Scouts Inc.'s Texas vs. Nation week coverage....

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By Kevin Weidl

Intangibles and improved accuracy make T.J. Yates an intriguing prospect.


After spending the last two weeks evaluating players at the East-West Shrine Game and Senior Bowl, it's time to head to San Antonio to take in a couple days of practice for the Texas vs. Nation game.

The Texas-Nation game is improving every year in terms of overall talent level and it's closing the gap on the Shrine Game, so I'm interested to see how the overall group in San Antonio shapes up. Here are five players in particular I'll be keeping an eye on.


North Carolina QB T.J. Yates (Scouts Inc. grade: 33)
Yates struggled early in his career and fans were calling for him to be replaced heading into this season, but Yates showed the maturity, leadership and improvement you'd expect from a senior and has helped his stock in the process. He made much better decisions this season and was much more accurate in the intermediate and deep areas of the field. Yates has also shown sneaky mobility and improved pocket presence and awareness for the rush.

I was him in person in the season-opener against LSU and was impressed by the leadership ability and the way he helped hold his team together in the face of multiple suspensions and distractions that could have been totally overwhelming. This week I'll be watching Yates' accuracy, whether he can get the ball out on time and into tight windows. However, given the way he led his team and the improvements in his game Yates has already gone from completely off the radar to a late-round possibility, and he could certainly increase his chances of getting a shot in the NFL with a good week in Texas.


Hampton NT Kenrick Ellis (68)
Ellis has a very good build for a 6-foot-44, 336-pounder. He has a very powerful upper body and active, heavy hands to shock and shed blockers. He can win one-on-one matchups and also hold up against double teams, and he is a powerful bull-rusher who plays hard.

However, he plays with a narrow base at times and can be knocked off the ball when he does, and Ellis comes with some character concerns after beginning his career at South Carolina then being suspended and eventually dismissed from the team. He's on the fringe of the third round right now but could improve his stock with strong performances both in workouts and in the interview room.


Ole Miss DT Jerrell Powe (65)
I like Powe's upper body strength and he has a decent anchor against the double team, and even at 6-2, 320 pounds he flashes the ability to make plays outside the tackle box. You'd like to see a little more initial quickness, though, and his lack of balance means he is on the ground too often for a player his size. Powe's in the middle of the fourth round right now and this week I'm looking for him to be more active and play with a better base and balance.


Florida Atlantic TE Robert Housler (49)
I've studied Housler's tape and I'm interested to see how the 6-5, 236-pounder looks in person. He's undersized and doesn't offer much as a blocker but Housler has exceptional burst off the ball and can stretch the seams in the passing game. He has the body control to make tough catches outside his frame and can produce after the catch, and his natural speed and athleticism could make him a good pass-catching tight end in the NFL.

In a weak overall tight end class Housler could improve his fifth-round grade with a strong week in San Antonio, and I'm especially interested to see how he carries his weight and whether he can add some bulk to help improve his blocking.


Tennessee WR Denarius Moore (42)
Moore has more-than-adequate speed and route-running skills, and he shows good body control and natural hands. However, this week I'll be watching how well he can get down the field and adjust to the ball. Moore builds speed rather than exploding off the line and I want to see how he tempos his routes and whether he has the suddenness to create separation. He's a fringe fifth-rounder as it stands now.

 

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QBs have accuracy issues in San Antonio

By Kevin Weidl


The first day of practice for the Texas vs. Nation all-star game in San Antonio, Texas, was uncharacteristically cold and windy, which forced most scouts into the press box and caused accuracy problems for the quarterbacks on both rosters.

On the Texas side all three quarterbacks were very inaccurate. Fresno State's Ryan Colburn was surprisingly out of rhythm for a quarterback who played in a pro-style system in college, showing choppy footwork that only magnified the fact that his arm was not strong enough to cut through the crosswind.

