QB Ricky Stanzi DOWN

I want to see what he does in the game before I really knock him down because he is someone I liked more than most coming into this week, but he hasn’t looked good in practice. He threw several picks today. He checks down way too much. One of his picks was so horrible a coach told him “if you throw that, that’s going to get picked every time” and I have to agree with him.

QB Jake Locker DOWN

Again holding major judgment until the game, but he’s struggled in practice mightily. If he doesn’t perform this Saturday, all the blame will be on him, not his supporting cast, as was the case at Washington.

QB Colin Kaepernick UP

I know the other two haven’t been very good, but Kaepernick seems like the best North quarterback at this point. He’s a project, but he could be well worth it. He’s being called Cam Newton of the West and if someone takes a chance on Newton in the 1^st/2^nd range, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if someone took a chance on Kaepernick in the 3^rd/4^th round range.

RB Roy Helu Jr. UP

Again, tough to tell with running backs without pads and full tackle, but he looks good and he’s made some nice pass catches. He’s one of those guys who makes this list because he’s had a solid overall week and not because he particuarly stood out just today. Intrigued to see more Saturday.

WR Greg Salas DOWN

Impressed me earlier this week, much to my surprise, but had a few bad drops today.

TE Lance Kendricks UP

His hands as a short to intermediate option are very impressive. The ball doesn’t make a sound when it hits them and he’s got good speed as well. He’s small, but bigger, more productive, and all around more impressive than DJ Williams. I think it’s between him and Luke Stocker for the #2 tight end spot behind underclassman Kyle Rudolph. I give Kendricks the slight edge at this point.

OT James Carpenter DOWN

Impressed me earlier this week, but was atricious today. I don’t think he won a single one on one.

OT Derek Sherrod DOWN

I’m not seeing a first rounder in him. I know he’s got good upside, but he’s getting beat too often. Had one extremely ugly play where his quarterback would have gotten murdered if Sherrod was left alone on a man (Acho). He’s the OL version of Bailey, athleticism, but not much else. He’s a 2^nd rounder in my book now.

G John Moffitt DOWN

Worked out as a center and let’s just say it didn’t work out. He belongs at guard.

G Danny Watkins UP

Single most impressive offensive lineman this week for the South. 4 fantasic days. Can’t wait to watch him on Saturday. He’s 26, but he hasn’t played a lot of football so what he’s doing now is really impressive. He’s not going to have the 12+ year career you’d like out of a 2nd round guy, but he can improve still.

C Kristofer O’Dowd DOWN

Nothing new here. Still sucks. Having a terrible week. He can’t play one on one against bigger guys and he’s not very athletic either. His technique is a lot worse this week that it was on tape. I don’t know what’s going on.

C Kevin Kowalski DOWN

Doesn’t seem very athletic. He’s not doing well in one on ones this week. Undersized, slow, and doesn’t have the technique to make up for it.

 

DE Sam Acho UP

Very quick today and looked like an extremely fluid athlete in every defensive line drill. He’s undersized, so I’m interested in seeing how he does with his hand on the ground in full game action Saturday. I think he is athlete enough to play the 3-4, but he needs to prove he can play a 4-3. If he can do that, his stock could be in the 2^nd round range. If not, he’s a 3^rd or a 4^th.

DE Brooks Reed UP

Impressive again, motor never shuts off and that makes up for his lack of size. Quick, fiesty, and annoying (in a good way). He’s going to tire O-Lineman out.

DE Pernell McPhee UP

Lost all the weight he put on this season and it’s paid off. He’s having a good week. If he can stay in shape for the Combine and his Pro Day, and not having any more major weight fluxes, he could sneak into day 2.

DT Cedric Thornton DOWN

Getting dominated in one on ones all week. He didn’t look very fluid in technique drills. This small school kid needed a good week to get drafted before the first 5 rounds. He hasn’t done that.

DT Stephen Paea DOWN

Hurt his knee Monday and will have it scoped. He is supposed to be ready for The Combine, but you never know. He’ll have to prove his health at The Combine if he wants to move back up. He might slip into the 2^nd round now.

DT Ian Williams UP

There wasn’t a lot of one on ones between the offensive and defensive linemen today, but Williams was someone who stood out. He’s quietly having a good week. He can play the 3-4 nose as well as a 4-3 as a defensive tackle. He’s a run stopper with adequate pass rush. Good size at 6-1 3/8 311.

DT Sione Fua UP

Another guy who continued his impressive week today. A lot more mobile than you’d expect at his size and a smart kid with good technique. Could sneak into the 3^rd round as a nose tackle, but can also play the 4-3 as a defensive tackle.

NT Phil Taylor UP

Looked like a 265 pound end in the fluidity and technique drills and then went out and dominated one on one with great size and adaquate pass rushing moves. Very impressed with this kid. He’s my #1 nose tackle over Jerrell Powe if he plays well Saturday. He looks like an early-mid 2^nd rounder.

MLB Casey Matthews UP

Continuing to be impressive. Had a nice goal line pick and has flashed good ability in coverage all week. He’s quietly become a 2^nd rounder in my book and having one of the better weeks this week.

CB Kendric Burney UP

Not very big, not very fast, but when you play like he does, who cares. 5-9 184 with a 40 in the 4.5s likely, but he had two picks today, one of which was a very impressive end zone pick, he got his hands on two other balls, making excellent late, quick, breaks on the ball. He’s sneaky quick which might actually be more dangerous than flat out fast and athleticism. He was on Titus Young all day and locked up everyone’s favorite receiver with the exception on one excellent back shoulder throw in the end zone where Burney didn’t have a chance.

CB Curtis Brown UP

Had a good day in coverage. Seems athletic, fluid, made some nice plays like week. Impressive week.

S Quinton Carter DOWN

A good kid with his own non-profit, but not very fluid or instinctual in coverage. Might be just a strong safety or even a tweener. 

 

When: January 23rd-29th

Where: Mobile, Alabama

What: A sort of combination of an All-Star game and a mini combine that scouts use to grade senior draft prospects. 

Who: (List not finalized and will be updated as more prospects accept)   

QB Andy Dalton- TCU

Posted a 34-3 record with TCU over the last 3 years, including a 13-0 record this year. He’s a four year starter. He lacks the elite arm strength and comes out of a system that inflates stats, but his 61:19 TD:INT ratio over the last 3 years is very impressive. He’s also got solid mobility and solid size at 6-3 220, but looks like a mid round prospect at best.

QB Colin Kaepernick- Nevada

Nicknamed Cam Newton of the West joining Newton and Tim Tebow as the only QBs in the 20-20 club (20 passing TDs, 20 rushing TDs). He’s a four year starter with 142 total touchdowns (82 passing, 59 rushing, 1 receiving) in his career. He lacks the mechanics and the accuracy and doesn’t have Newton’s build, weighing in at about 220 at 6-6. He’s got solid arm strength and upside, but he is a system quarterback.

QB Jake Locker- Washington

Could have gone as high as #8 to Oakland last year, Locker decided to return to a team with a terrible supporting cast in 2010. His decision to return drew some questions about his commitment and competitiveness, not willing to challenge himself at the next level. His stats this year also hurt his stock as well. 4-20 for 71 yards against Nebraska, 7-14 for 64 yards against Stanford, 10-21 for 68 yards against UCLA, and 5-16 for 56 in a rematch with Nebraska stand out in a season where he overall completed 55% of his passes for 6.8 YPA, with 17 touchdowns and 9 picks. However, he is one of the few quarterbacks in this class to operate a true West Coast offense and his teammates deserve a lot of the blame. He’s a project, but he has upside and should still go in the first round. A strong performance against the best of the best this in the Senior Bowl will go a long way in assuring Locker goes in the first. He could go as high as #7 to San Francisco or #10 to Washington.

QB Greg McElroy- Alabama

Quarterbacked a very successful run first offense with Alabama for the last two years, including a national championship in 2009. He did exactly what you want out of a quarterback supported by that kind of defense and running game, not make mistakes, with only 9 picks in 2 years. He’s got a decent arm and solid mechanics out of a Pro Style offense, but looks to be a mid round backup type prospect at the moment.

QB Christian Ponder- Florida State

A 3 year starter with solid short accuracy, but not a strong arm. He’s got good mobility, but not breakway speed and won’t be able to switch positions. He doesn’t appear to have a good enough arm to be a starter in the NFL, but he’s a strong leader and can be a solid backup, at best a Ryan Fitzpatrick type starter. I expect him to go 4^th round or later.

QB Ricky Stanzi- Iowa

An interesting sleeper, supported by a great supporting cast which did mask some of his flaws, but he’s got an NFL arm and experienced in a Pro Bowl offense. Only threw 6 picks all last year, 4 in his last 5 games, and, in my opinion, outplayed potential first round pick Blaine Gabbert in the Insight Bowl. This game could be the opportunity he needs to show himself as a potential day 2 prospect.

