Draft Stocks: Senior Bowl

This post season all star game was not as exciting as the East West Shrine Game but it did tell a lot about the prospects in the game. From the Weigh in to the to the Sound of the final horn at the end of the game these Senior prospects have been going head to head with the other top Senior prospects across the country. All eyes were on Tim Tebow even though he had a disappointing week but he was not even the biggest flop. The North won the game 31-13 and these are my Top Risers and Fallers from this weeks practices and games.



RISERS

1. Perrish Cox CB Oklahoma State
Weigh-In numbers: 5'11 189
Thought to be a 2nd round prospect his biggest problems coming into this week were his fluidity, his instincts, and his (lack) of run support and while he weighed in smaller than originally thought it is not that big of an issue. Throughout the week of practice he consistently showed fluid hips sticking to receivers like glue making trouble for receivers practice after practice, as far as instinct it is hard to tell if the interception per practice ratio came because of his improving instincts or if it came from the lack of QB play in the south? Either way it went well for him, and I never saw any great run support but I did see him lay out 2 receivers during the game. Either way this was a great week for him and while he may not have jumped any other cornerbacks in front of him he might have impressed enough teams to be considered a 1st round prospect.

2. Dexter McCluster RB/WR Ole Miss
Weigh-In numbers: 5'8 165
It's so hard to get a take on how McCluster would fit in on a team in the NFL, with questions about his size and his ability to run inside. He played both RB and WR and throughout the week of practice was the most explosive player on either team. While he obviously can't grow and durability will always be a question he showed more explosion during this week of practice than many thought and he also proved to not be afraid of contact running inside fearlessly and getting up after every hit. He still has one problem he needs to fix. Holding onto the football. He has some great, albeit small, hands but when running he needs to secure the football, he didn't have fumbling problems this season losing only 1 fumble during the season but he had problems in 2008 and he lost a fumble during the Senior Bowl. Two other things have also helped him out a lot and one of those has been his above average abilities in the return game, cleanly fielding punts and kickoffs, but the other thing helping McCluster has been the rise of the little man in the NFL. I have him on Day 2 right now. I guess we'll see.

3. Brandon Graham DE Michigan
Weigh-In numbers: 6'1 263
Smaller than expected and didn't look particularly impressive at the weigh in. While thought to be competitive and strong against the run many, including myself, questioned his versatility and his pass rush skills. During the week he showed an EXPLOSIVE first step blowing past opposing tackles and harassing the quarterback all week and than during the game as well. He was so impressive he was the Senior Bowl MVP. I think he may have answered a lot of questions but he also really impressed scouts by the effort he gave from day 1, his discipline on reverses, and of course his ability to stop the run from his DE position have really helped him. I do not think he'll be the first DE taken or even one of the first 3 taken but I would not be surprised to see him being taken late in the first round or even in the second round.

4. Jared Odrick DT Penn State
Weigh-In numbers: 6'5 301
Despite having the ability Jared Odrick was never as dominant as he could be. He was never able to be a dominant run stuffer or pass rusher and his quickness was always questioned. But throughout the week he has shown an explosive first step, staying low, and driving back opposing lineman shutting down the run and pressuring the quarterback. While he never really showed that during the game he impressed the coaches all throughout the week in practice. He was on the edge of being first round potential but not quite there because of off the field incidents (got into a fight with other students in 2008) and while I don't think this is enough to get him there I don't work for the NFL. Either way he definitely did not hurt himself this week.

5. Ed Dickson TE Oregon
Weigh-In numbers: 6'4 244
Always thought to be an above average receiving TE with enough talent and athletic ability to be considered a 2nd round pick. His mental toughness over the middle and blocking have been his biggest question marks. But throughout this week of practice he has shown the best hands of ANYBODY at the Senior Bowl, great at route running, and has shown much improved toughness when going over the middle. He didn't really impress anyone with his blocking but he didn't really scare anyone away there either. He has probably solidified himself as a 2nd Prospect but this is a solid year for TEs. Still I believe he has jumped over several prospects and could be taken somewhere around the 3rd round.

Other Risers:

6. Riley Cooper WR Florida
Weigh-In numbers: 6'3 214

7. Chris Cook CB Virginia
Weigh-In numbers: 6'2 212

8. Andre Roberts WR The Citadel
Weigh-In numbers: 5'10 192

9. Brandon Lang DE Troy
Weigh-In numbers: 6'3 260

10. Alex Carrington DE Arkansas State
Weigh-In numbers: 6'5 284

FALLERS

1. Danario Alexander WR Missouri
Weigh-In numbers: 6'4 221
Great size, great ability, yet terrible performance. Considered a 3rd round prospect coming into this week he might have dropped himself all the way to the 5th round. He had trouble with his hands all throughout the week, is not very fluid with his hips and had trouble making breaking in and out of his cuts, and was an absolutely horrific route runner. He has the speed, he has the size, but where in the hell is the production?

