Senior Bowl Stuff...

Cotton

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boozeman

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I think Michael Sam would look excellent at RE for Dallas coming off the bench in passing situations and backing up Ware.




Sounds like our kind of lineman.
 

boozeman

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Senior Bowl Practice, Tuesday


Jan 21, 2014 7:51 PM EST




By Jeff Risdon


I focused primarily on the defensive backs and wideouts on Tuesday, though also caught some linebackers, running backs, and quarterbacks. The notes here are combined from the two sessions, as a lunch powwow ran longer than expected.

There were very few real standouts, as most players had some wins and some losses. A few did stand out, however.

Good days

Coastal Carolina running back Lorenzo Taliaferro stood out in pass protection drills for the South. He’s a thicker back at well-assembled 231 pounds, and he delivered some serious blows when picking up linebackers and safeties. Taliaferro also showed he could catch out of the backfield despite having the smallest hands of any player here.

The one player who bested Taliaferro was BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy. He’s got great explosion from his stance but also has loose ankles to change course on the fly. He can get himself low and still stay moving, and he also demonstrated some yank and shoulder dip moves. During one linebacker drill, he laid out fellow LB Telvin Smith with a serious pop. Van Noy has impressed all week.

Wyoming wideout Robert Herron stole the show in the morning North session.

What I really liked was his explosion off the line. It made everyone else, both offense and defense, look stuck a lower gear.

Wisconsin LB Chris Borland is short, not small. He has to hope that teams don’t view his lack of height (he’s 5’11”) doesn’t scare teams away, because he’s a great football player. There is a definitive pop to his hits, as he can really uncoil power from his hips and shoulders. His lateral agility is on par with bigger, leggier backers.

Utah State CB Nevin Lawson earned his call-up from Shrine Game Week, here his quickness really stood out. It stands out here as well. There is a strange paucity of corner talent on the North roster, and Lawson is taking advantage of his opportunity. He was the only DB that had a prayer against Herron, even carried him all the way down the field on a straight fly pattern. On another rep he jolted big Saginaw Valley State wideout Jeff Janis with a strong jam and then quickly turned and ran with him.

UCLA wideout Shaq Evans did a good job changing speeds and using his quick feet to create separation down the field. He was consistently open.

Northwestern WR Kain Colter continues to impress in his transition from college QB. His feet still need more crispness but he has proven he can handle the more physical aspects of the position. I’ve heard teams are really enjoying his company in interviews too.

Also impressing were Toledo RB David Fluellen, LSU LB Lamin Barrow, Texas WR Mike Davis, UCLA LB Jordan Zumwalt, and Baylor S Ahmad Dixon, though he cannot play man coverage.

Poor days

Not to be blunt, but both Miami QB Stephen Morris and Clemson QB Tajh Boyd are playing their way off draft boards.

Morris has a decent arm, and his footwork stepping into the ball is generally sound. He just has poor accuracy. Even throwing versus no pass rush, he struggled with antsy feet and ball placement. Morris missed 11 throws in a row at one point.

Boyd is a hot mess mechanically. When I first got to the practice, I watched the QBs going through drop drills. Virginia Tech’s Logan Thomas looked polished and strong. Morris was up on his toes and had consistent feet. Boyd was landing on his heels on every step, a big no-no. His foot frequency on his drops varied from rep to rep. Later, he was throwing almost underhand and with his front foot flying off the ground at his release point. That’s great for Omar Vizquel gunning a ball to first base, but it’s completely out of place on the football field. He looks like an option running back playing quarterback, and appears to be undraftable. He’s not anywhere near as good as Troy Smith was, to compare him to a similar player.

Here’s how poor of a day South OL Gabe Ikard from Oklahoma had: I wasn’t watching the line drills other than when there were lags in the passing reps, and he was getting beaten on every rep I saw, often badly. Twice I saw him put on skates backwards, once by Tennessee DT Dan McCullers (better today) and another by Cal’s DeAndre Coleman.

Liberty DB Walt Aikens struggled in drills today. In the agility drills he was visibly slower than every DB who was running the drill next to him at the same time. He needed to step outside to change direction instead of firing forward out of his backpedal on every rep. Utah’s Keith McGill was demonstrably faster too. Aikens stumbled on a break once and dropped two passes as well.

Missouri DE Michael Sam has been trying his hand at linebacker. It’s not been pretty. There is zero spatial awareness and he’s clearly uncomfortable moving any direction but forward. Part of the problem is that he has an exaggerated forward lean when he runs, and when he’s not going forward he’s quite awkward.

Others not impressing include North Dakota State OL Billy Turner, noted as Billy Turnstile by my colleague Darren Page; Alabama LB Adrian Hubbard, who has the flexibility of the broken ironing board in my hotel room; San Jose State QB David Fales, sorely lacking arm strength and downfield vision; Wisconsin TE Jacob Pederson, dropping two passes and falling down on a route; BYU WR Cody Hoffman, who overstrides and fell down on a handful of routes.

General notes

Oklahoma CB Aaron Colvin went down with a torn ACL in practice.

Three players from the South have been scratched due to injury. Alabama DE Ed Stinson, Tennessee OL Juwan James, and Fresno State TE Marcel Jensen will no longer participate. Colorado State TE Crockett Gillmore will replace Jensen. He impressed as a blocker and wide target over the middle at Shrine Game last week, including very good chemistry with QB Jimmy Garoppolo.

Top underclassman prospect Jadeveon Clowney was sighted meeting with the Houston Texans during South practice in one of the stadium boxes. I note that purely for informational purposes.

The wind was strong and cold today, which did not help the QBs or the kickers. The kickers and punters from the Shrine Game all impressed me more than their counterparts here in Mobile.

