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Auburn's Dee Ford, Princeton's Caraun Reid stellar on defense
By Bucky Brooks
NFL Media analyst
Published: Jan. 25, 2014 at 07:42 p.m.
Updated: Jan. 25, 2014 at 08:40 p.m.
The Reese's Senior Bowl is viewed as the crown jewel of the college all-star season. NFL coaches and scouts scour the tape of this contest to determine which prospects have the skills to emerge difference makers at the next level. Given the significance scouts place on this contest, the performance and production weighs heavily in the draft evaluation down the road. Here are a few guys that caught my eye on Saturday:
Buzz-worthy
Auburn DE Dee Ford was the most dominant pass rusher in 1-on-1 and team drills throughout the week; he continued to overwhelm blockers with his exceptional first-step quickness and snap count anticipation. Ford racked up two sacks in the game, displaying spectacular disruptive skills off the edge, and earned game MVP honors. He seemingly lived in the backfield on passing plays, and few blockers were able to stay in front of him on speed rushes. With Ford also showing up as a credible run defender on early downs, he is building a strong case to be included in the conversation as a possible first-round selection in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Eastern Illinois QB Jimmy Garoppolo has jumped squarely on the radar of every NFL executive with his solid play over the past two weeks. He killed at the East-West Shrine Game and continued to impress with his consistent play during practices this week. Garoppolo showed exceptional footwork making throws inside the pocket, while also displaying remarkable athleticism and body control tossing the ball on the move. In addition, Garoppolo has made quick, decisive reads with the ball, showing a compact delivery and quick release. Although Garoppollo's play won't vault him into consideration as a franchise quarterback, there are several teams that will view him as an intriguing developmental prospect with starting potential based on his strong showing in Mobile.
Colorado State TE Crockett Gillmore was a late addition to the Senior Bowl roster, but he certainly boosted his draft stock with his standout performance on Saturday. The Rams' star had five catches for 61 yards and a score, displaying strong hands and underrated route skills. He complemented his impressive performance as a pass catcher, with a strong showing as a blocker on the edge. He repeatedly sealed the corner on perimeter runs and effectively neutralized his assigned defender on power plays between the tackles. Of course, scouts expected Gillmore to be a stout blocker at the point of attack based on his solid performance during the regular season, but doing it against the top players in the country will enhance his value in the minds of coaches searching for a traditional tight end in the draft.
Nebraska CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste and Utah CB Keith McGill entered the week viewed as two of the most intriguing cornerback prospects in the draft based on their physically imposing frames. The duo didn't disappoint scouts in attendance with their play, as each showed better than anticipated cover skills and awareness in the Senior Bowl. Jean-Baptiste made a few plays on the ball utilizing "off" technique, which is surprising considering his size suggests he would be better served to play press coverage at the line of scrimmage. McGill also displayed solid cover skills on the perimeter. He quickly exploded out of his pedal to record a knockdown in the third quarter, showcasing his short area burst and anticipation. McGill later added a game-clinching interception in the fourth quarter to seal the deal. With Jean-Baptiste and McGill flashing adequate cover skills in space, teams looking for big, athletic corners with movement skills will take a long, hard look at the duo leading up to the draft.
Princeton DT Caraun Reid had a solid overall week of practice, but his standout performance in the Senior Bowl game will earn him a hard look from scouts looking for an interior defender with quickness and rush skills. The 6-foot-2, 270-pound defender racked up a pair of sacks on back-to-back plays that showcased his speed, burst and hand skills. Reid defeated Baylor's Cyril Richardson using a quick arm over at the line of scrimmage to notch a sack. He followed it with a butt-and-jerk maneuver on the subsequent play that showcased his sneaky strength and power on the inside. As more teams utilize quick interior defenders on nickel and sub packages, Reid could be viewed as an enticing option based on his solid play in the game.
Buzz-kill
The quarterbacks on the North squad (Miami's Stephen Morris; Clemson's Tajh Boyd and Virginia Tech's Logan Thomas) didn't leave a favorable lasting impression on NFL scouts with their play in the Senior Bowl. Each signal caller struggled to find their rhythm within the pocket and their inconsistencies prevented the North team from moving the ball down the field. Watching Morris, in particular, I was disappointed with his lack of accuracy and ball placement. He repeatedly missed open receivers at intermediate range, and tossed a pair of interceptions in the fourth quarter.
Boyd also delivered an underwhelming performance, with a pair of batted balls raising concerns about his height and ability to find passing lanes between big bodies. Additionally, Boyd tossed an interception on an underthrown deep ball following a double move. The ball was not only woefully off target, but it lacked the kind of velocity and zip that is needed to complete deep tosses against NFL-caliber defenders in the backend.
Thomas didn't have the miscues of his quarterback brethren, but he held onto the ball too long, resulting in a number of sacks for the North. Now, Thomas isn't solely responsible for the negative plays in the backfield, but a quarterback with better awareness and anticipation would find a way to get the ball out of his hands before the rush draws near. Overall, the play of the trio will lead to more questions about the NFL potential of each in draft rooms across the league.
By Bucky Brooks
NFL Media analyst
Published: Jan. 25, 2014 at 07:42 p.m.
Updated: Jan. 25, 2014 at 08:40 p.m.
