Scott Wright Senior Bowl Reports

[Partial]

Monday, North

After all of the talk about players dropping out of the game and heights/weights it was finally time to get on the field and play some football. The North team is being coached by the Oakland Raiders and they kicked things off with a relatively light practice, opting for shells rather than full pads. Things started off slow and they basically walked through some plays and stretched for the first fifteen minutes or so but after that things began to pick up. Here is a look at what happened and who stood out today.

• Two of the most impressive players on the field today both happened to be USC Trojans. Defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis was practically unblockable, blowing by Chad Rinehart on one play and being very disruptive in the backfield all afternoon. He also received a lot of praise from the coaching staff. Meanwhile his college teammate Keith Rivers, who drew a lot of praise from Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. Rivers looked quick and explosive moving both forward and laterally and even made a nice play in coverage twenty yards downfield against Kellen Davis.

• UCLA's Bruce Davis worked with the linebackers today and while you could tell he has a lot to learn he certainly didn't embarrass himself either.

• At wide receiver Adarius Bowman of Oklahoma St. did not look good and he struggled with drops all day. Early on he had to change cleats on the sidelines and something may have been bothering him because he never seemed to get comfortable. New Mexico's Marcus Smith was very energetic but he also dropped some balls today and after each one he made himself do pushups as punishment.

• Virginia Tech wideout Eddie Royal showed good change of direction skills and made a lot of big plays. Cal's Lavelle Hawkins looked really smooth, running excellent routes and just seeming to get open a lot. He also caught a nice touchdown pass against Terrell Thomas in 1-on-1's.

• Purdue's Dorien Bryant was real quick out of his breaks but Kansas State's Jordy Nelson was not and seemed to be doing everything a step slower than everyone else. On a positive note Nelson does adjust to the ball well.

• At quarterback nobody really blew the doors off the stadium but USC's John David Booty was the best of the bunch. Booty has a terrific delivery and throwing motion and really leads his targets well. Delaware's Joe Flacco needs to work on speeding up his drops but he had some moments and held his own despite playing against better competition than he's used to. Michigan's Chad Henne really throws a nice all but he didn't necessarily stand out.

• Iowa cornerback Charles Godfrey started off great, sticking with some smaller, quicker wideouts, but later in the practice he struggled a bit and gave up some completions.

• Michigan's Shawn Crable looks the part and stands out physically but he appeared to be a little awkward in his movements at times. Virginia Tech's Xavier Adibi was very active in 7-on-7's while UNLV's Beau Bell showed good range to the sideline and in coverage.

• USC tight end Fred Davis looked awfully short standing next to guys like Kellen Davis and Martin Rucker but he did make a nice catch in traffic and had the best day of the bunch.

• Indiana's Tracy Porter isn't known for a physical style of play but he played Adarius Bowman tough despite a drastic size difference and was able to stay in the hip pocket of most of the wideouts he was matched up against.

• USC offensive tackle Sam Baker displayed good use of his hands and nice footwork. He especially stood out in pass protection against speed rushers.

• Offensive guard Roy Schuening is stout at the point of attack and has good awareness.

• It was tough for the running backs to stand out in a practice like this but East Carolina's Chris Johnson was shifty and showcased his ability to make people miss. Justin Forsett also displayed good speed and elusiveness on a long run.

• North Carolina St. defensive tackle DeMario Pressley drew some positive notice from the coaching staff and showed good upper body strength and leverage, although he has a ways to go when it comes to footwork.

• West Virginia fullback Owen Schmitt was used extensively as a receiver out of the backfield and he did well. He's isn't graceful but he got the job done and even dragged Thomas DeCoud behind him on one play.

• Notre Dame defensive tackle Trevor Laws didn't look great in positional drills but he made at least one standout play, pushing Drew Radovich into the backfield and batting down a pass with authority.

• Michigan safety Jamar Adams really casts an imposing figure on the field and he delivered a big hit in 7-on-7's late in the practice.

• Eastern Michigan defensive end Jason Jones had a very nice day and seemed to be in the opponents backfield a lot.

• Not only is Nebraska offensive tackle Carl Nicks one of the most physically impressive players in Mobile but he did a good job of stonewalling Chris Ellis in 11-on-11's and showcased a physical and sometimes nasty demeanor.