Alabama coach Nick Saban made an appearance and was all smiles. Really.

Mobile native Jimmie Ward, a safety from Northern Illinois, had a raucous cheering section during the morning session. He’s holding his own here in a venue where other locals have struggled in recent years.

Notably absent from Mobile are the Miami Dolphins, much to the chagrin of their fans.

On a personal note, I got to meet new Texans LB coach Mike Vrabel today. He looks like he could still play.
 

boozeman

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2014 Senior Bowl: UVA's Moses parts the red D at South practice


By Rob Rang | The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com

January 21, 2014 6:48 pm ET



MOBILE, Ala. -- Given the rapid ascension enjoyed by Eric Fisher and Lane Johnson at the Senior Bowl a year ago, one can't blame scouts for spending a lot of their time evaluating offensive linemen this week.

Notre Dame's Zack Martin entered the week as NFLDraftScout.com's top-rated offensive lineman participating in the Senior Bowl but with a terrific performance Tuesday afternoon by Virginia's Morgan Moses could result in a significant jump up the board.

Alternately lining up at left and right tackle for the South team, the 6-foot-6, 325 pound behemoth showcased the length, quickness and balance to handle speed rushers like Auburn's Dee Ford (6-foot-2, 243 pounds) and Arkansas' Chris Smith (6-foot-1, 266 pounds), as well as powerful defenders like his former teammate, 6-foot-6, 298-pound defensive end Brent Urban.

Individual pass-rush drills favor the defensive players but other than one exception in which Ford beat Moses with a quick jab-step inside and explosive burst to his right, Moses handled left tackle duties well. When moved back to the right side, Moses also performed admirably, burying Urban with an emphatic pancake block that drew gasps from scouts in the stands.

Best of all, Moses' strong play continued into the scrimmages run by the Jacksonville Jaguars' coaching staff. One particular three-play sequence against the defenders in the South team's red jerseys showcased Morgan's pro-readiness:
•On "first down" Moses handled a speed rush from Ford to give his quarterback enough time to complete a quick swing pass to the right.
•The next play was a run to the right for solid gain. Moses did not supply a block at the point of attack on the play, instead releasing to run approximately 20 yards downfield to force adjustments from a linebacker and safety. The quickness off the ball, fluidity and straight-line speed Moses used to part the defense was every bit as impressive as the pancake block he'd delivered on Urban during the earlier one-on-one drill.
•Appropriately enough, it was Urban who lined up opposite Moses on the next play. Attacking Moses with a strong bull rush that had beaten several other South team blockers throughout the day, Urban instead was stopped in his tracks due to a strong anchor and good core flexibility from the left tackle.

While Moses was the South's best blocker Tuesday, several other offensive and defensive linemen left impressions.
•Cal's Deandre Coleman enjoyed a solid day on the interior, repeatedly pushing through Oklahoma's Gabe Ikard and Arkansas' Travis Swanson. Powerful and surprisingly athletic, the 6-foot-5, 315 pounder is position and scheme versatile, though scouts are left to question where this passionate play was throughout a disappointing senior season in the Pac-12. Ikard's quickness and tenacity will intrigue zone-blocking teams but he's struggled with the massive defenders in Mobile. Swanson has also been a bit inconsistent, though most of the struggles he's had over the first two days have come when he's lined up at guard, rather than center. Swanson starred for the Razorbacks at center, showing impressive agility and power in the pivot but at 6-foot-5, 310 pounds, he projects better to guard or even tackle in the opinion of some scouts.
•Like Coleman, Tennessee defensive tackle Daniel McCullers bullied opponents with his power, slipping past Swanson with a good rip move early during the one-on-one drills. McCullers, 6-foot-7 and 348 pounds, struggles with leverage, playing much higher than the rest of the South defensive linemen. This allows technicians like Florida State's Bryan Stork (6-foot-4, 306 pounds) to turn and seal the massive Volunteer from the play despite a significant weight disadvantage.
•Urban has generated some buzz in recent weeks and it is clear that his length and strength project very well as a traditional five-technique defensive end. He is very strong and uses the power in his upper body to stun and disengage from would-be blockers. He also lost track of the ball, at times, allowing runners to slip past him when he appeared to be in position to stop them.
•A year ago Nick Saban made a surprise visit to the sidelines of the Senior Bowl. This year, it was players rather than coaches who were seen visiting at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, as South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney and North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron were on hand for Tuesday's South practice. While two of the more athletic prospects in the entire country, as underclassmen, neither was eligible to participate in the Senior Bowl and instead likely attended strictly to watch practice and meet NFL decision-makers in town for the all-star game.
 

boozeman

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2014 Senior Bowl: Defenders Ford, Watkins shine on Tuesday


By Dane Brugler | NFLDraftScout.com Senior Analyst

January 21, 2014 6:18 pm ET




MOBILE, Ala. – The Southeastern Conference breeds future NFL stars and the South squad at the Senior Bowl has 22 players on the roster from college football's superior conference. And two former SEC players specifically stood out during Tuesday's practice: Auburn DE Dee Ford and Florida CB Jaylen Watkins.


Ford has been dominating offensive tackles all week with his explosive athleticism and natural bend off the edge. He has displayed the first step burst and quick acceleration to win with speed and never slow his get-off momentum through the rush. Ford keeps his frame low and does a nice job attacking the body of blockers to win leverage before quickly ripping past them. He made mincemeat out of North Dakota State's Billy Turner and Vanderbilt's Wesley Johnson on a few occasions, building on the buzz he started in Monday's practice.

