Scott Wright Senior Bowl Reports

[b bulldog]

I think Crable will be around 6'5", 250lbs. I heard in the past that he will run a 4.6/40.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

I think Crable will be around 6'5", 250lbs. I heard in the past that he will run a 4.6/40.

Shawn didn't feel comfortable telling you this, but he is tired of you blowing him.

[b bulldog]

very intelligent, great post

[The Leaper]

It will be nice to see bulldog kept at bay when Michigan gets 6 wins next year.

[Partial]

Thursday, South

For most of the week we had decent weather but this morning was cold and this afternoon was even worse. Fortunately it did warm up a little for the second half of the session but nevertheless it was pretty miserable for a while. Like their North counterparts the South practiced in just helmets today but that doesn't mean there weren't observations and evaluations to be made. Even though they have some talented players in the trenches the South squad's calling card is skill position talent and just like the rest of the week that showed today.

• Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge throws some real ugly balls. I mean real ugly. At one point I swear I saw one of his throws almost go end over end like a punt. To call it a duck would have been an insult to ducks. Get the picture? Ainge has probably been the least impressive quarterback at this game and while coming into this week I felt he was a little underrated my opinion has now definitely changed.

• Appalachian St. wide receiver Jackson received some instruction from the coaching staff on his route running and he needs work in that department but he's also very quick off the line and his pure speed is evident.

• Kentucky quarterback Andre Woodson probably looked as good as he has all week and he also showed some mobility. However, Woodson looks real mechanical and all of his throws come out going in a downward angle and something just doesn't look right there. I still think he'll be a first round pick when all is said and done but he's probably not quite the prospect I and many others thought he was.

• Pittsburgh offensive lineman Mike McGlynn may not be a great athlete or have all the physical tools you look for but his intangibles are top-notch. The guy has a motor that runs non-stop and his middle name should be hustle.

• Florida St. defensive tackle Andre Fluellen drew the ire of his coach at one point and was reamed out pretty good, although I couldn't quite hear exactly what his offense was. Despite battling a minor injury Fluellen did show off that great quickness again today though.

• For the most part Kentucky outside linebacker Wesley Woodyard hasn't really stood out much this week but he flashed two times in a row during today's practice, making a couple of tackles behind the line of scrimmage in 11-on-11's.

• Iowa St. defensive tackle Athyba Rubin is stout at the point and doesn't get pushed back but he doesn't offer much as a pass rusher either. He also had some trouble getting off blocks.

• Vandy offensive tackle Chris Williams continues to impress, showing nice feet and doing a solid job versus Wallace Gilberry. Williams should absolutely be in the late first round conversation, if he wasn't already.

• Wake Forest defensive end Jeremy Thompson showed some speed off the edge but he also got a little out of control at times.

• Texas A&M defensive tackle Red Bryant had some trouble with his focus, jumping off sides a few times in drills. Later he was a little slow off the ball, possibly because he was trying to make sure he wasn't early again.

• Georgia Tech linebacker Philip Wheeler is still having a great week. Today he sniffed out a screen pass and was singled out by the coaches for his effort. Wheeler has made some money in Mobile.

• Kentucky running back Rafael Little beat Gary Guyton on a swing pass for a big gain down the sideline.

• Georgia Tech running back Tashard Choice had a very good day, displaying excellent patience and breaking a couple of long runs in 11-on-11's. I like what I have seen from this guy.

• Kentucky tight end Jacob Tamme may not have the size / bulk that you'd prefer but he's extremely smart and a hard worker who can help a team in one capacity or another. Today Tamme fought for the ball and made a nice catch with a defender draped on his back.

• Alabama wide receiver D.J. Hall was sick and did not practice today.

• Auburn's Patrick Lee made a big play toward the end of the day, blocking a Brandon Coutu field goal attempt.