RB Anthony Allen- Georgia Tech

Played the fullback role in Georgia Tech’s run heavy offense, leading the way with 1316 yards on 240 carries and 7 scores. He also averaged 9.7 YPC in 2009 alongside Jonathan Dwyer. As with Dwyer last year, there are some concerns about the weird style offense Allen played in and how he will convert to the NFL. There are also some issues about his speed and 40 time. He’s not a true bruiser at 6-0 229, though he does have good size. He’ll need to run at least a low 4.6 to be considered as a day 2 prospect.

RB Charles Clay- Tulsa

Essentially plays the fullback role in Tulsa’s explosive offense, Clay is a great pass catcher with 189 catches for 2044 yards and 28 touchdowns in 4 years, he can also pick up the extra yard at 6-3 235. He has a role in the NFL and it may be as an H-Back.

RB Noel Devine- West Virginia

Much hyped out of high school, Devine rushed for  4317 yards and 29 touchdowns in 4 years at West Virginia, backing up Steve Slaton for a year before having two monster 1200+ yard years in 2008 and 2009 before struggling this year, a trend on this offense. He could run in the 4.3s and he has good hands, but at 170-175 pounds, he’d be one of the smallest guys in the league he might fall into day 3 as purely a gimmicky weapon type player and kick returner.

RB Roy Helu Jr.- Nebraska

He’ll need to post a good 40 time at 6-0 220 to be considered before the 5^th round. He has decent size, but is projected to run in the 4.6s or even 4.7s. Rushed for 1000+ yards in back to back years, though he was very inconsistent this year. 307 of his 1245 yards came in one game, a very impressive performance against Missouri, but the clunker type performances are heard to ignore. He rushed for less than 60 yards in 6 of his 13 performances and only broke 100 4 times.

RB Kendall Hunter- Oklahoma State

One of the nation’s leading rushers with 1548 yards and 16 touchdowns, his weigh in could decide whether or not he is a day 2 prospect. He’s listed at 197, but could be anywhere from 188-202. There are very few lead backs (even Chris Johnson) who weigh less than 200 pounds. He doesn’t break a lot of tackles and doesn’t have elite breakaway speed or a good 40 time. He also had a 1500+ yard season in 2008 before getting benched in 2009.

RB Derrick Locke- Kentucky

Though undersized, Locke has good speed and explosion and burst at 5-9 190. He doesn’t have the size to be a lead back, but with 1793 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns on 361 carries in the last 2 seasons combined, he runs well and he also is a good pass catcher. He should be drafted late as a complimentary back.

RB DeMarco Murray- Oklahoma

Murray split carries with Chris Brown in 2008 on the Oklahoma team that made the National Championship game, rushing for 1002 yards and 14 scores on 179 carries, but struggled mightily as the lead back in 2009 averaging 4.1 YPC over 171 carries. He got bigger and healthier this offseason and broke the 1000+ yard mark once again, rushing for 1214 yards on 181 carries and 15 touchdowns. He might not be the best in between the tackle runner, but with 143 catches in the last 3 years, he’s a solid 3^rd down back at the very least. He’s got good size at 6-1 210 as well and could sneak into day 2.

RB Bilal Powell- Louisville

Doesn’t do any one thing amazingly, doesn’t have great speed at 6-1 215 or break a lot of tackles and runs sort of upright. However, he rushed for 1405 yards this year at more than 6 yards per. He’s a one year wonder statistically, but he could still be drafted late day 2 or early day 3. He catches passes efairly well with 30 in his last 2 years. 

RB Da’Rel Scott- Maryland

Had his best year as a sophmore in 2008 with 1133 yards and 8 scores on 209 carries, but hasn’t been nearly that good since. If he wants to get drafted, he’ll have to prove he’s just as good now as he was then. 

RB Daniel Thomas- Kansas State

If Thomas can run a good 40, he could be the 3^rd back off the board, somewhere in the late 2^nd round. He’s got good size at 6-2 228, but not good enough to still be a high draft pick with a mid 4.6 or late 4.6 40. Thomas bruised through smaller defenders for 2850 yards and 30 touchdowns in the last 2 years and also caught 52 balls. He should be a lead back at the next level.

FB Owen Marecic- Stanford

Known as the guy who once scored an offense touchdown and a defensive touchdown within 13 seconds of each other. Marecic played both fullback and linebacker in college and is listed as a fullback for this game. He is, at the very least, a great versatility character guy and special teamer and should be a mid day 3 pick. He has scored 12 offensive touchdowns in the last 2 years and also caught 17 balls in 2 years showing good hands at 6-1 244. He also had two picks as a middle linebacker this year.

WR Vincent Brown- San Diego State

A big time producer and tough to bring down in the open field, the small school Brown caught 69 passes for 1352 yards and 10 touchdowns. He’s got good size at 6-1 195 and should run a solid 40, but needs to play well in this game to prove he can compete with the big boys. 

WR Edmund Gates- Abilene Christian

A small school prospect looking to establish himself with the big boys, Gates stands at 6-1 200.

WR Leonard Hankerson- Miami

The athletic Hankerson broke out this year as a senior for Miami with 72 catches for 1156 yards and 13 touchdowns. He’s got solid athleticism and reliable hands and should be a solid #2 type receiver in the league. He could sneak into the 2^nd round, but it’s probably a 3^rd or even 4^th round prospect.

WR Dwayne Harris- East Carolina

He caught 101 passes for 1123 yards and 10 touchdowns and also gained 104 yards on 16 carries. He also is a talented kick returner and he’s bigger than your average all purpose player at 6-0 205. He could be a legitimate day 2 pick out of East Carolina.

WR Jerrel Jernigan- Troy

Someone I’m looking forward to watching, Jernigan should be a solid slot receiver at the next level. He’s got solid route running ability and great athleticism. In the last 3 years, he’s caught 232 balls for 2741 yards and 15 touchdowns and also rushed for 852 yards and 5 touchdowns on 118 carries. He also returned a kick return and a punt return for touchdown last year. Size is his only issue at 5-9 190.

WR Ronald Johnson- USC

A much hyped prospect coming out of high school and into USC, he’s got great natural athleticism and should run a low 4.4 or high 4.3 40 at 6-1 185, but, even in his best season this year, he failed to establish himself as an elite receiver. He caught 64 balls for 692 yards and 8 touchdowns. His athleticism and return ability should make him an early day 3 prospect.

WR Jeremy Kerley- TCU

Andy Dalton’s favorite target this year for undefeated TCU, Kerley caught 56 balls and 10 touchdowns, but only managed 575 yards. He’s not a great route runner nor an explosive deep threat so at 5-10 182, he could go undrafted. This is his chance to prove people wrong.

WR Paul Niles- Nebraska

Plagued by foot injuries and unable to build upon 40 catches for 798 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2009. He’s a physical 6-1 220 receiver and a good kick returner, but health will be key for him. He’ll have to show he’s healthy this week if he wants to get drafted before day 3.

WR Austin Pettis- Boise State

The more athletic of the two Boise receivers we will see this week, the 6-3 210 Pettis has caught 134 balls for 1806 yards and 24 touchdowns in the last 2 seasons, but was consistently outperformed by counterpart Titus Young.

WR Greg Salas- Hawaii

The numbers are eye-popping, with 225 catches for 3379 yards and 22 touchdowns in the last two seasons, but he’s the product of a system and a weak schedule. Hawaii throws more than anyone else in the country. He’s barely his team’s leading receiver. A mid 4.6 40 at 6-2 215 isn’t going to cut it either. He could go undrafted.

WR Matt Szczur- Villanova

A jack of all trades, can play running back, wide receiver, punt returner and kick returner, and even center field. He’s signed a 1.5 million dollar contract to play for the Chicago Cubs that any team who drafts him needs to be aware of. He’s an exciting player, but his commitment to football is going to be questioned. Still, I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do against tougher competition. If he’s drafted high enough, it might be enough for him to pick football, but the risk is definitely there. He’s probably a day 3 guy.

WR Courtney Smith- South Alabama

A physically imposing 6-5 230 receiver who dominated the division II level and had a strong 105 yard 2 touchdown game against Division I UC Davis earlier this year. He should be interesting to watch. His size alone could get him drafted. 

WR Titus Young- Boise State

Boise’s “other” receiver, Young doesn’t have Pettis’ size, but at 5-11 170 with a low 4.4 40, he’s a scrappy player and an excellent route runner. Reminds me a lot of Deion Branch, another smaller guy with great hands, a great workout, great quickness in space, and great route running ability. He has 150 catches for 2256 yards and 19 touchdowns in the last two years and could take advantage of a bunch of receiver underclassmen returning to school (Justin Blackmon, Michael Floyd, DeVier Posey, Ryan Broyles) to sneak into the 2^nd round.

