Senior Bowl Monday practice

[motife]

MOBILE, Ala. -- Here's the buzz from Monday's Senior Bowl practices:

Around the North practice
When the rosters initially were released, the North team had three top prospects in Wisconsin OT Joe Thomas and Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn and WR Jeff Samardzija. However, none of those standouts will hit the field in Mobile. While Thomas opted out for no specific reason, Quinn elected not to participate due to a "minor knee injury" and Samardzija released his decision to pursue baseball over football at the professional level.

Drew Stanton displayed mobility, accuracy and arm strength on Monday.With those defections behind them, the North squad, coached by Jon Gruden and his Buccaneers' staff, took to Ladd-Peebles Stadium on Monday for the first of four practices this week. The weather was hardly ideal, but the team was able to get through most of its individual and unit drills before the skies opened up and the rain poured down.

Michigan State QB Drew Stanton did not seemed fazed by the conditions, as he turned in an impressive first day of practice. The oft-injured gunslinger displayed an impressive blend of mobility, arm strength and accuracy while spreading the ball around to an array of talented receivers during one-on-one and seven-on-seven drills. Ohio State's Troy Smith looked sharp, as well, but Stanton was clearly the best pro quarterback prospect on the field for the North team Monday. As a side note, Smith measured in at 6-foot even during the morning weigh-in process, which was a moral victory for the diminutive quarterback prospect.

Daymeion Hughes locked down the North receivers.The defensive player that impressed us the most was Cal cornerback Daymeion Hughes. The 5-10, 192 pounder displayed outstanding agility and instincts throughout practice. There wasn't a receiver on the team, including standouts such as Jason Hill (Washington State), Rhema McKnight (Notre Dame) and David Clowney (Virginia Tech), who could shake Hughes in one-on-one drills. While it's important to put everything into perspective this week, I think it's safe to say that Hughes showed better man-to-man cover skills this afternoon than Michigan's Leon Hall, who is widely considered the top cornerback prospect and a potential top-15 pick in this year's class.

It was good to see Northern Illinois RB Garrett Wolfe get some reps as a return specialist. At 5-7, 184 pounds, Wolfe is entirely too small to make it in the NFL as a premier back. However, he's elusive and fast enough to carve a niche as a scatback and return man. Wolfe showed good hands returning some punts today and also impressed with his fluidity catching the ball out of the backfield during unit and seven-on-seven drills.

FB Brian Leonard (Rutgers) looks quicker than usual because he has trimmed down to 224 pounds. Leonard clearly wants to prove to NFL scouts that he is capable of becoming a full-time running back at the next level.

Garrett Wolfe showed off his receiving skills during Monday's practice.Notre Dame DE Victor Abiamiri is one of the most impressive players from a physique standpoint. He checked in at nearly 6-5 and 271 pounds with hardly any body fat. Abiamiri also turned heads during practice, as he consistently beat Boston College OT James Marten during unit drills. If Abiamiri continues to dominate practice sessions this week, he could solidify a spot late in the first round.

Finally, the most surprising result of this morning's weigh-in process may well have been the weight loss of Louisville DT Amobi Okoye. Listed as 305 pounds from last spring's measuring for NFL scouts, Okoye showed up in Mobile weighing a slender 287 pounds. While he looks to be in good shape, Okoye may have turned some teams off that viewed him as a bigger interior presence.

Around the South practice
South practices got underway on a wet Majors Field at Fairhope Municipal Stadium and the squad clearly looked as sloppy as the field at times. However, there was no shortage of enthusiasm during the high-tempo workout.

Texas' Michael Griffin and Miami's Brandon Meriweather apparently play at one speed. Despite wearing just shoulder pads, both safeties delivered big hits over the middle. There's a lot to like about their physical style of play, but they won't have a lot of fans if a player gets hurt. There's just too much on the line this close to draft day.

The safeties weren't the only secondary players making noise today. Texas CB Aaron Ross came down with a ball that he or Florida WR Dallas Baker could have caught, and Auburn CB David Irons picked off a pass downfield.

Georgia TE Martrez Milner dropped several passes he should have caught during the 2006 season, but he did a good job of hauling in the slick ball today. He made two nice catches and held onto the ball despite getting popped.

Florida State RB Lorenzo Booker caught the ball well and made some nice moves in space. He also made crisp cuts and exploded through holes, but scouts will want to see how the undersized back does when the South goes to full pads and the linebackers can wrap up.

The kickers spent most of the practice on the sidelines but Arizona's Nick Folk didn't just stand around. He could be seen working on planting his foot in the soggy conditions and looked strong when he attempted field goals. In addition, Baylor punter Daniel Sepulveda is built like a linebacker. He weighed in at 228 pounds this morning and body fat was nowhere to be found.

Texas OL Justin Blalock, who has lined up at tackle as well as guard, held his own in pass protection drills today. However, officials measured him at just 6-foot-3 this morning. His lack of height raises concerns about his ability to line up on the outside, so it looks like he will play at guard at the next level.

USC center Ryan Kalil used his quickness to get into good position and flew around the field. He has gained some weight, but Kalil is still undersized and lacks ideal power. It showed on the field, as defenders overpowered him at times.