Once again the South quarterbacks continued to disappoint and in my opinion none of them have lived up to the hype. Woodson looked a little better today but he certainly hasn't played like an elite prospect this week and even Colt Brennan struggled a bit this afternoon. It will be interesting to see if these guys can get the ball to the South playmakers in the game on Saturday. Other than that it was a pretty good day and some guys who hadn't done much the rest of the week flashed and made some plays, which was nice to see. All of the real practices are finished now with only the walk-through and the game left but while most have gone home I am still in Mobile and will continue providing you with the best coverage of the 2008 Senior Bowl out there, all 100% FREE.

[b bulldog]

The way everyone is leaving UM, 6 may be generous. It will also be nice to see the Bucks get beat in the big one next year again

[Partial]

Friday, North

As usual it was cold and windy this morning at Ladd-Peebles Stadium as the North team took the field for their walk-through. These are usually pretty uneventful and today was certainly no exception. There really isn't much to report but here are a few observations:

• For the most part the team just practiced their substitution patterns and situations.

• Arizona St. center Mike Pollak caught a touchdown pass from punter Mike Dragosavich in a field goal fire drill.

• It didn't look like Virginia Tech wideout Eddie Royal was participating much.

• Purdue wide receiver Dorien Bryant was real jovial, joking around and keeping a smile on the faces of his fellow wideouts. He is pretty outgoing.

• Raiders coach Lane Kiffin is awfully quiet on the field, letting his assistants do most of the heavy lifting while he hangs back and takes everything in. He was like that all week.

• It looks like Michigan quarterback Chad Henne will be starting for the North.

• From what I could tell the North's starting defense will be as follows:

Defensive Line: Sedrick Ellis, DeMario Pressley, Lawrence Jackson, Cliff Avril
Linebackers: Keith Rivers, Dan Connor, Xavier Adibi
Secondary: Tracy Porter, Terrell Thomas, Thomas DeCoud, Tom Zbikowski

And that's about it. The week is basically over and all that is left now is the game tomorrow. There is still plenty of coverage to come from NFL Draft Countdown though, including a look at who helped and hurt their stock the most this week and an in-depth, comprehensive review. So be sure to stop back for that and more and enjoy the game!

[Partial]

Friday, South

It was pretty cold at the start of the walk-through and most of the players were wearing long pants and hooded sweatshirts but luckily it warmed up a little as the session went on. This walk-through actually only lasted a little more than 30 min. so there isn't much to report but here are a few tidbits:

• I talked to South coach Mike Nolan and he confirmed that Hawaii's Colt Brennan would be starting tomorrow night. It looked like Andre Woodson would be going second.

• The South started out by running through about a dozen plays. It was pretty fast-paced and Colt Brennan showed excellent command of the offense.

• Next they worked on special teams and spent a little time on practicing the onside kick.

• The South spent the last 1/3 of practice on the far sideline just talking.

• As they were wrapping up the South was huddled up at midfield and laughing about something, although nobody could really tell what about.

• As the players were leaving the field all of the Trojan players in the game were gathered together for a group photo, with the exception of Keith Rivers who they couldn't find.

And that's about it. The week is basically over and all that is left now is the game tomorrow. There is still plenty of coverage to come from NFL Draft Countdown though, including a look at who helped and hurt their stock the most this week and an in-depth, comprehensive review. So be sure to stop back for that and more and enjoy the game!

[pack4to84]

thank you for these updates

[chain_gang]

I liked Dominique Rogers Cromartie before the Senior Bowl, and after watching him in the practices throughout the week, and so far in todays game, I'd love to see him in Green and Gold. He may not be from a big school, but he has big time playmaking ability. He needs to add at least 10lbs. Him learning from Woodson and Harris in a backup role would be great. His height @ 6'2 is perfect to match up with bigger wideouts, and he times jump balls great. Needs a little work on his backpeddling, but his closing speed is great.

Any idea's in which round he's projected to go in?

[Partial]

Pack4to84, no problem. They're available at NFLdraftcountdown.com

ChainGang, I think he will probably be going in the first or second round when all is said and done. He seems to have been getting rave reviews for awhile now. I've never seen him though or don't know anything about him.

