K-town
01-31-2007, 12:33 PM
Senior Bowl practice more valuable to NFL scouts
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By Steve Muench
Scouts Inc.
Every year scouts flock to Mobile, Ala. to spend three to four days evaluating some of the premier NFL draft prospects from across the nation in the Senior Bowl. While the actual game can be entertaining, the week of practices leading up to it is far more valuable to NFL front offices. Scouts get to see the best talent working one-on-one and play after play.
The practices give scouts an excellent opportunity to evaluate a player's specific skill sets. They can take closer looks at a quarterback's mechanics, how quickly an offensive tackle can get into his pass set and whether or not a linebacker will be able to match up in coverage. Coaches can mask players' weaknesses in games but those weaknesses are quickly exposed during the four-day practice week. Just for added perspective, most scouts leave Mobile on Thursday or Friday.
An example of a player who didn't have a great game but performed well in practices is Florida State RB Lorenzo Booker. Booker rushed for 1 yard on one carry and failed to catch a pass during the game, but he read his blocks well, exploded through holes and showed good top-end speed in the open field during the week. He also made defenders miss in space and looked dangerous after the catch.
Pittsburgh QB Tyler Palko represents the other end of the spectrum. Palko had a strong game as he made sound decisions and moved the offense efficiently in the process. Not surprising, considering he can be an excellent game manager and he didn't see a lot of complex coverages. The problem is his strong performance on Saturday wasn't enough to overcome the marginal arm strength, windup delivery and inconsistent accuracy he showed during practices. In a real game situation, a defensive coordinator would try to exploit these weaknesses by taking away the underneath and forcing Palko to throw downfield or into tight spaces.
Let's take a closer look at how the other prospects on this list fared last week.
Florida QB Chris Leak
Rather than trying to overcompensate for his lack of natural ability, Leak played within himself and did what he does best during the week of practice. He stayed poised in the pocket, found the open man and frequently put the receiver in position to create after the catch by leading him. His professional approach likely helped him but it's not all good news for Leak who wasn't nearly as efficient when his pass protection didn't hold up during the game. In addition, his two fumbles raise concerns about his small hands and ability to hold on to the ball when he takes a big hit.
Houston QB Kevin Kolb
A weak Monday practice gave credence to the argument that Kolb wouldn't be as productive working against some of collegiate football's best players. He just never got into a rhythm, throwing the ball up for grabs early on and then holding on to it for too long later. However, Kolb looked like a different player following that first practice. He started putting adequate zip on his deep throws and flashed the ability to drop the ball in between defenders once he gained some confidence. His ability to buy time in the pocket and throw on the run also shined through so don't read too much into his four passing attempts during the game.
Pittsburgh QB Tyler Palko
See above
Florida State RB Lorenzo Booker
See Above
Miami RB Tyrone Moss
Moss did not receive an invitation to play in the Senior Bowl but he did attend the East-West Shrine game and reportedly had a strong week of practice. Unfortunately, I was not in attendance and don't want speculate on how much he helped himself at this point.
Notre Dame WR Rhema McKnight
Drops continue to be a problem for McKnight but calling him butterfingers would be a stretch. Though he didn't always make the routine catch look routine, he came down with balls that a lot of receivers wouldn't have and dropped passes several receivers wouldn't even get their hands on. In addition, he looked sharp running crisp routes during seven-on-seven drills and wasting little motion turning upfield after the catch.
Fresno State WR Paul Williams
Fresno State WR Paul Williams came down with just one catch for 12 yards during the game but looked like he could compete against topflight corners during practices. He used his quick feet to get open underneath and his speed to get behind the defense during individual as well as seven-on-seven drills. Williams also improved his overall value by fielding kicks well. While he appeared to lose focus when dropping a few passes and there are still questions about his passion for the game, he at least slowed or stopped his free fall down draft boards.
Georgia TE Martrez Milner
It appeared that Milner might have a breakout week following the first two days of practice when he was running adequate short-to-intermediate routes and catching the ball well. Scouts were also impressed with his ability to make plays down the seam. And then the wheels started coming off on Wednesday. Milner started dropping passes most NFL tight ends habitually haul in and those problems continued on Thursday, which was not a good sign considering his hands have been a concern all year. Making matters worse, Milner is still an adequate at best in-line blocker and he caught just one pass for 6 yards in the game.
Texas OG Justin Blalock
Though he got reps at both positions and he still could line up at tackle in the NFL, it became clear that Blalock fits best at guard this week. The biggest reason is his inability to counter speed off the edge. He took too long to get into his pass set and didn't have the long arms to ride pass-rushers past the pocket during one-on-one pass blocking drills. The good news is Blalock showed he had the power and tenacity to develop into an upper echelon guard. He used his quick first step to get into position when lined up on the inside and rarely lost a battle once locked on.