TE Preston Dial- Alabama

A better blocker than his size would indicate, at 6-3 240, but he’s probably nothing more than an h-back at the next level. He doesn’t have great speed either and his stats weren’t particularly jaw dropping with 25 catches for 264 yards and 3 touchdowns in really his only productive offense year this year. He’s got his work cut out for him and could really benefit from showing he can play special teams.

TE Lance Kendricks- Wisconsin

Next in line of Wisconsin’s factory of undersized tight ends, the 6-4 240 Kendricks should be drafted somewhere around where Travis Beckum and Garrett Graham were drafted, 3^rd-4^th round. Kendricks caught 43 balls for 663 yards and 5 scores this year, but isn’t much of a blocker. If he makes it into the 3^rd round, it’s because of this weak tight end class.

TE Mike McNeill- Nebraska

Another undersized tight end who might have some trouble getting drafted, McNeill caught 81 balls for 1047 yards and 11 touchdowns as a 3 year starter for Nebraska, but his stats dropped off each year, a bad sign.

TE Lee Smith- Marshall

He has the size to be an NFL tight end for sure at 6-6 265, but with only 61 catches for 693 yards and 3 touchdowns in 2 years against weak competition, he hasn’t played up to the potential. Occasionally brilliant though, he should get drafted late on upside. 

TE Luke Stocker- Tennessee

Has the physical tools at 6-6 250 to be a great tight end, but didn’t put it all together in college. He’s caught 68 balls for 806 yards and 7 touchdowns in his last 2 years, and isn’t as good of a blocker as his size should suggest. He’ll probably be a day 3 prospect on upside.

TE DJ Williams- Arkansas

Should be the 2^nd tight end off the board in this week tight end class, after underclassman Kyle Rudolph. Williams lacks elite height at 6-2, but he’s got good size at 6-2 250 and is an underrated blocker. He caught 144 balls for 1737 yards and 10 touchdowns in three years as a starter. He’s probably a day 2 prospect. 

OT Gabe Carimi- Wisconsin

The best pure right tackle prospect in a while. He doesn’t have the athleticism or footwork to play left tackle in the NFL, but still could be drafted in the first round as a right tackle or even a guard because he is a monstrous run blocker. He anchored a Wisconsin line that was one of if not the best in college football and got better as the year went on. He is 6-7 330 and uses it well in run blocking and he’s not completely lost in pass protection.

OT Anthony Costanzo- Boston College

My top offensive tackle prospect, with the ability to line up at left tackle or right tackle. He moves his feet well and his extremely athletic and polished. If he measures in at 300+ pounds, he should come off the board somewhere between 15-40.

OT Brandon Fusco- Slippery Rock

Slippery Rock? What the hell? Who would name a college Slippery Rock (no offense to any potential readers from Slippery Rock university, though I doubt there are that many). I’ll admit I had never heard of this kid until I saw his name on the roster. ESPN lists him at 6-4 299, which is a bit undersized, but I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do with the big boys.

OT Marcus Gilbert- Florida

Strictly a right tackle at the next level, but he’s a solid mauling run blocker who should be a day 2 pick.

OT Kevin Kowalski- Toledo

A small school prospect with a smaller frame at 6-4 295, he probably won’t be drafted, but he could prove me wrong. 

OT DeMarcus Love- Arkansas

A raw swing tackle with the ability to play left tackle in addition to right. His athleticism at 6-5 315 is very impressive, but he needs to be more fundamentally sound and consistent. He should be a day 2 prospect.

OT Jason Pinkston- Pittsburgh

A fairly standard day 3 right tackle, with lacking athleticism and inconsistent technique. He’s an accomplished starter on Pittsburgh’s line. 

OT Derek Sherrod- Mississippi State

Should be one of the first tackles off the board in this weak tackle class. Naturally a left tackle, but can play right. Very fundamentally sound and good size at 6-6 310.

OT Nate Solder- Colorado

He could be a combine wonder. A former blocking tight end who has put on 30-35 pounds in the past 2-3 years to become a 6-9 315 offensive tackle, yet can still run in the 4.8s or 4.9s. He is still raw and his balance is a bit off, but he’s an accomplished college tackle and could go in the first round.

OT Danny Watkins- Baylor

Lacks natural athleticism, but is a solid run blocking tackle at 6-4 315. He could be a late day 2 pick, but should be a day 3 pick.

OT Lee Ziemba- Auburn

Lacks elite strength, but has good mobility and should come off the board in early day 3. Should be a right tackle at the next level, but has the athleticism to become a left tackle. He can also play guard. A very accomplished college player.

G Clint Boling- Georgia

Played both tackle positions as well as right guard for Georgia, making 49 career starts and 38 in a row. A smart offensive lineman that can play anywhere, but is probably a guard in the NFL because he lacks strong footwork and mobility. Likely a late day 2 earlier 3 pick.

G James Brewer- Indiana

A massive run blocking offensive lineman with huge upside at 6-8 335 and the ability to play both guard positions and right tackle. He isn’t a very mobile guy and he’s very raw, but he can be coached up and could sneak into day 2.

G James Carpenter- Alabama

Played both guard and right tackle for Alabama and was a bruising offensive lineman, but he lacks elite athleticism and isn’t particularly big at 6-5 300. He’ll probably be a day 3 pick as a guard.

G Rodney Hudson- Florida State

Can’t play all schemes because of his size at 6-2 282 and if he were to bulk up, he could mess up his game, but he has been Florida State’s best offensive lineman since his freshman year. He’s smart, can play some center, and has great footwork. He should be a day 2 prospect. His weigh in will be key.

G Benjamin Ilajana- Villanova

A small school prospect with the potential to make a big impression at the Senior Bowl, he can play guard or tackle and is likely a 2^nd round pick with the ability to sneak into the first. He showed up big time in the FCS playoffs for Villanova and anchored a line that was regarded as one of the best in the FCS.

G John Moffitt- Wisconsin

The other major pro prospect on Wisconsin’s strong run blocking offensive line, Moffitt looks like a day 2 prospect and should be one of the first guards off the board. He’s 6-5 323 with solid mobility and amazing strength.

G Mike Pouncey- Florida

The consensus top interior line prospect, Pouncey’s twin brother Maurkice went 18^th overall last year and made the Pro Bowl as a rookie center. Pouncey could have a similar future. He can play guard, center and some right tackle, but is primarily a guard. He’s a massive run blocker who I think can be better than his brother.

G Steve Schilling- Michigan

A fairly standard guard prospect who should come off the board in mid to late round 3 as a depth guard.

C Kristofer O’Dowd- USC

Should be one of the top center prospects off the board, O’Dowd has been a much hyped center prospect since he chose USC. He fits a zone blocking scheme well, but can play any. He’s undersized at 6-5 300, but can play some guard.

C Jake Kirkpatrick- TCU

One of the nations best centers for the last few years, Kirkpatrick should be an early day 3 pick and one of the first centers off the board. 

DE Allen Bailey- Miami

For the first 3 years he was at Miami, Bailey was the workout wonder who never lived up to it on the field. He was 6-4 275, capable of playing inside and out, and ran a mid 4.6 40 with great bench press numbers. Before his junior year, he put on about 10-15 pounds and started living up to his measurables. He had 7 sacks in 2009 playing mostly in the middle at tackle and 7 sacks in 2010 playing mostly end. Rumors say he can still ran in the 4.7s at 6-4 288. He has great versatility and would be best off as a 3-4 end. He should come off the board in the first round, but he could slide because of how deep this defensive line class is. Nonetheless, he’s a top 40 pick with a huge upside.

DE Adrian Clayborn- Iowa

Clayborn really should have come out last year, coming off a 11 sack year at 6-3 288, capable of playing 4-3 end, 4-3 tackle, and 3-4 end, he would have been a top 15 pick. Since then, he’s assaulted a cab driver and only managed 4.5 sacks this season, though still providing a solid force against the run. He’s still likely a first round pick, but this is a deep class and he could slide.

DE Ryan Kerrigan- Purdue

Essentially this year’s Brandon Graham, Kerrigan has 25.5 sacks in the last 2 seasons, but lack of elite athleticism and short arms will keep him from being a top 10 pick. If he has a strong Senior Bowl like Graham did last year, he could still go top 15 like Graham did (#13) as the 3^rd 4-3 end off the board, behind DaQuan Bowers and Robert Quinn. He’s a tenacious player who lives in the backfield. He can also play 3-4 rush linebacker.

DE Sam Acho- Texas

Acho looks like a day 2 pick. He has all the measurables, but has yet to put together a strong season and he’s very inconsistent on tape. He’s never had more than 8 sacks in a season and didn’t show up in some games. He doesn’t play the run well at all. He can also play 3-4 rush linebacker.