• North Dakota St. punter Mike Dragosavich did a decent job of punting out of his own end zone but was a little inconsistent as well.

• Tom Zbikowski, Dorien Bryant and Eddie Royal worked as the punt returners.

There were a number of standout performances today but if I had to single out a couple of guys on each side of the ball Sedrick Ellis and Keith Rivers would easily be the defensive picks while Carl Nicks and Lavelle Hawkins would get the nod on offense. It was a good first day overall and there should be some excellent matchups throughout the rest of the week, especially between the offensive and defensive linemen. So day one for the North is officially in the books and things should only get better once they put on the full pads start hitting.

[Partial]

The South team held its first practice before a relatively big crowd in Fairhope. However, because the practice was not in full pads it was hard to get a read on many of the players. It also didn�t help that the schedule practice included a lot of stretching and individual positions drills which may have been a solid coaching approach, but meant that for long stretches not much was really happening. It also didn�t help that practice was held in cool and windy conditions that may have affected the passing and kicking to some extent.

When the players did get down to some serious business, it appeared that the South defense was ahead of the offense. Certainly none of the three South QBs - Colt Brennan of Hawaii, Kentucky�s Andre� Woodson and Erik Ainge of Tennessee - had afternoons that that they will necessarily want on their pro job applications. Brennan did really gun the ball at times and showed nice touch on the very short stuff, but he really had to wind and step into medium and deep passes. He was also really leaning into many of his throws such that the release point appeared to be very low. As a result, many of Brennan�s throws were wild high or wide. On the other hand, Kentucky�s Woodson looked more like a prototype pocket passer with a high release point and an easy motion. Like Brennan, though, Woodson wasn�t all that accurate, although he was 5-for-5 passing in a seven on seven drill. We didn�t get quite as good a read on Ainge, who worked in a couple of drills with other units while Brennan and Woodson were working pure passing drills; however, the former Vols� star, a late replacement for Louisville QB Brian Brohm, wasn�t that accurate either when he did get to throw the ball.

It probably didn�t help the QBs grade that the South receivers, for the most part, didn�t do a particularly good job getting open and struggled to catch the ball at times. The major exception was Florida WR Andre Caldwell, who was one of the top players on the field. Caldwell made some excellent moves to get open - in particular he left Alabama CB Simeon Castille, who otherwise had a pretty solid session, in his wake on a stop-and-go route - caught everything that came his way, and just looked like he wanted the ball out there. At the same time, massive Tennessee TE Brad Cottam also made a couple of tough catches in the seam in 7-on-7 drills. Cottam, who goes almost 6-8 and is over 270 pounds looks more like an offensive lineman, used his size to screen off defenders, showed decent mobility and good concentration hauling in the ball.

On the other hand, Louisville WR Harry Douglas really looked out of sorts. Douglas was very slow coming out of his breaks and had the ball bounce off his hands too many times, while Texas WR Limas Sweed looked a half step slow. Speedy Donnie Avery of Houston also didn�t catch the ball all that well, but did show plenty of quickness into and out of breaks. Rangy Alabama WR D.J. Hall, a long-strider without much bulk, struggled to beat press coverage, but did make one nice catch in traffic over the middle in a 11-on-11 drill.

While the South receivers need to pick up the pace, the defensive secondary came to play this afternoon. Indeed, the most impressive player on the field today may have been little known Tennessee State DB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. The 6-1, 180-pound Rodgers-Cromartie isn�t necessarily the most physical DB, but he is a long strider with fluid hips who can really turn and run and change direction. Rodgers-Cromartie made the defensive play of the day when he cut off a route, stepped in front of a receiver and picked off the intended pass. Interestingly, while nominally a CB, Rodgers-Cromartie, was lining up at FS for the South squad today. Troy CB Leodis McKelvin, another emerging player, also showed quick feet and good flexibility moving in both directions; McKelvin was particularly comfortable when back-peddling. Meanwhile, the Tide�s Castille and LSU CB Chevis Jackson, neither of whom is real big or fast, battled all afternoon and showed good quickness and instincts; both broke well on the ball and had a couple of pass breakups. Same for Auburn CB Patrick Lee who was physical and quick. On the other hand safeties Marcus Griffin of Texas and D.J. Wolfe of Oklahoma looked a little stiff at times.