Texas Tech's Taylor Potts missed receivers both high and low and really struggled in the intermediate and deep areas of the field. Josh Portis of California (Pa.) needs a lot of refining to his overall game after playing in a spread offense in college. Portis was late getting to the top of his drops and struggled to get the ball out on time.

As for the Nation quarterbacks, they looked slightly better but still had accuracy issues at times. T.J. Yates of North Carolina struggled early but showed something by bouncing back during seven-on-seven drills. Yates was smart with the ball, took his checkdowns when necessary and showed good anticipation for intermediate windows on curl routes.

Yates was efficient in his drop, got the ball out on time and at one point dropped a nice ball to former college teammate Ryan Taylor between two defenders on a corner route.

Nathan Enderle of Idaho showed the strongest arm among the quarterbacks and put the ball on the mark when he stepped into his throws. However, his accuracy was also up-and-down and the inconsistency we saw in film study showed up here as well.


Texas notes

Stock up

Missouri C Tim Barnes had perhaps the best day of any lineman. Barnes is not a gifted athlete but he knows how to get the most out of his natural ability, keeping his feet under him and playing with good natural leverage and knee bend. He was patient in his sets and anchored well against the power rush of Mississippi DT Jerrell Powe, and Barnes also showed good awareness in pass protection during the team period. He stays engaged and can get some movement in the running game, and even though he is a bit limited in space Barnes has the look of a midround prospect at this point.

Texas Tech LB Brian Duncan is one of the bigger (6-½, 237) linebackers in San Antonio and showed on Tuesday that he is an instinctive in-the-box run-stopper. He was all over the field during the team period, rarely taking false steps and taking on blocks well at the point of attack. He consistently got downhill quickly and got good run fits.

Under the radar

Southeast Louisiana OL Kevin Hughes does not have prototypical size (6-3½, 297) but is big enough to get the job done and proved very tough to get around on Tuesday. He is light on his feet and easily shuffles and mirrors. He stoned Oklahoma State's Ugo Chinasa during one-on-one drills, moved well in space and overall showed a skill set worth watching as the week progresses.

Tennessee-Chattanooga CB Buster Skrine looked smooth, staying low in his backpedal and doing a good job transitioning forward to break on balls. Skrine was a bit tight flipping his hips but showed good anticipation and read routes well. He had one of the better days of any prospect.

Tight end watch

Florida Atlantic's Rob Housler had an underwhelming first day, dropping a lot of balls and seeming to lose focus throughout the day. Housler is also raw with his routes and rounds off too many cuts, though he does have good speed and initial burst. He's also very undersized and looks like a wide receiver rather than a tight end. He appeared to be going through the motions and did not have a good day.

Louisville's Cameron Graham, on the other hand, ran much better routes and caught the ball much better than Housler, and Graham was much better in and out of cuts. He does not have a lot of inline power but Graham did a good job getting into position and walling off defenders.


Nation notes

Stock up

I liked what I saw when watching film of West Virginia OLB J.T. Thomas on Monday night and his performance in Tuesday's practice backed up my first impression. Thomas is an easy mover with lots of range and lateral quickness and he closed on the ball well. He showed the instincts to find the ball and diagnosed plays quickly.

He will get engulfed at the point of attack at times but Thomas is very good at slipping blocks and getting involved in the play, and he also showed good awareness in underneath zone coverage and matched up well in man coverage. He looks like a good fit as a weakside linebacker in the NFL where he can be covered up and allowed to run to the ball.

DTs shine

Virginia Tech's John Graves is undersized (6-3, 278) but anticipates the snap well and comes off the ball with good leverage, which allowed him to consistently get initial surge. He won with quickness during inside run drills, gaining initial position and using his hands to disengage before getting down the line to get in on the play. Graves can have problems against bigger blockers in phone-booth situations and was rooted off the ball at times, but overall I was impressed with his quickness and leverage.

Hampton's Kenrick Ellis is one of the highest-rated prospects on either roster and he has an impressive build for a 6-5, 336-pounder. Ellis has raw, explosive power in the upper body and his explosive punch allowed him to shock and shed blockers. He's very active against the run, and while I'd like to see a little better pad level from him he has all kinds of upside.

