Senior Bowl Defensive Backs

Larry Asante (Nebraska) – 5117, 211. Physical impact safety that plays better the closer he is to the line of scrimmage. Sure wrap up tackler. Caused a fumble with big hit in the game. Quick to read and react. Improved during week on all coverage skills. Kurt Coleman (Ohio State) – 5100, 187, short arms 29 3/8”. Good instincts. Small for a strong safety. Up quickly on run support. Above average change of direction. Fringe athlete. Chris Cook (Virginia) – 6016, 212. Rangy corner with good size. Can turn and run deep. Wrap tackler in run support. Needs to work on bending his knees so he doesn’t play too high. His range helps him bat away passes. Athletic and smooth. Brandon Ghee (Wake Forest) – 5113, 189, huge hands for a corner 10 3/8”. Smooth in transition when his knees are bent and his butt is down. Did a good job in practice tracking Jacoby Ford, a smaller and quick wide receiver. Uses his hands effectively in press coverage. Can make open field tackles. Kyle McCarthy (Notre Dame) – 5114, 203, short arms 28 ¾”, small hands for position 8 ¾”. Appears to be a smart and heady player. Wrap tackler on run support. Will go for the hit instead of the ball. A limited athlete that is consistent in his play. Devin McCourty (Rutgers) – 5106, 186. Fluid hips. Can turn and run. Instinctive. Active in run support. Drives quickly on the ball in front of him. Smaller than ideal, but is athletic with leaping ability and good timing. Will contribute on special teams. Terrell Skinner (Maryland) – 6021, 214. Developing corner skills. Physical supporting the run. Good foot quickness for a big man. May be versatile enough to play safety or corner, depending on the team and scheme. Has talent. Syd’ Quan Thompson (California) – 5090, 182, short arms 29 1/8” for position. Good short area quickness and toughs. Demonstrated cover skills during the week. Physical in zone coverage. Got beat off the line of scrimmage at times during practice. Quick feet but lacks long speed. Contact player. Kyle Wilson (Boise State) – 5100, 190. Physical in the drill work. Smooth in transition and quick out of his backpedal. Good week of practice and playmaking. Played well in off man coverage in practice. Big hitter despite size. Bounced up off cut block. Good hands in ball drills. Excellent eye hand coordination. Confidence in his hands. Uses hands effectively to ward off blocks. Quick hands to slap away the ball. Always has good position on receiver. Active wrap tackler in the game as a position player and on special teams. Good recoverability where he drives quickly on the ball and snaps off quickly. Nate Allen (South Florida) – 6005, 205. Instinctive. Good break on the ball in the air. Can stick his foot in the ground and drive on the ball. Athletic and smooth in drills. Javier Arenas (Alabama) – 5085, 195. Nickel type corner and return specialist. Will struggle in match-ups with slot receivers with size. Dexter McCluster ran by and pulled away in man coverage. Quick feet in a short area, but lacks long speed. Instinctive and smart for the position. Harry Coleman (LSU) – 6014, 206. Moved to outside linebacker because of need at LSU. Played safety in practice and game. Looked rusty, but is still tough against the run and a big hitter. Good hustle and finish in pursuit. Perrish Cox (Oklahoma State) – 5112, 189. Cut tackler. Will throw body at the ball carrier. No wrap. Fluid and athletic in drill work. Explosive drive on the ball. Sudden to read and react. Has deep closing speed. Trevard Lindley (Kentucky) – 5111, 178, hands 10 3/8”. Cover corner that is not physical in his play. Played better in practice in off man. Quick feet and athletic in his movement. Cut tackler. Good awareness. Some hesitation in his transition. Fringe closing speed. Taylor Mays (Southern Cal) – 6030, 231, arms 33 ¾”, hands 10 1/8”. Could be on the cover of Muscle and Fitness magazine. Strong run player. Up quickly on support. Wrap tackler. Instinctive in the run game. Will contribute on all special teams coverage. Best in zone coverage. Average foot quickness and change of direction. Needs work on all coverage skills. Explosive and quick in run game. Jerome Murphy (South Florida) – 6003, 191, small hands 8 ½”. Can wrap tackle but is out of control at times and misses. Physical in his play. Ran down McCourty from behind in a kickoff return. Took a good angle. Played well up in jam coverage. Aggressive with good speed. Patrick Robinson (Florida State) – 5111, 190, small hands 8 ½”. Keeps good position on receiver. Good feet and change of direction. Quick support in the running game during the week. Plays off low blocks, sheds, and makes plays. Myron Rolle (Florida State-2008) – 6014, 217, arms 33”. Looked good physically at weigh-in and was in good shape during practice sessions. Spent the fall of 2009 studying at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. Competitive. Needs to improve his footwork as a safety. Some teams may consider him as an outside linebacker.