The Reese's Senior Bowl is viewed as the crown jewel of the college all-star season. NFL coaches and scouts scour the tape of this contest to determine which prospects have the skills to emerge difference makers at the next level. Given the significance scouts place on this contest, the performance and production weighs heavily in the draft evaluation down the road. Here are a few guys that caught my eye on Saturday:
Buzz-worthy
Auburn DE Dee Ford was the most dominant pass rusher in 1-on-1 and team drills throughout the week; he continued to overwhelm blockers with his exceptional first-step quickness and snap count anticipation. Ford racked up two sacks in the game, displaying spectacular disruptive skills off the edge, and earned game MVP honors. He seemingly lived in the backfield on passing plays, and few blockers were able to stay in front of him on speed rushes. With Ford also showing up as a credible run defender on early downs, he is building a strong case to be included in the conversation as a possible first-round selection in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Eastern Illinois QB Jimmy Garoppolo has jumped squarely on the radar of every NFL executive with his solid play over the past two weeks. He killed at the East-West Shrine Game and continued to impress with his consistent play during practices this week. Garoppolo showed exceptional footwork making throws inside the pocket, while also displaying remarkable athleticism and body control tossing the ball on the move. In addition, Garoppolo has made quick, decisive reads with the ball, showing a compact delivery and quick release. Although Garoppollo's play won't vault him into consideration as a franchise quarterback, there are several teams that will view him as an intriguing developmental prospect with starting potential based on his strong showing in Mobile.
Colorado State TE Crockett Gillmore was a late addition to the Senior Bowl roster, but he certainly boosted his draft stock with his standout performance on Saturday. The Rams' star had five catches for 61 yards and a score, displaying strong hands and underrated route skills. He complemented his impressive performance as a pass catcher, with a strong showing as a blocker on the edge. He repeatedly sealed the corner on perimeter runs and effectively neutralized his assigned defender on power plays between the tackles. Of course, scouts expected Gillmore to be a stout blocker at the point of attack based on his solid performance during the regular season, but doing it against the top players in the country will enhance his value in the minds of coaches searching for a traditional tight end in the draft.
Nebraska CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste and Utah CB Keith McGill entered the week viewed as two of the most intriguing cornerback prospects in the draft based on their physically imposing frames. The duo didn't disappoint scouts in attendance with their play, as each showed better than anticipated cover skills and awareness in the Senior Bowl. Jean-Baptiste made a few plays on the ball utilizing "off" technique, which is surprising considering his size suggests he would be better served to play press coverage at the line of scrimmage. McGill also displayed solid cover skills on the perimeter. He quickly exploded out of his pedal to record a knockdown in the third quarter, showcasing his short area burst and anticipation. McGill later added a game-clinching interception in the fourth quarter to seal the deal. With Jean-Baptiste and McGill flashing adequate cover skills in space, teams looking for big, athletic corners with movement skills will take a long, hard look at the duo leading up to the draft.
Princeton DT Caraun Reid had a solid overall week of practice, but his standout performance in the Senior Bowl game will earn him a hard look from scouts looking for an interior defender with quickness and rush skills. The 6-foot-2, 270-pound defender racked up a pair of sacks on back-to-back plays that showcased his speed, burst and hand skills. Reid defeated Baylor's Cyril Richardson using a quick arm over at the line of scrimmage to notch a sack. He followed it with a butt-and-jerk maneuver on the subsequent play that showcased his sneaky strength and power on the inside. As more teams utilize quick interior defenders on nickel and sub packages, Reid could be viewed as an enticing option based on his solid play in the game.
Buzz-kill
The quarterbacks on the North squad (Miami's Stephen Morris; Clemson's Tajh Boyd and Virginia Tech's Logan Thomas) didn't leave a favorable lasting impression on NFL scouts with their play in the Senior Bowl. Each signal caller struggled to find their rhythm within the pocket and their inconsistencies prevented the North team from moving the ball down the field. Watching Morris, in particular, I was disappointed with his lack of accuracy and ball placement. He repeatedly missed open receivers at intermediate range, and tossed a pair of interceptions in the fourth quarter.
Boyd also delivered an underwhelming performance, with a pair of batted balls raising concerns about his height and ability to find passing lanes between big bodies. Additionally, Boyd tossed an interception on an underthrown deep ball following a double move. The ball was not only woefully off target, but it lacked the kind of velocity and zip that is needed to complete deep tosses against NFL-caliber defenders in the backend.
Thomas didn't have the miscues of his quarterback brethren, but he held onto the ball too long, resulting in a number of sacks for the North. Now, Thomas isn't solely responsible for the negative plays in the backfield, but a quarterback with better awareness and anticipation would find a way to get the ball out of his hands before the rush draws near. Overall, the play of the trio will lead to more questions about the NFL potential of each in draft rooms across the league.
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Cowboys Senior Bowl fits
January, 25, 2014
By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com
The Senior Bowl is this afternoon in Mobile, Ala., and the Cowboys drafted three players who participated in the game last year.
Scouts Inc., Scott Muench said there are some good fits for the Cowboys among the players taking part in today's game.
Muench said he likes linebackers Chris Borland of Wisconsin and Jonathan Brown from Illinois for the Cowboys. Wide receiver Jordan Matthews from Vanderbilt is another player of interest.
"He's been up and down, but I like him on tape," Muench said of Matthews. "He's been OK, he has to work on his ability to get off the press. He hasn't caught contested balls as much as I though he would."
The Cowboys could use an upgrade at one of their outside linebacker spots with the inconsistent play of Bruce Carter and the injuries sustained by Justin Durant.
"A head up player, a little up and down about him," Muench said of Brown. "He tackles well when you throw on the tape."
Muench believes the Cowboys need to get a defensive end, if they bypass on that, of course upgrading the tackle position would be good. Not so much finding a replacement for Tyron Smith, but for right tackle Doug Free.
"I would say if they're not going to take an edge rusher early and there might not be a guy for them really where they’re picking," Muench said.
A look at some Senior Bowl players who interest the Cowboys:
QB Jimmy Garoppolo, Eastern Illinois
WR Mike Davis, Texas
WR Ryan Grant, Tulane
G Cyril Richardson, Baylor
T Zack Martin, Notre Dame
T Morgan Moses, Virginia
DE Dee Ford, Auburn
DE James Gayle, Virginia Tech
DT Justin Ellis, La. Tech
S Craig Loston, LSU
S/CB Jemea Thomas, Georgia Tech
S Pierre Desir, Lindenwood
January, 25, 2014
By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com
The Senior Bowl is this afternoon in Mobile, Ala., and the Cowboys drafted three players who participated in the game last year.
