Thread: 2013 Senior Bowl news and notes...

That time of the year agian.

http://www.seniorbowl.com/

South Roster...

14 Landry Jones QB 6'4" 220 Oklahoma
3 EJ Manuel QB 6'4" 240 Florida State
8 Tyler Wilson QB 6'2" 218 Arkansas

23 Andre Ellington RB 5'9" 192 Clemson
22 Mike Gillislee RB 5'11" 210 Florida
32 Onterio McCalebb RB / RS 5'11" 173 Auburn
33 Stepfan Taylor RB 5'11" 215 Stanford

42 Tommy Bohanon FB 6'2" 245 Wake Forest

11 Cobi Hamilton WR 6'2" 209 Arkansas
12 Tavarres King WR 6'1" 200 Georgia
4 Quinton Patton WR 6'2" 195 Louisiana Tech
25 Ryan Swope WR 6'0" 206 Texas A&M
82 Conner Vernon WR 6'1" 200 Duke
2 Terrance Williams WR 6'2" 205 Baylor

88 Vance McDonald TE 6'4" 260 Rice
81 Mychal Rivera TE 6'3" 244 Tennessee
89 Michael Williams TE 6'5" 272 Alabama

72 Oday Aboushi OL 6'6" 310 Virginia
76 D.J. Fluker OL 6'6" 335 Alabama
64 Dalton Freeman OL 6'5" 285 Clemson
65 Garrett Gilkey OL 6'7" 320 Chadron State
69 Lane Johnson OL 6'6" 303 Oklahoma
73 Xavier Nixon OL 6'5" 314 Florida
57 Brian Schwenke OL 6'4" 300 Cal
71 Dallas Thomas OL 6'5" 310 Tennessee
74 J.C. Tretter OL 6'4" 300 Cornell
67 Larry Warford OL 6'3" 343 Kentucky

18 Dustin Hopkins PK 6'2" 190 Florida State

51 Carson Tinker LS 6'1" 224 Alabama

47 Ezekial Ansah DL 6'5" 270 Brigham Young
93 Everett Dawkins DL 6'2" 304 Florida State
89 Lavar Edwards DL 6'5" 258 LSU
97 Malliciah Goodman DL 6'4" 270 Clemson
46 Corey Grissom DL 6'2" 316 South Florida
54 Montori Hughes DL 6'4" 327 Tennessee-Martin
6 John Jenkins DL 6'3" 358 Georgia
83 Cornelius Washington DL 6'4" 268 Georgia

8 Jamie Collins LB 6'1" 228 Southern Miss
25 Zaviar Gooden LB 6'2" 230 Missouri
35 Nico Johnson LB 6'2" 245 Alabama
10 Sean Porter LB 6'2" 230 Texas A&M
44 Chase Thomas LB 6'4" 248 Stanford
1 Vince Williams LB 6'1" 250 Florida State

23 Robert Alford DB 6'0" 185 Southeastern La.
24 Marc Anthony DB 6'0" 200 Cal
29 Sanders Commings DB 6'2" 216 Georgia
37 Robert Lester DB 6'2" 212 Alabama
2 Leon McFadden DB 5'10" 190 San Diego State
18 Bacarri Rambo DB 6'0" 210 Georgia
22 B.W. Webb DB 5'10" 180 William & Mary
19 J.J. Wilcox DB 6'0" 215 Georgia Southern
26 Shawn Williams DB 6'1" 218 Georgia

86 Ryan Allen PT 6'2" 215 Louisiana Tech

North Roster...

7 Zac Dysert QB 6'3" 228 Miami OH
8 Mike Glennon QB 6'5" 232 North Carolina State
12 Ryan Nassib QB 6'2" 228 Syracuse

24 Kenjon Barner RB 5'11" 192 Oregon
23 Johnathan Franklin RB 5'10" 198 UCLA
28 Robbie Rouse RB 5'7" 190 Fresno State

40 Kyle Juszczyk FB 6'3" 240 Harvard

3 Aaron Dobson WR 6'2" 206 Marshall
1 Marquise Goodwin WR 5'9" 177 Texas
83 Chris Harper WR 6'1" 228 Kansas State
33 Aaron Mellette WR 6'4" 220 Elon
16 Denard Robinson WR 5'11" 197 Michigan
2 Markus Wheaton WR 6'0" 182 Oregon State