This and that� Sans pads there wasn�t any real tackling but the �hit� of the day nonetheless came courtesy of Georgia Tech LB Phillip Wheeler who lowered a shoulder into and deposited Kentucky RB Rafael Little on his posterior. �Non-hit� of the day belonged to an otherwise unidentified South defensive linemen who grabbed at Tulane RB Matt Forte and came away with a handful of shorts that ended up around Forte�s knees. What is the old saying: no harm no foul! For the record, Forte, known as a tough 220-pounder, was surprisingly quick, as was Georgia Tech RB Tashard Choice, although again there wasn�t any tackling. Before practice began one of the 49ers� coaches was schooling Kentucky QB Andre� Woodson, who took just about every snap at UK out of a shotgun, in the finer points of the footwork involved in dropping back into the pocket.. In the past, the North and South flipped the morning and afternoon practices on Tuesday and Wednesday. This year, though, the North will go in the morning both days, while the South will practice in the afternoons. Not sure if it is part of the plan, but there are always more people attending the South practices and it should be easier for those folks to get to the afternoon workouts.

[Partial]

North, Tuesday

It was pretty overcast at Ladd-Peebles Stadium this morning but still a little warmer that it was yesterday. For the first time this week the North squad practiced in full pads today and there was a noticeable difference in the intensity, with a lot of big hits delivered throughout the session. As always there were a lot of interesting matchups today and if you're a fan of watching the big uglies in the trenches then this is your team and once again the offensive tackles were impressive.

• Yesterday USC defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis showed off his ability to wreak havoc in the backfield and today he showed he could be just as effective against the run. Ellis has looked every bit the part of a Top 10 pick.

• I continue to be impressed with Nebraska offensive tackle Carl Nicks, who looks like a great natural athlete despite his massive size but he is still raw and plays too high at times.

• Boston College offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus may be a very large man but he also moves his feet well.

• Indiana cornerback Tracy Porter was okay yesterday but he was even better today, jumping a route to intercept a Joe Flacco pass in 7-on-7's on a play that would have been a "Pick 6" in a real game. He also did a nice job of sticking with his guy in coverage.

• USC offensive guard Drew Radovich stood out today, playing real physical and displaying a strong initial punch and some pop.

• Penn St. linebacker Dan Connor had a mixed day. On one run play he couldn't shed a Mike Pollak block and was neutralized but later he separated Marcus Smith from the ball with a big hit in coverage.

• Once again none of the North quarterbacks really stood out. USC's John David Booty and Delaware's Joe Flacco looked pretty average and the best of the bunch today was Michigan's Chad Henne. Overall though I am still waiting for one of these guys to step up.

• Iowa cornerback Charles Godfrey had another nice day in coverage, even drawing praise from Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Ryan for his efforts in 7-on-7's.

• The nightmare continues for Oklahoma St. wideout Adarius Bowman, who seems to be dropping more balls than he is catching. Then when he finally did catch one in 11-on-11's he fumbled! At this point it's more of a confidence issue than anything else and it was clear he is very frustrated right now. New Mexico's Marcus Smith also had a couple more drops today and afterward hit the ground for some pushups.

• Michigan St. tight end Kellen Davis looked awfully good, making a nice catch in 11-on-11's and showing some aggressiveness as a blocker in positional drills.

• One of the surprises of the week for me so far has been California wide receiver Lavelle Hawkins, who followed up a strong first day with another terrific showing. Hawkins made at least a couple of impressive catches, although he had some issues with rounding off his routes.

• Purdue's Cliff Avril struggles at the point of attack and was physically dominated on more than one occasion. Granted he is going up against some excellent offensive tackles but it's becoming clear to me that his best fit at the next level will come as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme.

• The transition to linebacker continues for Bruce Davis of UCLA, although he did flash a couple of times and made some nice tackles including one in space.

• Notre Dame safety Tom Zbikowski laid a bit hit on Justin Forsett toward the end of practice.

• USC linebacker Keith Rivers is real vocal on the field and had another strong showing. On one play he got good pressure on the quarterback after avoiding a block on a blitz.