Tennessee OT Arron Sears
Sears' strong play at guard generated some buzz during the week and he regularly beat the North squad's talented defensive tackles to the point of attack. His hand placement and upper body strength were also impressive during one-on-one pass protection drills. In other words, he helped himself this week but how much is up for debate. At the risk of sounding like a broken record Sears should have played with more of a mean streak, especially considering the stakes, and he didn't have a great game.
Michigan DE/OLB LaMarr Woodley
Woodley didn't make much of a splash before sustaining a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the rest of the week on Monday. The injury doesn't appear to be serious so Woodley's stock isn't plummeting as a result of it but several defensive ends including Georgia's Quentin Moses and Nebraska's Adam Carriker had strong weeks. If the injury lingers and Woodley doesn't have a strong combine, he could start to slide.
West Virginia LB Kevin McLee
McLee played like he had a chip on his shoulder, throwing his body around and delivering some big hits, but the truth is he may have been the worst linebacker at the Senior Bowl. His biggest weakness appeared to be his ability to hold up in coverage, as he struggled during cover drills. He appeared sluggish when backs forced him to change direction and didn't show great recovery speed once caught out of position. His inability to shed blocks and locate the ball quickly also raised red flags for those in attendance.
Auburn DC David Irons
Irons established himself as a technician who plays with a great deal of enthusiasm during the week. He rarely made mistakes or got caught out of position. He was one of the most vocal players on and off the field but scouts might not have noticed him if it weren't for his mouth. His inability to make plays in coverage remains a big drawback and he failed to make an impact in the game.
California DC Daymeion Hughes
"I got my shutdown corner," Tampa Bay assistant defensive back coach Jimmy Lake frequently yelled about Hughes during Monday's practice and few could argue with him. Hughes turned in an impressive performance by showing great instincts and a nose for the ball. More important, he made crisp cuts and showed great burst, softening criticisms about his ability to match up in man coverage. His strong play continued on Tuesday but unfortunately he had to shut it down because of a hamstring injury. While the injury isn't believed to be substantial, it's worth keeping an eye on because Hughes needs to turn in a respectable 40-yard time before the draft. If he does, he could very well be the first corner taken.
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By Steve Muench
Scouts Inc.
Every year scouts flock to Mobile, Ala. to spend three to four days evaluating some of the premier NFL draft prospects from across the nation in the Senior Bowl. While the actual game can be entertaining, the week of practices leading up to it is far more valuable to NFL front offices. Scouts get to see the best talent working one-on-one and play after play.
The practices give scouts an excellent opportunity to evaluate a player's specific skill sets. They can take closer looks at a quarterback's mechanics, how quickly an offensive tackle can get into his pass set and whether or not a linebacker will be able to match up in coverage. Coaches can mask players' weaknesses in games but those weaknesses are quickly exposed during the four-day practice week. Just for added perspective, most scouts leave Mobile on Thursday or Friday.
An example of a player who didn't have a great game but performed well in practices is Florida State RB Lorenzo Booker. Booker rushed for 1 yard on one carry and failed to catch a pass during the game, but he read his blocks well, exploded through holes and showed good top-end speed in the open field during the week. He also made defenders miss in space and looked dangerous after the catch.
Pittsburgh QB Tyler Palko represents the other end of the spectrum. Palko had a strong game as he made sound decisions and moved the offense efficiently in the process. Not surprising, considering he can be an excellent game manager and he didn't see a lot of complex coverages. The problem is his strong performance on Saturday wasn't enough to overcome the marginal arm strength, windup delivery and inconsistent accuracy he showed during practices. In a real game situation, a defensive coordinator would try to exploit these weaknesses by taking away the underneath and forcing Palko to throw downfield or into tight spaces.
Let's take a closer look at how the other prospects on this list fared last week.
Florida QB Chris Leak
Rather than trying to overcompensate for his lack of natural ability, Leak played within himself and did what he does best during the week of practice. He stayed poised in the pocket, found the open man and frequently put the receiver in position to create after the catch by leading him. His professional approach likely helped him but it's not all good news for Leak who wasn't nearly as efficient when his pass protection didn't hold up during the game. In addition, his two fumbles raise concerns about his small hands and ability to hold on to the ball when he takes a big hit.