18 Jack Doyle TE 6'6" 253 Western Kentucky
44 Nick Kasa TE 6'6" 260 Colorado
82 Ryan Otten TE 6'5" 245 San Jose State

52 Braxston Cave OL 6'3" 304 Notre Dame
79 Eric Fisher OL 6'7" 305 Central Michigan
74 Kyle Long OL 6'7" 312 Oregon
70 Joe Madsen OL 6'4" 305 West Virginia
67 Justin Pugh OL 6'5" 297 Syracuse
76 David Quessenberry OL 6'6" 295 San Jose State
72 Hugh Thornton OL 6'4" 310 Illinois
58 Ricky Wagner OL 6'6" 318 Wisconsin
66 Brian Winters OL 6'5" 310 Kent State

13 Quinn Sharp PK 6'1" 205 Oklahoma State

45 Luke Ingram LS 6'6" 235 Hawaii

99 Michael Buchanan DL 6'5" 240 Illinois
96 Margus Hunt DL 6'7" 280 SMU
57 Datone Jones DL 6'4" 275 UCLA
80 Alex Okafor DL 6'5" 265 Texas
97 Jordan Hill DL 6'1" 292 Penn State
93 Kawann Short DL 6'3" 315 Purdue
66 Brandon Williams DL 6'3" 325 Missouri Southern
92 Sylvester Williams DL 6'3" 320 North Carolina

43 Steve Beauharnais LB 6'2" 230 Rutgers
44 Arthur Brown LB 6'1" 228 Kansas State
20 Khaseem Greene LB 6'1" 230 Rutgers
48 Kevin Reddick LB 6'2" 240 North Carolina
54 John Simon LB 6'2" 263 Ohio State
46 Trevardo Williams LB 6'2" 233 Connecticut

37 Jonathan Cyprien DB 6'0" 210 Florida International
17 Will Davis DB 6'0" 186 Utah State
27 Dwayne Gratz DB 6'0" 198 Connecticut
7 TJ McDonald DB 6'2" 205 USC
14 Jordan Poyer DB 5'11" 190 Oregon State
21 Jamar Taylor DB 5'11" 196 Boise State
16 Philip Thomas DB 6'1" 215 Fresno State
6 Desmond Trufant DB 6'0" 186 Washington
4 Duke Williams DB 6'1" 200 Nevada
15 Blidi Wreh-Wilson DB 6'1" 190 Connecticut

18 Jeff Locke PT 6'0" 208 UCLA

Just some notables on a few names that have been mentioned around here on some measurements/weigh-ins so far...

DJ Fluker 6'4 and a whopping 355 pounds.
John Jenkins 6'3 360 pounds.
Conner Vernon, WR, Duke 6'0 193
Mike Gillislee 5'11 207
Ryan Swope 6'0 204
Stepfan Taylor 5'9 216
Denard Robinson 5'10 196
Kevin Reddick 6'1 246
Jordan Poyer 5'11 182
Margus Hunt 6'8 277
Datone Jones 6'4 280
Johnathan Franklin 5'10 201
Khaseem Greene 6'0 236
Kawann Short 6'3 308
Markus Wheaton 5'11 183
Nico Johnson 6'1 249
Sean Porter 6'1 231
Bacarri Rambo 6'0 215
Larry Warford 6'3 333
Sanders Commings 5'11 223
Sylvester Williams 6'2 313

Originally Posted by Skinny

Just some notables on a few names that have been mentioned around here on some measurements/weigh-ins so far...

DJ Fluker 6'4 and a whopping 355 pounds.
John Jenkins 6'3 360 pounds.
Conner Vernon, WR, Duke 6'0 193
Mike Gillislee 5'11 207
Ryan Swope 6'0 204
Stepfan Taylor 5'9 216
Denard Robinson 5'10 196
Kevin Reddick 6'1 246
Jordan Poyer 5'11 182
Margus Hunt 6'8 277
Datone Jones 6'4 280
Johnathan Franklin 5'10 201
Khaseem Greene 6'0 236
Kawann Short 6'3 308
Markus Wheaton 5'11 183
Nico Johnson 6'1 249
Sean Porter 6'1 231
Bacarri Rambo 6'0 215
Larry Warford 6'3 333
Sanders Commings 5'11 223
Sylvester Williams 6'2 313

Fluker is 355? Damn! Here's betting he'll be in the low 340's by the time he's at the Combine.