• Nevada linebacker Beau Bell got dinged up and was down on the field for a few minutes but was able to walk off under his own power.

• Michigan's Shawn Crable delivered a big hit on Owen Schmitt today.

• Oklahoma St. running back Dantrell Savage isn't very big but he showed some toughness running inside today.

• East Carolina's Chris Johnson, Indiana's Tracy Porter, Purdue's Dorien Bryant, Virginia Tech's Eddie Royal, Colorado's Terrence Wheatley and Lavelle Hawkins and Justin Forsett, both of Cal, worked as kick returners.

• Boston College's DeJuan Tribble struggled to keep up with the wideouts in coverage.

• Michigan safety Jamar Adams did a nice job in coverage, showing the ability to hold his own against smaller, quicker wideouts.

• Kansas St. wide receiver Jordy Nelson beat USC's Terrell Thomas for a touchdown today but that may have been more of a case of Thomas struggling than Nelson excelling.

• Cal running back Justin Forsett displayed nice vision and cut-back ability today.

• Oregon St. kicker Alexis Serna showed he has 50+ yard range and he hit all of his attempts at the end of practice.

• It's a position that doesn't get a lot of attention but Indiana long-snapper Tim Bugg has been very accurate and is definitely a draftable prospect.

All in all there weren't necessarily any performances that just blew you away today but there were a lot of guys who did a solid job and helped themselves. Going forward I think the big storyline will continue to be the offensive linemen on the North team and in my four years of coming down here this is probably the most impressive group as a whole that I have seen. That's another day down for the North but there is still plenty more to come so be sure to check back for all the latest from Mobile as NFL Draft Countdown's unparallel coverage of the Senior Bowl continues.

[Partial]

South, Tuesday

Today was my first opportunity to see the South and I always feel a bit frenzied when watching a team practice for the first time. There is just so much to see that I end up bouncing around like crazy. As the week goes on I am able to settle in and focus on certain positions and players but today I was just trying to get an overall feel for what this squad had to offer. Luckily the weather held up again and despite threatening to rain at one point the sun even began to peak out toward the end of the session. Here are my notes from today's South practice:

• The headliners of the South team are the quarterbacks so why don't we start there. To be honest nobody stood out, although if you put a gun to my head I'd say Hawaii's Colt Brennan looked the best, although just by the narrowest of margins. I actually found a spot on the sideline where the quarterbacks were throwing 20 yard outs right in my direction to try and gauge arm strengths and it was almost too close to call. Kentucky's Andre Woodson and Tennessee's Erik Ainge seemed to float their throws a bit whereas Brennan gets them there on a rope. Brennan also showed the ability to fit balls into a tight spot although he seemed a bit indecisive at times.

• I was covering the North practice yesterday but I heard all about how good Tennessee St. cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie looked and he certainly lived up to the hype today. A smooth athlete with quick feet and fluid hips, Rodgers-Cromartie saw action at both safety and corner and made an amazing interception, displaying excellent leaping ability, hands and ball skills. This guy is the real deal!

• Houston wide receiver Donnie Avery was awfully impressive today. He really eats up turf quickly and also displayed good hands. I'm still not sure he's an NFL starter though...

• Georgia Tech running back Tashard Choice looked good, showing terrific vision and a nice burst to turn the corner. Choice is a natural runner and helped himself today.

• Cornerback Leodis McKelvin of Troy has great feet and also worked extensively as a punt returner but didn't flash like I thought he might. Maybe tomorrow.

• Alabama wideout D.J. Hall was not running very good routes and he really drew the ire of the San Francisco coaching staff.

• Tennessee tight end Brad Cottam is HUGE and really stands out on the field. In fact, he definitely has the frame to bulk up even further and a move to offensive tackle is not out of the question in my mind.

• Newberry offensive tackle Heath Benedict looked very good today. Benedict, who is lean and athletic and carries his weight well, was dominant at times in "The Pit" (just ask Wallace Gilberry) and he definitely lived up to his reputation for being physical and aggressive.

• Defensive end Kendall Langford displayed the ability to shed blocks and also showcased a strong bull rush. He doesn't have many other moves though.

• Vanderbilt offensive tackle Chris Williams had a terrific day and really makes it look easy.