On the other side of the field, Watkins, who is the older brother of Clemson WR Sammy Watkins, put together a string of positive plays during drills, getting his hands on the ball on a few reps. He showed smooth feet and hip action to quickly redirect and get his body under control to mirror the movements of the receiver. Watkins also did a nice job getting his head turned around to find the ball, elevate and break up the play. He is noticeably lean and his lack of muscle showed up on tape, but he weighed in at 194 pounds and his scrappy style of play serves him well.

To say the least, Ford and Watkins are prospects who have made the most of this opportunity in Mobile thus far and are helping themselves in the eyes of NFL scouts and the Jacksonville Jaguars' coaching staff. Purely hypothetical at this point, but Ford would be a viable candidate for the Jaguars in the second round for their "LEO" pass rush position and Watkins could be a target a round or two later to help the secondary.

Other notes:
•As expected, Fresno State QB Derek Carr has clearly separated himself as the top passer in Mobile with his top-shelf arm strength, athleticism and overall feel for the game. He hasn't been perfect and needs to iron out a few of his bad habits, but the arm talent and competitive drive are there for him to be a starter in the league.
•While Carr is the top quarterback on the South roster, Eastern Illinois QB Jimmy Garoppolo has been the next-most-impressive at the position and, in my opinion, is the second-best quarterback in Mobile. He doesn't have elite arm strength, but his velocity is good enough and it has been noticeably better than the arm strength of San Jose State QB David Fales, the other quarterback on the South team. Garoppolo started to build some momentum in St. Petersburg last week at the East-West Shrine Game and it's continuing here at the Senior Bowl. He projects as a solid second day draft choice and a future starter in a year or two in the NFL.
•Above I mentioned that Dee Ford had dominated North Dakota State OL Billy Turner on a few occasions, but overall, I was still impressed by the former Bison blocker. With Tennessee OT Ja'Wuan James out due to injury, Turner lined up primarily at right tackle throughout Tuesday's practice, despite showing better when he was at guard on Monday. He was beat a few times, but he also had his positive moments, especially when he could show off his natural feet and powerful punch. Once he learns to consistently bend and sink, Turner will be better suited for NFL rushers. He is well thought of in the NFL scouting community because of what the finished product could be with a little NFL coaching.
•Unfortunate news from Tuesday's South practice that Oklahoma CB Aaron Colvin tore his ACL during drills, according to multiple reports. The injury abruptly ends a positive week for the former Sooner defensive back and likely pushes him from possible top-100 draft pick to undrafted free agent. Fresno State TE Marcel Jensen (groin) and Alabama DE Ed Stinson (groin) are also done for the week due to injuries. Boston College OT Matt Patchan and Colorado State TE Crockett Gillmore will arrive in Mobile Tuesday night to help fill spots on the roster.
 

Cotton

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Senior Bowl Notes: Filling Vacancies, Draft Needs, More

Posted 1 hour ago
By DallasCowboys.com Report

MOBILE, Ala.
– Two days’ worth of questions haven’t yielded many answers from Cowboys team officials, but at least some of those answers may be coming soon.

Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones, as well as coach Jason Garrett said Tuesday that they’re still evaluating the team’s coaching staff after a third-straight 8-8 season. The Cowboys have two coaching positions to fill, and they’re still determining the makeup of their current staff – and Jones said there’s no rush to finishing that process.

“As in any offseason, we’re looking at how to visualize everybody involved and that’s part of what we’re working on,” Jones said. “This time last year we were hiring coaches -- several coaches. But this is the time of the year that you look at it, but no, I don’t have anything to report there.”

However protective they might be of those answers, both Jones and Garrett agreed Tuesday that they intended to fill their assistant special teams and tight ends coaching positions soon. Carlos Polk appears to be the choice for the special teams unit, while“No timeline, but that will be done sooner rather than later,” Jones said. “This is the time with coaches moving around, so all that plays into it, but probably sooner than later.”

Added Garrett: “The first order of business is to get these other guys who are out of contract all squared away. We’re in the process of doing that over the next few days, and then we’ll go from there.”

Need To Know

The talk around the Cowboys this week has primarily been about coaching changes and the like, but the staff most of its time Monday and Tuesday watching Senior Bowl practices with the scouting department

All of the Cowboys’ personnel directors, including Senior Director of Football Administration Todd Williams, Assistant Director of Player Personnel Will McClay and Director of Scouting Tom Ciskowski were on hand to take in practice with Garrett and his coaching staff.

“It’s an important week. It’s our first exposure as coaches to these college players,” Garrett said. “I spent a lot of time with Tom Ciskowski and the other guys in our personnel department who have seen these guys for a year or two years and have a real comfort level with them, and they educate us.”

There are plenty of opinions about what the Cowboys need going into the 2014 NFL Draft – whether it’s defensive line depth, new skill players or more defensive backs. Garrett said the object is to identify the right players without developing tunnel vision for a specific need.

“The biggest thing you try to do is get the whole landscape of things, and then you start thinking about your team very specifically and you start zeroing in a little bit,” he said. “But it’s really important, we feel, to make sure you try to draft for your team devoid of need as much as you can.”

At the same time, Garrett said there’s no denying the various points of needs for the Cowboys. But he added that it can’t prevent the staff from identifying talent across the board - -beginning at Senior Bowl practices.
“We all know the reality of it, you have some needs and you have to try to address those things, and oftentimes that might be a tiebreaker for you,” Garrett said. “But we have to know the whole draft, we have to know all the positions and you have to try to find guys who can help your football team.”

Back To Quarterback

The immediate relief Tony Romo felt after back surgery wasn’t a surprise to Garrett.

Garrett said he spoke to Romo and that the quarterback “feels really good,” but he also said that’s to be expected in the early weeks after that kind of surgery.
“I think anybody who has that surgery will tell you the same thing. initially, they feel great because there’s so much pressure back there on the nerves and whatever goes into that injury,” Garrett said. “So they get immediate relief, and then they have to recover from the actual surgery itself.”