DE Pierre Allen- Nebraska

A decently athletic defensive lineman who has never had more than 5 sacks in a season. He could be drafted late, but probably won’t be.

DE Christian Ballard- Iowa

Has all the physical tools to be a 1^st round pick and plays like a 1^st rounder at times, but his inconsistency will drop him into day 2. At 6-5 297, he’s best off as a 3-4 end, but can play 4-3 tackle.

DE Jeremy Beal- Oklahoma

Has 27.5 sacks in his last 3 seasons, but lacks elite athleticism. At 6-3 267, he’s an ideal 4-3 end and could sneak into the end of the 1^st round thanks to this draft class’ lack of true 4-3 ends. At worst, he’s a 2^nd rounder. It remains to be seen whether he can play the 4-3 or not.

DE Cameron Jordan- California

A natural fit as a 3-4 end because of his size, 6-4 285, and because he played in one of college football’s lone 3-4 defenses. He has 12.5 sacks in the last 2 years and has good versatility but could fall to day 2 because of this class’ depth. If he can outperform guys like Bailey and Clayborn, he could become a first round or even a top 20 pick.

DE Parnell McPhee- Mississippi State

Put on about 15-20 pounds after his junior season and it didn’t pay off, cutting his sacks from 5.5 to 2. He’s still solid against the run and can play both a 3-4 and a 4-3, but he’s probably a day 3 pick.

DE Brooks Reed- Arizona

Reed has 17 sacks in his last 3 seasons and very good athleticism. He’s regarded as best fit in a 3-4 as a rush linebacker, but he’s got the size to play on the line in the NFL. His 40 time and other measurables should be solid.

DT Jarvis Jenkins- Clemson

Has all the physical tools to succeed in the league, but he can be streaky. A monster against the run at times, but not much of a pass rusher. He’s best off as a 4-3 tackle, but can play 3-4 end and if he were a little bigger, he’d be a perfect 3-4 nose tackle.

DT Drake Nevis- LSU

The 6-1 291 only fits the 4-3, but he provides a good inside pass rush with 7 sacks this season and isn’t a liability against the run. He reminds me of a less hyped version of Glenn Dorsey. He should go in the first round, but there are so few 4-3 teams that he could slip.

DT Phil Taylor- Baylor

This year’s Terrence Cody without the hype, a massive 6-4 355 pounder, he’ll have to keep his weight in check and stay in shape, but he can be a monster against the run and a day 2 pick in a weak nose tackle class.

DT Cedric Thornton- Central Arkansas

Another small school prospect, projects well as a 4-3 under tackle with his quickness, but lacks size at 6-3 290. Could also play a 3-4 as an end. 

DT Sione Fua- Stanford

A stud run stopper in the middle of Stanford’s defense with good size at 6-2 310. He doesn’t have prototypical nose tackle size, but he play the 3-4 nose tackle and the nose tackle in a 4-3 as well. He doesn’t offer much of a pass rush, but his physicality in a weak nose tackle class could make him a day 2 pick.

DT Chris Neild- West Virginia

Strictly a 4-3 tackle, the 6-2 300 Neild is solid at the point of attack and strong against the run. He doesn’t offer much of a pass rush, but could be drafted late day 3. 

DT Ian Williams- Notre Dame

At 6-2 308, he is a strong enough run stopper to play the nose in both the 4-3 and the 3-4, which will make his intriguing as a depth guy on day 3. A big thing for him, in addition to showing pass rushing moves, will be proving the health of his recently injured knee.

OLB Mason Foster- Washington

Should come off the board in the 2^nd round. Best off as a strong side linebacker at 6-2 240, Foster has 347 tackles, 6 forced fumbles, 10 sacks, and 4 picks in 3 years as a starter. A well regarded locker room guy and not a liability in coverage.

OLB Mark Herzlich- Boston College

The feel good story of the Senior Bowl, Herzlich was a 1^st round prospect heading into 2009 as a junior when he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in his leg. He is cancer free and played well in 2010, but not quite the same. If he can show he’s all the way back at the Senior Bowl, he could be a day 2 prospect. He had 110 tackles, 2 sacks, 6 picks, and 2 pick sixes in 2008 and 65 tackles and 4 picks in 2010. He has good size at 6-4 240 and would be best on the strong side of a 4-3 in the NFL. At worse, he’s a tremendous locker room guy.

OLB Ross Homan- Ohio State

Awful measurables with a 4.7 40 at 6-0 228, but he gets things done. He has 248 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 6 picks in his last 3 years, but he’s also 24 in March as a 5^th year senior. He should come off the board early day 3.

OLB Greg Jones- Michigan State

He’s reportedly put on the 10 points he needed to and we’ll see at his weigh in. if he weighs in near 240, he could sneak into the first. He can play any linebacker position in a 4-3 and the middle in a 3-4. He has 385 tackles and 12 sacks in his last 3 years and he has great mobility and ball awareness. He reminds me of Jerod Mayo.

OLB Colin McCarthy- Miami

A prototypical 4-3 linebacker who had a great senior season with 120 tackles. He made great strides in coverage, a weakness of his after his junior year. He could be a day 2 pick because of his versatility.

OLB Von Miller- Texas A&M

May have had an even better season this year than in 2009 when he had 17 sacks. He developed more pass rushing moves, proved himself to be more than a 1 year wonder, played hard through injury early in the season, got healthy and had 9 sacks in his last 6 and 11 total, and he improved in coverage so the 6-3 240 linebacker can play the 4-3 as well as the 3-4. He’s best as a 3-4 rush linebacker and could be the first 3-4 rush linebacker off the board. He could go as high as #11 to Houston. How he fares in coverage as a linebacker full time in the Senior Bowl, after playing end all year, could determine his stock.

OLB Lawrence Wilson- Connecticut

A stat sheet filler all 4 years at UConn, Wilson had 438 career tackles, including 3 years of 100+, 9 sacks, 4 forced fumbled, 5 picks, and 3 pick sixes. He doesn’t have the speed to make up for his 6-1 228 frame, but he could be a day 2 pick as a weakside linebacker. He’s fairly solid in coverage. 

MLB Josh Bynes- Auburn

An underrated middle linebacker prospect that could slip all the way to day 3. He was the leader of Auburn’s defense and he’s excellent in coverage. He lacks size, but his mobility makes up for it and he’s a perfect fit for a cover 2. Not a great fit for a 3-4 at 6-2 233, but he’s a playmaker in the air and on the ground. Had a 100 tackle season in 2009 and has 7 picks in 3 years. He deflected 5 passes for National Champion Auburn this season.

MLB Nate Irving- NC State

Missed all of 2009 with injury, but bounced back with 89 tackles, 7 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles this year. The injury history is an issue, but he should be a late day 2 early day 3 pick in a week middle linebacker class.

MLB Kelvin Sheppard- LSU

Back to back 100+ tackle seasons for LSU with 4 sacks this year, but he doesn’t quite have the mobility to move outside. His 40 time won’t be great and he struggles in coverage. He also tends to be inconsistent. He could be a day 2 prospect, but might drop to day 3.

MLB Quan Sturdivant- North Carolina

Character issues hurt his stock. He’s been arrested for marijuana and was suspended 5 games this year for an NCAA violation. He hasn’t lived up to his hype or his strong sophmore year yet either. He could fall to day 3.

MLB Chris White- Mississippi State

Prototypical 3-4 middle linebacker size at 6-4 245, White, a late bloomer, had a fantasic senior season with 105 tackles and 6 sacks and with all the 3-4 teams needing depth, he could sneak into day 2.

MLB KJ Wright- Mississippi State

Bigger than White at 6-4 255, but also significantly slower and less productive. Might go undrafted even with the need for 3-4 linebackers.

MLB Casey Matthews- Oregon

Can’t go wrong with a Matthews. Matthews is brother to Clay Matthews III, a defensive player of the year candidate for the Green Bay Packers, son of Clay Matthews II and grandson over Clay Matthews Sr. both of whom are accomplished NFL players. His uncle Bruce Matthews is a hall of fame Center and his cousin Kevin also is in the NFL. This Matthews had 73 tackles, 3 picks, and 3 sacks this year and came up huge in a losing effort in the National Championship against Auburn. He should be a day 2 pick.

CB Curtis Brown- Texas

Didn’t live up to his measurables as a senior and actually played slightly worse than in his junior year, costing him a shot at the first round. He’s still a day 2 guy even in a deep cornerback class.

CB Jalil Brown- Colorado

At 6-1 210, he’s bigger than most corners, but he’s still athletic enough and plays bump and run well. He’s a day 2 pick.

CB Kendric Burney- North Carolina

Character issues and size issues, 5-9 185, could drop him into day 3 despite 11 picks and 3 pick sixes in his career. He actually matches up well man-to-man with smaller receivers, but can’t handle bigger ones.