Wide receivers up and down

Iowa's Derrell Johnson-Koulianos is clearly the best wideout here, showing sure hands and catching everything away from his frame. Johnson-Koulianos also displayed good body control and fluidity with his routes, and while he's not a blazer he gets in and out of breaks well. Character is a major concern after the Hawkeyes dismissed him from the team following his arrest on drug charges, but the talent is there for Johnson-Koulianos.

It was a day full of drops for other Nation wideouts, particularly NC State's Owen Spencer, who struggled tracking the ball and often got his head around late. He also lacked focus in traffic and was not explosive in his routes.

Joe Morgan of Walsh flashed at times and showed the savvy to find windows in zone coverage, but he also struggled to bring the ball in at times.

 

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Kenrick Ellis showing impressive skills

By Kevin Weidl


SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Cold weather once again affected practice for the Texas vs. Nation all-star game, but even with shortened practice sessions there was more than enough time for prospects to make impressions on scouts.


Nation notes

NT Ellis and OT King stand out

On the defensive side, Hampton NT Kenrick Ellis continues to shine. Ellis has outstanding natural power in the upper body and is as athletic as a 6-foot-5, 336-pounder can be. He used his quickness to get across the line and get to the quarterback during the team period, and his quick hands and feet also showed up against the run.

Ellis does play a bit high and get caught in the wash at times, but he is hustling all over the field and trying to put to rest some of the character/motivation concerns he brings with him. Overall, Ellis is on the rise and could be the highest pick to come out of this game, perhaps early in the fourth round.

Offensive tackle Jarriel King of South Carolina showed impressive upper-body strength today. King has a strong punch and good finishing strength, and he showed the ability to stone pass rushers with his hands and a good inline power base to create movement in the running game.

King had a nice kickout block to open a running lane at one point, and later on a draw play he did a good job selling pass before chipping his defender and getting to the second level to cut off a linebacker. He does not have great lateral quickness and gets off-balance and has trouble recovering at times, but King is having a decent week and should end up in the mid-round discussion.

Yates comes back to earth

North Carolina QB T.J. Yates took a step back on Day 2 and accuracy and arm strength were his biggest issues. He short-hopped some throws, missed the mark on others and simply didn't see the field well. He made a big mistake when he panicked late in one play and tried to squeeze the ball in on a dig route and had the ball intercepted. Yates didn't see the field well, held the ball too long and was slow in his progressions during the team period.

Tayor quietly rising

H-back Ryan Taylor, a teammate of Yates with the Tar Heels, is quietly having a solid week. Taylor is savvy with his route running, gets out of breaks well and is effective on corner routes when lined up inline. He knows how to uncover against zone and has caught everything thrown in his direction, including a nice one-handed grab today on a deep crossing route. Taylor doesn't appear to have the strength or power to transition to fullback but teams looking for a pass-catching H-back in the later rounds will surely give him a hard look.

Good day for a Buckeye

Ohio State CB Devon Torrence put on an impressive performance on Tuesday. I like Torrence's smooth movement and good feet. He is fluid flipping his hips and gets in and out of cuts well, and he did a good job using his hands in press coverage to disrupt receivers at the snap. His anticipation was also impressive. Torrence stepped in front of several balls and intercepted two, and overall had the best day of any defensive back here. How far his stock ultimately rises will depend on how fast he runs during workouts, but Torrence has talent and has certainly helped himself this week.

Tough day for WR Holmes

Hillsdale WR Andre Holmes had several drops today, fighting the ball all day and showing little in the way of ball skills. Holmes did not track the ball well, had trouble getting in and out of breaks and had problems getting off press coverage.


Texas notes

Potts improving

The quarterback play was a little better than on Day 1, thanks in large part to the absence of the strong winds that hampered the first day of practice. It also helps that the passers are becoming a little more familiar with their targets.