Senior Bowl Linebackers

Donald Butler (Washington) – 6011, 244. Explosive first step. Uses hands well and takes good downhill angles. Tracks well when moving forward and in space. Some hesitation in initial read but when he “sees it” he is quick to the ball. Runs well and is a willing hitter, but lacks power at the point of attack. Does not hold up well working against a lead block or a lineman working to the second level. Gets bounced around inside and lacks lower body power. Solid in coverage. Takes good drops and is athletic in transition. Good zone awareness. Good motor. Struggles in the physical part of linebacker play, but has some tools. Justin Cole (San Jose State) – 6031, 245. Slow in initial read but will go hard downhill. Very raw in technique. Takes a long first step and does not track well. Does not use his hands well and struggles when backed off the ball. Gets caught in the traffic during pursuit. Has some pop attacking blockers. Can play over a tight end and will use his hands in that situation and can be physical. Will get caught on the wrong side of a block at times. Is easily hooked by a zone block and has trouble reacting on the edge. Coaches pulled him in practice after going back door versus a hook block. Takes decent drops in coverage, but lacks awareness in a zone. Very poor in space. Missed tackles in space tackle drill. Will struggle to make the transition to NFL linebacker. Phillip Dillard (Nebraska) – 6001, 242. Sluggish in movements, shows some stiffness. Powerful and physical hitter that is a solid tackler. Somewhat slow reacting and does not play well in space. Did a poor job in tackling drills designed to work on space tackling. Good pass drop technique and understands zone coverage. Does not always take good angles and will under run in backside pursuit. Generally plays with good technique and decent movement skills. Tough physical player that is a marginal athlete. AJ Edds (Iowa) – 6035, 245. Decent initial read and react but takes false steps. Good technique, does a nice job taking on blocks and using his hands well. Will play high at times and attack high, losing leverage on a block. Physical taking on blocks, strong when play is at him. Will stutter step occasionally in transition and get out of position. Shows some blitz ability and bull rush but lacks the great first step. Takes good drops but is inconsistent reacting to the throw. Physical tackler but has some stiffness. Koa Misi (Utah) – 6025, 244. Conversion project that is extremely raw as a linebacker. Has some athletic ability and was impressive at times in some of the drills. He struggles with reads and linebacker technique. He does not react well when the play is away and tends to float instead of attacking downhill. Does not play well in space as he is out of control and will over or under run the ball. He was consistently out leveraged in practice. Struggled with space tackling drills. He is aggressive and will play hard, but lack of linebacker experience causes some hesitation in read and react. Played OK over a tight end and attacks with his hands. Showed some shed ability but tends to get caught on the edge and struggles to redirect into the play. Will open up a running lane by not staying stout on a block. Struggled with pass coverage as he lacks zone awareness and is hesitant. Drop technique improved as the week went on, but he struggled to react on the throw and tended to get lost in coverage. Decent pass rush and showed a quick first step as a blitzer. Has some athletic ability, but is a major project. Daryl Washington (Texas Christian) – 6016, 226, arms – 33 ¾”. Shows good overall athletic ability. Not great on his initial read as he will false step at times. Leads with his hands taking on blocks but is inconsistent to shed block. Tends to bend at the waist, taking on block and lacks power to hold up. Will get locked on occasionally and taken out of the play. At his best in pursuit. Takes good angles and does a nice job on the backside when the play is away. Good range in pursuit and can be sudden in change of direction. Does a good job wading through the traffic. Shows coverage tools and takes good drops and breaks well on the ball. He recovers well and covers a lot of ground in zone coverage. Sean Weatherspoon (Missouri) – 6007, 241, shorter arms than ideal – 30 1/8”, hands – 10”. Three down linebacker that hustles sideline to sideline. Consistently won the pass rush drills in practice against the running backs. Instinctive. Shows good athletic ability. Very active in pursuit. Has some power but is not the best taking on a block. Lacks great shed ability as he will get locked on a block at