2008 Senior Bowl Week Thread

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@ Colt w/ the mean Visor/Facemask combo
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My dude Jamar (704) laying n's out on the field
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Oops... My bad on the copy/paste... For those who care to read...
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.
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.
Barry Richardson is big as ever, but I don't think I've seen one report that didn't equate him to tissue paper in terms of how toughhe plays...
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We represent Flacco and sorry to say but he has the most buzz out of all the senior bowl guys, Ellis is the best down there, but Flacco is the small school guywith the best arm and best pro build. His feet are his problem, but he played in the shot gun. He's training at (www.testsportsclub.com) test in NJ. Hecould be the third QB or the first. he wont be a third round guy, not in this life time. We shall see. JL SPORTS all the way.
 
We represent Flacco and sorry to say but he has the most buzz out of all the senior bowl guys
a tad bit biased maybe?

Cromartie has created teh most buzz. He is having a Rashean Mathis type assession into early 2nd round late 1st round pick
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DRC is definitely creating the most buzz for himself out of all the guys this week. Pretty much every evaluation I've seen of the workouts this week sharesthat same opinion...
but he played in the shoot gun.
You mean Shotgun?...
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He was the best going into the senior bowl, just most scouts needed to see him up close. Plus yesterday they moved him to safety, because really the safetiesare not that good this year. I thought Q. Demps and Decoud would be a little better, but they were not.
 
thats why I used mathis, because he played both safety and CB at bethune cookman.
I think Cromartie is making himself the most money.

I love to see small school players show they+%%+ out there with the bigger schools.
 
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.
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..i can co-sign on this dudes speed. since HS days.. .. I wanna see him do someKR/PR though.. just for the excitement factor.. Also, it's a shame Anthony Aldridge didn't make it.. He was playing ridiculous. against every team hefaced..
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Brohm, Woodson about to pick up the predraft blitz





A flat-panel HDTV larger than a house. An iPhone? Absolutely. Something to wear that will turn heads on draft day, preferably designed by Zegna or Brioni.




I'm making a list of the standard sports' bling that Brian Brohm of the University of Louisville and Andre' Woodson of the University of Kentucky will soon have the bankroll to purchase as they proceed into the NFL.

But until the draft begins April 26, here is the first item Brohm and Woodson had better grab: a pair of noise-canceling headphones to eliminate all the rumors, knocks, howls and rip jobs that they'll hear in the next three months.

Footwork, footwear, foot size, foot odor -- it's all going to be entered on the scouting reports.

When these NFL scouts and gurus are finished with Woodson, he's going to wonder if he's the quarterback who threw five touchdown passes against Florida and six against Tennessee.

Brohm? Now that he has scratched himself from Saturday's Senior Bowl because of a bad ankle, I expect a string of stories about how his absence from Mobile, Ala., is going to diminish his draft status -- even though Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan and other talented players are also skipping the great game.

Biggest gasbags in pro sports

What's really going on here? Now Brohm has really annoyed the guys who walk around with stopwatches hanging from their necks. How are they going to get his time in the shuttle run?

What do I say about that?

That these NFL scouts, draft analysts and talent evaluators are the biggest gas-bags in pro sports. For some crazy reason, they're more worried about how crisply a guy throws a football on a practice field in Mobile than the way he threw it against a live pass rush with a scoreboard clock ticking.

I've got a prediction: If there were a draft of scouts and guys who actually make the calls on draft day, most of them would be fourth-round picks. They miss on quarterbacks as badly as they miss on any other position.

The next time somebody launches into a detailed analysis about a particular quarterback who is having an (A) good, (B) bad or (C) ugly workout at the Senior Bowl, drop this statistic on them:

Beginning with the 2000 draft, 21 quarterbacks have been selected in the first round. How many of those 21 ranked in the NFL's top 10 in passing this season?

One: Ben Roethlisberger of Pittsburgh, who was the third quarterback taken in 2004.

Hardly an exact science

Take a good look at the top 10 passers this season. Three were first-round picks: Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning of Indianapolis (1998) and Donovan McNabb of Philadelphia (1999).

There also are three whose names were not called: Tony Romo, Jeff Garcia and Kurt Warner.

Two were selected in the sixth round: Matt Hasselbeck of Seattle and some dude named Brady who has stumbled into his fourth Super Bowl with New England.

Would somebody please research how many touchdown passes Tom Brady and Tony Romo threw in the Senior Bowl? Hurry!

Meanwhile, the NFL wise guys loved Alex Smith, Kyle Boller, Rex Grossman, David Carr and Joey Harrington.

They weren't nearly as dazzled by David Garrard, whose name was called in the fourth round in 2002, behind Carr, Harrington, Patrick Ramsey and Josh McCown. Please. According to the official passing stats on the NFL Web site, only Brady and Roethlisberger delivered better seasons than Garrard.

So Brohm and Woodson should prepare to hear considerable chatter about the things they can't do. Strap on the headphones, guys. None of it will affect how well you play in the NFL.
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Limas Sweed Hurt AGAIN

Dexter Jackson Looked DAMN GOOD! and he just got there
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Im impressed.

harry Douglas is GARBAGE
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Thoughts on Ali Highsmith?

I thought he was the most consistent and best defender with Dorsey on that D and he might not have the best size, but he's just a player to me
 
Dexter Jackson is the truth....what network is showing the game?
i hope its not the nfl network because i dont have it.....hopefully its on channelsurfing
 
Beginning with the 2000 draft, 21 quarterbacks have been selected in the first round. How many of those 21 ranked in the NFL's top 10 in passing this season? One
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NFL Network

btw - shannoncrooks lawrence phillips avy absolutely cracks me up everytime I see him post
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I stil lcant believe Phillip Wheeler is 245 lbs.
 
I apologize to homie who said in the Real College Football Discussion that Cromartie was a baller that would go high. I was like when Vandy played them lastyear, EB was stylin on them so I figured he wasn't really that nice.
 
Three minutes into the game and Colt Brennan has already thrown an INT. I guess he still isn't checking the Mike...

Chad Henne throws an ugly looking deep ball, but Lavell Hawkins makes a nice adjustment for the TD.
 
Originally Posted by allen3xis

Thoughts on Ali Highsmith?

I thought he was the most consistent and best defender with Dorsey on that D and he might not have the best size, but he's just a player to me
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I agree. He might be a little undersized but he just has a knack for the ball.
 
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