Ezekiel Ansah could vault himself into a top 3 pick with a great week. Keep an eye on that kid. He's a Jason Pierre Paul clone.

Buncha scrubs.

They put some South guys on the North roster to try and make a game out of it.

Various reports from Monday...

DE Datone Jones, UCLA
After impressing scouts with his striking physique during weigh-ins, UCLA's Datone Jones carried that momentum over to the practice field. He showed excellent short-area burst off the edge, winning with strength and quickness at the point of attack. Jones lined up all over the defensive line in college and it's tough to classify him at one position, but his scheme versatility will make him an attractive prospect for hybrid defenses like in New England. Considered a second rounder entering the week, he made a strong case on Monday as to why he should be considered a top-32 selection.

WR Denard Robinson, Michigan
During the North's practice, there are three different color jerseys: white (offense), blue (defense) and then also yellow (quarterbacks). But Michigan's Denard Robinson, who played quarterback in Ann Arbor but is listed at wide receiver on the Senior Bowl roster, also had a yellow jersey despite not taking any snaps from center. He participated in several wide receiver and special teams exercises, but wasn't involved in many contact drills, which is probably due to his arm/hand injury that he suffered last fall. Robinson looked natural with the ball in his hands, but he didn't display ideal ballskills, giving scouts the idea that it will take some time as he adjusts to a different position on offense.

Lammey: He clearly was not sharp today working as a wide receiver. Robinson was wearing the non-contact yellow jersey that quarterbacks wear, but he did not work at that position. He did not catch passes cleanly and struggled with route running. Robinson showed good athleticism in and out of his breaks but needs a lot of polish if he’s going to switch positions in the pros.

Waldman: Everything was slow motion for him in drills today. He looked like a foreign exchange student with only a rudimental knowledge of a new language. You could see the intelligence, but also a level of caution. There was a desire to master new things one point at a time, but the coaching staff in the later portions of each drill exhorted him to pick up the pace. I’m looking forward to seeing how much he can master in this compressed period of time.

WR Markus Wheaton
Waldman: I thought Wheaton was the star among the skill players today. It’s only the first day of practice, so it doesn’t mean a ton, but I thought he was really sharp with his routes and releases. He uses his hands and feet well for a college player and had no problem beating corners in drills and scrimmage situations. He even forced one defender to tackle him on an out and up.

Lammey: Wheaton also showed the ability to adjust to poorly-thrown passes, which is a must to become an effective N.F.L. starter. Early in practice he caught a pass that was high and behind him. Most would’ve dropped the ball, but Wheaton snared it and then turned up the field quickly to gain more yards after the catch. On deep passes he showed great ball tracking ability and was able to bring in passes over his shoulder in stride.

Waldman: Late in practice, Wheaton turned back to a ball placed behind him on a deep streak and made a leaping catch through contact from the defender and maintained possession after landing on his back. If he continues this level of play this week, watch out.

DE Margus Hunt, SMU
Waldman: Hunt measured a striking 6’8” and 277 pounds at the weigh-in and I thought he looked quick in his footwork drills.

Bramel: He was definitely one of the more fluid players though the bags, but he remained an enigma after individual drills. While he was one of the quickest linemen in footwork drills and showed the ability to play low – even out of a surprisingly coiled stance for his size – he didn’t display any of the suddenness to the pocket that stood out in some of his recent game tape. Raiders defensive line coach Terrell Williams frequently made note of Hunt’s almost robotic approach to drills. It will be interesting to see if Hunt can adapt as the week progresses.

DT Sylvester Williams, UNC
Lammey: I overheard concerns about Williams’s body type from scouts today . . .

Waldman: And I heard his practice was up and down . . .