• Florida St. defensive tackle Andre Fluellen is real quick and had a great day in "The Pit".

• Bowling Green center Kory Lichtensteiger really struggled with Dre Moore early on and it was starting to look like his size would be a major issue but later on he bounced back and held his own against Red Bryant.

• Arkansas defensive tackle Marcus Harrison looked impressive in "The Pit", specifically when it came to his bull rush.

• U.T.E.P. offensive tackle Oniel Cousins has excellent feet and very good balance.

• L.S.U. outside linebacker Ali Highsmith drew positive praise from none other than the Mike Singletary throughout the day. He was explosive off the ball, moved well laterally and did a nice job of dropping into coverage.

• Georgia Tech linebacker Philip Wheeler looked smooth and natural when dropping back into coverage. He was also a little feisty and played with a nasty demeanor.

• Tulane running back Matt Forte showed good power but didn't have the speed to get to the edge or turn the corner.

• Florida wide receiver Andre Caldwell made several nice catches and looked good.

• South Florida linebacker Ben Moffitt didn't stand out in positional drills but he looked better once put in football situations.

• So far Auburn cornerback Patrick Lee has not been quite as impressive as expected. He hasn't been bad but he hasn't stood out either.

• Georgia Tech linebacker Gary Guyton was still getting his feet under him and Mike Singletary seemed to go out of his way to give him a little extra attention.

• Despite having all the physical tools you could ask for Clemson offensive tackle Barry Richardson really struggled in both 1-on-1's and 11-on-11's.

• L.S.U. fullback Jacob Hester looked thicker than I expected, especially his lower body.

• The ball didn't explode off the foot of Georgia Tech punter Durant Brooks like it did some top punters from recent years like Dustin Colquitt, Ryan Plackemeier or Daniel Sepulveda.

• In addition to Leodis McKelvin Kentucky's Rafael Little also worked as a punt returner.

As always the South features a lot of exciting athletes, which was a nice contrast to the North squad who's top talent is primarily in the trenches. The two standouts for me today were Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Donnie Avery but you know I'll be keeping a close eye on Andre Woodson and Colt Brennan the rest of the way to see how they progress. Now that I have one South practice under my belt I'll be able to zero in and get more specific in the coming days so be sure to check back for all the latest.

[b bulldog]

Crable from UM will be a very good NFL backer

[Harlan Huckleby]

Crable from UM will be a very good NFL backer

or hoodlum. he's a dirty player.

[Lurker64]

Re: Scott Wright Senior Bowl Reports

• West Virginia fullback Owen Schmitt was used extensively as a receiver out of the backfield and he did well. He's isn't graceful but he got the job done and even dragged Thomas DeCoud behind him on one play.

If he's to be had in the later rounds, I want Schmitt.

[Partial]

Re: Scott Wright Senior Bowl Reports

• West Virginia fullback Owen Schmitt was used extensively as a receiver out of the backfield and he did well. He's isn't graceful but he got the job done and even dragged Thomas DeCoud behind him on one play.

If he's to be had in the later rounds, I want Schmitt.

Same. He'd make a great H-back. He is an intense dude, too. Pretty good receiver to boot.

[Partial]

Crable from UM will be a very good NFL backer

He was dominant against FL. I wouldn't mind seeing him but he'll probably be a 2nd rounder. Not sure I'd want him for that.

[Deputy Nutz]

Crable from UM will be a very good NFL backer

He was dominant against FL. I wouldn't mind seeing him but he'll probably be a 2nd rounder. Not sure I'd want him for that.

Just never can tell where someone is going to fall, there are 32 GMs out there and all of them rank players differently. I like what I have seen of him and he really played much better in the second half of the season.

I think if Crable puts together a decent senior bowl and runs and impress well at the combine he would be worth a second round pick, especially since another decent SLB is needed.

[CaliforniaCheez]

Do you think more than 2 Senior Bowl players will be Packers??

[mission]

I'll take anyone named Cromartie on my team!!

[Partial]

Wednesday, North

On Monday the North started the week off slow in just shells but they did their best to make up for it with this session, which was extremely physical. In fact, it seems as though players are dropping like flies and after seeing Kentwan Balmer and Beau Bell go down yesterday we had four more injuries today. This was probably the best practice of the week so far, with a number of strong, standout performances and a lot of good situations to evaluate the prospects.