[pack4to84]

did anyone watch this game. Ending was great score with no time left with a reverse.

[twoseven]

The way everyone is leaving UM, 6 may be generous. It will also be nice to see the Bucks get beat in the big one next year again

UM's big three in the pros? Manningham seems the obvious easy transition, though I wish he had a few more inches of height. Henne and Hart? I like Henne as a sleeper, kid's a gamer. Same for Hart, wonder how he translates into NFL game? I think where he may lack size and skills, makes up for it and then some with heart and work ethic.

[KYPack]

did anyone watch this game. Ending was great score with no time left with a reverse.

Saw mainly the end.

Mike Martz IS the mad scientist.

That was one gutsy call.

I like it when they mike the QB's so you can hear the calls.

"I right, H left 99, all 2 Jet on One"

That's some fun stuff.

[Partial]

North, Gameday

To many NFL scouts and decision makers the highlight of the Senior Bowl is the week of practices and the game is an afterthought. There is no doubt that performances in the actual game don't carry nearly as much weight as what happens the rest of the week but personally I think it would be a mistake to totally discount what happens on gameday. I want to see who rises to the occasion and stands out amongst his peers, who just happen to be 100 of the finest prospects in the nation. I watched the entire game from the South sideline and while these are only preliminary and I'll obviously have to evaluate the tape further here are my initial thoughts:

• Southern Cal defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis was dominating as usual, making a tackle for a loss, sacking Andre Woodson for a safety and forcing him into another bad throw on his way to being named the North Defensive MVP.

• Michigan quarterback Chad Henne looked sharp and displayed great vision, completing 5 of 9 passes for 64 yards and 2 touchdowns. Erik Ainge's stat line might have been more impressive but Henne looked like the best quarterback in this game and all week long.

• Penn St. linebacker Dan Connor led both teams in tackles with 9, intercepted a Colt Brennan pass and won the Under Armour Prototype Award.

• California wide receiver Lavelle Hawkins showed everyone why I have been raving about him all week by catching 3 balls for 64 yards and a touchdown.

• USC defensive end Lawrence Jackson blew by Oniel Cousins for a sack.

• Notre Dame defensive tackle Trevor Laws had a big night, recording a sack and recovering a fumble en route to be named the game's most outstanding linemen.

• Northern Iowa offensive guard Chad Rinehart showed some iffy technique, leaving his feet and lunging on one play.

• USC quarterback John David Booty threw well on the run but other than that didn't look real good. On one play he forced things and threw a terrible interception inside the ten yard line and later he turned the ball over on a fumble.

• Okie St. running back Dantrell Savage had a nice run on a draw to convert a 3rd and 6.

• USC cornerback Terrell Thomas broke up a pass intended for Donnie Avery.

• UCLA's Bruce Davis was very active and made four solo tackles. I continue to be surprised by how well he is doing in his transition to linebacker.

• The North seemed to run behind Boston College offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus a lot, which was a good call because they had some success on the right side.

• Nebraska offensive tackle Carl Nicks is stout at the point and did a nice job of absorbing the bull rush of Jeremy Thompson.

• Following a safety Notre Dame's Tom Zbikowski returned a free kick 38 yards, which ended up being the longest play of the game.

• Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco only completed two passes but they were both impressive throws and despite his modest stat line he looked pretty good.

• Notre Dame center John Sullivan got a great goaline push against Marcus Harrison.

• Oregon St. kicked Alexis Serna missed a 22 yard field goal attempt and didn't look good on his kickoffs either. I just don't know if he is an NFL-caliber kicker.

• North Dakota State's Mike Dragosavich had a 69 yard punt.

Sedrick Ellis, Chad Henne and Lavelle Hawkins were all very impressive throughout the week of practices and that carried over to the game. The 2008 Under Armour Senior Bowl might be officially over but NFL Draft Countdown's coverage will continue. Be sure to stop back in the coming days for a Stock Watch with a look at who helped and hurt themselves the most in Mobile as well as an in-depth, position-by-position review of the entire week.