Bramel: It was up and down. But as he’s shown on film, Williams can be a disruptive force when he gets off the ball quickly. When he doesn’t, he’s moved off the line of scrimmage and struggles to disengage.

OLB Khaseem Greene, Rutgers
Waldman: It’s easy to compare Greene to last year’s best flow-and-chase outside linebacker prospect, Lavonte David.

Bramel: True. Both came to Mobile undersized and athletic and projected as well above-average coverage players. Although Greene isn’t yet as aggressive and violent in defending the run as David, he was very impressive in coverage. He changed direction quickly and ran with every running back on the North roster easily and seemingly had at least one extra gear in reserve. There’s still room for improvement in his read-and-react skills and playing through blocks, however.

ILB Kevin Reddick, UNC
Bramel: Reddick was obviously comfortable during the installation periods. He handled the huddles and alignments with ease, despite being asked to pull double duty at middle and weak side linebacker with Kansas State’s Arthur Brown a late injury scratch and Harding’s Ty Powell not yet available to practice. As he showed at UNC, Reddick read the run very well and attacked his gap responsibly surely and physically. But he was slow, flat-footed and regularly beaten in coverage drills all afternoon.

-- Georgia big man John Jenkins is a massive nose tackle prospect. He didn't wow anyone with his athleticism, but he moves very well for a man his size (6-4, 259). Jenkins' effort was impressive, as he went hard on every snap. There were a few plays when he simply destroyed blockers in one-on-one drills. If you're looking for a 3-4 nose tackle, Jenkins could be the best option in this draft.

-- Ziggy Ansah of BYU is the big name on the South defensive line. He is still new to football (track background) and that showed today. His athletic gifts were obvious in the drills, but things did not come easily to him. Other prospects have done these drills since junior high football. Ansah looked like a track guy trying to do football stuff. He was better when the contact part of the day began, as funny as that might sound. Ansah didn't show explosion off the ball, but had good power. His bull rush was very effective. In the team session, he threw Rice tight end Vance McDonald (6-4, 262) to the ground. That was a wow moment. The next play, Alabama tight end Michael Williams came to that side. He is a great blocker, but Ansah stood him up and didn't give an inch. Excellent strength by Ansah.

-- Of the South wide receivers, Baylor's Terrance Williams was the standout performer. After an unspectacular junior season, Williams put up big numbers as a senior. He made several big plays down the field in tight coverage Monday, including one spectacular catch over Robert Alford of Southeast Louisiana. On the down side, Texas A&M's Ryan Swope, 6-0, 204, is an undersized receiver who profiles as a slot guy at the next level. Unfortunately, Swope dropped at least two easy catches Monday. He'll have to bounce back as the week moves on.

Larry Warford, OG, Kentucky:
Warford had the best all-around day by any offensive lineman, he was quick off the ball and showed a good anchor, rarely letting anyone push him back or control the point of attack. He also showed surprising quickness for his size and handled speed well.

Highly touted cornerback Jordan Poyer from Oregon State struggled in press coverage in his one on one drill against fellow Oregon State wide receiver Markus Wheaton. Poyer failed to get much of a jam at the line of scrimmage and would have been called for a hold as Wheaton made his cut on a stick route.

Sanders Commings, Georgia:
Commings is thought to be more of a corner, but after today's practice he may be viewed more of a free safety prospect. He was not fluid in flipping his hips, and really struggled when asked to run with receivers. He did some nice things when he played off in a zone and the play was in front of him, but other than that it was not a strong day.

Bacarri Rambo, S, Georgia:
Rambo looked flawless in the individual position drills setting the bench mark everyone else was compared to, but he all but disappeared once he started going up against receivers/tight ends. He still made a play or two, but overall he was late recognizing a number of passes, and took bad angles to the ball. Given how he started and his overall hype it was a poor overall showing.

Some from Tony Pauline...

Nico Johnson LB Alabama
Mon: Showed some flashes in the box but was victimized several times in coverage if asked to get outside the numbers or cover more than ten yards down the field.

Larry Warford OL Kentucky
Mon: Dominated opponents all day. Big, wide bodied blocker who plays to his size. Several commented on how powerful Warford is. Terrific power blocking lineman.

