched a defender who made a pick on a ball that went off his hands, this time Young dove after the ball, fought for it and came up with it. He was competitive, quick and caught the ball well.

Clemson CB DeAndre McDaniel
He had a good day. He still has a hard time changing directions quickly, but he did a good job of opening his hips and running with Alabama TE Preston Dial and Hawaii WR Gregory Salas. He also did a nice job of lining up in the box, slipping blockers and getting involved.


Kevin Weidl's top performer

Washington OLB Mason Foster
Foster's instincts are the thing that stick out. He does a great job finding the ball and always being around the ball. He's good at recognizing plays and showed that by diagnosing a screen pass twice and getting in position to make the stop. Of all the linebackers, he has the most quick-twitch power and can strike at the point of attack. In one-on-one pass drills, he has a little pop that shocked blockers and knocked them back. He could be a little better using his hands, but he had a very good overall day.

LSU LB Kelvin Sheppard
At 6-2, 250 pounds, he looked bigger and stronger than we saw on film. He's showing power and strength at the point of attack. You see it when he's rushing off the edge in one-on-ones. He's shocking the blocker and knocking him back. He has shown good recognition skills and awareness dropping in coverage. The added weight might have hurt his range a little bit, but he still shows above-average range so it doesn't hurt him that much. We had concerns about him taking on and getting off blocks and we saw some of that today, but overall it was a good day for Sheppard.