times. When he “sees it” he shows good downhill ability and generally takes good angles. A little stiff in transition and while he has good change of direction, he will get hung up occasionally. Has ability in coverage, takes good drops, and for the most part reacts well to the throw. A little stiff in transition in coverage. Out of position at times, but will recover with good pursuit. Shows good pass rush ability. Quick first step and can adjust working upfield. Has a burst in the pass rush and can be a quality blitzer. Can run and chase, but has some stiffness and inconsistency in his play. Enthusiastic and talks a lot. Does not always play up to his bravado. Jamar Chaney (Mississippi State) – 6006, 241, arms – 33”. Classic shuffle linebacker that moves with precision but not extremely fluid. Takes false steps on initial read and react and wastes movement in his deliberate reactions. Not a great take on guy. Does not use his hands well to take on blocks and lacks explosiveness. Lacks the bulk to hold up versus an offensive lineman getting to the second level or a lead blocker. Active in pursuit and covers a lot of ground. OK change of direction but lacks good balance and is not sudden in transition. Shows some cover skills and zone awareness. Good break and drive on the throw. Good range in coverage. Takes good angles in pursuit. Did not do well in man situations, but was OK in zone. Has some tools but not the elite athlete for a linebacker. Roddrick Muckelroy (Texas) – 6015, 236. Good initial read and react. Long strider who tends to lope. Lacks great balance and was on the ground some in pass rush and working against tight ends and backs in drills. Tends to play upright and get locked on blocks, losing leverage versus a hook and lead block. Good range in pursuit and generally takes good angles. Showed some blitz ability. Good cover skills as he took deep drops and could break on the ball. Demonstrated good zone awareness but was not great reacting in space. Did not show well in man coverage. Eric Norwood (South Carolina) – 6007, 246. Quick read and react. Gets downhill initially and shows good instincts. Change of direction is OK but he tends to long stride. Will round off instead of taking the straight line or shortest path to the ball. Has good bulk and will attack blockers using his hands well initially. Good range in pursuit and is very active. Around the ball a lot. Will over run at times as he is very aggressive in pursuit. Does not take good pass drops, tends to be too shallow and caught looking rather than reacting. Does not react well to the throw or to the receiver and ball. Man cover was very limited as he would not react well on a cut. Norwood has nice bulk and looks the part. Has some tools but does not play consistently. While he is around the ball he does not always make the play as he has some issues versus blocks and in angles. Productive high motor player that has enough ability to project as a make it guy in the league. Darryl Sharpton (Miami) – 5116, 229. Undersized linebacker that is a fringe athlete. Flashed quickness in reactions. When he “sees it” he shows good quicks and the ability to close in pursuit. Took a little hop step in his read at times which is a wasted movement. Inconsistent with angles in pursuit. Has shown good speed to chase. Struggled in man cover drills as he would occasionally get lost on a cut. Break and drive was good. Showed well reacting at times to the receiver and the ball. Quick as a blitzer. Covered up by blockers and lacked good shed ability. Cameron Sheffield (Troy) – 6025, 256, hands – 10”. Had a strip sack in the game. Athletic in his pass drops. Above average quickness in playing the run. Needs more bulk and strength to play off tackle run. Dekoda Watson (Florida State) – 6014, 232, small hands – 8 ¾”. Good initial read and react. Good technique for the most part, but struggles to use his hands as he tends to get locked up by blockers. He has some explosiveness and pop taking on a block, he just lacks the bulk to hold up. Looked athletic in limited exposure in pass rush drills. Quick off the edge and could close. Had some wasted movement in reactions but was quick downhill. Has a burst in pursuit. Covers a lot of ground in both coverage and in pursuit. Excellent range. The only South linebacker that showed well in man cover drills. Decent in zone drops and quick in break and drive on the throw. Recovers well when out of position. Good closing speed. Overall an undersized player that might have a chance as a situational and special teams guy. Has the athletic ability you look for, but lacks the power and size of an every down linebacker.