The pain Romo felt in his Week 16 tilt against the Redskins was notable and obvious, but he gritted through that performance before finding out his season would end before the finale. He’s expected to be back on the field in time to participate in offseason workouts.


“He’s moving around and everyone’s optimistic he’ll be back and ready to go for the offseason program,” Garrett said.
-Rowan Kavner
Here are some more notes from Tuesday’s Senior Bowl practices:


  • Oklahoma cornerback Aaron Colvin tore his ACL in the South squad’s afternoon practice. Colvin, from Tulsa, Okla., was a Thorpe Award semifinalist in 2013 and was projected as a mid-round pick.



  • Garrett said it was a compliment to special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia, as well as the Cowboys, to see the coordinator get several head coaching interviews recently. Bisaccia interviewed for openings in Washington, Tennessee and Cleveland after leading the Cowboys’ special teams last season. “We felt like in a lot of games we had an edge in special teams. The culture he brought into our special teams units was really helpful – we had really good specialists and we had core special teams players, but he’s the guy that ran the whole show,” Garrett said.



  • Contract decisions are approaching for several key young members of the Cowboys’ roster, most notably Tyron Smith, Dez Bryant and Dan Bailey. Garrett said the Cowboys are continually mindful of that, even in the early going of the offseason. “Timing can be a big part of that, and I think we’ve done a good job of that in the past with players to make sure we keep them in the fold and develop them,” he said.
 

boozeman

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Sad to hear for the player.

That said, congratulations, Aaron. You are a Dallas Cowboy.
 

Simpleton

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I was surprised by the deals alot of very solid DE's got last year so if that happens again I'd love to have Michael Johnson.

As for these Senior Bowl guys, Sam is a guy I'd like in the 3rd or so, Murphy is a guy I like in the first, preferably if we could trade down and I like Dee Ford and Kyle Van Noy as guys who could play a Von Miller like role.
 

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Senior Bowl: One-tool standouts, NFL fits

January, 21, 2014


By Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl | ESPN.com


MOBILE, Ala. -- The North and South teams both had two-hour practices Tuesday in preparation for the Senior Bowl, and several of the players who stood out did so for not necessarily having the most well-rounded games, but for showcasing talents and abilities that will make them coveted by NFL teams for specific roles.

Let’s take a look at four guys who fit the description of being very strong in one area, along with NFL player comparisons and NFL team (and scheme) fits for each.

Dee Ford, Auburn Tigers
Role: Pass-rushing specialist
NFL comparison: Jerry Hughes, Buffalo Bills
NFL fits: Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys

Ford played defensive end at Auburn, although it’s likely that he’ll make the transition to outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Regardless of what scheme he plays in, the one thing he’s going to be able to do is serve as an edge rusher. He’s exploding off the ball in practices this week, showing a really good first step. For an undersized guy (he measured at 6-foot-2, 243 pounds), he showed impressive pop and explosiveness during the bag drill, which tells us he has the potential to get better over time with his rip and club moves as a pass-rusher. That’s really important for a guy like him who lacks ideal size. He got home as a pass-rusher more times than any of the other D-ends in practice Tuesday, and he displayed a great motor and energy level.

Missouri’s Michael Sam is another guy who fits this mold, although he struggled a bit in practice Tuesday as he attempts to make the transition to linebacker. And while Sam is a little bigger, Ford is the more explosive athlete.

Teams are always looking for pass-rushers, but Tampa Bay, Chicago and Dallas are three teams that would make sense for Ford given their schemes (Tampa 2) and current personnel needs.

Kain Colter, Northwestern Wildcats
Role: Slot receiver
NFL comparison: Jeremy Kerley, New York Jets
NFL fits: Texans, Broncos, Falcons, Browns, Saints


Spending as much time at quarterback as he did at Northwestern likely stunted his growth as a receiver, so Colter still has plenty of room to improve as a route runner and with the other nuances of the position. He also doesn’t have great size at 5-10, 199 pounds, so if you ask him to match up against a bigger, more physical cornerback he can have his route disrupted.

However, he has the potential to develop into an effective slot receiver, where it will be tougher for defensive backs to get their hands on him. He has the burst to separate quickly on his routes as well as get free after the catch. He was by far the best slot guy in practices on Tuesday, catching the ball well with his good-sized hands (10 inches), including a one-handed snatch.

Colter is beginning his transition from QB to receiver on the same field that Antwaan Randle El did several years ago, and while Colter isn’t the same special kind of athlete Randle El was, he has the raw abilities to possibly contribute as a returner down the road, as Randle El did during his NFL career.

Keith McGill, Utah Utes
Role: Press corner
NFL comparison: Brandon Browner
NFL fits: Seahawks, Jaguars, Packers

Given the size of some of the more prolific receivers in the NFL today, there is an increased need for bigger cornerbacks who can match up with them in press coverage. As we mentioned on Monday, there are several bigger corners in practices this week, and McGill is one who has stood out both days so far.

McGill has pretty good instincts in terms of his overall awareness and route recognition. He also does a good job of finding the ball in the air and playing it. He had some ups and downs this season, and there are aspects of his game he needs to clean up (his hip fluidity can improve). But because of his size, he doesn’t need to always be in ideal position to be disruptive to a receiver’s route and make a play on the ball when he’s forced to turn and run. He really knows how to throw his weight around -- not all big corners are aggressive, physical and competitive, but he has been all three in practices.