LSU DE Chase Pittman appeared to jump off sides on a play during the team drill, but it didn't seem to faze Central Michigan OT Joe Staley. Staley got set quickly and then used his long arms to ride Pitman past the pocket.

[motife]

MOBILE, Ala. -- NFL draft fortunes dramatically rise or fall on the practice fields at the Senior Bowl. Players arrive in Mobile each year for the opportunity to prove their value to the scouts. Some have more to prove than others. Here's a look at the 10 players with the most at stake during this year's Senior Bowl process:

Dallas Baker, WR, Florida
There's a lot to like about Baker's blend of athletic ability and size. His production steadily increased over the course of his collegiate career, too. However, Baker doesn't have great speed or explosiveness, which raises concerns about his ability to get open working against upper-echelon cover corners. The good news is the Senior Bowl gives him the perfect stage to show NFL personnel he can produce against quality defenders. The bad news is the spotlight will shine brightly regardless of how he plays. A poor performance could make front offices queasy about taking him any earlier than the sixth round.

Kareem Brown, DT, Miami
Brown is a classic boom-or-bust prospect. He's raw with somewhat limited starting experience, but his upside is huge. Brown is an impressive athlete for his size and displays enough explosiveness to develop into a difference maker at the next level. He still needs to play with better leverage and more consistency, but Brown seemed to put it all together during the second half of his senior year, when he notched 9½ sacks in the final seven games. If he continues to play with a nonstop motor this week, Brown could emerge as one of the biggest winners from the 2007 Senior Bowl -- and solidify a spot on Day 1 of the draft.

Lorenzo Booker, RB, Florida State
Booker, who never proved capable of being a premier back in college, clearly lacks the size and strength to handle a full load at the next level. However, his versatility remains a great asset. He possesses the speed, elusiveness and hands to contribute as a third-down back and return specialist in the NFL. The goal for Booker this week is to carry over the momentum he generated in Florida State's victory over UCLA in the Emerald Bowl, when he accounted for 208 total yards and two touchdowns.

Marcus McCauley, DB, Fresno State
The future appeared bright for McCauley heading into his senior season. He had shown the ability to regularly shut down the opposing team's best receiver. All of that changed this year. In fact, his performance dropped off so much that Fresno State coach Pat Hill actually took McCauley out of the starting lineup. It doesn't help that McCauley played in the WAC, either, because scouts already were concerned about the level of competition he faced on a weekly basis. If he's going to stop sliding and start climbing draft boards, he must show he can stay with some of the nation's top receivers this week.

Rhema McKnight, WR, Notre Dame
McKnight bounced back from a season-ending knee injury in 2005 to finish second in the nation with 15 touchdown receptions in 2006. Along the way, he ran crisper routes and played more physically than he had earlier in his career. However, his penchant for dropping passes continues to haunt him. In addition, he's coming off a disappointing performance against LSU in the Sugar Bowl. If McKnight catches the ball well and shows he can consistently produce against topflight corners this week, he should move up some draft boards. If he can't, the opposite will happen.

Quentin Moses, DE, Georgia
Moses was a terror as a junior in 2005, but his production really faltered as a senior. Of course, he had a big reputation and demanded a lot of attention from opposing blocking schemes. However, his production did not match his outstanding pure talent. If he shines this week, much of that could be forgotten. Moses is a defensive end/outside linebacker 'tweener with a long, lean body type. This week will show if he is better suited as a traditional defensive end or as an outside linebacker in the 3-4.

Joe Staley, OT, Central Michigan
Staley is an intriguing talent with natural tools that can't be taught. His frame and athletic ability have many believing he can be a true left tackle at the next level. If he can prove he is stout enough and truly the athlete he appears, his stock will skyrocket. For now, there is trepidation about Staley because of his level of college competition. While the MAC has some fine players, he did not have to protect the edge against the likes of the NFL pass-rushers who will be gunning for his quarterback's blind side.

Eric Weddle, S, Utah
Weddle's lack of ideal size and topflight speed could limit him at the next level. However, Weddle gets the most out of his physical tools and is one of the most versatile prospects in the 2007 class. He has experience at every position in the defensive backfield and every offensive skill position. He also was a return specialist and holder on special teams in college. Weddle plays the game with great enthusiasm, instincts and toughness, which should be fun for scouts to witness firsthand during this week's practices. If he proves capable of matching up at the Senior Bowl, Weddle could solidify a spot in the first day of the draft.

Garrett Wolfe, RB, Northern Illinois
Wolfe (5-foot-7, 170 pounds) is vastly undersized for an NFL running back and can't be considered an every-down workhorse type of runner. He was extremely productive against mid-major competition at Northern Illinois, but a different brand of defenders will be after him at the next level. The Senior Bowl is his chance to prove he can hang with big boys. If he holds his own this week, scouts might be convinced to overlook his diminutive stature and give him a shot as a change-of-pace runner and possible return man.

LaMarr Woodley, DE, Michigan
Woodley had a fine senior season against the highest level of competition, but he is considered somewhat of a defensive end/outside linebacker 'tweener. He is a little on the short side, and his body could be maxed out in terms of adding bulk. As a true 4-3 defensive end, Woodley has to prove he can bang with the elite offensive line talent in this draft. The Senior Bowl will give him every opportunity to do so. Also, 3-4 teams will be keeping a watchful eye on Woodley to see if he has the athletic ability to operate in space as a potential 3-4 outside linebacker. Another knock on Woodley is that he was surrounded by elite talent on Michigan's defense. On the practice fields in Mobile, Woodley will stand on his own merits.