Senior Bowl Defensive Linemen

Tyson Alualu (California) – 6022, 291. Power player with a thick lower body. A top effort, every down disruptive player that will punch and spin. Plays with explosiveness and leverage. Naturally strong. Shorter than ideal to play a 5-technique end in a 3-4 scheme. May be a one gap under tackle. Alex Carrington (Arkansas State) – 6052, 284, hands 10 ½”. A 3-4 two gap end candidate that can grab cloth and keep blockers off his linebackers. Can turn speed to power while rushing the passer. A strong week of practice where he gave a consistent effort. Brandon Graham (Michigan) – 6010, 263, arms shorter than ideal at 30 ½”. Explosive first step quickness. Good use of hands to knock down the pass protector’s punch. Excellent positional agility and lateral quickness. Flattens out well against the outside run. Consistent to bend and push the pocket in his pass rush. Relentless in his play. Works to finish. Makes a blocker work from snap to whistle to block him. A natural knee bender. Senior Bowl MVP. Austen Lane (Murray State) – 6060, 267, arms 33 ¾, hands 10”. Has both length and quickness. Recovered a fumble for a touchdown in the game. A raw athlete that has good arm length and big hands for the position. Needs to get stronger at the point of attack in the run game. Good lateral quickness. Mike Neal (Purdue) – 6027, 293, arms 33”, hands 10 ¼”. Can anchor the point of attack if he stays low. A one gap under type tackle. Added to the Senior Bowl roster after a good showing at the East-West Shrine Game. Missed some tackles going for the strip. Flashes explosive quickness. Jared Odrick (Penn State) – 6051, 301, arms 34 ¼”. Versatile enough to play any front position in the 4-3 or the end position in a 3-4 scheme. Pushes the pocket from the inside. Strong enough to hold the point of attack. Can two gap. Strong hands to keep from letting the blocker seal his linebackers. Instinctive, tough, and physical in his play. Impressive week of practice. D’Anthony Smith (Louisiana Tech) – 6020, 300. Athletic and quick for a defensive tackle. Played defensive end in college but lacks the length and must play inside. Struggled during the week with double teams. Battled Jon Asamoah the first day in 1 on 1 drills. Will need technique work as a one gap inside run stopper. Cam Thomas (North Carolina) – 6037, 331, long arms 34 ¼”, big hands 10 ¼”. Has the raw tools to play on Sunday, but lacks consistency and intensity. Beat Alabama’s Mike Johnson for a sack in the game. Has the size and girth to contribute as a nose tackle. Plays high. A flash player that may give a team 25 plays a game. Geno Atkins (Georgia) – 6013, 286. Undersized for an inside run stuffer, but has a quick first step. Beat Mike Iupati for a sack in the game. Must play in a penetrating type scheme where he can one gap and be disruptive. Terrence Cody (Alabama) – 6040, 370, long arms 34”, huge hands 11 ¼”. Good feet for a big man. A power two down player with good balance. Tackle to tackle player. Needs discipline to keep his weight down. Has always struggled with his weight. Presses and pushes the pocket with size and strength. Small ankles for his girth. Antonio Coleman (Auburn) – 6015, 255. A 3-4 outside linebacker pass rusher. Flashes first step quickness. Has some natural strength and playmaking ability. Lamarr Houston (Texas) – 6026, 302, arms 33”. Inside three tech player. Gets rolled out when he plays high. Must get penetration with first step quickness or gets washed down. Quick off the ball. Plays with a good tempo. Used as a fullback at Texas on the goal line. Must work to play low and with knee bend. May have slowed down a step with extra added weight. Brandon Lang (Troy) – 6036, 260, small hands 8 ½”. Gets walled off and stuck on block. Did not jump out with any special skills in practice or the game. Best move all week was a club move that knocked tackle Chris Scott to the ground. Looked athletic dropping and getting depth in pass coverage. Jeff Owens (Georgia) – 6012, 304. Struggled during the week. Is one year out from knee surgery and more was expected at this point. Undersized for an inside push player. Plays with leverage. Gets stuck on blocks and is slow to separate. O’Brien Schofield (Wisconsin) – 6021, 238. Was invited to the Senior Bowl after an outstanding week at the East-West Shrine Game, transitioning from defensive end to outside linebacker. Tore an ACL in his left knee during the first day of pass rush drills. George Selvie (South Florida) – 6044, 247, good arm length 33 ¾” for an edge rusher. Sudden first step. Explosive off the snap. Good change of direction. Needs to get stronger to play the run at him. A nickel pass rusher that needs to add more to his bag of pass rushing tricks. Dan Williams (Tennessee) – 6022, 329, long arms 33”, hands 10 1/8”. Physical run stuffer and pocket pusher in the pass game. Plays low with good leverage. Strong bull rush. Disruptive player that can split a double team. Space eater. Thick lower body. Explosive first step. Gave up no quarters to Mike Iupati in the game. Smart play on screen pass holding up the back so he couldn’t release. Ascending player. CJ Wilson (East Carolina) – 6030, 284. Played left end within scheme as a contain rusher. Flashes a punch to shock the blocker like he did on Chris Scott.