Scouts Inc., Scott Muench said there are some good fits for the Cowboys among the players taking part in today's game.
Muench said he likes linebackers Chris Borland of Wisconsin and Jonathan Brown from Illinois for the Cowboys. Wide receiver Jordan Matthews from Vanderbilt is another player of interest.
"He's been up and down, but I like him on tape," Muench said of Matthews. "He's been OK, he has to work on his ability to get off the press. He hasn't caught contested balls as much as I though he would."
The Cowboys could use an upgrade at one of their outside linebacker spots with the inconsistent play of Bruce Carter and the injuries sustained by Justin Durant.
"A head up player, a little up and down about him," Muench said of Brown. "He tackles well when you throw on the tape."
Muench believes the Cowboys need to get a defensive end, if they bypass on that, of course upgrading the tackle position would be good. Not so much finding a replacement for Tyron Smith, but for right tackle Doug Free.
"I would say if they're not going to take an edge rusher early and there might not be a guy for them really where they’re picking," Muench said.
A look at some Senior Bowl players who interest the Cowboys:
QB Jimmy Garoppolo, Eastern Illinois
WR Mike Davis, Texas
WR Ryan Grant, Tulane
G Cyril Richardson, Baylor
T Zack Martin, Notre Dame
T Morgan Moses, Virginia
DE Dee Ford, Auburn
DE James Gayle, Virginia Tech
DT Justin Ellis, La. Tech
S Craig Loston, LSU
S/CB Jemea Thomas, Georgia Tech
S Pierre Desir, Lindenwood
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2014 Senior Bowl: Auburn's Dee Ford headlines list of Risers-Fallers
By Rob Rang | The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com
January 25, 2014 7:22 pm ET
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A year ago a relative unknown offensive tackle from Central Michigan began his climb towards the No. 1 overall selection in the 2013 NFL draft with a dominant performance at the Senior Bowl.
With underclassmen expected to dominate this year's first round, no one from the 2014 Senior Bowl is going to match Eric Fisher's perch atop the draft. However, revealing performances during the all-important week of practice and the game, itself, is certain to impact NFL draft boards.
Here are the 10 players who helped their NFL stock the most at the Senior Bowl, followed by five players who were unable to answer scouts' concerns during the Mobile, Ala. all-star game.
Helped Themselves:
Dee Ford, DE, Auburn: Ford impressed with a chiseled build at 6-foot-2, 243 pounds during the weigh-in and was virtually unstoppable off the edge during the practices, showing burst, bend and closing speed. He was the most dynamic player on the field during the game, recording two sacks and timing a leap to knock down a pass to earn MVP honors. Ford's dominant week boosted his stock at least a full round and could result in a top 32 selection.
Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh: It was Donald, not Ford, who earned most of the buzz early in the week, whipping interior offensive linemen with his quickness, tenacity and underrated strength. Like Ford, Donald's size (6-foot-1, 288 pounds) limits his fits in the NFL but his ability to pressure quarterbacks could earn him a first-round selection.
Jimmie Ward, S, Northern Illinois: Scouts knew heading into the Senior Bowl that Ward possessed the fluidity and instincts to cover but competition in the MAC is much different than in Mobile. Athletic enough to handle deep coverage, as well as slide down to cover slot receivers, Ward was the Senior Bowl's most impressive pass defender this year.
Crockett Gillmore, TE, Colorado State - Gilmore came in late to the Senior Bowl as an injury replacement, but the former defensive end impressed scouts immediately with his size and overall athleticism. He really caught fire during Thursday's practice, extending to haul in an impressive touchdown and continued his stellar play in the game itself.
Weston Richburg, OC, Colorado State: Arkansas' Travis Swanson entered the week as the nation's top center prospect, but an impressive showing by another CSU Ram has his stock rising quickly. Richburg showed the anchor to handle powerful bull-rushers, as well as impressive agility in getting to the second level.
Brandon Thomas, OL, Clemson: The unquestioned top offensive lineman in Mobile this week was Notre Dame's Zach Martin, who starred at left tackle for the Irish but projects better at guard due to his short arms. Thomas didn't earn nearly the media attention but also performed well at tackle despite a frame (6-foot-3 and a 1/2, 314 pounds) that suggests he too will be making the move inside in the NFL. Late in the game, Thomas was playing outside at tackle with Martin asked to move inside to guard.
Caraun Reid, DT, Princeton: The well-built Ivy Leaguer proved with a competitive week of practice that he was every bit the talent as the more well-known prospects he was facing each snap. He capped off the week with sacks on back-to-back plays during the game, showing the lateral burst and closing speed to project nicely as a three-technique defensive tackle.
Morgan Moses, OT, Virginia: At 6-foot-6, 325 pounds, Moses possesses the frame you'd expect of a dominating run blocker and he showed the ability to clear wide rushing lanes throughout the week. Moses boosted his stock this week, however, by providing reliable pass protection, demonstrating the arm length (34 3/4"), balance and surprising athleticism teams are looking for in a top-64 selection.
Ryan Grant, WR, Tulane: At a rock-solid 6-foot-0, 197 pounds, Grant showed surprising burst, as well as the agility as a route-runner and reliable hands to out-play several more highly-touted pass catchers. A long touchdown during Wednesday's practice drew plenty of praise from scouts.
Christian Kirksey, OLB, Iowa: The Big Ten remains one of college football's most consistent producers of pro-ready linebackers and Kirksey turned heads this week with his athleticism and instincts. A particularly impressive tackle early in the Senior Bowl game showed off his closing speed.
Missed Opportunity:
Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson: Despite media reports to the contrary, Boyd's inaccuracy throughout the week of practice and game itself has his stock slipping. He possesses plenty of arm strength but was erratic, spraying the ball over the field. An ugly interception early in the Senior Bowl set the tone for a disappointing performance from the North Team's offense, as a whole.
