Aaron Bates, Michigan State 6000 200 4.75
Four-year starter as a punter and holder. Elected team captain. Solid person on and off the field. A good athlete who can place the ball inside the 20-yard line and is also a directional punter. Experience in punting in bad weather and has responded well. Averaged 45.0 yards per punt his senior year. Explodes into the ball. Good lift and leg extension. Natural through ball. Good eye-hand coordination. Poised and mentally tough. His minimum hang times are over 4.40 seconds. Gets the ball off in 1.3 seconds or less, hand to foot. Has the bonus traits of the ability to throw, tackle, speed, and hands.
Three-year starter. Short and explosive - built like a Coke machine. Has nine career sacks. Played defensive tackle in a four man front and nose tackle in nickel packages. Plays in a rotation. Stuffs the inside running lanes. Good interior instincts. Can feel the blocks on traps and screen passes. Quick laterally and in his first step. Good effort player with flexibility and strength. Plays with leverage. Explosive jolt to control the blocker. Tough. Can stop and stack at the point. Quick shed and locate. Will throw his body into a ball carrier. Intense desire to run down a ball carrier. Shorter than ideal, but plays low and explosive.
Junior entry. Two-year starter. Downhill between the tackles runner who lacks finish speed. Plays in a run oriented I-formation pro style offense where he is featured in short yardage and on the goal line. Runs with good lower body strength. Good foot quickness for a big man. Has weighed as much as 260 pounds. Got down to 231 pounds for the Combine. Runs behind a huge zone blocking offensive line. An upright runner who follows and utilizes the blockers. Gains yards after initial hit. Always going forward. Has more power and leg drive to break tackles. Not a make you miss type back. Must develop a role on the next level. Only caught 11 passes in his career.
Weslye Saunders, South Carolina 6050 270 4.85
Started 13 games over his career. Did not play last fall due to a ruling by the NCAA in accepting extra benefits. Notes from 2009: Impressive size with long arms and big hands. Big target who will line up in the slot. Soft body. Lacks strength in his upper and lower body. A mediocre position wall off blocker who is an inconsistent finisher. Occupies defensive end. Role in the Gamecocks’ offense was as a blocker. Seldom used as a receiver. Looks the part in equipment, but does not play to his athletic numbers. Flashes NFL ability but has not worked to improve his God-given talents. Did not do drills, run, or participate in shuttles at Combine because of a left foot stress fracture. Long shot to get drafted. Some team may sign him as a free agent because of his borderline pro physical skills. Others:
Niles Brinkley DBC (Wisconsin)
Corbin Bryant DLE (Northwestern)
Vaughn Charlton TE (Temple)
Miguel Chavis DLE (Clemson)
Brett Greenwood DBF (Iowa)
Eric Greenwood WR (Idaho)
Mario Harvey LBI (Marshall)
Wes Lyons WR (West Virginia)
Terrence McCrae WR (Ohio University)
Colin Miller OLC (Central Michigan)
Adam Mims WR (Furman)
Armand Robinson WR (Miami - OH)
Trevis Turner OLT (Abilene Christian)
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