CB Rashard Carmichael- Virginia Tech

Should be a solid depth corner in the NFL. With corners in heavy demand, he could sneak into day 2. He has 10 picks in the last 2 years.

CB Ras-I Dowling- Virginia

May have hurt himself by going back to school, once a consensus top 20 pick, Dowling could slip into the 2^nd round this year. He has good size and is solid in coverage and generally is better than former teammate Chris Cook who went in the 2^nd round last year, but he could be drafted later than him. His flaws in coverage were exposed this season.

CB Marcus Gilchrist- Clemson

Could get drafted as a depth corner, but I don’t expect much of him. Maybe he’ll prove me wrong this week.

CB Jaiquawn Jarrett- Temple

A small school cornerback with 9 picks in 4 years, he has a lot to prove this week. 

CB Joe Lefeged- Rutgers

A Thorpe award semifinalist, Lefeged was known was big hits as a cornerback at Rutgers. At 6-1 205 with lacking speed and issues in coverage, he’s a tweener and could have shown trouble being drafted before round 5. 

CB Chris Marsh- Utah State

An intriguing small school prospect who I am really looking forward to watching live. He projects as a day 3 prospect with upside. He has good size at 6-1 195 and dominating weaker competition.

CB Johnny Patrick- Louisville

Shot up into day 2 consideration with a strong senior year in which he picked off 5 passes and had one pick six. He’s got good measurables, athleticism, and technique and could go as early as the 2nd round. 

CB Chris Rucker- Michigan State

A talented corner/safety hybrid with a bad legal past who will have to start proving people wrong with his play on the field.

CB Shareece Wright- USC

He has a checkered academic past, but after finally getting on the field for a full season as starter this year, he really impressed. He could move up to day 2 range.

CB DeMarcus Van Dyke- Miami

Never really lived up to the hype, but could be a late round flier guy. He’s physically talented, but never put it all together for a consistent stretch of time.

S Ahmad Black- Florida

A playmaker with 13 picks in 3 years, but his size leaves him in a pickel. Very few 5-9 185 safeties make it in the NFL and he doesn’t have the speed or ability in coverage to play corner. He might just be a depth defensive back and could fall to late day 3.

S Quinton Carter- Oklahoma

Really come into his own as a safety in the last 2 years with 175 tackles and 8 picks in his last 2 years, but at 6-1 205 he’s a bit of a tweener. He’s not athletic enough to play free safety or big enough to play strong safety. Someone could take a chance on him day 2 though.

S Eric Hagg- Nebraska

Part of Nebraska’s amazing defense and secondary, Hagg is purely a safety at the next level. He can play free safety at 6-2 210 and is strong in coverage. He thing he could be an interesting day 3 sleeper. 

S Zac Etheridge- Auburn

Another feel good story, Etheridge could be drafted after once suffered a severe neck injury. He was able to play again and did a decent job playing centerfield for Auburn’s defense this year, picking 3 passes. He could be drafted day 3 as depth.

S DeAndre McDaniel- Clemson

Had an amazing 8 pick junior year in 2009, but decided to return. His flaws were really exposed this year as he really struggled in coverage. He should still be a day 2 pick on upside.

S Da’Norris Searcy- North Carolina

One of many Tarheels suspended for something stupid this past September, Searcy came back and showed some late round upside with 4 picks. He could get drafted.

LS Danny Aiken- Virginia

He’s a long snapper…I don’t know.

LS Christian Yount- UCLA

See above.

K Kai Forbath- UCLA

Nailed 72 of 83 for his first 3 years as UCLA’s kicker, but missed 5 of 18 this season. He should still be drafted.

K Josh Jasper- LSU

One of the best kickers in the country, Jasper nailed 28 of 34 with 2 of 3 from 50.

P Alex Henery- Nebraska

Averaged 43.2 per punt as a senior and also nailed 68 of 76 as a place kicker.

P Chas Henry- Florida

Averaged a nation leading 45.1 yards per punt as a senior and had an impressive 43.0 average for his career.

QB Colin Kaepernick UP

VERY tough to tell a lot about a quarterback from their first Senior Bowl practice. They’re working with new receivers. They’re bound to be shaky. However, Kaepernick’s ugly delivery, a big reason why he’s a 5^th or 6^th rounder at best, was noticeable better today. This week could be his springboard to show that he’s worth a 4^th rounder or more. He is one of three players to ever rush for and throw for 20 touchdowns in the same season (Cam Newton, Tim Tebow) and his frame, 6-4 5/8 and 225 pounds, is intriguing to NFL scouts.

RB Noel Devine DOWN

Really small at 5-7 160, even smaller than I thought. I don’t know what place someone that small has in the league other than on special teams. 8 ½ inch hands don’t help either.

WR Dwayne Harris DOWN

Listed at 6-0, actually 5-9 and 7/8. That makes a difference.  He did look good in individual practice though so I won’t ding him too much.

WR Leonard Hankerson UP

Measured in with the biggest hands of any wide receiver at 10 5/8 inches. Very impressive.

WR Vincent Brown UP

Coming in with the second biggest hands of any receiver, Brown’s were 10 ½ inches and then he put them to good use, performing very well in practice and really standing out.

WR Titus Young UP

Really stood out as the most explosive receiver on the field. He showed good game breaking speed in addition to his abilities as a route runner. He also measured in a little bigger than expected at 5-11 ¼ and 174 pounds.

WR Niles Paul DOWN

First measured in with midget hands, 8 5/8 inches, and then struggled in individual practice.

TE DJ Williams DOWN

Came in at 6-1 7/8 and 236 rather than the 6-2 250 he was listed at.

OT Anthony Costanzo UP

Very physically imposing at 6-7 1/8, 305, with 35 ¼ inch arms and 10 ¾ inch hands. Definitely has room to grow.

OT Marcus Gilbert UP

Came in at about a half inch taller than what he was listed, which is rare, and also about 15 pounds heavier.

OT DeMarcus Love UP

35 inch arms never hurt. Also came in at 6-4 5/8 and 318 pounds, a little bigger than what he was listed and large arms suggest room to grow.

OT Derek Sherrod UP

Longest arms of any offensive lineman at 35 ½ inches. He also looked very good in practice, which is good considering he is fairly raw.

OT James Brewer UP

Measured in well and backed it up on the field. He is 6-6 ¼ 323 pounds, 35 3/8 inch arms, 10 3/8 inch hands.

G Rodney Hudson DOWN

Already known as a poor athlete, 32 ½ inch midget arms aren’t helping him.

 

DE Pierre Allen UP

Came in shorter, 6-3 7/8 as opposed to 6-5, but about 10 pounds heavier and 35 3/8 inch arms are very impressive.

DE Allen Bailey DOWN

He’ll get less looks from 3-4 teams at 278 than the 288 he was listed as at Miami.

DE Ryan Kerrigan UP

About 10 pounds lighter than listed, 265 to 255 is a big difference. HOWEVER, he was the most dominant defensive lineman out there today.

DE Cameron Jordan UP

Other than Kerrigan, he was the most impressive defensive lineman out there.

DE Pernell McPhee UP

Good to see he lost weight after underachieving at about 280-285 this year after a strong junior year in the 270-275 range. Measured in at 273.

DE Jeremy Beal DOWN

Couldn’t do anything in one on one drills. He was completely dominated.

DT Stephen Paea DOWN

Measured in at roughly 15-20 pounds lighter he was listed. I’d prefer him to be 313 than the 295 he measured in at, with how his game is.

DT Phil Taylor UP

Weigh is in check at 337. Very good sign as there were concerns he’d weigh in at about 350. Carried his weight well in practice as well.

OLB Mark Herzlich UP

In good shape at 6-3 5/8 250 despite being cancer free for only about a year.

OLB Colin McCarthy DOWN

30 inch arms don’t help you out much as a linebacker. He didn’t perform well in individual drills either.

RLB Von Miller DOWN

6-2 5/8 237 is very small even for a rush linebacker.

CB Johnny Patrick DOWN

I know it might not sound like much, but in a game of inches, 8 1/8 inch hands are bad, especially for a defensive back.

CB Rashad Carmichael UP

Looked like a ballhawk out there picking off three passes. More athletic than I remember.

 

QB Christian Ponder UP

The game’s MVP (though I’d argue Leonard Hankerson deserved it), Ponder started off shaky. He underthrew a limp deep ball that was caught by Leonard Hankerson, who made a great play to find the ball, for 49 yards. He then threw a near pick on the goal line, a bad decision. Kendric Burney had inside position on Hankerson. Then he threw an incompletion and the South had to settle for a field goal. However, after that, he was good. 7-13 for 131 yards, 2 touchdowns, no picks. Everything from 15 yards or shorter was good. Good timing, good reads, good accuracy, looks like a West Coast offense type quarterback. His struggles with the deep ball, which is why he’s no more than a 4^th rounder, but overall he helped himself today. He was really the only quarterback who greatly increased his stock today.