[motife]

Todd McShay: Thanks for the questions. Busy week at the Senior Bowl kicking off. Heights and weights this morning, with practice later.


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Nathan, Illinois: I've watched Garrett Wolfe at NIU for the last three years, and he has been an absolute stud despite his tinyness. What team should pick him up in the draft?

Todd McShay: He was tremendous at NIU and I think he has a place in the NFL. But his size is going to kill him. He checked in at 5-7 and 180. In my opinion he's Darren Sprolles without the kick return experience. He's going to have to show everyone that he can return kicks. Ultimately I think he gets drafted in the fourth round.


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Grayson (Tampa, Fl): Can Chansi Stuckeys speed over come his height?

Todd McShay: Yeah, I think Chansi Stuckey is one of the more underrated prospects in this year's class. I think because of that speed and his ability to separate and as a route runner will allow him to make it as a No. 2 or 3 reciever at the next level. He is only 5-10 and 193 pounds, but he's got very good hands and he was extremely productive in his last two seasons at Clemson.

Todd McShay: It wouldn't surprise me at all if he was drafted by the end of the first day.


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Edward (Omaha,NE): Zac Taylor has great accuracy but do you think he has the arm strength and vision to make it on a NFL roster??

Todd McShay: I think arm strength first of all is overrated when evaluating a QB. But I do think Taylor will struggle to make an NFL team. He put up very good numbers, and he did it in a system similar to the West Coast schemes seen in the NFL. But he's 6-1, 210 and not mobile at all. Throw that in with some of his inconsistency as a passer and his lack of arm strength and I think there are too many negatives with Zac Taylor to make it into the late round.


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Aron (Youngstown, OH): Whoat player has been generating the biggest buzz so far?

Todd McShay: I'd say the biggest buzz so far today with very little going on is the fact that Troy Smith checked in at 6-feet tall. The big knock on him was that he was barely 5-11 and very few QBs in the NFL have been successful shorter than 6 feet. I know it's nitpicking, but the fact that he was 6 feet tall was a big boost in his draft stock.

Todd McShay: The only other thing I'd say is that Joe Thomas, the OT from Wisconsin, initially said he would be here for the Senior Bowl process, but elected not to participate. That may have frustrated some scouts, but makes sense for him, because he's the only premiere offensive lineman in this year's draft.


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Chris ( Scottsdale, AZ): Hey Todd, any surprosing height/weights from today...any 6'4's really 6'1?

Todd McShay: Jonathan Wade, CB from Tennessee said he was 6 feet and checked in at 5-9. Brandon Merriweather, safety from Miami, was listed at 6 feet, but was only 5-10. Perhaps the biggest discrepancy was Amobi Okoye, a DT from Louisville, who is considered to be a mid-first round prospect, but checked in at only 287 pounds, despite being labeled on the roster as 300-plus.


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Max (Spokane, WA): Todd, where do you think Chris Leak will go and what do you believe his future in the pros will be?

Todd McShay: I think Chris Leak will wind up going in the early to middle stages of the second day. Despite finishing his career extremely strong, he's an undersized QB who actually checked in shorter than Troy Smith at 5-11 1/2. He doesn't throw the deep ball well and while he has decent mobility, he doesn't like to run either. Unfortunately, I think he might have a better future on the smaller field in Arena Football, which I'm sure he does not want to hear.


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Phil (Cleveland): Who are you looking forward to seeing the most in practice?

Todd McShay: That's a good question, Phil. There are a few guys. One, Troy Smith to see how he bounces back from the poor performance in the BCS title game. The second is Lorenzo Booker, the RB from Florida State to see how well he handles his role as a return man, scat back and slot receiver during this week's practice. The third guy is Eric Weddle, who played defensive back and just about every other position while at Utah. Finally, I want to see Joe Stalley, OT from Central Michigan to see if he can hold his own in one-on-one drills against some of the big boy defensive ends like Abiamari from Notre Dame and LaMarr Woodley from Michigan.


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Ric (NYC): Todd, who stands out among the cornerbacks there?

Todd McShay: I think Michigan's Leon Hall is the most complete cover corner. The player with the most to gain is Fresno State's Marcus McCauley. He cashed it in as a senior when their season went down the tubes, but he may be the most gifted corner in this draft. He's 6-1, 200 pounds with 4.4 speed in the 40. If he has a big week here, he could emerge as a mid first round pick.


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Willie (Portland, OR): How has Joe Newton from Oregon St. been doing? Good hands, good size, where's he going in the draft?

Todd McShay: Willie outside of seeing Joe in his underwear getting his height and weight checked today, I really can't comment on how he's doing. But he was one of the biggest tight ends here at 6-7, 257. In a weak class of tight ends, Newton could work his way into the bottom of the first day with a great week here.


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Roger (Boston): How did Lamar Woodley measure up? I think he might be too small to play DE but I wonder if he's mobile enought to play OLB in a 3-4 alignment.