Houston QB Kevin Kolb
A weak Monday practice gave credence to the argument that Kolb wouldn't be as productive working against some of collegiate football's best players. He just never got into a rhythm, throwing the ball up for grabs early on and then holding on to it for too long later. However, Kolb looked like a different player following that first practice. He started putting adequate zip on his deep throws and flashed the ability to drop the ball in between defenders once he gained some confidence. His ability to buy time in the pocket and throw on the run also shined through so don't read too much into his four passing attempts during the game.
Pittsburgh QB Tyler Palko
See above
Florida State RB Lorenzo Booker
See Above
Miami RB Tyrone Moss
Moss did not receive an invitation to play in the Senior Bowl but he did attend the East-West Shrine game and reportedly had a strong week of practice. Unfortunately, I was not in attendance and don't want speculate on how much he helped himself at this point.
Notre Dame WR Rhema McKnight
Drops continue to be a problem for McKnight but calling him butterfingers would be a stretch. Though he didn't always make the routine catch look routine, he came down with balls that a lot of receivers wouldn't have and dropped passes several receivers wouldn't even get their hands on. In addition, he looked sharp running crisp routes during seven-on-seven drills and wasting little motion turning upfield after the catch.
Fresno State WR Paul Williams
Fresno State WR Paul Williams came down with just one catch for 12 yards during the game but looked like he could compete against topflight corners during practices. He used his quick feet to get open underneath and his speed to get behind the defense during individual as well as seven-on-seven drills. Williams also improved his overall value by fielding kicks well. While he appeared to lose focus when dropping a few passes and there are still questions about his passion for the game, he at least slowed or stopped his free fall down draft boards.
Georgia TE Martrez Milner
It appeared that Milner might have a breakout week following the first two days of practice when he was running adequate short-to-intermediate routes and catching the ball well. Scouts were also impressed with his ability to make plays down the seam. And then the wheels started coming off on Wednesday. Milner started dropping passes most NFL tight ends habitually haul in and those problems continued on Thursday, which was not a good sign considering his hands have been a concern all year. Making matters worse, Milner is still an adequate at best in-line blocker and he caught just one pass for 6 yards in the game.
Texas OG Justin Blalock
Though he got reps at both positions and he still could line up at tackle in the NFL, it became clear that Blalock fits best at guard this week. The biggest reason is his inability to counter speed off the edge. He took too long to get into his pass set and didn't have the long arms to ride pass-rushers past the pocket during one-on-one pass blocking drills. The good news is Blalock showed he had the power and tenacity to develop into an upper echelon guard. He used his quick first step to get into position when lined up on the inside and rarely lost a battle once locked on.
Tennessee OT Arron Sears
Sears' strong play at guard generated some buzz during the week and he regularly beat the North squad's talented defensive tackles to the point of attack. His hand placement and upper body strength were also impressive during one-on-one pass protection drills. In other words, he helped himself this week but how much is up for debate. At the risk of sounding like a broken record Sears should have played with more of a mean streak, especially considering the stakes, and he didn't have a great game.
Michigan DE/OLB LaMarr Woodley
Woodley didn't make much of a splash before sustaining a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the rest of the week on Monday. The injury doesn't appear to be serious so Woodley's stock isn't plummeting as a result of it but several defensive ends including Georgia's Quentin Moses and Nebraska's Adam Carriker had strong weeks. If the injury lingers and Woodley doesn't have a strong combine, he could start to slide.
West Virginia LB Kevin McLee
McLee played like he had a chip on his shoulder, throwing his body around and delivering some big hits, but the truth is he may have been the worst linebacker at the Senior Bowl. His biggest weakness appeared to be his ability to hold up in coverage, as he struggled during cover drills. He appeared sluggish when backs forced him to change direction and didn't show great recovery speed once caught out of position. His inability to shed blocks and locate the ball quickly also raised red flags for those in attendance.
Auburn DC David Irons
Irons established himself as a technician who plays with a great deal of enthusiasm during the week. He rarely made mistakes or got caught out of position. He was one of the most vocal players on and off the field but scouts might not have noticed him if it weren't for his mouth. His inability to make plays in coverage remains a big drawback and he failed to make an impact in the game.
California DC Daymeion Hughes
"I got my shutdown corner," Tampa Bay assistant defensive back coach Jimmy Lake frequently yelled about Hughes during Monday's practice and few could argue with him. Hughes turned in an impressive performance by showing great instincts and a nose for the ball. More important, he made crisp cuts and showed great burst, softening criticisms about his ability to match up in man coverage. His strong play continued on Tuesday but unfortunately he had to shut it down because of a hamstring injury. While the injury isn't believed to be substantial, it's worth keeping an eye on because Hughes needs to turn in a respectable 40-yard time before the draft. If he does, he could very well be the first corner taken.