Senior Bowl Offensive Linemen

Zane Beadles (Utah) – 6043, 307. Arguable the second best lineman on either team after Mike Iupati. Played left tackle but projects to offensive guard. A 4-for-1 combination player. Struggled with Brandon Graham’s inside move and quickness. A technique savvy player that is a strong run blocker. Jon Asamoah (Illinois) – 6040, 300, short arms 31”, big hands 10 ¼”. Only practiced the first day after suffering a shoulder injury. Tough guy that works to finish. Plays top heavy at times. Vladimir Ducasse (Massachusetts) – 6045, 326, long arms 34”. Talented but raw in his overall play. Needs some developmental time. Struggled against the edge speed counter moves. Overextends as a pass protector. Not a long torso guy, but is a good athlete despite long legs. A rough week against speed and power that he hasn’t seen before. Strong on down blocks. Mike Iupati (Idaho) – 6052, 325, long arms 35”, big hands 10 3/8”. Wide athletic body. Is the pick of the litter in the offensive line group. A powerful man that plays with a good base. Has an ornery and competitive streak. Can drop his butt and stop a charge. Played better at left guard, his natural position, but has the ability to play anywhere but center on the offensive line. Demonstrated patience against “X” stunts. Controls defender with his hands. Has a tendency to get his hands outside the frame and hold. Athletic in pass pro. Shawn Lauvao (Arizona State) – 6025, 301. Physical player. Gets punch and good arm extension as a pass protector. Will overextend and lose his feet as a run blocker at times. Eric Olsen (Notre Dame) – 6037, 310. Tough guy that had good days and struggled on other days. His bad days came when he lost his knee bend and played straight legged. Can anchor a nose tackle and drop his butt on a bull rush. Plays with a good base. A center/guard combination player helps his stock. Matt Tennant (Boston College) – 6044, 290. Gained good weight during the season and weighed in at 290 pounds up from 278. Long torso (which is a good trait), tough kid that can play guard or center. We are always concerned about a tall center (over 6030) because the taller you are, your hips are higher and hinders your ability to redirect your blocking footwork. Efficient to fold block and seal linebackers. Ed Wang (Virginia Tech) – 6047, 315, long arms 34”, big hands 10 ¼”. Right tackle or guard prospect. Struggled with edge speed during the week. Had a few “whiffs” during one on ones and team drills. Beat in pass protection by double move pass rushers. Thomas Welch (Vanderbilt) – 6061, 312. Was a late addition to the North roster. Former tight end that was moved to offensive tackle. Angular tackle that needs strength and technique work. Has experience at both right and left tackle. Missed most of November with an ankle injury. Limited exposure in practice. Sam Young (Notre Dame) – 6076, 305, long arms 34 1/8”, big hands 10”. Angular frame with average feet. Must work to bend his knees and keep his heels on the ground. Inconsistent finish. Ciron Black (LSU) – 6045, 331, arms 33 ¼”, hands 10 ¼”. Big wide body that projects to guard. An underachiever that didn’t finish his blocks or play to his athletic numbers. A mauler that will get a shot at right tackle or guard. An enigma. Was a four year starter at LSU. Lacks foot quickness to block edge speed. Jeff Byers (Southern Cal) – 6032, 299, arms 33”. A smart heady player that was inconsistent during the week. He had his good days and mediocre days. Can play both guard and center. Good feet to mirror and slide in pass protection. Has the ability to block downfield in space. Selvish Capers (West Virginia) – 6045, 304, arms 34”, hands 10”. An average athlete that underachieved during the week. Inconsistent anchor. May be a right tackle or guard candidate on the next level. Struggled with his footwork. Drops his hands and lacks foot quickness in pass protection. Needs more strength. John Jerry (Mississippi) – 6054, 332, arms 33 ¼”. Played with a solid base throughout the week. An above average athlete that can redirect. Three position player at right tackle and either guard. Functional foot quickness. Naturally strong but not explosive. Had good battles with Dan Williams in practice. Mike Johnson (Alabama) – 6053, 306. Driven back during the week. Question positional strength. Lacks explosiveness in his play. Good technique and use of hands. Inconsistent finish. Ted Larsen (North Carolina State) – 6024, 302. A two-year center that was previously a defensive lineman. Plays with a defender’s mentality. Tough and physical. Anchored against Terrence Cody’s bull rush. Guard/center combination player. Good balance and quickness. Needs to refine his technique in both pass protection and run blocking. Mitch Petrus (Arkansas) – 6031, 304, arms 33”. Tough but an average athlete. Question blitz awareness. Not as athletic as ex-teammate Jonathan Luigs. Needs more overall strength. Driven back and bulled in practice drills. Chris Scott (Tennessee) – 6046, 328, arms 33 5/8”, hands 10 3/8”. Must be a guard if he is strong enough. Will be a liability at the tackle position. Drops his head in pass protection. He must consistently keep his eyes up. Not a quick twitch player. Marginal lateral quickness for the position. Also played in the East-West Shrine game. JD Walton (Baylor) – 6023, 300, long arms 33”. Tough and smart. Needs more lower body strength to anchor a bull rush charge. Plays with a good base and knee bend.

Senior Bowl Tight Ends

Ed Dickson (Oregon) – 6040, 244. Is a good route runner with soft hands. Catches the ball in a crowd. Good concentration. Flashes ability to be a vertical threat as an H-back. Garrett Graham (Wisconsin) – 6031, 234. Has a knack to get open. Hand catcher. Good effort as an inline blocker. Dependable and consistent. Could use more lower body strength for base blocks. Can set and seal the edge. Works to finish. Keeps feet in base block. Mike Hoomanawanui (Illinois) – 6036, 267, hands 10 ¼”. Physical big target with the agility to adjust to a poorly thrown ball. Can improve his inline blocking skills with more explosion and intensity. Jimmy Graham (Miami) – 6063, 259, arms 34 ¾”, hands 10 5/8”. First year tight end after four years of basketball. Still learning the game. Long legs. Needs to work on knee bend and improve his blocking skills. Cradle catches the ball. Good eye hand coordination. Anthony McCoy (Southern Cal) – 6045, 249, arms 34”. Athletic target that can block in space. Needs more overall body strength to consistently seal the edge. Good hands with the speed to threaten the middle in Cover-2. Did not look like a natural catcher on the second day of practice. Had several drops. Colin Peek (Alabama) – 6054, 250, arms 33 ¾”. Generally reliable hands. Caught a touchdown pass in the game and took a big hit. Has trouble blocking edge speed players. Appears to have a tight lower body. Average athletic ability. Effective on short routes.