Todd McShay: You're looking for a 3-4 OLB for the Pats, eh Roger? That's a good assessment though. He checked in just over 6-1 and weighed 269. I think you're exactly right. His best fit will be a rush LB in a 3-4 defensive scheme. The good news is that he has experience playing that position from his days at Michigan.


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Steve (Hoboken, NJ): Todd- What's your early impression of Posluszny? Can he get himself back into 1st round consideration?

Todd McShay: He's right on the fringe. He looks to be in very good shape. He showed up a little bit thicker than I expected at 6-1 1/2, 237 pounds. I think more importantly than this week at the Senior Bowl will be next month at the Combine, because that's where Posluszny needs to check out physically when they take him to the hospital and go through all the medical exams, specifically on his knee. When it's all said and done, I think he'll end up as one of the final 5-7 picks of the first round.


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Michael (Tallahassee): Do you think that the recent success of smaller running backs (Bush, Jones-Drew, etc) will help running backs like Booker and Wolfe?

Todd McShay: Absolutely. The trend has been there for a few years now. Warrick Dunn in Atlanta. Williams in Tampa Bay. And recently retired Tiki Barber of the Giants. I think size is becoming less and less of an importance of evaluating a running back, while elusiveness and versatility are two characteristics that NFL teams can't get enough of. That doesn't mean that pint size guys like Wolfe can overcome their lack of size, but it does give hope to backs like Booker of Florida State and Kenny Irons of Auburn.


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Billy (Baton Rouge): Do you see two LSU players, in JaMarcus Russell and LaRon Landry both going in the top 10?

Todd McShay: It's a strong possibility. I'd be shocked if Russell fell out of the top 10 and while it's still early, I've got to believe that Russell has a good chance to be one of the top 2 picks to either the Raiders at 1 or the Lions at 2. Landry is right on the fringe of the top 10 and I think his best shot will be Atlanta with the No. 10 overall pick.


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Aaron (Chesapeake, VA): What about Marcus Thomas do you see him get drafted after only playing for half of the year?

Todd McShay: I do. I think a team will take a chance on him early in the second day, despite all of his baggage. He obviously has generated massive concerns regarding his character with multiple failed drug tests during his days at Florida. But he would have been a first round pick had he kept his nose clean off the field. Because he is that good of a talent, I think a team will gamble on his upside with a fourth or fifth round pick.


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Bill (Philly): Todd, who are the RBs there that have impressed you the most? which ones are the big bruising backs that run inside?

Todd McShay: The most intriguing RB to me is Kenny Irons. He did not finish his career well at Auburn because of nagging injuries as a senior, but he's the most talented back here. He checked in at 5-11, 198. So, on top of the durability issues, there are now legitimate concerns about his potential to carry a heavy load at the next level.

Todd McShay: On the North roster, Penn State's Tony Hunt was one of the few backs in this year's class that was able to stay healthy and have a productive year and he looked absolutely ripped in the weigh-in today. He's never been an explosive back, but I'll be interested to see if he's lost any of the quickness he did have now that he's 6-2, 239.


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Nate (Madison): Where do you see Ted Ginn Jr falling? Could he slip to the Packers at number 16?

Todd McShay: I don't think his injury in the BCS game will effect his draft status at all. It was basically just a sprained ankle. I think he's one of the scariest first round prospects in this draft, because he has a lot to learn as a route runner and as an overall receiver. But because he has world class speed and can be a threat after the catch on offense and in the return game, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if he's off the board within the top 10 picks.


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Travis (Texas): Todd, what kind of impact does Smardzija leaving for the MLB take on the other receivers (Ginn,Jarrett,Gonzalez)??

Todd McShay: I really don't think it's going to have a huge impact on this year's class. Simply because so many talented juniors elected to come out early. Samardzija was a fringe first round prospect even without all those juniors and I think once they all declared there was a good chance he'd dip to the second round. In my opinion we could see as many as six receivers taken in Round 1, five of which are juniors.

Todd McShay: (Calvin Johnaon, Ted Ginn, Jr., Dwayne Jarrett, Robert Meacham, Sidney Rice are the underclassmen, joined by senior Dwayne Bowe.)


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Joe (Ames, IA): What are the chances that Darius Walker will get drafted? Does he have an NFL future in your opinion?

Todd McShay: If it's not running back, then he's not playing in the NFL. I think he'll wind up going in the third round. Outside of Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch, this is not a very strong RB class. I think that's why some of the juniors like Walker, Ohio State's Antonio Pittman and Nebraska's Jackson elected to leave school early, because it increased their chances of being selected on the first day.


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Joe Lititz, PA: Who do you think the Bengals go with their first and second round picks?

Todd McShay: First off, hopefully some high characters to off set the rest of their jailbreak roster. In all seriousness, they need defensive help. It wouldn't surprise me at all if they spent two or possibly all three of their first day picks on the defensive side of the ball. They own the 18th pick in the first round, so some players to look for there would include: Louisville DT Amobi Okoye, Florida DS Reggie Nelson, or Georgia DE/OLB Quentin Moses.

Todd McShay: Thanks for all the questions. Sorry there's not more to report today, but hopefully I'll be back to chat more tomorrow after today's practice and tomorrow morning's practice. Things will be heated up by them.