He needs to improve his press technique, but he has the tools to do it. McGill's size will be tempting for teams. He’s 6-3, 214 pounds, which is slightly bigger than Richard Sherman when he was coming out of school (6-2, 205) and roughly the same size as Browner when he was coming out (6-3, 221). For teams in the middle rounds looking to add size at cornerback, particularly one who can hold his own in press coverage, McGill could be an intriguing option.

Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh Panthers
Role: 3-technique defensive tackle
NFL comparison: Peria Jerry, Atlanta Falcons
NFL fits: Bears, Cowboys, Falcons, Cardinals




Pitt defensive lineman Aaron Donald doesn't have prototypical size, but has an outstanding explosiveness. Donald’s snap anticipation and first-step quickness are up there with any defensive tackle in this year’s draft class. That was on display in practice Monday, when he was phenomenal, and again at times on Tuesday. That isn’t surprising, as he has been really disruptive throughout his career.

This is why he’s an ideal fit as a 3-technique D-tackle who can get up the field and be disruptive in the backfield. His initial quickness allows him to get on top of blockers right away before they have time to get into their sets, and he shows good instincts and change-of-direction skills when he gets in the backfield.

Where he gets into trouble is when he’s asked to sit back and anchor down (things asked of traditional 4-3 D-tackles and 3-4 D-ends), which was evident Tuesday during two-on-one drills. And there were times when Tennessee State guard Kadeem Edwards got in front of him in one-on-one drills, and made Donald look ordinary (similar to what happened to him against a bigger Miami offensive line this season). He lacks ideal size at 6-0, 288 pounds with 31¾-inch arms, which is really right on the edge of acceptable size at the position. If he were 2 inches taller and 15 pounds bigger, we’d be talking about him as a top-15 pick. But his ability to get off the ball with initial pop and explosiveness makes him an ideal fit as a 3-technique, as that scheme is designed to do everything it can to allow that position to stay on the move.

Other standouts from Tuesday’s practices:

DT Deandre Coleman, California: Coleman isn’t a big-name D-lineman like Ford or Arizona State’s Will Sutton, but he has played really well both days here. He looked very strong against the double-team on Tuesday, using his hands effectively and playing really hard. He plowed through Oklahoma’s Gabe Ikard during one session.

WR Ryan Grant, Tulane: Grant has stood out on both days, cleanly catching the ball away from his frame and looking smooth getting in and out of his breaks. He’s very quick and has done a good job of separating from coverage. He’s lean and needs to get stronger, but has a big enough frame to do so.

OG Kadeem Edwards, Tennessee State: Edwards has done a great job of using his hands and playing with balance, and he completely stoned Donald during one of the sessions. He’s a small-school guy who has performed well against bigger-name competition.

OL Brandon Thomas, Clemson, and Jack Mewhort, Ohio State: Neither of these guys is overly pretty, but they are effective. Mewhort looks like a fit at right tackle, while Thomas might be more of a guard, but both are potential starters. Mewhort could be a good value on Day 2, and Thomas would be a good value in the middle rounds.

RB Jerick McKinnon, Georgia Southern: McKinnon is trying to make the transition from small-school college quarterback (he rushed for 125 yards on nine carries, including the game-winning TD, in Georgia Southern’s upset win over Florida this season) to NFL running back, so he still has some things to figure out in terms of showing better vision and patience, and improving his technique in pass protection. But he has noticeable juice and acceleration. He looks like the quickest running back here, and has great burst out of his cuts.
 

boozeman

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Rob Ryan at the Senior Bowl:
“Mum’s the word until training camp. Sorry, guys.”
What...no, I am just here looking at cornerbacks?
 

Cotton

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Senior Bowl notes: WR bonds with Bryant

January, 22, 2014

By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com


MOBILE, Ala. -- Texas wide receiver and Dallas native Mike Davis has been pretty impressive during practices here at the Senior Bowl.

Davis credits Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant for the reason. The two work out at Bryant's adviser's house, David Wells, during the offseason whether it's running routes, learning how to catch the ball better and just staying in shape.

The Cowboys, along with the Detroit Lions, are just some of the teams that have spoken to Davis, who finished his career at Texas fourth all time in catches (200), fourth in yards (2,753) and fifth in touchdowns (18).

"He's like my big brother," Davis said after Tuesday's practice. "Dez Bryant and I talked a lot. Knowing him four or five years, he was taken me under his wing, him and David Wells. I used to go over and talk to Dez and run routes with him a lot."

Following Tuesday's practice, Davis worked out with the quarterbacks to not only work on route running, something he wants to perfect, but on helping the quarterbacks improve.

"I'm not a cocky dude, but I can run routes with the best of them and I can go deep and when it's time," Davis said.

Windy conditions for quarterbacks: The second day of Senior Bowl practices was conducted in some stiff winds. It was a challenge for quarterbacks such as Fresno State'sDerek Carr, Eastern Illinois' Jimmy Garoppolo and Miami's Stephen Morris to show their arm strength. Clemson's Tajh Boyd had a few passes sail on him in the wind. "It's similar to Eastern Illinois," Garoppolo said. "Non-stop winds in the middle of nowhere. I just came out here and did what I normally do."

Garrett talks about Wes Phillips: With Wes Phillips leaving the Cowboys to join theWashington Redskins' staff as tight ends coach, it left a void in the coaching staff. Not only does Jason Garrett lose a position coach, but someone he respects. "I'm really happy for Wes," Garrett said. "It's a great opportunity for him. He's done a great job for us and he's a good friend and he's been a really good coach for a long time and [I'm] excited for this opportunity. But we do want to get that position filled relatively quickly."