Senior Bowl Wide Receivers

Danario Alexander (Missouri) – 6045, 221, long arms 33 3/8”. Big target. Struggled to get off press coverage. A slot type receiver. Long strider with build up speed. Gathers up with body under control. Dorin Dickerson (Pittsburgh) – 6012, 222, long arms 33”, big hands 10”. A slot/H-back type receiver. Plucks the ball in his hands. Reliable hands. Played out on the perimeter during the week and was a willing blocker. More of a slot type receiver working against strong safeties and linebackers. Jacoby Ford (Clemson) – 5086, 181. Sudden quickness. Can make the overhead catch. Good pattern runner. Early in the week he played high in and out of his breaks, not dropping his weight. Hand catcher. Needs route refinement. Mardy Gilyard (Cincinnati) – 5115, 179. Slender build. Started out the week slow with several dropped passes. Improved through the week by running sharper routes. Quick in and out of the break. Lays out for the ball. Snatches the ball in his hands. Pulled away from Javier Arenas on a deep route. Quick release in practice versus bump coverage. Donald Jones (Youngstown State) – 6000, 212. Late addition on Wednesday. Hand catcher. Runs hard after catch. Needs to be more precise in his routes and sharp cuts in and out of the breaks. Taylor Price (Ohio) – 6001, 198. Catches the ball outside his frame. Reliable hands. Demonstrated straight line speed. Rarely had a drop in practice. Needs to fine tune his route running. Riley Cooper (Florida) – 6034, 214, hands 10 1/8”. Physical possession type receiver. Catches the ball in traffic. Streaky. Will drop routine passes at times due to concentration. Hand catcher. Willing blocker in the run game. Routes improved during the week. Shay Hodge (Mississippi) – 6013, 208. Physical receiver with strong hands. No hold up in practice against press coverage. A vertical receiver that can make the over the shoulder catch. Tracks the ball into his hands. Andre Roberts (Citadel) – 5106, 192. Consistent week of catching the ball in his hands. Held onto ball during game after a collision hit. Only drops were when he tried to body catch the ball. Joe Webb (Alabama-Birmingham) – 6030, 223, arms 33 ¾”, hands 10 ¾”. Wide receiver projection from quarterback. Big target. Developmental receiver with draftable qualities. Jeremy Williams (Tulane) – 6001, 205. Good route runner. Comes back to the ball. A hand catcher that makes good adjustments to a poorly thrown ball. Creates separation from corners. Has had two ACL surgeries in the past.

Senior Bowl Running Backs

Joique Bell (Wayne State-MI) – 5107, 223. Division II Harlon Hill Award Player of the Year. Good vision and change of direction. Strong lower body. Hits the hole hard and leaks out the other side. LeGarrette Blount (Oregon) – 6005, 245. Talented big back that runs downhill with power. Catches the ball in his hands, not a natural catcher. Needs to improve his pass protection skills. Struggled in drill work. Has some shake and bake moves for a big man to elude defenders. Must improve his ball security. Good fit in I-formation. Chris Brown (Oklahoma) – 5100, 202. Limited exposure in practices and game. Cory Jackson (Maryland) – 6006, 245. Impressed on special teams coverage. Lead blocker that is willing and productive. Straight line, between the tackles runner. Finishes run. Rashawn Jackson (Virginia) – 6006, 239, hands 10”. A better ball carrier than a pass protector in practice. High and marginal foot quickness on blitz pickup. Question awareness. Dexter McCluster (Mississippi) – 5081, 165. Explosive undersized running back/receiver combination. Good route runner with dependable hands. Third down type back. Slippery. Can make the tackler miss in the open field with rare quickness. Laid out for a pass in the game. A small framed runner with a slender lower body. Fumbled when he got hit from the side. Durability will always be a concern because of his build and running style. Lonyae Miller (Fresno State) – 5110, 220. Was a backup as a senior, but possesses above average running skills and strength, has a second gear burst when he runs through the second level. A downhill runner with inconsistencies. Lacked effort on special teams work. Can’t arm tackle him. Accelerates through hole with power. Hand catch in practice. John Conner (Kentucky) – 5110, 240. Was added to the South roster after Charles Scott failed his physical. Catches the ball in his hands. Consistent lead blocker in an I-formation. Runs his feet on contact. Straight ahead ball carrier. Takes pride in blocking. Anthony Dixon (Mississippi State) – 6006, 245, hands 10”. Hard nosed runner between the tackles. Strong and tough. Effective blocking on blitz pickup. Works linebacker around the quarterback. Stafon Johnson (Southern Cal) – 5105, 214. Overcame a serious throat injury during mid-season to play in the game. Strong lower body to break tackles. Finishes his runs. Ben Tate (Auburn) – 5107, 214. Quick and explosive. Good vision and cutting ability. Strong lower body to run through tackles. Caught the ball in his hands. Good effort as a pass protector. Solid in blitz pickup. A downhill one cut zone runner. Uses a stiff arm to ward off blockers. Finishes runs. Roy Upchurch (Alabama) – 5117, 210. Contributed as a rotation back and on special teams. A hard working back that is not special in any area. Catches the ball in his hands. Charles Scott (LSU) – 5113, 239. Accurate measurement, but failed physical to participate in game.