Johnathan Jenkins DL Georgia
Mon: Looked awesome at times. Cat like quickness, terrific movement skills and athletic. Fired through the gaps up the field, easily changed direction and easily got outside the numbers to make plays.

Stepfan Taylor RB Stanford
Mon: Best back on the field. Practiced with great vision, instinct and had a burst. Flashes suddenness with his ability to explode through the hole. Terrific pass catcher out of the backfield. Showed a complete game.

Ryan Swope WR Texas A&M
Mon: Tough, quick and reliable. Dropped one pass all day. Solid routes; sharp and quick in/out.

Mike Gillislee RB Florida
Mon: Really does not show that great pop in his game or a burst carrying the ball. Nice vision but neither quick not fast.

Conner Vernon WR Duke
Mon: Worked hard and made a lot of nice receptions. Ran solid routes and separated from defenders then made the catch. Lacks any sort of speed of burst.

Ezekiel Ansah DL BYU
Mon: Played in spurts but when he was on Ansah was terrific. The athleticism, explosion and power is there but he really needs to improve his overall techniques and polish his game.

I'll beinterested to see how Tyler Wilson does. I've been saying he'll be the best QB from this draft for a while now.

Tuesdays various reports...

Zane Beadles ‏@zanebeadles
Just realized that 3 years ago this week I was at the Senior Bowl, now I'm headed to the Pro Bowl! So blessed and thankful for everything!

- Texas A&M wide receiver Ryan Swope didn't finish practice in the afternoon session after suffering what appeared to be an ankle injury. There hasn't been word on the severity.

• The highlight of the day was Texas WR Marquise Goodwin breaking the ankles of Boise St. CB Jamar Taylor, not once, but twice… on one play. Goodwin ran a gorgeous looking slant route with some shake, and got wide open on Taylor, but that wasn’t the end of his route. He then cut back to the outside as Taylor’s knees completely locked up. Goodwin competed in the Olympics as a long jumper, and per Wikipedia, he has won two NCAA championships in the long jump, and is a top competitor in the 60 and 100 meter dashes, as well as the triple jump. The track stars can often struggle with route running, but Goodman’s route against Taylor was a thing of beauty. On the downside, Goodman did drop a pass he should have had in traffic today. He’ll be a player to watch at the Combine.

• Denard Robinson will not be returning punts anytime soon, in my opinion. He had a muff, he let a ball bounce a yard or two in front of him that he didn’t have to run up and catch, and just generally did not look “confident,” as Tommy Lawlor remarked to me from the bleachers. The punt returners as a group had a really bad day. Jamar Taylor had a muff, as did Markus Wheaton. It was windy out there today, but then again, it’s windy in real games, too.

At Senior Bowl practice today I heard a large contingent of Jets personnel speaking very highly of Stanford RB S. Taylor. They seemed extremely interested in S. Taylor as the RB who could be the replacement for free agent to be RB Shonn Greene.

Tuesday’s South practice was a showcase for Stanford running back Stepfan Taylor, 5-11, 215, an ultra-productive college runner who could leave Mobile considerably higher regarded than when he arrived.

Taylor caught everything thrown his direction on Tuesday, and showed a talent for eluding linebackers in short-passing drills. He consistently made receptions and ran away from the man covering him.

It was in 11-on-11 drills late in practice that Taylor really asserted himself. He popped through several holes and found open ground by juking defensive backs that clearly would not have tackled him had the drill been live to the ground.

“I’m able to catch the ball and run north and south,” Taylor said in describing his talent as a between-the-tackles runner and safety-valve receiver.

At Stanford, Taylor was a workhorse back, so he offers the potential to be a featured runner. His talents seem to fit the pro game perfectly.

Mike Loyko ‏@NEPD_Loyko: OT Lane Johnson said emphatically the best pass rusher he faced was NOT Demontre Moore, but it was Bjoern Werner.

Based on Eric Fisher’s performance in the North squad’s practice on Tuesday morning, Central Michigan has become the place to find left tackles.