Notes: Georgia Tech's Jemea Thomas is someone to look at in the coming months. He can play both safety spots and has good ball skills. ... Notre Dame tackle Zack Martin and defensive end Michael Sam have been pretty impressive. The Senior Bowl coaches have lined Sam up at defensive end and outside linebacker. ... Virginia defensive end Brent Urban, with his 80 3/4 wingspan, is doing some good things in the pass rush along withDee Ford, a defensive end from Auburn. ... Seen watching the practices together: Cowboys coach Jason Garrett with his agent, David Dunn, and former Cowboys assistant coaches Rob Ryan and Joe DeCamillis.
 

Simpleton

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Fuck it, I'm totally on board with Donald at 16/17, he measured in at only half an inch shorter and 5 pounds lighter than Geno Atkins did at the combine back during his draft and we see how he's turned out. We just have to be cognizant that drafting him might mean that we have to run a 4-3 for as long as he is a key piece to our defense.
 

Smitty

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Fuck it, I'm totally on board with Donald at 16/17, he measured in at only half an inch shorter and 5 pounds lighter than Geno Atkins did at the combine back during his draft and we see how he's turned out. We just have to be cognizant that drafting him might mean that we have to run a 4-3 for as long as he is a key piece to our defense.
Nah, I think those guys can kick out to 3-4 end.
 

Cotton

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Rev

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Pretty soon we will have to trade up if we want him.
 

boozeman

28 Years And Counting...
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Senior Bowl Day 3 Notebook

January 22nd, 2014




Darren Page, DLD Lead Scout

The final day of fully-padded practices was another one with plenty of takeaways despite the stands having half as many people for the South practice in the afternoon.

North Practice

Positives

Josh Huff stole the show in the morning practice and there were no bones about it. The Oregon receiver was compact and skilled with his hands to combat press coverage, creating space with ease. He continues to change speeds and directions as a route runner with impressive quickness that these cornerbacks can’t handle in man coverage. Huff’s ball skills were what drew some ooh’s and ah’s from the crowd though. He caught multiple passes at full extension, once diving for a ball at the back of the endzone and tapping his toes in bounds for a touchdown.

Marshall tight end Gator Hoskins keeps proving that he can compete with the best despite a lack of ideal size. Hoskins is a compact tight end who can bully linebackers that want to outmuscle him off his routes, which he showed today. His merits as a blocker are an entirely different question.

Charles Sims has stated his case as the best running back in attendance and his showing today did little to dispel that. Sims was especially effective pass protection. He mirrored a Chris Borland spin move with ease once and then locked him up with his hands on the next rep.

Nevin Lawson stands out as the best cornerback in this group without question. There were plays where he initiated a bit too much contact down the field, but his aggressiveness is a positive. On back to back plays he blanketed Kain Colter on a fly route and then muscled Robert Herron off a slant route by leveraging it from the inside. In 11 v. 11 at the end of practice, he even dipped under a Kain Colter block to pick up a tackle for loss on a quick screen to Josh Huff. Lawson is clearly playing with confidence on the outside.

UCLA receiver Shaq Evans keeps proving his merits this week. One particular play where he played off of (illegal) contact from Nevin Lawson to snag a ball one-handed in the endzone caught my eye. He also separated on an endzone fade to tap his feet at the back pylon another time. He just keeps impressing this.

Negatives

Saginaw Valley State’s Jeff Janis had a poor showing. A majority of the balls that came his way were allowed into his frame. Janis didn’t do anything to dispel the concerns with his ability to win balls in contested situations. Measuring in just over 6’2” didn’t help either. The rigidity in his movements were also evident in his route running in comparison to other receivers in his group.

Marqueston Huff is still having all sorts of issues playing cornerback this week. On consecutive plays he gave up a slant to Herron with a big cushion and got juked out of a tackle coming forward, then was beat by Michael Campanaro on a deep comeback. Huff was visibly frustrated as he walked off with another tough day under his belt.

Michael Sam is still struggling with his reps at linebacker after playing end for Missouri. He plays flat-footed and was completely out of space in pass coverage. The athleticism you need from a shorter player just isn’t there either.

General Observations

Pierre Desir was up and down on the day. There were multiple plays where he sat on his heels and got run off on deep comebacks, unable to even keep his footing on two matchups. There were other times when his length and athleticism to turn and run had receivers locked up down the field. Desir did jump a hook route on a poorly placed ball from Tajh Boyd in 7 on 7 that was deflected for an interception. It was nice to see Desir improve as the day went on.

Deone Buccanon was more stiff in his hips trying to turn out in footwork drills than was Isaiah Lewis. The Michigan State player is a much smaller man, which should be noted.

Kain Colter is right at home running routes as a receiver. He beat Marqueston Huff and made a fine catch on a fly route at one point in the middle of practice.

Chris Borland has been the best inside linebacker in attendance and jumped a route over the middle to intercept Logan Thomas at one point.

South Practice

Positives

Tulane receiver Ryan Grant has gotten better every day this week, which is always a big plus for any prospect in attendance. Grant was especially explosive in his route running and was highly effective separating out of his breaks with great body control to change directions at speed. The quickness in his feet and the crisp way he runs routes were both noted.

Dee Ford continues to be one of the best prospects in attendance and is stating his case to be the first Senior Bowler drafted. The explosiveness and flexibility of Ford as a rusher will give these tackles nightmares for the next few weeks. GM Jr.’s Josh Liskiewitz even complimented Ford’s play against the run, which isn’t exactly Ford’s cup of tea.

Versatile cover guy Jemea Thomas had a solid day on the outside at cornerback. I noted the smoothness of his backpedal and ability to stay balanced coming out of hit. He blanketed Cody Hoffman while showcasing fluid hips on a deep comeback late in the practice. A few plays later he rolled down into the box to set a hard edge on a sweep and would have stuffed the play.