Cyril Richardson, OG, Baylor: At 6-foot-4, 344 pounds, Richardson is a massive interior presence, but he struggled with quicker defensive tackles throughout the week of practice (especially Donald) and wasn't nearly as powerful as a drive blocker as one might expect given his size.
Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt: Matthews' production in the SEC speaks for itself, but he dropped a handful of passes throughout the week of practice. Even more alarming, he showed little in terms of burst or straight-line speed, struggling to gain separation from opposing cornerbacks.
Will Sutton, DT, Arizona State: Sutton's quickness and power helped him record a tackle-for-loss early in the game, but in weighing in at a soft 315 pounds at under 6-foot-1 did him no favors with scouts. There is no question that the reigning Defensive Player of the Year possesses talent, but questions about his commitment towards reaching his full potential could push him deep into the draft's second day.
Stephen Morris, QB, Miami: Morris earned the nickname "Tin Cup" from some scouts at the Senior Bowl due to his ability to make the amazing throw but struggles with the routine passes commonplace in every NFL offense. Morris boasts a strong arm and throws the deep ball with touch, but like the other two quarterbacks on the North squad (Boyd and Virginia Tech's Logan Thomas), he struggled with accuracy throughout the week.
By Rob Rang | The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com
January 25, 2014 7:22 pm ET
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A year ago a relative unknown offensive tackle from Central Michigan began his climb towards the No. 1 overall selection in the 2013 NFL draft with a dominant performance at the Senior Bowl.
With underclassmen expected to dominate this year's first round, no one from the 2014 Senior Bowl is going to match Eric Fisher's perch atop the draft. However, revealing performances during the all-important week of practice and the game, itself, is certain to impact NFL draft boards.
Here are the 10 players who helped their NFL stock the most at the Senior Bowl, followed by five players who were unable to answer scouts' concerns during the Mobile, Ala. all-star game.
Helped Themselves:
Dee Ford, DE, Auburn: Ford impressed with a chiseled build at 6-foot-2, 243 pounds during the weigh-in and was virtually unstoppable off the edge during the practices, showing burst, bend and closing speed. He was the most dynamic player on the field during the game, recording two sacks and timing a leap to knock down a pass to earn MVP honors. Ford's dominant week boosted his stock at least a full round and could result in a top 32 selection.
Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh: It was Donald, not Ford, who earned most of the buzz early in the week, whipping interior offensive linemen with his quickness, tenacity and underrated strength. Like Ford, Donald's size (6-foot-1, 288 pounds) limits his fits in the NFL but his ability to pressure quarterbacks could earn him a first-round selection.
Jimmie Ward, S, Northern Illinois: Scouts knew heading into the Senior Bowl that Ward possessed the fluidity and instincts to cover but competition in the MAC is much different than in Mobile. Athletic enough to handle deep coverage, as well as slide down to cover slot receivers, Ward was the Senior Bowl's most impressive pass defender this year.
Crockett Gillmore, TE, Colorado State - Gilmore came in late to the Senior Bowl as an injury replacement, but the former defensive end impressed scouts immediately with his size and overall athleticism. He really caught fire during Thursday's practice, extending to haul in an impressive touchdown and continued his stellar play in the game itself.
Weston Richburg, OC, Colorado State: Arkansas' Travis Swanson entered the week as the nation's top center prospect, but an impressive showing by another CSU Ram has his stock rising quickly. Richburg showed the anchor to handle powerful bull-rushers, as well as impressive agility in getting to the second level.
Brandon Thomas, OL, Clemson: The unquestioned top offensive lineman in Mobile this week was Notre Dame's Zach Martin, who starred at left tackle for the Irish but projects better at guard due to his short arms. Thomas didn't earn nearly the media attention but also performed well at tackle despite a frame (6-foot-3 and a 1/2, 314 pounds) that suggests he too will be making the move inside in the NFL. Late in the game, Thomas was playing outside at tackle with Martin asked to move inside to guard.
Caraun Reid, DT, Princeton: The well-built Ivy Leaguer proved with a competitive week of practice that he was every bit the talent as the more well-known prospects he was facing each snap. He capped off the week with sacks on back-to-back plays during the game, showing the lateral burst and closing speed to project nicely as a three-technique defensive tackle.
Morgan Moses, OT, Virginia: At 6-foot-6, 325 pounds, Moses possesses the frame you'd expect of a dominating run blocker and he showed the ability to clear wide rushing lanes throughout the week. Moses boosted his stock this week, however, by providing reliable pass protection, demonstrating the arm length (34 3/4"), balance and surprising athleticism teams are looking for in a top-64 selection.
Ryan Grant, WR, Tulane: At a rock-solid 6-foot-0, 197 pounds, Grant showed surprising burst, as well as the agility as a route-runner and reliable hands to out-play several more highly-touted pass catchers. A long touchdown during Wednesday's practice drew plenty of praise from scouts.
Christian Kirksey, OLB, Iowa: The Big Ten remains one of college football's most consistent producers of pro-ready linebackers and Kirksey turned heads this week with his athleticism and instincts. A particularly impressive tackle early in the Senior Bowl game showed off his closing speed.
Missed Opportunity:
Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson: Despite media reports to the contrary, Boyd's inaccuracy throughout the week of practice and game itself has his stock slipping. He possesses plenty of arm strength but was erratic, spraying the ball over the field. An ugly interception early in the Senior Bowl set the tone for a disappointing performance from the North Team's offense, as a whole.
Cyril Richardson, OG, Baylor: At 6-foot-4, 344 pounds, Richardson is a massive interior presence, but he struggled with quicker defensive tackles throughout the week of practice (especially Donald) and wasn't nearly as powerful as a drive blocker as one might expect given his size.
Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt: Matthews' production in the SEC speaks for itself, but he dropped a handful of passes throughout the week of practice. Even more alarming, he showed little in terms of burst or straight-line speed, struggling to gain separation from opposing cornerbacks.
Will Sutton, DT, Arizona State: Sutton's quickness and power helped him record a tackle-for-loss early in the game, but in weighing in at a soft 315 pounds at under 6-foot-1 did him no favors with scouts. There is no question that the reigning Defensive Player of the Year possesses talent, but questions about his commitment towards reaching his full potential could push him deep into the draft's second day.
Stephen Morris, QB, Miami: Morris earned the nickname "Tin Cup" from some scouts at the Senior Bowl due to his ability to make the amazing throw but struggles with the routine passes commonplace in every NFL offense. Morris boasts a strong arm and throws the deep ball with touch, but like the other two quarterbacks on the North squad (Boyd and Virginia Tech's Logan Thomas), he struggled with accuracy throughout the week.
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Senior Bowl: Money Makers And Missed Opportunities
Jan 26, 2014 12:45 PM EST
By Jeff Risdon
The preeminent all-star game, the Reese’s Senior Bowl, offered over 100 college players the chance to strut their stuff in front of cadres of NFL scouts, personnel decision makers, and draftniks. I was one of those draftniks, as for the seventh year in a row I made the trip to Mobile to watch every practice.
Some guys seized the opportunity and raised their draft profiles with strong performances. Others might have cost themselves some initial salary by underwhelming on the practice fields.
Here are five guys who earned themselves some money and five who cost themselves chances at more money.
Earners:
Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh--he was consistently the most disruptive interior line presence on either roster. While he’s short at just over six feet tall and under 290 pounds, he showed great quickness and more than enough strength to handle taking on opposing guards. His bevy of polished pass rush moves often drew wows from the sideline observers.
Scouts came to Mobile wanting to see him handle playing against top-caliber linemen and show he had more than a great first step. Mission accomplished. His size will bother teams come draft time, but in a very weak DT draft class, he probably elevated himself into late first-round consideration.
Jon Halapio, G, Florida--the ponytailed strongman had a rough senior season at Florida. He played through a partially torn pectoral muscle, and it clearly inhibited his play. Halapio looked fully healed--and then some--from the very first rep of South practice, where he jolted Arizona State’s Will Sutton with a jab and proceeded to easily topple him over.
That was the first of many pancakes on the week for Halapio. His ability to fire out his arms with core power while sitting in his stance is exactly what teams look for in guards. He can uncoil power from his shoulders and base nicely, at one point lifting 348-pound Dan McCullers off the ground. Now he has posited himself as this year’s potential Larry Warford. He’s not as agile as Detroit’s rookie phenom, but he’s close enough that some team is going to take Halapio in the 80-100 overall range.
Dee Ford, DE, Auburn--one of the highlights of every all-star game week is the pass rush pit drill in practices. It’s the ultimate individual matchup, and it generates the most buzz along the sidelines.
This year’s unquestioned champ of those contests was Dee Ford. His quickness to consistently get his inside shoulder under and through the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle is something that impressed scouts mightily. Ford also showed he could veer inside, setting up his moves and demonstrating a good understanding of how to use his hands and shoulders to get off blocks. I really liked that he never exposes his chest as a blocking target. Ford solidified himself as a second-round talent in Mobile.
Robert Herron, WR, Wyoming--teams looking for slot receivers really want to see a wideout that can get open off one step. That sounds overly ambitious but it’s very easy to spot which guys are doing it and which ones cannot. Robert Herron sure can.
Herron was dynamite off the line, able to explode into his routes. He can change direction on a dime and has excellent body control while at full gallop. His hands were inconsistent throughout the week, and that likely limits him to a 4th round draft fate. If he can clean that up, he’s a faster & stronger version of Julian Edelman.
Weston Richburg, C, Colorado State--my unadulterated draft man crush this year is Weston Richburg. I even told him so after Tuesday’s practice, after he nearly broke off my wrist while shaking my hand.
In a strangely deep center class, Richburg proved he belongs at or very near the top with his Mobile week. His ability to quickly set up in pass protection and anchor in his stance is very impressive. He proved he could engage at the second level in team drills. But most impressive was something that I did not see from the other Senior Bowl centers, and that’s his ability to modify on the fly. He played Aaron Donald differently than he played RaShede Hageman or DaQuan Jones, who are all very different styles of defensive tackles. Those smarts are what makes him pretty “safe” as a 3rd round pick. He’ll be in my top 50 players in the final rankings.
Bear Market:
Before I get to these players, it’s important to note that they all performed well at some points throughout the week; there was really no player who looked like he truly did not belong except one (Stephen Morris). But these players all failed to meet scouts’ expectations for what they could do or had some flaws exposed more glaringly.
Michael Sam, DE, Missouri--From the very first movement drills it was painfully obvious what Michael Sam is not. He is not an outside linebacker in any scheme, period. His lateral agility and comfort in space were shockingly bad.
As I noted during the week, his biggest issue is that he runs with an exaggerated forward lean. That’s great when you’re going forward but lousy when doing anything else. That’s not something that can be coached, unfortunately. He did show he could press the edge as a rusher, though others did it better. That’s really all he is, a fairly ordinary 4-3 LDE prospect. I’d be scared to take him with anything higher than a 6th round pick.
Will Sutton, DT, Arizona State--One of the battles in my mind heading to Mobile was which undersized defensive tackle was better, Sutton or Aaron Donald. While Donald soared into the bull market, Sutton provided grist for both his advocates and critics.
It’s all about his first step. When he gets the initial advantage off the snap, he’s very effective at swimming, dipping, or spinning quickly into the backfield. He also showed he could close ground in a hurry. The flip side is that if he doesn’t beat the man in front of him right off the bat, he’s completely useless. Form what I watched, his losses outnumbered his wins during the week. Still, his wins are impressive enough that some team will consider a top 64 pick on him. His short arms and terrible weight gain over the past few weeks likely relegates him to an early 4th round pick.
Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State--make no question about it, Derek Carr was the best quarterback all week. He’s the only QB in Mobile I would even consider in the first two rounds. So why does he wind up with the bear market crowd?
It’s simple: he could have, and probably should have, been better. While he did show the best accuracy, he missed several throws by not properly adjusting for the speed of his receiver. That’s a little nitpicky in a short week with foreign targets, but it never really got better throughout the week. In addition, we did see the back-foot throws and dropping of the arm angle for no good reason. These are things that scouts hoped would be cleaned up in intensive training, but it hasn’t happened yet. Still, he did throw some truly artful fades, and Carr showed more than enough mustard on the deep throws.
Heading into Senior Bowl week I strongly believed that a good showing could vault Carr definitively into the top 10. Instead, I believe he kept his stock in the late-first discussion. Anything higher should be considered a reach.
Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt--Matthews is another player who could have really helped himself with a strong week. Heading to Mobile he was the top receiving talent on either roster, an impressive blend of size, speed, and hands. Many felt he could make it into the first round.
If he gets his name called in the top 40 picks now, it’ll be a small miracle. Matthews had issues in going after the football all week. To generalize, his fight to size of dog ratio is poor. We all wanted to see him get physical and use his size to go get contested balls. Instead, he was often passive. Matthews also showed some struggles in getting off jams, which belies his size. He plays small, and that’s a problem for a big receiver. There is still more than enough to like with Matthews, notably his speed after the catch, to merit being a #2 receiver in the NFL. But teams don’t typically use high picks on that role.
Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson--I’ve never been high on Boyd, so my expectations were pretty low. He met them.
Boyd is quite simply not a NFL-caliber quarterback. His footwork and mechanics are dreadful. In one series of reps this week, Boyd consistently took his drop steps on his heels. When you watch good quarterbacks, their heels never touch the ground. His accuracy is all over the place, at times pretty sharp but others resembling Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn from Major League. About the only saving grace for Boyd was that he was demonstrably better than Miami’s Stephen Morris, who was worse than all the quarterbacks at the Shrine Game a week earlier.
Jan 26, 2014 12:45 PM EST
By Jeff Risdon
The preeminent all-star game, the Reese’s Senior Bowl, offered over 100 college players the chance to strut their stuff in front of cadres of NFL scouts, personnel decision makers, and draftniks. I was one of those draftniks, as for the seventh year in a row I made the trip to Mobile to watch every practice.
Some guys seized the opportunity and raised their draft profiles with strong performances. Others might have cost themselves some initial salary by underwhelming on the practice fields.
Here are five guys who earned themselves some money and five who cost themselves chances at more money.
Earners:
Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh--he was consistently the most disruptive interior line presence on either roster. While he’s short at just over six feet tall and under 290 pounds, he showed great quickness and more than enough strength to handle taking on opposing guards. His bevy of polished pass rush moves often drew wows from the sideline observers.
Scouts came to Mobile wanting to see him handle playing against top-caliber linemen and show he had more than a great first step. Mission accomplished. His size will bother teams come draft time, but in a very weak DT draft class, he probably elevated himself into late first-round consideration.
Jon Halapio, G, Florida--the ponytailed strongman had a rough senior season at Florida. He played through a partially torn pectoral muscle, and it clearly inhibited his play. Halapio looked fully healed--and then some--from the very first rep of South practice, where he jolted Arizona State’s Will Sutton with a jab and proceeded to easily topple him over.
That was the first of many pancakes on the week for Halapio. His ability to fire out his arms with core power while sitting in his stance is exactly what teams look for in guards. He can uncoil power from his shoulders and base nicely, at one point lifting 348-pound Dan McCullers off the ground. Now he has posited himself as this year’s potential Larry Warford. He’s not as agile as Detroit’s rookie phenom, but he’s close enough that some team is going to take Halapio in the 80-100 overall range.
Dee Ford, DE, Auburn--one of the highlights of every all-star game week is the pass rush pit drill in practices. It’s the ultimate individual matchup, and it generates the most buzz along the sidelines.
This year’s unquestioned champ of those contests was Dee Ford. His quickness to consistently get his inside shoulder under and through the outside shoulder of the offensive tackle is something that impressed scouts mightily. Ford also showed he could veer inside, setting up his moves and demonstrating a good understanding of how to use his hands and shoulders to get off blocks. I really liked that he never exposes his chest as a blocking target. Ford solidified himself as a second-round talent in Mobile.
Robert Herron, WR, Wyoming--teams looking for slot receivers really want to see a wideout that can get open off one step. That sounds overly ambitious but it’s very easy to spot which guys are doing it and which ones cannot. Robert Herron sure can.
Herron was dynamite off the line, able to explode into his routes. He can change direction on a dime and has excellent body control while at full gallop. His hands were inconsistent throughout the week, and that likely limits him to a 4th round draft fate. If he can clean that up, he’s a faster & stronger version of Julian Edelman.
Weston Richburg, C, Colorado State--my unadulterated draft man crush this year is Weston Richburg. I even told him so after Tuesday’s practice, after he nearly broke off my wrist while shaking my hand.
In a strangely deep center class, Richburg proved he belongs at or very near the top with his Mobile week. His ability to quickly set up in pass protection and anchor in his stance is very impressive. He proved he could engage at the second level in team drills. But most impressive was something that I did not see from the other Senior Bowl centers, and that’s his ability to modify on the fly. He played Aaron Donald differently than he played RaShede Hageman or DaQuan Jones, who are all very different styles of defensive tackles. Those smarts are what makes him pretty “safe” as a 3rd round pick. He’ll be in my top 50 players in the final rankings.