WR Leonard Hankerson UP

My MVP, Leonard Hankerson did everything. He was on the field for almost every play. He was impossible to cover. Aside from one drop, he didn’t make a mistake. He’s big and physical at 6-2 205 and plays bigger than that. He’s got good hands and great speed and athleticism. Reminds me a bit of Brandon Marshall actually. He had 5 catches for 99 yards and a score and should have had more if his quarterbacks had the arm strength to hit him downfield. He had his man beat to end the half for a sure touchdown before an underthrow back to the defender.

DT Sione Fua UP

Fua got into the backfield and made a play at least a half dozen times today. He’s tough to block, big and sneaky quick. He fits a 3-4 or a 4-3 as a tackle. He moves into the 3^rd round range after a good day today.

G Clint Boling DOWN

He had one nice block, but overall got beat today. He played guard and wasn’t able to handle the quicker interior linemen. If he can’t do that, there’s no way he can play his natural position of tackle.

CB Kendric Burney UP

This 5-9 corner definitely helped his stock this week. He was matched up with the 6-2 Hankerson a lot today and even though he was 5 inches shorter, he still was the only one able to keep Hankerson in check. He had a near pick. He made a few open field tackles. He played well on special teams. The announcers made an interesting comparison to Brandon Flowers. 5-9 180 guy with 4.5 speed and Flowers is one of the top 10 cornerbacks in the league now, already, after being drafted in the 2nd in 2008.

CB Jalil Brown UP

Didn’t get a ton of recognition today, but I think he played well. He got into good position. He should have found the ball and picked it off when Ponder had that first underthrow, but he was in good position. He’s a physical corner who did surprisingly well even with the no man press coverage rules and made a nice play in the end zone where you are allowed to press.

WR Ronald Johnson DOWN

Ran a few ugly routes that made it impossible for him to get open. He also didn’t look like he knew where he was going at all on special teams as a return man. He’s athletic, but plays like he doesn’t have a clue.

OLB Von Miller UP

Really impressed this week. He’s undersized, but when you play like him, who cares. He’s instinctual and doesn’t get fooled easily. He made a few nice tackles for loss. Even more impressive, he showed he could play the 4-3 as a non-rush linebacker. He played linebacker all day today and wasn’t allowed to rush the quarterback and he still made an impact stuffing the run and covering well.

FB Charles Clay UP

A bigger version of Dorin Dickerson from last year. I don’t know where this guy lines up, but I want him somewhere. He played running back, full back, tight end in college. He’s 6-3 235 and can make plays in the open field, like he did once today, so he could be an h-back, but he proved he could play fullback at a high level today.

QB Jake Locker DOWN

Not moving him down too much because I already had a low grade on him coming in, but he didn’t do himself any favors today. He was wildly inaccurate and showed more of his terrible footwork. He almost had Titus Young murdered on two separate occasions by throwing the ball too high. He should have been picked off in the end zone. He was asked on the sideline to explain his completion percentage in the 50s for his career and instead of saying something like numbers don’t tell the whole story and saying, I didn’t struggle in college he got this “oh shit” look on his face and said something about how he hasn’t been playing under center for very long. An excuse was not the right answer there. He reminds me of Jay Cutler, big arm, poor accuracy, loser in college, fast, athletic, they have similar size, similar college stats, similar college record, similar speed. Cutler went in the first and I think Locker still could too (Mike Shanahan in Washington, the same man who took Cutler 11^th with Denver), but he’s not a good quarterback. He went 6-10 for 98 yards today, was all over the place with his accuracy, and his struggles can’t be blamed on his supporting cast like they could at Washington.

 

MLB Casey Matthews UP

He doesn’t have his brother’s size or speed, but he has everything else. His tenacity, his hustle, his heart, his instincts. Matthews made several nice plays in coverage today. He really was the quarterback of that defense. He really impressed me this week.

RB Derrick Locke UP

Goes down on first contact, but only if you can catch him. He’s extremely explosive, looking forward to seeing not just his 40, but his initial 10 yard speed. He gets low and he’s sneaky and he’s got great vision. Seems like a solid 3^rd down back.

WR Jeremy Kerley UP

Worked the middle of the field like a pro today. He should be a solid slot receiver/return man for any team in the NFL. He’s worth a 3^rd rounder.

CB Richard Sherman UP

I didn’t know much about him going into today, but I didn’t know much about Chris Cook going into Senior Bowl week last year and he ended up a 2^nd rounder. He’s a former wide receiver, with a big body at 6-2, but he’s quick and he’s got good hip fluidity. He’ll be even better if he can man press. He blanketed receivers all day today, with the exception of a bad mistake at the end of the half where he should have given up a touchdown, except Andy Dalton has a girly arm.

DE Sam Acho UP

Measured up undersized at under 6-2 257, but worked his ass off all week and made several nice plays in the backfield today. He’s too quick for some tackles and he’s athletic enough to play standing up as a 3-4 rush linebacker. He burned Nate Solder today.

OT Nate Solder DOWN

I think this whole North offensive line proved to be overrated, but Solder in particular. He couldn’t keep anyone out of the backfield. He had a few nice second level blocks and he’s mobile, but if he’s going to be a left tackle, he’s got a lot of things to work on.

OT Anthony Costanzo DOWN

Also struggled, but that makes sense, because, for some reason, they put him at guard. He wasn’t as bad as Solder though and he was playing out of position so I’m not knocking him down as much as I am Solder.

DE Christian Ballard UP

Showing more and more of his natural athleticism, he has excellent chase speed for a 285 pound lineman. I think he proved he can play 4-3 left end, in addition to 4-3 defensive tackle and 3-4 defensive end. He played 4-3 left end in college, but he might be athletic enough to do the same in the pros.

QB Greg McElroy UP

He showed the strongest arm of any South quarterback and his footwork is like watching an instructional video. All that time in a Pro Style offense coached by a Pro Style coach in Nick Saban helped. I think he’s better than John Parker Wilson and should be a solid backup as a late round pick.

MLB Colin McCarthy UP

Not very athletic, but he made a ton of plays today. He seems best off as a 4-3 middle linebacker. He’s got an amazing motor. He gets after the ball. He’s a defensive leader and a tremendous special teamer. He should make an impact on an NFL roster as a rookie as a 4^th or 5^th rounder.

CB Shareece Wright UP

Reportedly a film rat, Wright looked the part today. He looked prepared for everything the offense had. He covered routes very well. He’s even better in man press, which he didn’t even get to do today. I pegged him as a sleeper going in and he didn’t disappoint.

DE Pierre Allen DOWN

Didn’t do anything except commit several penalties.

NT Phil Taylor UP

Cemented his status as the #1 nose tackle in this class with an amazing day against the North’s offensive line. I know he’s 337 pounds, but he doesn’t move like it.

RB Noel Devine DOWN

Good if he’s not touched, which, in the NFL, doesn’t happen very often. He doesn’t his Locke’s vision, explosion, or shiftiness either.

OT Derek Sherrod UP

Sherrod took advantage of Costanzo and Solder struggling and really showed himself to be a potential first rounder. He played better than any tackle in this game.

CB Curtis Brown UP

Reminding me why I had a first round grade on him before a down senior year, Brown made a bunch of plays. He’s physical, but also athletic.

QB Ricky Stanzi UP

Struggled early, but appeared to be the most NFL ready quarterback in this game. He has above average arm strength, good footwork thanks to a Pro Style offense, and he led a couple good drives.

DE Brooks Reed UP

The energizer battery. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s not somewhere jumping up and down right now. He has so much energy. He’s not particularly athletic, but he’s a feisty player and he can play  both a 3-4 and a 4-3. He wrecked havoc for the South today.

QB Andy Dalton DOWN

Terrible arm strength, worst in this game. He doesn’t have a shot at completing anything more than 25 yards downfield. He had the worst day of any quarterback in this game.

OT DeMarcus Love DOWN

Couldn’t handle Ryan Kerrigan at all. Kerrigan blew past him on several occasions, causing a sack and a hold.

RB Bilal Powell UP

He rushed for 50 yards on 10 carries. He’s a one cut and go type player, but he doesn’t go down on first contact. He’s got good hands as well. He could be a starter in this league someday.

TE Mike McNeill DOWN

Didn’t do much except drop a pass for an interception. He didn’t help himself at all this week.

OLB KJ Wright UP

Wright caught the interception off the hands of McNeill. He impressed in coverage and is a big body against the run as well. Commentators suggested he could be a 3-4 rush linebacker if he bulked up some. At the very least, he’s a solid 4-3 SAM linebacker.