Here are my impressions.

• Eastern Michigan defensive lineman Jason Jones worked at linebacker today and was even pulled aside by Raider defensive coordinator Rob Ryan (along with Shawn Crable) for some personal attention. Jones gave terrific effort but his change of direction skills were questionable and he simply didn't look very natural in either the drills or the live action reps. Needless to say in my opinion he will not be a linebacker at the next level, regardless of whether it's a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme.

• Cal wideout Lavelle Hawkins continues to be one of the most impressive players at this game, on either team and at any position. He just makes big play after big play, great catch after great catch and has looked amazing. At one point he caught a nice deep ball and someone said "That was on Tracy Porter", to which I replied I don't think it matters who is covering him at this point. He also had a highlight reel catch on the sidelines that has to be one of the top plays of the week. I was skeptical about Hawkins coming in but now I'm sold.

• USC linebacker Keith Rivers looks very smooth in everything he does. In particular today I was impressed with how fluid he was in coverage drills and how easily he flipped his hips.

• I've been waiting all week for one of the quarterbacks to step up and really separate himself from the pack and it finally happened today. Delaware's Joe Flacco looked like a totally different player, showcasing his strong arm and looking extremely comfortable in the pocket. Truth be told Flacco's performance today was probably the best I have seen by a quarterback yet this week. After wearing a plain white helmet the first couple of days his signature Blue Hen lid finally arrived today and it brought the best out in him.

• Michigan quarterback Chad Henne also looked sharp today, throwing accurate BB's. On the flip-side of the coin USC's John David Booty really struggled with his accuracy, which is surprising since that was the area where he was so impressive on Monday. Booty's throws also looked like they required some exertion, especially compared to Flacco who made it look effortless. None of these signal callers have embarrased themselves but for the week as a whole I'd rank the North guys as follows: 1) Henne, 2) Flacco 3) Booty.

• Colorado outside linebacker Jordon Dizon stood out at times, displaying very quick feet and a burst to close. He'll need to be in the right scheme to succeed at the pro level but I could see him potentially being drafted a little earlier than anticipated.

• Owen Schmitt of West Virginia and Shawn Crable of Michigan and Jamar Adams of Michiigan all went down with injuries today. Schmitt's looked to be the worst.

• California running back Just Forsett had another good day. He's real shifty and seems to be the North's top runner, especially with East Carolina's Chris Johnson M.I.A.

• Notre Dame defensive tackle Trevor Laws continued to make his presence felt in 11-on-11's, penetrating through the line and making a nice tackle for a loss.

• Terrell Thomas of USC saw extensive action at safety.

• Purdue wideout Dorien Bryant looked very quick and ran good routes.

• Kansas St. receiver Jordy Nelson made a couple of nice catches in traffic but still seems to be just a step slower than everyone else. I will be shocked if he runs under a 4.5 forty based on what I've seen this week.

• Notre Dame safety Tom Zbikowski looked smooth in coverage and did a nice job on the tight ends. Maybe he isn't as one-dimensional as everyone thinks...

• Things finally took a turn for the better for Oklahoma St. wide receiver Adarius Bowman. After battling a terrible case of the dropsies the first couple of practices he did a nice job today. He has a lot of ground to make up though after such a disastrous start though.

• Missouri tight end Martin Rucker looked good at point of attack and has made big strides as a blocker since the beginning of the week.

• Boston College offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus has been aggressive and almost nasty.

• Due to injuries USC tight end Fred Davis saw some action at fullback due to the injury to Owen Schmitt but it at least raises the possibility of him maybe being a H-Back at the next level, especially considering his lack of height.

For me the story of the day was Joe Flacco just because it was nice to finally see one of the signal callers stand out but Lavelle Hawkins was probably the most impressive player overall. While a physical practice is usually a good thing all of the injuries the past two days are a little disturbing and something you never want to see in an All-Star game. Everything considered it was a great day of practice, probably the best yet for this squad, and the North team definitely has some players who appear to be just hitting their stride, which bodes well for the remainder of the week.