Central Michigan alum and 49ers star tackle Joe Staley is in the Super Bowl, and Fisher turned in a Staley-like display in pass-blocking drills at the Senior Bowl. Fisher stoned and then abused Texas pass rusher Alex Okafor, in a two-bout victory for Fisher. Okafor then went on to whip Wisconsin tackle Ricky Wagner, further enhancing Fisher’s wins.

Draft guru Tony Pauline considers Fisher a pass-blocking technician who’s better at his craft coming into the draft than Staley was at the same point in time. Pauline projects Fisher to be a top 25 pick and an easy selection for a passing team in need of a blindside blocker.

A North team that appears to lack offensive weapons is not lacking for defensive linemen. UCLA’s Datone Jones, 6-4, 275, got the measure of Fisher on one rush, making him miss with a quick first step, and displayed a lot of natural power Pauline believes could make Jones a prospect to play end in a 3-4.

“Scouts love him. He has great measurables,” Pauline said of Jones, whose upside exceeds his production in college. The Senior Bowl is the perfect stage for players such as Jones to blossom.

-The best receiver of the day was easily Quinton Patton of Louisiana Tech. Our top rated senior receiver before this week (and battling for our top overall spot), Patton does all the little things extremely well. He’s extremely clean and decisive in his short area routes, with zero wasted steps, explosive cuts, and maintaining balance throughout his route tree. His routes across the field aren’t “perfect”, especially his deep out, but he’s certainly top 2-3 in every route he’s run so far. He snatching balls across the field well, and positioning his body in the middle of the field. It’s hard to find anything not to like about Patton, besides his “limited athletic upside”. He’s the type of player every team will want in the to two rounds if possible.

Quinton Patton wasn't a sleeper heading into the 2013 draft, but he's not exactly a household name either. He might be after this week.

Patton was on fire in the Tuesday afternoon session, showing off great speed and better hips than I expected. He was executing a nice double-move, showing quick cuts and the feet to throttle down mid-route to fake out cornerbacks who will jump his route. Patton got behind Robert Alford on one such route where the Southeast Louisiana corner was left in his tracks.

Patton's moved himself up with a great season, and his showing as a speed threat here will only fuel that.

-Opposite of Patton, Terrence Williams of Baylor struggled mightily throughout the route tree, only looking comfortable when asked to get vertical on a 9-route. He needs to sink and adjust with much better balance in his short routes, doesn’t have any development in deep post routes, and struggles to get separation on hitches and comeback routes. A work in progress, deep threat athlete at this point.

-A surprisingly solid day from Tavarres King of Georgia today, as he seemed likely a slightly less impressive version of Patton, following him in most drills. His routes aren’t quite as crisp as Patton’s, he doesn’t quite get the same separation on the interior, and his body control isn’t as polished a Patton, but he did all of those things well today. King has a lot of upside, and things seemed to come together in his senior season this year.

-Also to note at receiver, Cobi Hamilton worked well with Tyler Wilson (as expected), but still didn’t show off great extension. Duke’s Connor Vernon didn’t show great change of direction or balance in quick changing routes, but flashed a bit today in certain areas.

-Kentucky guard Larry Warford confirmed my film evaluations and first round preliminary grade, as his proper hand usage and heavy punches consistently stone opposing rushers. Punching, locking out at the point and resetting his hands when faced with a counter move, Warford’s patience and awareness in pass protection stood out among the rest of the offensive line play. In the running game, Warford created initial pop out of stance, sustained down the field and combo-blocked well to the 2nd level by taking ideal cutoff angles. All in all, it was an excellent day of full contact for the guard prospect. (can you believe some idiot had this kid mocked in the 6th round?)

-In terms of surprise performances, Cal center/guard Brian Schwenke won his individual battles with consistent footwork and tight punches. Quick to reset and react to the defender’s move, Schwenke understands his physical limitations and compensates by playing with technique. Don’t expect him to be a high draft pick, but Schwenke has the makeup of an interior lineman that’ll stick in the league for years to come.

-Dalton Freeman struggled to bend at the knees and absorb contact out of his stance, and subsequently was worked off the line of scrimmage by power rushers on a fairly consistent basis. Likely the North’s starting center, I’d like to see Freeman get reps at right tackle, because he seems to possess the movement skills and length necessary.

