Senior Bowl Day Three Practice Report

North Practice

Quarterbacks - After watching Wisconsin's Russell Wilson up close, and seeing how natural he is in his drop backs as well as delivering the ball quickly, I have no doubt that I'd have a first round grade on him if he were three-to-four inches taller. His lack of height is going to be his biggest knock, however from the standpoint of being a polished prospect, he's nearly as close as you're going to get from this year's class down here in Mobile. Michigan State's Kirk Cousins has improved throughout the week, as it's clear that he's become more comfortable as the week has gone on. His accuracy and decision making has improved, and although I still have a mid-round grade on him, he's finished the third day of practice off well. Boise State's Kellen Moore has done nothing to change my opinion from the first two days. If anything, he's fallen further behind players like Cousins, Wilson, and Nick Foles in my opinion.

Running Backs - Both Boise State's Doug Martin and Cincinnati's Isaiah Pead have shown a lot this week with their versatility to catch the ball and return as well. Although Washington's Chris Polk will likely remain as my highest-rated player in attendance, I think that both of these players have helped themselves and shown the value that they offer in their game. Ohio State's Boom Herron showed nice quickness and agility in bouncing a couple of runs to the outside and getting to the perimeter today. He projects as a No. 2 or No. 3 back for a team at the next level.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends - Arizona State's Gerell Robinson has impressed me more than any other receiver on the North roster this week. His combination of size and quickness is what has made him a tough player for defensive backs to defend this week. I also like his ability to snatch the ball out of the air with great body control. He's a player who will be on the rise after this week. California's Marvin Jones impressed me in one-on-one run blocking drills this morning. He packs a punch at the point of attack and is not afraid to take on a defender out on the edge. N.C. State's T.J. Graham showed excellent vision and acceleration as a kickoff returner today and I would not at all be surprised to see him compete for a position here at the next level.

Offensive Line - The offensive line as a whole today was a bit up and down, although Mike Adams of Ohio State still shined as the top prospect for the North squad. Adams will need some refinement of this technique, especially when he gets over-extended in pass rushing situations, however he has the raw talent to be a very good player at the next level. Iowa State's Kelechi Osemele struggled when asked to play laterally today, but when in a phone booth, he is capable of taking the defender and manhandling him, as he did with Vinny Curry at one point today. Wisconsin's Kevin Zeitler had a rough day, as he was beaten a few times by quicker, more athletic linemen in pass rushing drills. Zeitler is a straight-ahead, downhill blocker who will not move laterally as well as you would prefer. In closed spaces, he can be very effective.

Defensive Line - The trio of Mike Martin (Michigan), Kendall Reyes (Connecticut), and Cam Johnson (Virginia) have all helped themselves a lot this week. Martin's motor and toughness are going to give him a lot of fans in scouting circles. Reyes' combination of strength and quickness impressed me a lot this week, as he was unblockable at times in pass rush drills. Johnson has shown some of the best acceleration off the ball as well as the speed needed to consistently get to the edge as a pass rusher. I'm looking forward to seeing how he will perform at the Combine. Marshall's Vinny Curry has not shown me the type of elite pass rushing ability to warrant being taken in the first round. He's going to be a high-upside project for a team, but currently grades out as more of a second-to-third round pick.

Linebackers - Nebraska's Lavonte David impressed me this morning with his speed, range, and deceptive strength to take on a blocker at the point of attack. His ability to play inside-out on runs that reach the perimeter is excellent and should help him find a home in a team's 3-4 defense at the next level. With his small size, I also wouldn't be surprised if some teams considered him as a strong safety prospect. N.C. State's Audie Cole strikes me as a two-down thumper in the middle who will be a productive player on run downs, but will need to be replaced by a defensive back on third downs and passing situations.

Defensive Backs - Nebraska's Alfonzo Dennard has really seen his stock take a hit this week. After coming in with a near-consensus first round grade, I don't see anyway he cracks the opening frame after being beaten deep repeatedly this week. He doesn't possess the size, recovery speed, or foot quickness that I look for in the position. After watching Iowa State's Leonard Johnson in person for three days, I'm more convinced that he's a nickel or dime back than a starter at the next level. He's a confident player who has the technique and fundamentals of the position down, however he doesn't have the size or quick feet that you look for.

South Practice

Quarterbacks - At the quarterback position, Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden has stood out as the top-rated player at the position this week. His polished delivery as well as his mechanics and arm strength to throw the ball to all parts of the field has been impressive to see. As has been mentioned, the age issue is going to push him down in the draft, however with the physical skillset that he presents, teams are certainly going to have him on their radar. Nick Foles of Arizona is a player that has those physical tools that you look for, but isn't as far along from a mental and technical standpoint as Weeden is and is more of a project than the former Cowboy quarterback. San Diego State's Ryan Lindley looks out-classed by the other players here, consistently throwing the ball inaccurately and with little zip on his throws. I do not have higher than a seventh round/undrafted free agent grade on him.