[motife]

Senior Bowl Roster

DB David Irons 5/10 188 Auburn
DB Daymeion Hughes 5/10 192 California
DB Marcus McCauley 6/1 200 Fresno State
DB Kevin Payne 6/1 215 Louisiana-Monroe
DB Josh Wilson 5/9 188 Maryland
DB Brandon Meriweather 5/11 192 Miami
DB Leon Hall 5/11 193 Michigan
DB A.J. Davis 5/10 192 NC State
DB Fred Bennett 6/1 196 South Carolina
DB Tanard Jackson 6/1 192 Syracuse
DB Jonathan Wade 5/10 192 Tennessee
DB Aaron Ross 6/1 192 Texas
DB Michael Griffin 5/11 195 Texas
DB Eric Weddle 5/11 205 Utah
DB Aaron Rouse 6/4 218 Virginia Tech
DB Josh Gattis 6/1 206 Wake Forest

DE Ray McDonald 6/3 282 Florida
DE Quentin Moses 6/5 249 Georgia
DE Chase Pittman 6/4 272 LSU
DE LaMarr Woodley 6/1 269 Michigan
DE Adam Carriker 6/6 292 Nebraska
DE Jay Moore 6/5 275 Nebraska
DE Victor Abiamiri 6/4 271 Notre Dame
DE Tim Crowder 6/4 271 Texas
DE/LB Anthony Spencer 6/2 266 Purdue
DL Brandon Mebane 6/1 304 California
DL Amobi Okoye 6/2 287 Louisville
DL Kareem Brown 6/4 303 Miami
DL Antonio Johnson 6/3 305 Mississippi State
DL Tank Tyler 6/2 323 NC State
DL David Patterson 6/2 274 Ohio State
DL Quinn Pitcock 6/2 301 Ohio State
DL Ryan McBean 6/5 277 Oklahoma State

K Nick Folk 6/1 220 Arizona
K Mason Crosby 6/1 214 Colorado

LB Juwan Simpson 6/2 223 Alabama
LB Earl Everett 6/2 235 Florida
LB Buster Davis 5/9 244 Florida State
LB Tony Taylor 6/1 237 Georgia
LB David Harris 6/2 239 Michigan
LB Prescott Burgess 6/3 246 Michigan
LB Stewart Bradley 6/4 256 Nebraska
LB Rufus Alexander 6/1 227 Oklahoma
LB Patrick Willis 6/1 240 Ole Miss
LB Paul Posluszny 6/1 237 Penn State
LB H.B. Blades 5/11 237 Pittsburgh
LB Boo McLee 6/1 239 West Virginia

OL Tony Ugoh 6/5 301 Arkansas
OL Ben Grubbs 6/3 315 Auburn
OL Tim Duckworth 6/3 304 Auburn
OL James Marten 6/7 303 Boston College
OL Josh Beekman 6/2 315 Boston College
OL Joe Staley 6/6 296 Central Michigan
OL Dustin Fry 6/2 326 Clemson
OL Mansfield Wrotto 6/3 316 Georgia Tech
OL Samson Satele 6/2 294 Hawaii
OL Marshall Yanda 6/4 304 Iowa
OL Leroy Harris 6/2 298 NC State
OL Ryan Harris 6/5 299 Notre Dame
OL Doug Datish 6/4 302 Ohio State
OL Levi Brown 6/5 323 Penn State
OL Arron Sears 6/3 317 Tennessee
OL Justin Blalock 6/3 331 Texas
OL Manuel Ramirez 6/3 335 Texas Tech
OL Ryan Kalil 6/3 291 USC
OL Dan Mozes 6/2 300 West Virginia

P Daniel Sepulveda 6/2 228 Baylor
P Adam Podlesh 5/11 203 Maryland

QB Chris Leak 6/1 203 Florida
QB Kevin Kolb 6/3 220 Houston
QB Drew Stanton 6/3 226 Michigan State
QB Troy Smith 6/1 222 Ohio State
QB Tyler Palko 6/1 215 Pittsburgh
QB Jordan Palmer 6/5 229 UTEP

RB Ken Darby 5/10 211 Alabama
RB Le'Ron McClain 6/1 265 Alabama
RB Kenny Irons 5/11 198 Auburn
RB Lorenzo Booker 5/10 188 Florida State
RB Kolby Smith 5/11 214 Louisville
RB Garrett Wolfe 5/7 182 Northern Illinois
RB Tony Hunt 6/2 239 Penn State
RB Brian Leonard 6/1 224 Rutgers

S Brett Goode 6/1 232 Arkansas
S Nicholas Leeson 6/1 258 Virginia Tech

TE Martrez Milner 6/4 256 Georgia
TE Scott Chandler 6/7 268 Iowa
TE Joe Newton 6/7 249 Oregon State
TE Clark Harris 6/5 257 Rutgers