C Braxston Cave, Notre Dame
This year's crop of centers leaves much to be desired, and the group in Mobile hasn't done much to change that opinion. Braxston Cave was the anchor of Notre Dame's offensive line this past season, but he has struggled to sustain blocks during practice this week, playing tight and lacking the athleticism to recover. He needs to be more aggressive with his hands and stay balanced in his stance to control defenders and not overextend himself

-Ezekial Ansah disappointed during pit drills for all but one rep, where he pressed an outside rush and spun back to the inside. Tremendously gifted from a physical standpoint in terms of balance, redirect and hand/arm coordination, Ansah’s upside was fairly evident in today’s practice. Ansah performed better when the action went live in 11-on-11’s, as he was active throughout the practice session, extending and separating from the point of attack with his length. Lacking elite speed to run the arc, Ansah must develop his hand placement and ability to consistently leverage underneath the blocker’s shoulder pads, but the upside certainly exists with this physical specimen.

-On the interior, Georgia nose tackle John Jenkins was an absolute brute at times. Digging his feet in to anchor against double teams, Jenkins flashes the in-line power needed to be a true 0-technique. That being said, Jenkins still falls in love with his lateral range, foot speed and athleticism, as he often forces his arm over swim move off the line of scrimmage. When Jenkins punched, locked out and drove his legs through the point of attack, he was virtually unstoppable in the pit, so physically he’s everything and more at the nose tackle position.

-As for the other defensive tackles, only Everett Dawkins of Florida State and Corey Grissom of South Florida stood out. Dawkins showcased some nice burst and bend off the line, but failed to keep his footing against Larry Warford due to overextension and reaching hand usage. Grissom, though more powerfully built, also struggled with his footing and appeared out of control at times. Still, Grissom fought like a bull and won at times with shoulder adjustments, effort and motor.

-The most intriguing note today was from Chase Thomas at Stanford. He seemed a bit slow off the snap initally, with the slowest feet of all the linebackers, and needs ot drive better of the edge. I like what he can bring to an NFL team situatonally, but his lack of great athleticism is concerning.

-Nico Johnson of Alabama seemed slow as well in his interior burst, but closed well in run support and filled the A and B gaps well in run drills. Also, Zaviar Gooden of Missouri looked solid in his RB/WR/TE pickup in pass coverage drills at times.

Washington's Desmond Trufant lacks optimal top-end speed, but he is very fundamentally sound on everything. Keeps a low base when tuning and good technique gives him more speed that he actually has in tight quarters. Good hip flexion on turns, and he understands how to play the ball instead of the receiver for the most part. The fact that he has two NFL defensive backs (Marcus and Isaiah) as brothers shows up. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Trufant's Tuesday practice is that he does not get faked at all on jukes -- Kansas State's Chris Harper tried to take him on a three-juke move off the line on one drill, and Trufant stayed with him all the way.

However, Trufant will get beaten on deep stuff. He lost it on a deep sideline route to Oregon State's Markus Wheaton -- didn't play the ball and got lost downfield. Trufant reminds me of an embryonic version of Asante Samuel -- great fundamentals, good route jumper, and needs to get stronger in run support. That lack of a fifth gear may keep him out of the first round, but any team looking for a guy who can play slot and flex receivers in nickel and dime coverage, and trail a "Z" receiver down the sideline should be looking Trufant's way.

2013 Senior Bowl: Q&A with Marcus Lattimore

By Charlie Campbell

South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore held a media session on Tuesday afternoon after Senior Bowl practice. Lattimore updated the status of his recovery from a knee injury he sustained during the fall. Prior to the injury, Lattimore was considered to be the top draft-eligible running back. He appeared to be walking normally on the field of Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

Here are the highlights from Lattimore's comments. The questions from the media are in italics.

Can you update your progress?

"Dr. Andrews said that my progress is nothing short of a miracle. He said I shouldn't be walking the way I am right now, but he said I'm way ahead of schedule."

You healed quickly from your first knee injury, is that helping you right now?

"Basically right now, I'm rehabbing from my ACL. Just getting stronger is [sic] main thing right now."

Have you gotten past the "why me?" stage?