[Partial]

Wednesday, South

It was actually a pretty nice afternoon, the best of the week so far, and the sun even started to shine through at one point. This was my second opportunity to take in the South squad and while there was a new revelation or two I basically saw more of the same from this team, both good and bad. The North has set the bar pretty high but something told me the South had more than enough skill position talent to even things up and I was right. So who stood out, who struggled and who surprised today? Here is a look at what I saw this afternoon:

• Any report about the South squad has to start with Tennessee State cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who it's going to be difficult to classify as a "sleeper" from here on out. Rodgers-Cromartie just seems to run through all the drills effortlessly and it's almost as if he's on a different level than just about every other defensive back on the roster. In 7-on-7's Rodgers-Cromartie had a diving pass breakup and in 11-on-11's he recovered a fumble. How high can he rise?

• Yesterday I speculated that Tennessee's Brad Cottam could potentially bulk up and move to offensive tackle but if he continues to play like he did today his future will be at tight end. Cottam showed nice hands to catch the ball away from his body and also the speed and athleticism to turn it upfield and run after the catch. Late in the session he even scored a touchdown. Watch out for Cottam, he is a very intriguing prospect.

• Texas safety Marcus Griffin looked good in drills today, displaying nice quickness and good feet. He also picked off Erik Ainge in 11-on-11's.

• Alabama defensive back Simeon Castille had slow feet and wasn't very fluid while L.S.U. corner Chevis Jackson received some praise from the coaching staff but might be limited to a Cover 2 scheme at the next level.

• If it weren't for the spectacular week that Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is having Troy cornerback Leodis McKelvin might be the talk of the South squad. McKelvin has excellent change of directions skills and I can't emphasize enough what good feet he has. He also broke up a couple of passes today.

• Kentucky outside linebacker Wesley Woodyard looked comfortable in coverage drills.

• Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge had some trouble throwing a tight spiral today.

• Kentucky quarterback Andre Woodson struggled with his accuracy downfield in both 1-on-1's and 7-on-7's. In my opinion he needs to step up.

• Florida wideout Andre Caldwell was able to beat the jam and blow by Quintin Demps for a touchdown in 1-on-1's today.

• Auburn cornerback Patrick Lee had another solid day, even picking off a pass in 1-on-1's when Harry Douglas lost his footing and fell.

• Hawaii quarterback caller Colt Brennan had some trouble in 1-on-1's, underthrowing a deep ball. Later he showed excellent zip on his short passes but also had some issues with ball handling. Brennan isn't have a great week but he hasn't been nearly as bad as some people are making him out to be either.

• Georgia Tech linebacker Philip Wheeler just kept rolling today, looking very good in coverage in 7-on-7's.

• Houston wide receiver Donnie Avery continues to excel, showing some elusiveness after the catch and excellent quickness. At one point in practice he almost took out Limas Sweed and Trent Dilfer, who were standing on the sideline.

• Wake Forest defensive end Jeremy Thompson is quietly having a very solid week and today he jacked Clemson offensive tackle Barry Richardson backwards with a good power move. Later Richardson got some payback when he dominated Thompson on a run play.

• Arkansas offensive guard Robert Felton looked out of shape. Is stamina an issue?

• Tulane's Matt Forte did a nice job of blocking Wallace Gilberry in 11-on-11's.

• Newberry offensive tackle Heath Benedict and Hampton defensive end Kendall Langford got in quite the scuffle today and more than one punch was thrown. The staff seemed to let it go for a little while and that might have been the best fight I've seen down here since Nick Mangold and Clint Ingram went at it a couple of years ago. Who won you ask? It's close but I'll give the decision to Benedict.

• Georgia Tech defensive end Darrell Robertson continues to have a great week and today he beat Chris Williams in 11-on-11's, which hasn't happened often.

• Appalachian St. wide receiver Dexter Jackson was added to the South roster as a replacement for Limas Sweed and he acclimated himself quite well. It's never easy to join a team in the middle of the week but he flashed a couple of times, most notably on a diving catch across the middle in 7-on-7's. Jackson also worked as a kick and punt returner.

• Georgia Tech punter Durant Brooks looked real good on his directional attempts.