Bear Market:
Before I get to these players, it’s important to note that they all performed well at some points throughout the week; there was really no player who looked like he truly did not belong except one (Stephen Morris). But these players all failed to meet scouts’ expectations for what they could do or had some flaws exposed more glaringly.
Michael Sam, DE, Missouri--From the very first movement drills it was painfully obvious what Michael Sam is not. He is not an outside linebacker in any scheme, period. His lateral agility and comfort in space were shockingly bad.
As I noted during the week, his biggest issue is that he runs with an exaggerated forward lean. That’s great when you’re going forward but lousy when doing anything else. That’s not something that can be coached, unfortunately. He did show he could press the edge as a rusher, though others did it better. That’s really all he is, a fairly ordinary 4-3 LDE prospect. I’d be scared to take him with anything higher than a 6th round pick.
Will Sutton, DT, Arizona State--One of the battles in my mind heading to Mobile was which undersized defensive tackle was better, Sutton or Aaron Donald. While Donald soared into the bull market, Sutton provided grist for both his advocates and critics.
It’s all about his first step. When he gets the initial advantage off the snap, he’s very effective at swimming, dipping, or spinning quickly into the backfield. He also showed he could close ground in a hurry. The flip side is that if he doesn’t beat the man in front of him right off the bat, he’s completely useless. Form what I watched, his losses outnumbered his wins during the week. Still, his wins are impressive enough that some team will consider a top 64 pick on him. His short arms and terrible weight gain over the past few weeks likely relegates him to an early 4th round pick.
Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State--make no question about it, Derek Carr was the best quarterback all week. He’s the only QB in Mobile I would even consider in the first two rounds. So why does he wind up with the bear market crowd?
It’s simple: he could have, and probably should have, been better. While he did show the best accuracy, he missed several throws by not properly adjusting for the speed of his receiver. That’s a little nitpicky in a short week with foreign targets, but it never really got better throughout the week. In addition, we did see the back-foot throws and dropping of the arm angle for no good reason. These are things that scouts hoped would be cleaned up in intensive training, but it hasn’t happened yet. Still, he did throw some truly artful fades, and Carr showed more than enough mustard on the deep throws.
Heading into Senior Bowl week I strongly believed that a good showing could vault Carr definitively into the top 10. Instead, I believe he kept his stock in the late-first discussion. Anything higher should be considered a reach.
Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt--Matthews is another player who could have really helped himself with a strong week. Heading to Mobile he was the top receiving talent on either roster, an impressive blend of size, speed, and hands. Many felt he could make it into the first round.
If he gets his name called in the top 40 picks now, it’ll be a small miracle. Matthews had issues in going after the football all week. To generalize, his fight to size of dog ratio is poor. We all wanted to see him get physical and use his size to go get contested balls. Instead, he was often passive. Matthews also showed some struggles in getting off jams, which belies his size. He plays small, and that’s a problem for a big receiver. There is still more than enough to like with Matthews, notably his speed after the catch, to merit being a #2 receiver in the NFL. But teams don’t typically use high picks on that role.
Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson--I’ve never been high on Boyd, so my expectations were pretty low. He met them.
Boyd is quite simply not a NFL-caliber quarterback. His footwork and mechanics are dreadful. In one series of reps this week, Boyd consistently took his drop steps on his heels. When you watch good quarterbacks, their heels never touch the ground. His accuracy is all over the place, at times pretty sharp but others resembling Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn from Major League. About the only saving grace for Boyd was that he was demonstrably better than Miami’s Stephen Morris, who was worse than all the quarterbacks at the Shrine Game a week earlier.
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Sutton needs someone who will ride his ass to lose weight. If a coach makes him his special project I think he has the potential to be a stud. The guy added weight which was good, but he added the wrong kind of weight.
Also I'm kind of glad Donald didn't have a great game. He is a perfect fit for our defense and his stock seemed to really be soaring. Hopefully this will cool his stock a little and give us a better advantage to draft him after a trade down. Of course most scouts don't pay much attention to the game itself. It's mostly about the week of practice.
Clay_Allison
Old Bastard
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Since Jason Worilds is a free agent I could see the Steelers picking this guy at 15 and plugging him right in.
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Scout’s Eye: Senior Bowl Observations of Donald & Ford
Posted 11 minutes ago
Bryan Broaddus
Football Analyst/Scout
Football analyst Bryan Broaddus talks a look at the Reese’s Senior Bowl. Here’s Part 1 of some observations after watching the game tape of Saturday’s game in Mobile. Part 2 will continue on Tuesday.
•The player that during the week of practices leading up to the game, who was receiving the most attention was Pittsburgh defensive tackle, Aaron Donald. For teams that play the 4-3 scheme, Donald is the ideal fit as that three technique that can play up the field and be disruptive in the middle. He also showed that he could also slide over to the one and play with power as well. In the game, I thought that Mississippi State guard, Gabe Jackson did a pretty solid job on him. There were several plays where Jackson had Donald one-on-one and he was up to the challenge. Where Donald was able to get Jackson one time was on a straight bull rush, where he carried Jackson back to the quarterback which was a nice display of power and leverage on his part. Aaron Donald will not be for all teams because of his lack of height at just a shade over 6-foot but there is no question of the explosive quickness that he was able to show in the game for the North side.
•The best matchup during the game was when Notre Dame tackle, Zack Martin was working against Auburn defensive end, Dee Ford. What was interesting is that when Ford rushed against Martin, he didn’t have the type of success in the game that he enjoyed against the other North tackles. In talking to coaches and scouts around the league, they believe that despite what Martin was able to show at tackle, he will play guard in the NFL. Martin doesn’t remind me of those Notre Dame linemen that we have seen in the past that struggle with power and quickness. He is more than able to adjust, bend and play with power. While his teammates for the game struggled with Ford, he was not bothered by him at all. There were even points in the game where the Jacksonville coaches flipped Ford with Chris Smith to get some rushes on Seantrel Henderson out of Miami. Martin was able to handle the first step quickness of Ford and once he was able to do that, then it became a battle that Ford was not going to be able to win because Martin would just sit down on him. It’s a nice game to watch for Martin as the scouts build their boards because Ford will put some heat on you.