QB Colin Kaepernick UP

He was inconsistent, but he’s a project worth taking on in the 3^rd round. He’s got a good arm and his weird delivery is more Philip Rivers than Byron Leftwich. He reminds me a bit of Josh Freeman, definitely a poor man’s version, but the comparisons are there.

WR Dane Sanzenbacher UP

Led the North with 5 catches, all of which were on nice slants or curls. He’s a possession slot type receiver and needs to bulk up some to handle hits over the middle in the NFL, but he’s quicker than fast and has great hands. He’s a potential early day 3 guy.

TE Lee Smith DOWN

Had a drop and a penalty today. He’s a good blocker, but nothing else.

OT James Carpenter DOWN

He might just be a guard. He really struggled on the outside today against faster guys.

RB Da’Rel Scott UP

First he had a nice special teams play, then he had a few nice carries and never went down on first contact. He runs bigger than he is and he has good quickness. He runs a bit upright, but he’s still a decent mid/late round guy. He took a screen pass 34 yards.

RB Roy Helu DOWN

An upright runner, who didn’t break tackles. He also displayed poor vision. He only carried twice, but I didn’t like what I saw either time.

WR Titus Young DOWN

Explosive, yes, but I think he’s a bit immature. He committed a terrible offensive pass interference penalty, he dances around too much on returns for no reason, he could have come down with both throws that Locker threw to him. He didn’t absorb the hit well on either. He dropped a lot of passes in practice as well.

DE Pernell McPhee UP

Very active today, good chase speed, and had a strip sack of Jake Locker, who is a fast quarterback.

G Steve Schilling DOWN

Another North offensive lineman that couldn’t protect. He was burned on back to back plays by Jarvis Jenkins and Phil Taylor.

CB DeMarcus Van Dyke UP

Had several nice moments in coverage. He’s a project, but he’s very athletic. He needs to bulk up, but with 32 inch arms, he has room to do so.

OLB Lawrence Wilson DOWN

Couldn’t fight through blocker at all. He’s a bit too small and unathletic.

 

 

Senior Bowl Preview 

Senior Bowl Monday 

Senior Bowl Tuesday 

Senior Bowl Wednesday

Senior Bowl Thursday 

Senior Bowl Game 

 

()=Previous ranking (post-draft) 

32(30). Cincinnati Bengals

After winning the division in 2009, hopes were high in Cincinnati, especially with Terrell Owens coming in during the offseason. Unfortunately, Carson Palmer’s struggles, the ego of the T-Ocho show (it’s no coincidence Palmer had his best games when both were hurt), and injuries on defense left them at 4-12… (read more)

31(32). Washington Redskins

Rex Grossman predicts the Redskins will win the NFC East. Rex Grossman is wrong. Don’t get me wrong, I love that he made that prediction. I love unfounded confidence in sports. I love when a team down 3-0 in a series predicts a series win. I love when a team currently out of the playoff race predicts they will win… (read more)

30(29). Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers had the worst record in the league last year and they were rewarded with the league’s toughest schedule. That’s what you get for being in the same division as Tampa Bay, Atlanta, and New Orleans. They play 6 games against those 3 teams and could easily lose all 6. They also play Green… (read more)

29(31). Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks went into week 17 in an interesting situation last year. They were 6-9 and missing their starting quarterback. If they lost by 15+, they’d set a record for most losses in a single season by 15+ with 10. For those of you who can’t do math, that would have meant that they lost all 10 of their games by 15+. However… (read more)

28(19). San Francisco 49ers

In the prime of the Mike Singletary era (by prime, I mean when people actually thought this team had a shot at making the playoffs), this team was known for its defense. However, the offense has somehow become the team’s best unit and no, it’s not because the offense got that much better. Alex Smith is still their… (read more)

27(22). Oakland Raiders

After losing the Super Bowl in 2003, the Raider endured 7 straight seasons of 11 losses or more. Last year, they rose to 8-8. This year, I’m projecting a regression for several reasons. First, they lost a significant part of their team in free agency. Nnamdi Asomugha was their best player, hands down. He’s gone. Zach… (read more)

26(21). Denver Broncos

The fans want Tim Tebow. Tim Tebow might not be the best quarterback on their roster. He might be, but he might not be. However, we know what Kyle Orton is. Kyle Orton is boring. Kyle Orton can get you to the playoffs if you have a good supporting cast, but he won’t win any games and if he doesn’t have a good… (read more)

25(18). Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins had an opportunity to contend for a playoff spot. All they had to do was send a 3rdrounder to Denver for Kyle Orton. Orton isn’t a great quarterback or anything, but this team has a good defense and they fixed the running game and offensive line in the offseason so all he’d have to do is not turn the ball over… (read more)

24(23). Tennessee Titans

The Titans are cleaning house. Former Head Coach Jeff Fisher is gone after 17 seasons, replaced with Mike Munchak. Vince Young is gone, as is Kerry Collins, who retired. They drafted Jake Locker with the 8th overall pick and signed Matt Hasselbeck to be a stopgap for them until Locker is ready to… (read more)

23(27). Jacksonville Jaguars

All the Jaguars had to do was beat the Colts week 15 and they had the division and the playoffs wrapped up with 2 weeks to spare. However, they didn’t beat the Colts week 15. Then they lost week 16. Then they lost week 17. They ended up missing the postseason entirely, finishing 8-8 as the Colts once again… (read more)

22(25). Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs improved from 4-12 in 2009 to 10-6 in 2010. But did they actually get any better? That can be tough to tell because of how easy Kansas City’s schedule was last season. In 2010, Kansas City played 4 games against teams with better than a .500 record (including playoffs). They went 1-3 in those games… (read more)

21(24). Buffalo Bills

The last time the Buffalo Bills made the playoffs, Bill Clinton was still president (1999). The main reason for that is inconsistent (or consistently bad) quarterback play. Is Ryan Fitzpatrick that quarterback to get them back to the playoffs? I doubt it. Chan Gailey’s offense has always inflated quarterbacks’ stats… (read more)

20(28). Minnesota Vikings

Brett Favre was amazing in 2009 and this team almost went to the Super Bowl. Brett Favre was terrible in 2010, getting benched for Joe Webb, who also sucked. Now, former Eagles’ and Redskins’ quarterback Donovan McNabb is the starting quarterback and many Vikings fans feel he can get them back into the… (read more)

19(16). Chicago Bears

The Bears went 11-5 and made the NFC Championship game last year, but I never bet big money on them to win ever. I didn’t trust them. Jay Cutler is an interception prone quarterback and offensive coordinator Mike Martz is a coordinator whose system leads to a lot of turnovers (a lot of yards and touchdowns too… (read more)

18(20). Cleveland Browns

3rd round pick Colt McCoy took over week 6 as the starter, as a rookie, after 5 weeks of Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace. He lost by a lot in his debut against the Steelers, but after that, he had 4 straight strong performances. The Browns beat the Saints and the Patriots in consecutive games, and then came… (read more)

17(17). Detroit Lions

In 2008, the Lions won no games. If they had forfeited every game, their record would have been the same. However, that seems like a long way away now. Bottoming out was what this team needed after a long stretch of terrible play. Bottoming out allowed them to start fresh with new personnel in the front office… (read more)

 

16(13). New York Giants

In 2004, the Giants started 4-1 before finishing 6-10. In 2006, they started 6-2 before finishing 8-8. They still made the playoffs and lost to the Eagles in the first. In 2007, they started 6-2 before finishing 10-6. They eventually got their act together and won the Super Bowl, but their 2nd half struggles were still… (read more)

15(12). St. Louis Rams

In 2009, the Rams won 1 game. Rookie quarterback Sam Bradford instantly made this a better team as the Rams won 7 games and almost made the playoffs. Bradford was 354 for 590 (60.0%) for 3512 yards (6.0 YPA), 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. That might not sound great, but consider that he lost Mark… (read more)

14(11). Pittsburgh Steelers

Of the last 10 Super Bowl runner ups, only 3 have made the playoffs the next season, combining to win 1 playoff game. The last time a team won the Super Bowl after losing it the year before was the early 70s. The Steelers have made the Super Bowl three times in the Big Ben era. The last two times they made the Super Bowl… (read more)

Prediction: 9-7 2nd in AFC North

13(15). Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers went 10-6 in 2010 and almost made the playoffs. However, after LeGarrette Blount took over as the starting running back week 7, and added a new dimension to their offense, rushing for 5 yards per carry out of the backfield, they didn’t lose by more than a touchdown for the rest of the season, hanging… (read more)

12(26). Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals obviously felt they were a quarterback away from being a legitimate Super Bowl contender because they spent a 2nd round pick and a starting cornerback to get Kevin Kolb. However, Kevin Kolb is not Kurt Warner and their supporting cast is not the supporting cast it was in 2009 when they won… (read more)