Running Backs - Florida's Chris Rainey has been a fun player to watch this week. His quickness, elusiveness, and straight-line speed has made him a very hard player for defenders to cover in one-on-one's. Although his lack of size limits what he can do in the backfield, he's a matchup problem for defenses at the second level and is exactly the type of luxury pick that teams are willing to draft in the late rounds to take a chance on the player's upside. I still believe that Mississippi State's Vick Ballard is a one-dimensional back who won't offer much as a receiver out of the backfield. He excels at carrying the ball between the tackles and shouldn't be looked at as anything more than a third-down/goal-line back at the next level.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends - One player who has impressed me a lot this week is Houston's Patrick Edwards. Although his size leaves a lot to be desired, his quickness and explosion in and out of his breaks as well as his elusiveness to make defenders miss shows the type of value that he could bring as a slot receiver. North Carolina's Dwight Jones is simply a lot slower than I had expected to see; he struggles to separate because of his lack of speed and explosiveness. Texas A&M's Jeff Fuller is one of the most frustrating players in the country to scout. His physical tools are elite, showing the ability to high point a ball as well as use his size to his advantage in jump balls; however, he dropped a number of passes this week and didn't seem to have the type of hand-eye coordination or concentration to put everything together. He's a player that has the physical skillset to be a very good player, yet continues to underachieve with his dropped passes and lack of explosion in and out of his breaks. Arkansas' Joe Adams has helped himself this week with his explosiveness and quick-twitch abilities over the middle of the field. Louisiana-Lafayette's Ladarius Green has so much untapped potential that I wouldn't be surprised to see him be over-drafted this year, much the same way that Miami (FL)'s Jimmy Graham was two years ago.

Offensive Line - Georgia's Cordy Glenn made the transition to left tackle for practice this afternoon and flashed some of his immense potential as he played very well at the position he played during his senior season at Georgia's. Glenn is more of a natural fit inside at guard at the next level, however the fact that he showed his ability to play outside at tackle against elite talent shows the type of versatility that he presents; moving him to right tackle in the NFL also shouldn't be ruled out. His elite combination of size, strength, and athleticism is one reason why he has one of the highest ceilings of any offensive lineman in this year's draft. Florida State's Zebrie Sanders looked more like a second-to-third round pick today, as he showed a lack of strength at the point of attack and has not proved yet that he is capable of anchoring against stronger pass rushers. Sanders would fit well with a zone-blocking scheme that relies more on athleticism and quickness than flat out strength in the run game. Both UAB's Matt McCants and Troy's James Brown strike me as athletic, developmental projects for an offensive line coach. Both players have enough upside to warrant being drafted, but both are far away from being close to being a finished product. Georgia's Ben Jones moved to guard today, and while he struggled with the bull-rushing tackles at times, he showed the type of technique and lower body strength that I hoped to see from him this week.

Defensive Line - On Tuesday, I mentioned that North Carolina's Quinton Coples flashed ability, but that it's hard to pinpoint a true position for him at the next level. Although his future position remains to be seen, Coples was very impressive today as he simply made it look easy as he weaved his way into the backfield as a pass rusher. Whether he went inside and powered his way past the tackle, or simply beat the tackle to the edge on the outside with his great length, Coples showed the necessary skillset that you look for in a top prospect. He's helped himself a lot this week. Another player who has helped himself this week is South Carolina's Melvin Ingram, who showed the type of fluid athleticism as well as polished hand use in pass rushing drills that will land him in the Top 50 of the upcoming draft. Ingram's versatility to line up at end, tackle, as well as with his hand off the ground standing up was another thing that I was impressed with. Alabama's Courtney Upshaw exhibited the same type of pass rushing potential that I saw on Tuesday; he has the strength to really make a difference, as he showed when he bullrushed Zebrie Sanders backwards into the backfield. I expect Coples, Ingram, and Upshaw to all receive legitimate first round consideration after this week. Clemson tackle Brandon Thompson was close to unblockable this afternoon as he flashed fantastic hand use in ripping and swimming his way through the line to penetrate. Thompson's quickness off the ball and his explosiveness are an underrated part of his game. Texas A&M's Tony Jerod-Eddie is a player that, coming into the week, I was not overly impressed with because of his one-dimensional style of play, however his upper body strength to consistently bullrush his way into the backfield this week was something that I did not expect to see. He projects as a base end in the 3-4 defense where his stout play at the point of attack will be at its greatest advantage.

Linebackers - Arkansas' Jake Bequette, who was asked to move to linebacker this week performed well in pass rushing drills against the running backs today. He's a natural pass rusher who, despite not having great physical tools, has the type of polished technique and good instincts that should help him land somewhere towards the end of the draft. Miami (FL)'s Sean Spence stuck out to me again today, more because I've been impressed with seeing his raw athleticism in person. He's going to struggle with his lack of size, however with his quick-twitch abilities and speed, he could find a home as a WILL linebacker with a team that runs the 4-3 defense.

Defensive Backs - North Alabama's Janoris Jenkins is without a doubt the top defensive back in attendance this week. His size isn't ideal, however the physical style of play that he brings as well as his natural instincts, confidence, and quick feet are all things that I love about him. If not for his off-field question marks, he'd be one of my favorite players in the draft. To me, he was one of the most impressive players on the field this week and I fully expect to see him land in the first round after this performance. Louisiana-Lafayette's Dwight Bentley has helped himself as much as any player this week as he consistently was blanketing opposing receivers, rarely giving them much room to separate. He's another physical defensive back with the instincts to drive on the ball that I love to see. Both Vanderbilt's Casey Hayward and Furman's Ryan Steed had a few good plays and a few ones that show they still need further work at the next level. Hayward's fluid ability to transition and turn and run with the receiver down the field has been the one thing that has stood out to me the most. Steed excels in man coverage and I was happy to see him succeed in press coverage this week. He may give up some size to bigger receivers, however he's a confident player who doesn't back down and is willing to step up to the plate and go fight with the receiver down the field for positioning. He's got the type of skillset to develop into a future starter in the league if he lands with the right coach.

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