WR Courtney Taylor 6/2 200 Auburn
WR Chansi Stuckey 5/10 193 Clemson
WR Aundrae Allison 6/1 197 East Carolina
WR Dallas Baker 6/3 203 Florida
WR Chris Davis 5/10 180 Florida State
WR Paul Williams 6/1 200 Fresno State
WR Dwayne Bowe 6/2 222 LSU
WR Rhema McKnight 6/1 207 Notre Dame
WR Johnnie Lee Higgins 5/11 183 UTEP
WR David Clowney 6/1 184 Virginia Tech
WR Jason Hill 6/1 204 Washington State
WR Brandon Myles 6/1 183 West Virginia

can you link to these videos? if not I'll remove them :

day 2 :

http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=61&p=11&playlist=http%3A//scout.Scout.com/asxplaylist.aspx%3Fs%3D61%26mediaids%3D395776

day 1 :

http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=61&p=11&playlist=http%3A//scout.Scout.com/asxplaylist.aspx%3Fs%3D61%26mediaids%3D395647

[Charles Woodson]

Alot of good DB's to keep ur eyes on, also DE's

[BallHawk]

Alot of good DB's to keep ur eyes on, also DE's

I'm fine with a DE later in the draft, ala Aaron Kampman. However in the first or second...no thanks. I have permanent trauma from Jamal Reynolds. :shock:

[Joemailman]

Congrats Motife. Longest post ever, I believe. Woody will be so jealous. :mrgreen:

[Pacopete4]

thanks for posting all this.. its a good read since i dont have the espn insider or anything.. so thanks

[Charles Woodson]

Alot of good DB's to keep ur eyes on, also DE's

I'm fine with a DE later in the draft, ala Aaron Kampman. However in the first or second...no thanks. I have permanent trauma from Jamal Reynolds. :shock:

na i mean alot of talent in the bowl

[Lurker64]

I'm intrigued at the prospect of maybe Amobi Okoye dropping our way. Certainly, he appeared small as a DT at the senior bowl practice, but he's only 20 years old and can certainly add muscle to the frame.

Certainly, DT is not a position of need exactly, but "playmaker" is a position of need.

[RashanGary]

I like Lorenzo Booker alot. He's a little smallish but he's looked really good every time I see him.

[Partial]

I like Lorenzo Booker alot. He's a little smallish but he's looked really good every time I see him.

Me too. I would not at all be surprised to see him as our second back next year. Perfect for our scheme.

[esoxx]

I like Drew Stanton. Playing in that mess of a situation at MSU with John L. Smith can't be easy. If the guy was at ND he'd likely be top ten pick. I wouldn't mind the Packers taking this guy if he's around in the 3rd or 4th.

[PackerPro42]

Some DB's I like are Daymeion Hughes out of Cal and Brandon Merriweather out of Miami. If we could get one of these guys in the second or third round, I would be extremely happy. Hughes will probably not be there in the third round, but it's a good possibly that Merriweather will.

[motife]

Tuesday News :

Though there's still a chill in the air the weather cleared in Mobile for the morning's practice as the North took the field. A full compliment of general managers, coaches and scouts were on hand and there was plenty of news swirling in the air.

Sources familiar with the San Diego Chargers feel Michael Turner will be traded to the New York Jets for the team's pick in round one. The Chargers will tender Turner the maximum amount and will trade him for nothing less than a first rounder. Speaking to people familiar with the Chargers around Mobile you get the feeling the deal is done. One sticking point could be the Jets, or any team who desires the acquisition of Turner, coming to terms on a long term contract with the running back.
The Jets were very busy with another team Tuesday morning as it seems the franchise will fill one of their two coaching vacancies with an assistant from Tampa Bay. Mike Tannenbaum and Terry Bradway were huddled before practice with Buccaneer coaches, intensely questioning them. More on this as it comes in.

As usual the Kansas City Chiefs are very active here in Mobile. One position the team is targeting at the Senior Bowl is center as they hope to come away with a developmental prospect in the draft. And a player they really like is Ryan Kalil. They feel the system Kalil played in at USC lends itself to an easy transition in the Chiefs style of offense.

The Seattle Seahawks were actively scouting the backs today and came away impressed with two of the bigger players at that position.

Seattle loved Brian Leonard of Rutgers and the scouts on hand took almost a full page of notes on him. The other player they liked, and one who had a terrific practice, was Tony Hunt of Penn State.

The team also liked Amobi Okoye. So much so that the Seahawk scouts who were watching the running backs looked halfway down the field and were commenting on Okoye's performance in drills.

Detroit had a scouts follow the linebackers but openly expressed an interest in defensive lineman Adam Carriker. The team feels he won't be around for them in the second round and they'd need to do some maneuvering in order to select Carriker.

The Bills scouted the receivers hard this morning but let it be known the real wide out talent resides on the South roster.

Garrett Wolfe will be leaving with an injury and is going to be replaced by Thomas Clayton of Kansas State.

When discussing Penn St. RB Tony Hunt Tuesday, one scout said, "he made some money these two days." Hunt did a good job of running with power and often punished would be tacklers.

Many NFL personnel men around the league seemed to be shocked that the Oakland Raiders hired USC OC Lane Kiffin as their head coach. Some around the league are wondering if the trend of hiring 30-something head coaches will continue in the future.

The comments from some NFL scouts sitting in the stands in regard to Pittsburgh QB Tyler Palko weren't flattering to say the least. Once scout pointed to ex NFL QB Jim Zorn (now a quarterbacks coach for the Seattle Seahawks) and said Zorn, at his age, has a stronger arm than Palko.

The general consensus on Rutgers FB Brian Leonard is that he'll have to put on 15-20 pounds if he wants to succeed at the next level.