"I was past that two days after. I didn't ask, 'Why me?' I went to work and will continue to go to work. I'll come back 100 percent and better than I was."

Does seeing the success of Adrian Peterson give you reassurance that it can be done?

"It is motivation. Willis McGahee had around the same exact injury and he came back from it, so I know it can be done. Frank Gore did it. It can be done and I will do it."

Is your goal to be ready Week 1 for the 2013 season?

"That is my goal and it is realistic."

Do you have any big hurdles coming up in your rehab?

"Right now, I'm just strengthening. Getting my calf muscle stronger, my quad and my hamstring stronger. I'm just getting ready to run right now. I'm getting ready to run in two weeks. I'm going to make it look easy."

Did you ever think you may not have a football career?

"I never gave up hope. With the faith I have in Jesus Christ, there is no way I can give up hope. I know I will come back better, so never."

How much of the rehab process is mental?

"I feel like 80 percent of it is mental. If you don't do your rehab and ask yourself, 'Why me?' your knee reacts to that, and you have to stay positive or you're not going to come back. My main thing is staying positive and putting the Lord first."

Have you spoken with any NFL teams?

"Yeah I've talked to a few: the Jaguars, Cincinnati, the Chiefs."

Have they given you any indication of where you might be picked?

"No, not really, just casual conversation and asking me how I'm doing."

When did you start to realize that aiming for the 2013 season was possible and not having to wait until 2014 to play again?

"Maybe a couple of weeks ago when Dr. Andrews came in to see me. He said, 'You're doing remarkable. You're doing everything you can,' and his words were, 'You're going to shock the world.' That's what Dr. Andrews said. My goal is to be ready for the season. I'm working towards that goal."

Have you spoken with Willis McGahee or anyone else about the injury?

"I talked to Willis McGahee. He told me, 'You have no time to feel sorry for yourself. You have to get to work.' That's what I took from it. He's a great guy and he came back from it."

McGahee going early in the draft can give you hope as well.

"Yeah, but I know when I get on a team, I'm going to work as hard as I can. I know what I can do on the field. I can catch; I can block; I can do it all. There is no doubt that I'll be a starter."

You received a lot of support nationally, did you have an idea as to how well you were regarded before the injury?

"I did not to tell you the truth. I got cards from every school in the SEC and schools across the nation. That makes me feel good that they respect me as a player and most importantly just the person I am."

How high do you think you can go in the draft?

"I have no clue to tell you the truth. It could be first round. It could be undrafted, seventh round or sixth round."

You think you could go undrafted?

"If it happens, I'll be ready."

Why did you decide to come out rather than return to South Carolina?

"I feel like I've done all I can in college, and I feel like I was the best back in the draft without the injury. I wanted to get a head start on my career in the NFL."

Do you think you're still the best back in the draft?

"I'm hurt right now; I can't be the best back in the draft."

I'm tired of him shoving his religion down my throat!

Denver meetings with players so far - Kent State offensive tackle Brian Winters, Georgia safety Shawn Williams, and Texas A&M wide receiver Ryan Swope.

A couple of reports on S Shawn Williams. There's one more floating around that was pretty detailed been trying to find it...

Fellow Georgia Safety Shawn Williams had one good and one bad rep against tight end Mychal Rivera from Tennessee. First time up Williams managed to follow the inside cut covered it well. But second time round, Rivera stormed out of the snap and almost appeared to be run blocking Williams before disengaging and separating into his cut. It was inside five yards, where contact is allowed, but it was borderline.

Fellow Geogia defensive backs Sanders Commings (who showed solid press and adjustment ability) and Shawn Williams (who seemed very high cut, but attacked well in tight end pickup drills) both had up and down days.

Originally Posted by Skinny

Denver meetings with players so far - Kent State offensive tackle Brian Winters, Georgia safety Shawn Williams, and Texas A&M wide receiver Ryan Swope.

I've seen Winters also listed as a Guard. I don't know much about him. Has he ever played Guard? His size seems more of a Guard-type from what I've seen. 6'3" 303ish. Also, I figured we probably weren't looking to replace either of our OTs.

It seems like we were kind of on track about them looking at interior OL, S, and a Stokely replacement.