Negatives

Lavelle Westbrooks had the poorest performance on the day, only somewhat redeeming himself with a couple fine plays at the end of practice. Westbrooks was toasted by Ryan Grant, Jordan Matthews, and a few others in 1 on 1’s. He wasn’t aggressive with his hands into contact and played on his heels, unable to reroute or transition to turn and run. He was visibly frustrated when Gus Bradley felt enough pity to go over to him and give him some pointers.

Jerry Attaochu continues to leave a bit to be desired both in his usage and his play in these practices. He made little impact in 1 v. 1’s with backs, once literally leaving both feet to swim a block and ended up knocked to the ground. Playing off the ball still seems foreign to him.

After a strong outing on Monday, Jordan Matthews has failed to elevate himself above the rest of the group at wide receiver. There were multiple occasions where Matthews couldn’t reel in contested balls today, with his leaner build an issue at the catch point. It should be noted that better ball placement on a few of these occasions could have given Matthews a better chance. Most expected Jordan Matthews to separate himself this week though, and he just hasn’t done it.

General Notes

Aaron Colvin is out with an ACL tear he suffered on Tuesday. Surgery is scheduled for next week. Virginia’s Brent Urban is out for the rest of the week with a sprained ankle. South TE Marcel Jensen went out due to injury yesterday.

Three prospects were added to the South side as replacements: Louisiana Tech DE IK Enemkpali, Colorado State TE Crockett Gillmore, and Boston College OT Matt Patchan.

Crockett Gillmore quickly acclimated to the setting and had a great day, making multiple catches at extension and showing soft hands.

Arthur Lynch had a fine showing as a blocker, though two of his best came against safeties Craig Loston and Terrence Brooks.

Coastal Carolina running back Lorenzo Taliaferro has made his case as the best pass blocker here.

Antonio Andrews has had a fine week, but some issues popped up in pass protection today. He was sitting on his heels and catching rushers, which often led to ground given. As a bigger back, that can’t happen.

Auburn CB Chris Davis stood out all day long for a variety of reasons. He competes with more confidence and aggressiveness than anyone else here, but his tendency to lock up receivers with his hands and hold downfield is a big concern.

Keith McGill looked rigid coming out of his pedal and playing routes in front of him, but could be affected by cramps. He needed to be stretched out on Monday in the middle of practice and hobbled off for a short period again today.

In a drill where defensive lineman were drilled running the circle, I noted Chris Smith, Dee Ford, and Deandre Coleman on the fluid side around the corner, with Daniel McCullers and Caraun Reid on the stiff side.
 

boozeman

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2014 Senior Bowl: OLBs Attaochu, Van Noy step up to pressure


By Rob Rang | The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com

January 22, 2014 6:26 pm ET

MOBILE, Ala. -- The Senior Bowl, like most all-star games in any sport, is catered to the fans with popular players earning more playing time and little attention given to the final score.

It is the week of practice leading up to Saturday's game that annually draws hundreds of NFL personnel to Mobile. Wednesday's scrimmages and one-on-one matchups rank as the most important day of evaluation as the final two days of practice are typically just glorified walk-throughs. The vast majority of scouts, in fact, leave town after Wednesday's afternoon practice or early Thursday.

Smart talent evaluators enter the process with a strong baseline for the prospects playing in the game. They are looking for prospects who play even better than expected or show improvement in new techniques taught by the NFL coaching staffs selected to participate in the game -- in this case the Jacksonville Jaguars (North Team) and Atlanta Falcons (South Team).

A handful of under-the-radar defenders helped their cause during this morning's practice. It was a pair of well-known linebackers -- Georgia Tech's Jeremiah Attaochu and BYU's Kyle Van Noy -- who stood out this afternoon.

Attaochu starred as a pass rusher with the Yellow Jackets, lining up as a stand-up outside linebacker and occasionally attacking the edge as a defensive end. In Mobile, however, the Jaguars' coaches have asked him to play virtually all over the field, including at inside linebacker, outside linebacker and rush from a three-point stance. Not surprisingly, Attaochu showed his greatest comfort when rushing the quarterback, demonstrating burst, agility and a powerful slap-and-sidestep to get past would-be blockers.

Asked to play off the line of scrimmage as a traditional strongside linebacker in the Jaguars' 4-3 alignment, however, Attaochu also has shown improved recognition and gap integrity against the run, as well as patience when dropping back into coverage. On Monday, Attaochu looked like a fish out of water dropping back. Today, when running backs came into his zone, Attaochu ran with them, closing as the ball arrived and showing quick hands to rip at the ball as it arrived. Scouts knew the 6-foot-3, 253-pound Attoachu was athletic; this week he's also shown football intelligence and work ethic.

Van Noy is a much more polished defender than Attaochu. He could have entered last year's draft and earned a top-64 selection. Some questioned his decision to return. In doing so, however, he's proven that his playmaking ways are a reflection of his terrific instincts and efficient athleticism rather than a reflection on the Cougars' level of competition.

The 6-foot-3, 244-pound Van Noy doesn't wow you with his frame or his straight-line speed but he ranks among the country's most pro-ready defenders because he does the little things so well. Van Noy shows excellent play recognition, takes on blockers with the correct shoulder (allowing him to slide off would-be blockers and into ball-carriers easily) and is equally effective slipping into coverage or sliding past offensive linemen on his way towards a tackle behind the line of scrimmage. He's subtle rather than physical, which draws complaints from some scouts but is deadly effective.