Senior Bowl Quarterbacks

Sean Canfield (Oregon State) – 6034, 221. Left handed. Throws well on the run or moving to the perimeter. Has average arm strength and accuracy. Struggled with velocity to sidelines. Better on curls and digs. Productive with limitations. Needs to learn the finer points of quarterback technique and mechanics. Dan LeFevour (Central Michigan) – 6030, 229. Moves well in the pocket. Extends the play. Has a live arm. Steps into his throws. Improved his overall game as the week went on. Appeared more comfortable under center. Good anticipation on medium and short throws. A mature leader and a student of the game. Disciplined in quarterback fundamentals. Throws the three step game on time. Quick release. Demonstrated poise and courage in the pocket. Right handed. Tony Pike (Cincinnati) – 6055, 212. Long levers for a quarterback with 34 ¼” arms. Right handed passer that is a developmental project. Ball velocity is inconsistent. The ball will float on him at times. Looked more comfortable in the 7 on 7 drills where his arm strength, timing, and accuracy were on display. Improved foot quickness in drops during the week. Jarrett Brown (West Virginia) – 6026, 219, arms 33 ½”. A good athlete with an NFL caliber arm. Inconsistent during the week with his short and intermediate throws. Can look very good or very bad. Developmental size/speed prospect. Needs to elevate his position skill level to make a team. Flashed some touch on swing passes. Zac Robinson (Oklahoma State) – 6023, 210. Steady week of practice. Athletic and mobile with good awareness. Manages the pocket. Better on the short and medium passes. Lacks deep ball savvy. Had a solid performance in the game by keeping plays alive with his feet, throwing the ball down the field, and stepping up into the pocket. Question whether he can throw the ball through a small window in the red zone. Tim Tebow (Florida) – 6026, 236, big hands 10”. Was treated all week for strep throat at the local hospital. Improved every day from the first day of dropping snaps from under center to his drop back speed to the throwing point. Became more balanced with his feet to his setup. Demonstrated good touch on deep passes. For the most part he reacted well to a pro style offense, dropping back and reading coverage. Dropping the ball down hinders his release time, but he improved some in this area. His leadership was evident as an intense competitor, hard worker, preparation and knowledge of the game. Needs to develop a natural feel for the pass game to sense the play quickly as it develops – anticipation. That comes with practice and timing work with receivers.

Franchise Tags by Position

Here are the franchise tags by position for 2010. The franchise tag is an average of the top five salaries at a position for the 2009 season.

QB - $ 16.40 M
DE - $ 12.39 M
OL - $ 10.73 M
LB - $ 9.68 M
DC - $ 9.56 M
WR - $ 9.52 M
RB - $ 8.15 M
DT - $ 7.00 M
S - $ 6.45 M
TE - $ 5.90 M
K/P - $ 2.81 M

Underclassmen for the 2010 NFL Draft

The following underclassmen declared for the NFL Draft by the January 15th deadline. There was a grace period during which time a player could request to be removed from the list. None have, therefore their college football eligibility has been forfeited. Each of the 53 players has met the league’s three-year eligibility rule, and each has submitted a written application in which he renounced his remaining college football eligibility. The 53 players this year match the total number that was granted special eligibility in 2008. Last year, special eligibility was granted to 46 players.

Basped, Kevin DE Nevada
Benn, Arrelious WR Illinois
Berry, Eric DB Tennessee
Best, Jahvid RB California
Bowman, Navorro LB Penn State
Bradford, Sam QB Oklahoma
Briscoe, Dezmon WR Kansas
Brown, Antonio WR Central Michigan
Bryant, Dez WR Oklahoma State
Bulaga, Bryan OT Iowa
Burnett, Morgan DB Georgia Tech
Campbell, Bruce OT Maryland
Clausen, Jimmy QB Notre Dame
Curran, Rennie LB Georgia
Davis, Anthony OT Rutgers
Dunlap, Carlos DE Florida
Dwyer, Jonathan RB Georgia Tech
Franks, Dominique DB Oklahoma
Geathers, Clifton DE South Carolina
Gibson, Thaddeus DE Ohio State
Gresham, Jermaine TE Oklahoma
Griffen, Everson DE Southern Cal
Gronkowski, Rob TE Arizona
Haden, Joe DB Florida
Hernandez, Aaron TE Florida
Jackson, Kareem DB Alabama
Jones, Chad DB LSU
Jones, Reshad DB Georgia
Joseph, Linval DT East Carolina
Marshall, Darius RB Marshall
Mathews, Ryan RB Fresno State
McClain, Rolando LB Alabama
McCoy, Gerald DT Oklahoma
McKnight, Joe RB Southern Cal
McNeal, Shawnbrey RB SMU
Mitchell, Carlton WR South Florida
Moore, Joshua DE Kansas State
Morgan, Derrick DE Georgia Tech
Norton, Jerell DB Arkansas
Pierre-Paul, Jason DE South Florida
Pouncey, Maurkice C Florida
Price, Brian DT UCLA
Rogan, Dennis DB Tennessee
Snead, Jevan QB Mississippi
Spievey, Amari DB Iowa
Tate, Golden WR Notre Dame
Thomas, Demaryius WR Georgia Tech
Thomas, Earl DB Texas
Warren, Donovan DB Michigan
Williams, Damian WR Southern Cal
Williams, Mike WR Syracuse
Worilds, Jason DE Virginia Tech
Wright, Major DB Florida

2010 NFL Draft Defensive Cornerbacks

1. Haden, Joe* Florida 5110 190 4.45

2. Robinson, Patrick Florida State 5111 192 4.50

3. Warren, Donovan* Michigan 6000 190 4.50

4. Ghee, Brandon Wake Forest 6000 191 4.49

5. Cox, Perrish Oklahoma State 6000 190 4.45

Junior Joe Haden is a solid wrap-up tackler in open space. Outstanding
athletic ability. Gets and keeps position on receiver and keeps it in man
coverage. Has the footwork and quickness to react quickly to the ball in
the air.
Patrick Robinson is a big physical corner that is instinctive and
alert. Fast, quick, and athletic in his play. Good recovery speed to close on
the ball in the air. Drives quickly on the ball in front of him.