Indianapolis Colts may be preparing to play with starting CB Nick Harper for the last time when they take on the Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl. Harper, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent come March, is probably on his way out. A team source points out that the team spent two high picks in the 2005 draft (first round for CB Marlin Jackson and second round on CB Kelvin Hayden) and both players need to get on the field more. Harper, who turns 33 at the start of next season, would make a solid nickel back for another team.

Here are a few other players teams were interested in:

New York Jets - Tony Hunt

Browns - Marshall Yanda, Aaron Rouse, Tony Hunt, Josh Wilson, Drew Stanton, Daymeion Hughes, Ryan Harris, Adam Carriker, Dan Mozes, Brian Leonard.

Dolphins - Kolby Smith

Vikings - Brian Leonard

Redskins - Marcus McCauley, Daymeion Hughes

Saints - Troy Smith

Panthers - Anthony Spencer, Marcus McCauley

Patriots - Stewart Bradley, Rhema McKnight

Chargers - LaMarr Woodley, Aundrae Allison, Drew Stanton.

Bengals - Tony Hunt, Victor Abiamiri

Ravens - Mason Crosby, Josh Beekman

Chiefs - Ryan Harris

[motife]

Lorenzo Booker RB Florida State 5103 188 30 3/4 9
Weigh-In Notes: Slender and skinny.

Monday Practice Notes: Lot of quickness and cutting ability. Because of size he naturally gets lost behind his blockers. Also showed a competency for catching the ball.
Tuesday Practice Notes: Shows a lot of wiggle in his running and an excellent burst. Lacks any strength carrying the ball and easily brought down at the point of attack by the first defender.

[Charles Woodson]

Whats the deal on these Players

Marcus Mccauely-hes ranked pretty high
Josh Wilson-Everyone in Bills land treats him as god
Josh Gattis
Aaron Rouse
Eric Weddle

[Fritz]

I'd like to know if anyone has a sense as to where Drew Stanton is targeted to go at this point. Is he considered a second rounder?

Personally I'd like to see him in the green and gold. Guy used to scare the poop out of me when MSU played Michigan.

[packrulz]

I think Drew will end up being taken in the first round, but if TT has a shot at him in the 2nd I think he should take him. In the 1st I'd like a DB like Hughes or Hall since our CB's are getting old, or a RB like Lynch. WR's like Ginn Jr scare me in the first round.

[Bretsky]

I'd like to know if anyone has a sense as to where Drew Stanton is targeted to go at this point. Is he considered a second rounder?

Personally I'd like to see him in the green and gold. Guy used to scare the poop out of me when MSU played Michigan.


I too really like Drew Stanton; regardless of draft positioning I think I like his future better than Troy Smith's.

[motife]

day 3 video :

http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=211&p=11&playlist=http%3A//scout.Scout.com/asxplaylist.aspx%3Fs%3D211%26mediaids%3D396031

[motife]

Wednesday's buzz: Leonard, Alexander making noiseScouts, Inc.
MOBILE, Ala. -- Here's the buzz from Wednesday's Senior Bowl practices:

Around the North practice
The North team had its best practice of the week on Wednesday. Unfortunately, the headline is the absence of Northern Illinois RB Garrett Wolfe (hamstring) and Rutgers TE Clark Harris (toe), both of whom are finished for the week due to their respective injuries. Making matters worse, Cal CB Daymeion Hughes and Michigan DE/OLB LaMarr Woodley both suffered hamstring injuries and are not expected to play in Saturday's game.

LaMarr Woodley suffered a hamstring injury on Wednesday.Kansas State RB Thomas Clayton and Delaware TE Ben Patrick were brought in to replace Wolfe and Harris. Clayton showed good vision and burst as a runner in today's drills, but he also lost a fumble during team drills. Patrick is undersized and will need to make it in the NFL as a reserve H-back type. However, he made the most of his opportunity today, showing good athleticism as a route runner and reliable hands throughout pass-catching drills.

It raised more than a few eyebrows when Louisville DT Amobi Okoye weighed in at just 287 pounds on Monday, but he is having one of the best weeks of any prospect in Mobile. His explosive first step has made it difficult for offensive linemen to get into position. Okoye also has flashed the ability to shed blocks quickly. Though he is still vulnerable to getting driven back when he can't win with his quickness, he never gives up on the play. Okoye has locked up a spot in the first round with his play this week.

Virginia Tech WR David Clowney continues to use his quickness and speed to overcome his lack of size and strength when releasing off the line of scrimmage. He also has impressed with his ability to pluck the ball on the run and in traffic. Clowney is one of the more underrated prospects at the Senior Bowl. He has a future as a No. 3 receiver who can stretch the seam out of the slot position.

Brian Leonard's versatility has been on display in Mobile. After a slow start, Rutgers RB Brian Leonard picked up the pace in Wednesday's practice session. While he's not a traditional fit as a running back or fullback, the bottom line is that he's a good football player who can do an awful lot of things well. He will be an excellent special teams player as a rookie and contribute in just about every facet of that part of the game. He is acting as the punter's personal protector this week and could excel in that role in the NFL. Leonard is an intelligent, hard-nosed runner who catches the ball well and is a fine pass-blocker. He can help on short-yardage situations and third downs. While some teams will drop him on their draft boards due to his lack of a specialization, teams like Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Detroit, Green Bay and Arizona should really like what they see.