Texas Tech's Taylor Potts still missed the strike zone at times, but I liked the touch he displayed throughout the session. Potts also showed improved accuracy in terms of finding passing windows in the intermediate areas of the field.

It was another tough day for Fresno State's Ryan Colburn, though. His lack of arm strength is becoming a glaring weakness, and his accuracy was off as well. Colburn missed high, short-hopped receivers and generally forced them to adjust to the ball far too much.

Wideouts looking good

Marcus Harris of Murray State is one of the faster players here this week. I like his explosiveness out of cuts and ability to separate, and Harris showed good hands as well. He did have a couple drops but displayed the ability to open up and make catches outside his frame. He also has the speed to get behind defensive backs and stretch the field.

Ricardo Lockette of Fort Valley State is showing the skills that landed him at Georgia to begin his career. Lockett is not as quick or fast as Harris but did show good body control and hands when going to make a tough catch. He also gets in and out of breaks smoothly.

Skrine continues to impress

Tennessee-Chattanooga CB Buster Skrine continued to stand out on Day 2. Skrine has the best movement skills of any defensive back here, showing quick feet when transitioning forward to play the ball. He's a bit undersized (5-foot-9, 186 pounds) but his overall showing has helped him gain momentum and put him in the late-round discussion.

Linemen up and down

Notre Dame OL Chris Stewart moves well for his size (6-4, 346) and has shown some late-round potential this week. Stewart got good initial movement as a run blocker during the team period, putting a nice down block on Ole Miss DT Jerrell Powe at one point, and he did a good job sliding and mirroring pass rushers during one-on-one drills. I'd like to see better leverage and anchor in his pass sets and he is a bit limited in space, but overall it was a good day for Stewart.

Southeast Louisiana OL Kevin Hughes moved well and showed good feet, but he leaned into defenders too much during one-on-one drills and was seen giving up the edge as a pass blocker. He was off-balance at times and at one point over-set to the outside and was beaten back inside on a double move.

Missouri C Tim Barnes continues to excel in pass protection, which is no surprise given his experience in the Tigers' pass-heavy spread system. Barnes moves well laterally to stay in front of pass rushsers, but he's not used to power run blocking and struggled to get movement in that area. He was knocked back at times and didn't always play on the right side of the line of scrimmage.

 

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Kenrick Ellis could make early impact

By Kevin Weidl


Five players who came out of the 2010 Texas vs. Nation game -- OT Jared Veldheer, S Kendrick Lewis, CB Sam Shields, DE/OLB Arthur Moats and TE Clay Harbor -- were drafted or signed as rookie free agents and became contributors in their first year in the NFL.

Here's a look at five players taking part in the 2011 version of the game this weekend who could make similar impacts as rookies.


Hampton DE Kenrick Ellis -- The top-rated prospect in this year's game, Ellis has an elite frame for a 6-foot-4, 336-pound prospect, along with great quickness and explosive natural power in the upper body. He needs to play with better pad level but still rates as a fringe-third-round prospect.

Iowa WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos -- There are some big character issues to be addressed after Johnson-Koulianos was dismissed by the Hawkeyes following a drug arrest, but he was clearly the best receiver on the practice field in San Antonio. He is not a blazer but is a savvy route-runner with sure hands who can make big gains after the catch.

West Virginia OLB J.T. Thomas -- He lacks ideal size and sometimes struggles at the point of attack, but Thomas has good instincts, lateral quickness and range, and he could thrive on the weak side in a 4-3 defense.

Ohio State CB Devon Torrence -- Torrence had a very good week of practice, showing good movement skills and the anticipation to make good breaks on the ball. Questions about his top-end speed will keep him in the later rounds, but Torrence could be an effective sub-package defensive back early in his career.

Mississippi DT Jerrell Powe -- He got better as the week progressed, using his size to anchor well against double-teams, and while I'd like to see him play with better balance at times Powe could be an effective run-stopping reserve along the interior.

 

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What time is the game?

 

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2pm EST.