11(8). Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys bottomed out last season. Once a popular pick to become the first team to play in a Super Bowl the same season that they hosted the Super Bowl, the Cowboys started the season 1-7 and finished 6-10. However, it wasn’t all bad. Wade Phillips is finally gone. The Cowboys were never going to win a… (read more)

10(7). Baltimore Ravens

Joe Flacco has more wins in his first 3 seasons than any quarterback not named Dan Marino, but there is one thing he’s yet to do and that’s beat Ben Roethlisberger. Flacco has beaten the Steelers twice in those 3 years, but that was when Ben was out of the lineup. Roethlisberger has gotten the best of Flacco… (read more)

9(14). New York Jets

This offseason could have gone in two completely different directions for the Jets. It could have gone very badly. David Harris, Shaun Ellis, Brodney Pool, Antonio Cromartie, Braylon Edwards, Brad Smith, and Santonio Holmes were all free agents heading into this offseason. That’s 4 defensive starters and their… (read more)

8(5). Indianapolis Colts

Peyton Manning had a down season by his standards. He posted his lowest quarterback rating since 2002 (91.9), had his lowest YPA since his rookie season and threw more picks than any season since 2002. However, that doesn’t mean that at age 35, Peyton Manning is a declining player. A lot of his… (read more)

7(9). San Diego Chargers

The Chargers struggled in the start of the 2010 season, nothing new to them. They started 2-5, but like they had in recent years, everyone expected them to be able to bounce back. They looked well on their way, winning 4 in a row, before losing to the Raiders and falling to 6-6. They won their next two games, but a loss to the… (read more)

 6(2). Houston Texans

The Houston Texans have never made the playoffs. They have been trendy sleeper picks for the past few years and have never come through. Some people have sworn off of making them sleepers. I am not one of those people. In fact, this is the first year I can really call Houston one of my sleepers. Peyton Manning… (read more)

5(10). Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles stole the offseason. They might not be the best team (though they might be), but there’s no question this is the most hyped team. The added a key addition at almost every position, Dominique Rodgers Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha at cornerback, Jason Babin at defensive end, Cullen Jenkins at… (read more)

4(6). New Orleans Saints

In February of 2010, the Saints were on top of the world as Super Bowl Champions. However, like every reigning Super Bowl Champion before them since the 2003 New England Patriots, the Saints failed to win a playoff game, losing in embarrassing fashion to the Seattle Seahawks, a team that somehow qualified… (read more)

3(4). Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl, as I predicted last August (just saying), last year despite having many players on IR, including several key players. Among those were Ryan Grant, their lead back, Jermichael Finley, their stud tight end, Morgan Burnett, a talented rookie starter at strong safety, Nick Barnett, a… (read more)

 2(1). Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons finished 13-3 last season and got the NFC #1 seed, but they were exposed late. New Orleans came into town week 16 and won and all of a sudden the mystique behind the Georgia Dome, where Matt Ryan had only lost once in his 3 year career, was gone. 3 weeks later, the Packers came in and… (read more)

1(3). New England Patriots

At this time last year, some were talking about the Patriots as a potential 9-7 or 8-8 team that would miss the playoffs. The Jets were the talk of the division and some were even speculating the Dolphins were better than the Patriots. Their defense was inexperienced and their key offensive players were… (read more)

 

AFC East 

AFC North

AFC South

AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

NFC South

NFC West

Playoffs

Prop Bets

 

These are extremely preliminary. Once we actually have free agency and trades, i will have more in depth Power Rankings. I don’t necessarily think Atlanta and Houston will meet in the Super Bowl, but I think they could and I wanted to mix things up in these preliminary rankings.

32. Washington Redskins

31. Seattle Seahawks

30. Cincinnati Bengals

29. Carolina Panthers

28. Minnesota Vikings

27. Jacksonville Jaguars

26. Arizona Cardinals

25. Kansas City Chiefs

24. Buffalo Bills

23. Tennessee Titans

22. Oakland Raiders

21. Denver Broncos

20. Cleveland Browns

19. San Francisco 49ers                    

18. Miami Dolphins

17. Detroit Lions

 

16. Chicago Bears

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

14. New York Jets

13. New York Giants

12. St. Louis Rams

11. Pittsburgh Steelers

10. Philadelphia Eagles

9. San Diego Chargers

8. Dallas Cowboys

7. Baltimore Ravens

6. New Orleans Saints

5. Indianapolis Colts

4. Green Bay Packers

3. New England Patriots

2. Houston Texans

1. Atlanta Falcons

 

 

AFC Wild Card 

New York Jets 22 San Diego Chargers 19

This is a rematch of the Chargers last postseason game, in 2009. The Jets won that game and I don’t expect anything different here. The Jets have no fear of going on the road in the playoffs and play a lot of close games. The Chargers, meanwhile, always choke in the playoffs and suck in close games. Until Norv Turner is gone, they won’t go far in the playoffs.

Baltimore Ravens 17 Cleveland Browns 10 

The Browns are a nice story as an 11 win team, but a lot of that has to do with their easy schedule. Baltimore is still the better team here and beats their divisional rival for the 3rd time in the season. They’re at home and teams that beat a divisional rival twice have a huge advantage against them in the playoffs. 

NFC Wild Card

Philadelphia Eagles 34 Detroit Lions 21

The Eagles could be on quite a run to end the season. I expect they could struggle to start the season against St. Louis (a tough home team), the Giants (always good in the first half of the season), and the Falcons (a very talented team who is great at home). However, their schedule gets easier after that and this team has a lot of talent. I expect them to be hot coming into the playoffs and to beat the inexperienced Lions here.

Atlanta Falcons 24 St. Louis Rams 21

The Falcons have to go on the road here and the Rams are a very good home team and not a team to be taken lightly after going 9-7 after a ridiculous hard schedule. However, I really like the Falcons this year and Matt Ryan to finally win a playoff game after failing in his first two tries in his young career. Besides, the Rams are a home dome team so the Falcons won’t be in the elements.  

 

AFC Semis

New England Patriots 28 New York Jets 21

Patriots. Jets. The rematch. The Jets beat the Patriots last season, but I don’t think I’d be a homer to say that was a surprise. The Jets played an absolutely perfect game and the Patriots made a lot of mistakes and it was still only a 7 point game. This is the rubber match after these two split the season series and I’m giving the Patriots the advantage. They have the better team. They got better in the offseason. The Jets got worse. 

Baltimore Ravens 27 Houston Texans 20 

I’m not in love with the Ravens or anything, but I give them the advantage here in Houston against an inexperienced, poorly coached Houston team. Besides, Houston is coming off a bye, which, historically, actually hurts them in the playoffs.

NFC Semis

Atlanta Falcons 27 Green Bay Packers 21

This game is the opposite as last year’s Atlanta/Green Bay playoff game. Green Bay is the #1 seed coming off a bye and playing at home. The Falcons are coming off of a road win in the wild card round of the playoffs. I expect the result to be the opposite too. The Falcons match up with the Packers better in cold weather, ironically, while the Packers are defending champions coming off a first round bye, two situations that ironically work against them.

Philadelphia Eagles 31 New Orleans Saints 27

The Saints had a great regular season at 13-3, but it ends without a playoff game once again. The Eagles are red hot coming off a late season surge into the playoffs and the #3 seed. The talent level is pretty even here, but I like the Eagles a lot in warm weather (great pass offense, great pass defense) and the Eagles aren’t cold coming off a first round bye like the Saints.

AFC Championship

New England Patriots 23 Baltimore Ravens 17

The Patriots seem to be facing all their old demons. The Jets beat them in 2010. The Ravens beat them in 2009. If anything, that works in the Patriots’ favor. You don’t want to mess with this team when they’re motivated and they will be here. That’s all I have to say about that.

Atlanta Falcons 27 Philadelphia Eagles 24

The Eagles won on the road in warm weather, but they come back home here in cold weather. I think that gives Atlanta the advantage. Also, Michael Vick and Andy Reid have struggled in the playoffs before. Reid always seems to mess something up (4 NFC Championship losses) and Vick is 2-3 career. This will be a close game, which I think suits the Falcons better. The Falcons have the weapons to hang with the Eagles and the pass rush and cornerbacks to slow their offense.

Super Bowl

New England Patriots 27 Atlanta Falcons 21

The Falcons have a very complete team, but I still believe the Patriots are the best team in the league. They’ve had bad luck in the playoffs in the past few years, but have remained an amazing regular season team, going 14-2 last season. I may sound like a homer calling it bad luck, but what else do you call it when a team that used to be great in the regular season and the playoffs all of a sudden is only great in the playoffs. I think Brady and Belichick get back to the Super Bowl this year, winning their 4^th (tying Brady with Montana for most all time). Joe Montana once lost 3 straight playoff games. The following season, he won the Super Bowl. I see something similar happening here.