Michigan OLB Prescott Burgess might be the best-looking player at the Senior Bowl in terms of how he fills out his uniform. He is ripped with a lean waist, wide shoulders and long arms. He is exactly what you want your outside linebackers to look like. The problem is that his play hasn't measured up to his looks in a uniform. Burgess' awareness is below average and he takes too many false steps. His skill set also isn't really suited for the weakside or strongside in a 4-3 scheme, or as an inside or outside linebacker in the 3-4 alignment. Some team is going to draft him too high because a coach will be convinced he can mold him into something he's not.

Stewart Bradley of Nebraska is another linebacker whose best fit is somewhat unclear. He has great size and outstanding pure strength for an outside linebacker, but Bradley may not be the ideal athlete to cover tight ends as a strongside linebacker in the 4-3 or the pure pass-rusher for outside in the 3-4. However, Bradley is a much better football player than Burgess. He is a much less risky selection and could end up playing in the league for a long time.

Several proactive offensive linemen used the special-teams period to work on their technique on the sidelines. Boston College teammates OT James Marten and G Josh Beekman started it off, as they could be seen working on their first steps and punches. Beekman also worked with Texas Tech's Manuel Ramirez, focusing on getting his feet set underneath him after as he fires off the ball. Ramirez worked on shortening his punch -- and a quicker punch could help him a great deal because it would mask his lack of ideal foot speed.

West Virginia C Dan Mozes appeared to regress after having a strong Tuesday. He didn't move his feet well when forced to change directions and was driven back on more than one occasion during the one-on-one pass protection portion of the practice.

Penn State OT Levi Brown hasn't made a big splash this week, but he continues to get better every day. Brown gets set quickly, uses his hands well and rarely gives ground during the one-on-one drills. He also did a good job of sealing the edge during the team drill.

Around the South practice
Oklahoma OLB Rufus Alexander may be the most impressive linebacker at the Senior Bowl, especially from a quickness and athletic ability standpoint. He has shown better instincts than anticipated this week, quickly inserts himself against the run and plays with a physical edge to his game. Alexander has very good speed and is strong in pursuit. He is a fine downhill linebacker without compromising the ability to play in space or excel in coverage. Alexander seems to fly a bit below the radar and probably fits only as a Will (or weakside) linebacker at the next level, but he is a fine football player. He has the makings of a potential high-end starter in the NFL.

Dallas Baker has exhibited good hands in Mobile.Florida WR Dallas Baker is catching the ball extremely well this week, which is expected after studying him on film. He has a great frame and is at his best competing for jump balls along the sideline. However, Baker does not possess good top-end speed and will struggle to consistently separate from defensive backs at the next level. Even more of a concern is his lack of strength and toughness. He hates working against press coverage, which was evident in red-zone drills Wednesday when Tennessee CB Jonathan Wade took him out of his route with the press technique. If Baker is going to make it as a subpackage receiver in the NFL, he needs to lose his finesse mentality and hit the weight room more frequently.

Speaking of Wade, he continues to show more confidence and better awareness as the week of practice progresses. Wade is a track star who didn't settle in as a cover corner with the Vols until late in his career. However, he could be a valuable late first-day pick if the team drafting him does a good job of coaching.

Alabama OLB Juwan Simpson has not been overly impressive this week. His speed is his strong suit and he has enough to play Will linebacker at the next level. However, he is not instinctive, takes far too many false steps and is too slow to recognize the play. Making matters worse, he is a taller leaner linebacker who plays too high without a solid or strong base. He gets knocked backwards against bigger blockers and is slow to shed.

Florida OLB Earl Everett also has been underwhelming. He does have great speed and will probably bang out an impressive 40 time at the combine and at his pro day, which will inflate his stock and cause him to be overdrafted. His awareness is not up to par and he struggles to react quickly, which often causes bigger blockers to get him quickly when he has a hard time shedding the block.

Central Michigan OT Joe Staley is having an excellent week of practice. One of his most impressive attributes is his balance. Today LSU DE Chase Pittman had some success knocking back Staley during one-on-ones, but Staley's balance has allowed him to recover and get back into sound position.

Georgia Tech OT Mansfield Wrotto played defensive tackle for the first three years of his collegiate career and is still learning the position, so his technique needs work. He should have to move to guard in the NFL because he lacks prototypical height for a tackle. However, he looked good during one-on-one drills and held his own against Florida DE Ray McDonald, who has represented himself well. Wrotto got into position quickly, kept a wide base and moved his feet well.

Texas DE Tim Crowder is quietly having a strong week. Against the run on Wednesday, he played with good leverage, flashed the ability to shed blocks quickly and was relentless in pursuit. During one-on-one pass protection drills, he showed a quick first step and a strong rip move against Arkansas OT Tony Ugoh.

Oklahoma State DT Ryan McBean is getting driven back far too often, raising concerns about his ability to hold up against the run when lining up at defensive tackle. The problem is he hasn't showed great burst, so he shouldn't have much success rushing the passer when lining up at defensive end in a 4-3 scheme. With that in mind, McBean may have to line up at defensive end in a 3-4 scheme to play an every-down role at the NFL level.