Donovan Warren, junior entry. Reliable wrap up tackler. Has experience at both
free safety and corner. A three-year starter with good hands and ball skills.

Brandon Ghee is a physical corner that has experience in man-to-man
and zone coverage. Rangy build with long arms. Plays the ball at the high
point in the air. Good on run support and coverage.

Perrish Cox is a talented but undisciplined player on and off the field. Was suspended for the
Cotton Bowl for missing curfew. Inconsistent wrap up tackler and ball skills.
Draft status will be determined by off field red flags. ABOVE AVERAGE

Others with draftable grades: Javier Arenas (Alabama), Crezdon Butler
(Clemson), Nolan Carroll (Maryland), Chris Chancellor (Clemson), Chris
Cook (Virginia), Marshay Green (Mississippi), Chris Hawkins (LSU),
Brian Jackson (Oklahoma), AJ Jefferson (Fresno State), Myron Lewis
(Vanderbilt), Trevard Lindley (Kentucky), Devin McCourty (Rutgers),
Walter McFadden (Auburn), Sherrick McManis (Northwestern), Prince
Miller (Georgia), Jerome Murphy (South Florida), Akwasi Owusu-Ansah
(Indiana-PA), David Pender (Purdue), Josh Pinkard (Southern Cal), Devin
Ross (Arizona), Traye Simmons (Minnesota), Kevin Thomas (Southern
Cal), Syd’Quan Thompson (California), Walter Thurmond (Oregon),
Alterraun Verner (UCLA), Stephen Virgil (Virginia Tech), Jamar Wall (Texas
Tech), AJ Wallace (Penn State), Kyle Wilson (Boise State)

Underclassmen: Dominique Franks (Oklahoma), Joe Haden (Florida), Kareem
Jackson (Alabama), Amari Spievey (Iowa), Donovan Warren (Michigan)

2010 NFL Draft Outside Linebackers

1. Weatherspoon, Sean Missouri 6010 246 4.55

2. Bowman, Navorro* Penn State 6010 232 4.65

3. Kindle, Sergio Texas 6040 242 4.65

4. Sapp, Ricky Clemson 6040 245 4.75

5. Norwood, Eric South Carolina 6000 252 4.75

6. Hughes, Jerry Texas Christian 6020 255 4.70

7. Curran,Rennie* Georgia 5110 225 4.65

Sean Weatherspoon is a three down linebacker that is talented and
instinctive. Good pass coverage awareness. Takes good drops and gets
depth. Good ability in the run game to get through traffic and find the ball.

Junior entry, Navorro Bowman is active with over 200 tackles the past
two years. A good athlete who has the speed and range to get outside.
Takes good pursuit angles. Doesn’t stay blocked. Quick to shed. Missed
first three games with a groin injury. Graduated in December. Has off field
red flags.
Sergio Kindle has explosive first step quickness off the edge.
Athletic with natural pass rushing ability. Plays both in a two-point
stance or with his hand in the dirt. Productive over the past two years.

Ricky Sapp is a natural pass rusher and projects to a 3-4 outside rush
linebacker. He had 14 tackles for loss including five sacks. Has the frame
to gain weight and get bigger and stronger. Eric Norwood has good lateral
down the line quickness. Explosive first step as an edge pass rusher.
Football smart and instinctive in his play. Good production over his
career.
Jerry Hughes projects as a 3-4 outside rush linebacker. Relentless
to the quarterback. Has an outstanding burst to close on the ball carrier.
Consistent every-down effort.
Rennie Curran is a junior entry.
Undersized sideline to sideline tackling machine. Athletic through traffic
and will get a fit and square up in the hole. ABOVE AVERAGE

Others with draftable grades: Kyle Bosworth (UCLA), Lee Campbell
(Minnesota), Reggie Carter (UCLA), Justin Cole (San Jose State), Harry
Coleman (LSU), Kavell Conner (Clemson), AJ Edds (Iowa), Keaton
Kristick (Oregon State), Simoni Lawrence (Minnesota), Sean Lee (Penn
State), Samuel Maxwell (Kentucky), Perry Riley (LSU), Steven Sylvester
(Utah), Dekoda Watson (Florida State)
Underclassmen: Navorro Bowman (Penn State), Rennie Curran (Georgia),
Thaddeus Gibson (Ohio State)

Average number of outside linebackers drafted per year: 16