The thing that strikes me most about the Senior Bowl as a whole this year is how ordinary these highly-regarded quarterbacks have looked at times. The most disappointing of the bunch for me has been Andre Woodson, simply because he was supposed to be the #1 guy coming in. There is still time for him to impress but to this point I can't say he has looked like a Top 15 pick. Luckily the guys on the other side of the ball are doing more than their fair share to pick up the slack and corners Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Leodis McKelvin might be the two most impressive players on the entire South roster.

[Partial]

Thursday, North

For the first time this week the weather became an issue today and it was cold, rainy and pretty much miserable. Practice must go on though and despite coming out in just helmets there was actually a decent amount of contact. While it's always better to see the guys go through a practice in full pads there was still plenty of information to glean from today's session and a few guys definitely stood out from the pack. Here's a breakdown of all the day's action:

• Michigan quarterback Chad Henne had another strong day and it's safe to say that he's been the most consistently impressive signal caller in Mobile this week. Henne's arm strength is excellent and he's also been very accurate. A couple of plays that stood out today: 1) Dropped a beautiful touch pass to Dorien Bryant right over the head of DeJuan Tribble. 2) Gunned a frozen rope to Jordy Nelson who then slipped into the endzone. In my mind Henne is now a solid second round pick.

• USC offensive tackle Sam Baker has nice feet and balance. Today in 1-on-1's he was real calm and in control and basically made it look easy.

• Michigan St. tight end Kellen Davis is undeniably a great athlete and an outstanding physical specimen but is he a football player? Davis struggles with his footwork and doesn't have great hands which makes him more of a late round developmental type in my mind but he will probably be taken in the middle rounds based on his physical tools and potential.

• There were a lot of mishandled snaps this week. Obviously that is to be expected with quarterbacks and centers who aren't used to working together but it sure seems like there were more this year than usual.

• Virginia Tech wide receiver Eddie Royal continues to have a very solid week and it seems like every time you turn around he is making a catch. He may never be a star but he could be a nice #2 or #3 target and return man at the next level.

• Purdue's Cliff Avril has had some trouble with Carl Nicks this week but today he was finally able to beat him for a would-be sack.

• Defensive backs Tracy Porter of Indiana and Tim Zbikowski of Notre Dame displayed terrific hands and ball skills in drills today.

• Kansas St. wideout Jordy Nelson adjusts to the ball well and once again showcased his great hands with a nice finger-tip catch in drills.

• It wasn't nearly as bad as earlier this week but Oklahoma St. wideout Adarius Bowman did have another drop today. New Mexico's Marcus Smith is catching the ball better lately.

• USC running back Chauncey Washington doesn't appear to have much quickness or wiggle and he dropped a pass in 7-on-7's today.

• Purdue's wide receiver Dorien Bryant is still doing much better than I expected. His speed, quickness and hands have all stood out.

• Cal's Lavelle Hawkins showed good hands and doesn't let the ball get into his body.

• USC defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis just continues to dominate. Ellis uses his hands well and then today in 11-on-11's he got great penetration on a goaline play.

• Eastern Michigan defensive lineman Jason Jones is still acclimating himself quite well and today he beat Drew Radovich with a nice little swim move. He also had a sack in 7-on-7's.

• Iowa's Bryan Mattison was neutralized by Arizona St. center Mike Pollak today, although it's unfair to judge Mattison because he is playing out of position at defensive tackle.

• Southern Cal linebacker Keith Rivers has outstanding sideline-to-sideline range.

• Northern Iowa offensive lineman Chad Rinhart struggled early in the week but has played much better the past couple of days. Even though he played left tackle in college his future is definitely inside at the next level.

• Colorado cornerback Terrence Wheatley made a couple of nice plays in 7-on-7's down on the goaline today. He's a poor-man's DeJuan tribble.

• Oklahoma St. running back Dantrell Savage finally flashed a little today, putting a nice move on Terrell Thomas on a sweep that got him into the endzone.

• Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco has a tendency to stare down his targets.

This was basically the last real practice for the North and despite the less than ideal weather it was a good workout. The guys who really stood out for me today were Chad Henne and Eddie Royal, although Sedrick Ellis always stands out as well. If the old adage about everything starting up front holds true the North should have an advantage over the South on Saturday because they are superior along both the offensive and defensive lines. Tomorrow is the walk-through and even though those are usually pretty uneventful I will nevertheless be covering it so be sure to check back for that.