•While watching practice during the week, I thought that the defensive tackle that was steady in his approach and play was DaQuan Jones from Penn State but I have to say in studying the game on tape, Princeton’s Caraun Reid took the award for the outstanding player not named Aaron Donald or Ra’Shede Hageman. Reid was able to generate back-to-back sacks with two separate pass rush moves. The first one was against the All American guard from Baylor, Cyril Richardson, who he beat with a quick inside move which Richardson was slow to adjust to and Reid was on Logan Thomas before he knew it. On his next one, he moved over Miami guard, Brandon Linder and at the snap, he quickly works to Linder’s right shoulder which gets him to put all his weight on his right foot, then he crosses his face to break free back inside. Linder has trouble adjusting and Reid has another free run at Thomas for the sack. For Caraun Reid it was a step up in weight class and he did nothing to make you believe that he does have the tools to be a guy that can play inside in a rotational system in a 4-3 defense.
•If you are looking for the best safety in the group for either team, Northern Illinois, Jimmie Ward is your guy. There is plenty to like about Ward and his approach to the game. I believe that he is one of those safeties that sees the field well and once he does see it, he is gone. There are plenty of times where you see safeties over run the play, take a bad angle or must a tackle in the open field, Ward is not one of those guys. There were only a few coverages that these coaches were allowed to play, so that meant that the safeties had to figure into playing against the slot and when Ward was on the field, Falcons defensive coordinator, Mike Nolan was not afraid to walk him inside and let him cover from there. Even while playing at normal depth, Ward was able to read the tight end on a crossing route from left to right, timing his arrival with that of the ball causing an incomplete pass. Ward was also able to show a physical side of the game with nice open field tackle on a receiver after a catch in the middle of the field. What I am looking forward to seeing is if Jimmie Ward can put himself in that mix with safeties like Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix and Calvin Pryor as we begin to build this draft board.
Posted 11 minutes ago
Bryan Broaddus
Football Analyst/Scout
Football analyst Bryan Broaddus talks a look at the Reese’s Senior Bowl. Here’s Part 1 of some observations after watching the game tape of Saturday’s game in Mobile. Part 2 will continue on Tuesday.
•The player that during the week of practices leading up to the game, who was receiving the most attention was Pittsburgh defensive tackle, Aaron Donald. For teams that play the 4-3 scheme, Donald is the ideal fit as that three technique that can play up the field and be disruptive in the middle. He also showed that he could also slide over to the one and play with power as well. In the game, I thought that Mississippi State guard, Gabe Jackson did a pretty solid job on him. There were several plays where Jackson had Donald one-on-one and he was up to the challenge. Where Donald was able to get Jackson one time was on a straight bull rush, where he carried Jackson back to the quarterback which was a nice display of power and leverage on his part. Aaron Donald will not be for all teams because of his lack of height at just a shade over 6-foot but there is no question of the explosive quickness that he was able to show in the game for the North side.
•The best matchup during the game was when Notre Dame tackle, Zack Martin was working against Auburn defensive end, Dee Ford. What was interesting is that when Ford rushed against Martin, he didn’t have the type of success in the game that he enjoyed against the other North tackles. In talking to coaches and scouts around the league, they believe that despite what Martin was able to show at tackle, he will play guard in the NFL. Martin doesn’t remind me of those Notre Dame linemen that we have seen in the past that struggle with power and quickness. He is more than able to adjust, bend and play with power. While his teammates for the game struggled with Ford, he was not bothered by him at all. There were even points in the game where the Jacksonville coaches flipped Ford with Chris Smith to get some rushes on Seantrel Henderson out of Miami. Martin was able to handle the first step quickness of Ford and once he was able to do that, then it became a battle that Ford was not going to be able to win because Martin would just sit down on him. It’s a nice game to watch for Martin as the scouts build their boards because Ford will put some heat on you.
•While watching practice during the week, I thought that the defensive tackle that was steady in his approach and play was DaQuan Jones from Penn State but I have to say in studying the game on tape, Princeton’s Caraun Reid took the award for the outstanding player not named Aaron Donald or Ra’Shede Hageman. Reid was able to generate back-to-back sacks with two separate pass rush moves. The first one was against the All American guard from Baylor, Cyril Richardson, who he beat with a quick inside move which Richardson was slow to adjust to and Reid was on Logan Thomas before he knew it. On his next one, he moved over Miami guard, Brandon Linder and at the snap, he quickly works to Linder’s right shoulder which gets him to put all his weight on his right foot, then he crosses his face to break free back inside. Linder has trouble adjusting and Reid has another free run at Thomas for the sack. For Caraun Reid it was a step up in weight class and he did nothing to make you believe that he does have the tools to be a guy that can play inside in a rotational system in a 4-3 defense.
•If you are looking for the best safety in the group for either team, Northern Illinois, Jimmie Ward is your guy. There is plenty to like about Ward and his approach to the game. I believe that he is one of those safeties that sees the field well and once he does see it, he is gone. There are plenty of times where you see safeties over run the play, take a bad angle or must a tackle in the open field, Ward is not one of those guys. There were only a few coverages that these coaches were allowed to play, so that meant that the safeties had to figure into playing against the slot and when Ward was on the field, Falcons defensive coordinator, Mike Nolan was not afraid to walk him inside and let him cover from there. Even while playing at normal depth, Ward was able to read the tight end on a crossing route from left to right, timing his arrival with that of the ball causing an incomplete pass. Ward was also able to show a physical side of the game with nice open field tackle on a receiver after a catch in the middle of the field. What I am looking forward to seeing is if Jimmie Ward can put himself in that mix with safeties like Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix and Calvin Pryor as we begin to build this draft board.