2. Tim Tebow QB Florida
Weigh-In numbers: 6'2 236
This week everyone was focused on 1 player. Tim Tebow. All the hype, all of the fans, and all of the talk by his coaches, Gator teammates, and by himself, you would think that this was going to be Tim Tebow's second coming. He was going to prove himself and shut up all of the doubters. Ha. If you thought that you were dead wrong. Don't get me wrong Tebow has great natural athletic ability, he's built like a rhino, gives his best on EVERY play, and there has never been a better natural leader in the college game than Tim Tebow. But that's where all of the positive factors end. He struggled taking snaps under center, at one point fumbling 4 in a row, he struggled with his accuracy, and he did not improve, his arm motion took so long that at one point during the game a defender, while being blocked at the beginning of Tebow's throwing motion, was able to make a move, get off the blocker, and still have enough to time to stick out his arm and disrupt the throw. He was also a solid 1/10 of a second slower than many expected. I mean at least his arm strength was better than people thought? I had him going in the 3rd round on name alone but now...I'm thinking day 3.

3. Terrance Cody DT Alabama
Weigh-In numbers: 6'4 370
Ok the first thing I'm going to address is Mt. Cody's weight. All I heard was that he showed up 20 pounds heavier than he was at Alabama. Seriously? Who really believes he weighed 350 during the 2009 season? Watch him run off the field after the Tennessee game, CBS gives some lovely slow motion replays, and tell me if you think he weighs 350. He hasn't weighed 350 since probably middle school. That was not his only problem throughout this week of PRACTICE. That is going to be a key word. During practice he was constantly getting driven off the ball by double teams, allowing one, or sometimes both Offensive Lineman, to get to the 2nd level and block linebackers and safeties, he was getting pancaked on down blocks, and he is completely useless as a pass rusher. Yeah he can bull rush but the stronger lineman at the Senior Bowl were able to recover and anchor themselves and stop him in his tracks. If he can't bull rush you than he can't do anything. He showed no other moves all throughout practice. He can be a dominant run stuffer at times but it doesn't take long for him to run out of energy and become just an over sized nothing. Now as I said this was in practice. He had a solid, though inconsistent, game during the Senior Bowl. For the first 2-3 plays he was out there on drives he would stuff his lineman and do his job, hell he finished with 1.5 tackles for loss, but when coaches left him out there for the rest of the drive, he was noticeably getting blown off the ball. Not good. I have read several reports about how he stopped a run by LaGarrette Blount near the goal line but if you actually watch the play you see a Offensive Guard drive Cody 2 yards off the ball right into Blount. Yes he made the tackle. But it was not for a loss and he did not do it by himself. The talent is there. He has the athletic ability to be a good Nose Tackle in the NFL. But he some serious commitment problems that he needs to work on if he is going to be worthy of the 2nd round tag that many have put on him. Right now he's looking at a late day 2 to early day 3 pick. And those aren't my words. That's from an NFL scout.

4. Sam Young OT Notre Dame
Weigh-In numbers: 6'7 305
I almost feel bad putting Sam Young on this list because most of this really isn't his fault. Everyone wants to marvel at his size but that might actually be slowing him down. The effort is there. Every time I watched Young play you could see that the effort was there but he is so big, and his arms so long, that he needs god given athletic ability to be a great Offensive Tackle. He doesn't have that. While he is strong his long arms take to long to get an effective punch of slower rushers, and he takes to long trying to get low enough to take on bull rushers. Speaking of getting low he was never able to get underneath a Defensive Lineman on run blocking, which sadly was where he was most effective. At times he can come out and catch a DL standing up and he knocks them back but than it's almost like his feet die because he doesn't move them after that. It was rough on Sam who didn't help himself by showing up with a TEs physique. 305 sounds nice but on a 6'7 body you are going to need more than that.

5. Ciron Black OT LSU
Weigh-In numbers: 6'4 331
Already thought to be an early 4th, possibly a late 3rd, round prospect at tackle Black needed a good week to prove he was better than that. He didn't do that. In fact other than looking solid for an Offensive Lineman at the Weigh In he looked very poor in his footwork on his pass blocking. He is all upper body, so when he faced off against any strong Defensive Lineman he may have gotten a good punch and held his own but he was unable to drive them off the football. His athleticism was being questioned coming into this week and while he gave effort, shown every time he stepped on the field during the game, he did not look very athletic often missing blocks in space and struggling against edge rushers. Black may still be a 4th round prospect but he may be more suited to be a Offensive Guard in the NFL.

Other fallers:

6. Garrett Graham TE Wisconsin
Weigh-In numbers: 6'3 234

7. Lonyae Miller RB Fresno State
Weigh-In numbers: 5'11 220

8. Trevard Lindley CB Kentucky
Weigh-In numbers: 5'11 178

9. Chris Scott OT Tennessee
Weigh-In numbers: 6'5 346
Don't know if you guys remember but I also had Scott as a Faller after his terrible performance in the East West Shrine Game.

10. Eric Norwood OLB South Carolina
Weigh-In numbers: 6'0 246

Well alright guys I hope you have enjoyed this and always if you want to ask a question, disagree, agree, or just feel the need to say something please comment.