Here are a handful of other observations from the North Team's all-important Wednesday practice:
•While Fresno State's Derek Carr and Eastern Illinois' Jimmy Garoppolo starred the first two days in Mobile, San Jose State's David Fales enjoyed his strongest performance of the week. Carr and Garoppolo seemed to play it safe Wednesday, frequently taking check-downs and rarely risking dangerous throws. Garoppolo, for example, elected to throw an intermediate sideline route out of bounds rather than attack deep down the middle to an open receiver on a surprise flea-flicker midway through practice. Adding to his reputation as a "gamer," Fales kept his eyes downfield, rifling a few well-thrown intermediate and deep passes, including one particularly well-thrown pass to Colorado State tight end Crockett Gillmore after escaping the rush and rolling to his right.
•Entering the week of practice, Vanderbilt's Jordan Matthews was receiving plenty of praise for his polish but Texas' Mike Davis has proven just as reliable as a route-runner and hand-catcher throughout the week. The 6-foot (and 3/8), 193-pound Davis' value is increased because of his sure hands and burst as a returner.
•On the offensive line, North Dakota State's Billy Turner enjoyed a nice bounce-back effort on Wednesday after struggling a bit with speed yesterday. Playing predominately inside at right guard (though also seeing some time at right tackle), the athletic small-schooler showed renewed aggression and strong hands to latch on and control defenders. Florida's Jon Halapio has also impressed with his physicality. Finally, Nevada's Joel Bitonio has quietly done a nice job rotating throughout the offensive line all week, as well.
•Some flashy plays were turned in members of the secondary -- especially Liberty cornerback Walt Aikens and Vanderbilt safety Kenny Ladler -- but the news wasn't so good for Utah cornerback Keith McGill, who appeared to be battling cramps throughout the practice. McGill is a talented player whose terrific size (6-foot-3, 213 pounds) and ball-skills is sure to draw plenty of interest of teams as either a cornerback or potential safety conversion. Unfortunately, McGill appeared to feel the greatest pain on pass plays in which he was clearly already beaten. Some will credit McGill with fighting through the pain to return to the action (trainers worked on him yesterday too) but there were some in the stands who wondered aloud about his toughness. Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider, who, of course, has shown a fondness for lanky cornerbacks, had as good a view as anyone of McGill and their trainers working with him by observing the action from the sideline.
 

boozeman

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Scout’s Notebook: North Team Has D-Line Talent; Eyeing QBs

Posted 7 hours ago



Bryan Broaddus

Football Analyst/Scout

MOBILE, Ala. – Taking a look at the North practice on Wednesday.


•One of my twitter followers asked me during the Senior Bowl practice on Wednesday morning if Notre Dame offensive tackle Zach Martin would be a consideration as a selection for the Cowboys at 16/17? My first thought was they would most likely consider some type of defensive help first but there could be a possibility that Martin’s grade on the draft board and his talent might be better than what they might have at one of those defensive positions and this is why you have to keep an open mind when you are building these boards.



Martin has played like a first round talent during these practices. He has handled the best tackles and ends that he has faced. He has lined up at left tackle and played some guard as well. He doesn’t play or move like those Notre Dame linemen that we have seen in the past. There is some bend and flexibility in his game. There is also power in the way he comes off the ball and is able to get movement. I believe you could plug Martin in at either guard spot or even consider him for the right tackle spot and you wouldn’t miss a beat. There are plenty of positive traits to his game.

•As I mentioned on Tuesday, if you were looking for taller corners for your squad next season, this is the draft for you. One of those corners that I focused on was Nebraska’s Stanley Jean-Baptiste, who I thought had a productive and consistent practice. Usually it is difficult for taller corners to adjust to these smaller and quicker receivers but he was up to the challenge. What you can see in Jean-Baptiste’s game is that he is used to playing press coverage because when he walks up on receivers, he is quickly able to get his hand on them, then he adjusts from there.
For a tall player, he moves well enough but I would not call him completely smooth or effortless but he can stay with his man. Jean-Baptiste did do a nice job when the defense went into red zone coverage because his height doesn’t allow the ball go over the top of him. He was in outstanding position to defend routes and it has to be a perfect throw to beat him. Have seen him projected in the 3rd round but would not be surprised to see some team fall in love with his size before that.

•If the Cowboys continued to run a 3-4 defense, there are plenty of options along the defensive line to take a look at not only from the season tape I have studied, but this Senior Bowl as well. Justin Ellis is a young man from Louisiana Tech that will make someone very smart to draft him as a nose tackle. He is one of those kids that my old boss Larry Lacewell used to call a “trash can full of dirt”. He is a hard guy to move and when you try, he just sits down and takes up blockers.



Ellis isn’t one of those big bodied guys that take up space. He is mobile and athletic. He plays with power and he does a nice job of getting push. When he comes off the ball, it’s difficult for blockers to handle him one-on-one. He is the type of player when he gets the edge, he is going to find a way to get through. There have been plenty of times during these practices where you see his number in the backfield whether it has been run or pass. Projections have him right now in the 4th round but just from what I have seen, he goes much earlier than that unless his college film shows otherwise.
•If you asked me which team had the best set of quarterbacks in this game, I would say that the South has the advantage with Jimmy Garoppolo, David Fales and Derek Carr over Logan Thomas, Tajh Boyd and Stephen Morris. If I had to say who the best one out of that group, it would have to be Carr. There is just so many more throws that he can make, plus his accuracy is outstanding.
I honestly didn’t expect much from any of these North’s quarterbacks even though I had seen Boyd on tape but so many of his pass were screens and those on the inside. He just hasn’t thrown the ball well enough in these practices to get excited about him. The quarterback I am looking forward to studying once I am back in the office, is Garoppolo. In these practices, the game has not looked too big for him and when given time during the team period, he has made several nice throws. The receivers have not had to work as hard for the balls and he has been consistent. I am interested to see if what I have seen live during these practices will translate.
 
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