Senior Bowl

[Guest Aloysius]

Sobo: Enter the Senior Bowl

By Brent Sobleski

 

As the Cleveland Browns once again enter another off-season after a woe-begotten regular season, their fans turn optimistically to the draft process. Hopes hinge upon exactly who should be the right pick. The Shrine All Star Game comes first on the calendar, but the Senior Bowl is arguably the single most important off season event for future National Football League talent. It allows top prospects to compete on the football field under NFL coaching supervision, seeing how each player responds to these same coaches and situations. Plus, there is the added bonus of personal interviews and interaction when not on the field. Each year certain players rise and fall based on one weeks’ overall performance.

 

So who exactly are this year’s top rated participants and who may be under the radar but deserves a little attention? Below are some highlighted names to keep a close eye on as the week progresses.

 

Top Talents

 

Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi

 

-- The Rebel product can be found highly rated throughout the community of draftniks. This blindside protector might be slightly overrated at this point. Oher has been inconsistent throughout his career in both technique and play. Specifically, the offensive lineman plays a little stiff in the hips, does not always display good knee bend, and has never dominated at a level consistent with his overall talent. He is a very good athlete and has very strong hands giving glimpses of elite status, but this week will go a long way determining if Oher is a legit top ten talent or slides slightly in the first round.

 

Rey Maualuga, LB, USC

 

-- A fierce inside linebacker whose highlight reel is as impressive as any prospect in this draft class. Unfortunately those same highlights do not always reflect Maualuga’s play on the field. A team leader and impact defender, this middle linebacker must show the ability to read and react quickly, drop back into pass coverage effectively, as well as getting off of blocks and working through trash. There is certainly some discrepancy as to where Maualuga should be rated, but the bottom line is this linebacker is a player whose competitiveness can be an asset this week.

 

Brian Cushing, LB, USC

 

-- Another Trojan enters the list as one of the weeks’ top talents. Cushing has been a jack of all trades while at Southern California. Equally adept dropping back in coverage as he is rushing the passer, Cushing is a well rounded defender who can work in any defensive scheme. The two downfalls of this prospect’s game would certainly be his injury history first and foremost, as well as being overwhelmed at the point of attack by bigger blockers. Often overshadowed by bigger names on the Trojan defense, Brian Cushing is a legit impact NFL linebacker and could hear his name in April’s first round.

 

BJ Raji, DT, Boston College

 

-- After a year away from football due to academic ineligibility last season, Raji had the talent to enter the NFL draft. Instead he went back for his senior campaign and continued a level of dominance seen two years prior. Raji has shown the ability to be a complete disruptive threat to all opposing offenses. Big and strong at the point of attack at 320 pounds plus, this defensive tackle’s technique is what separates him from the rest of the crop. Raji uses his hands extremely well to get off blocks and displays multiple pass rush moves to get to the quarterback. Once scouts realized this defender’s work ethic was not in question, his stock rose very very quickly.

 

Alex Mack, C, Cal

 

-- Combining intelligence with physical talent, Alex Mack is one of the more impressive pivot prospects to enter the draft in recent memory. California did not have the year they expected on the field, but this center certainly played up to his billing. Strong at the point of attack, along with a good pass set; he has all the makings of a tone setter in the trenches. Often the interior offensive linemen are overlooked slightly throughout the draft process and this week can showcase their abilities. In the case of an Alex Mack, it would not be a surprise to see him rise quickly back into first round conversation.

 

Super Sleepers

 

Ramses Barden, WR, Cal Poly

 

-- Simply an impressive physical specimen at a listed 6 feet 6 inches tall and 227 pounds. Even more impressive were his stats last year at the Division IAA level: 67 receptions, 1257 yards receiving, and 18 touchdown catches. The Mustang quarterback only threw for a total of 23 touchdowns the entire season. Barden’s combination of size and talent will certainly make him an enticing prospect, and with a good week against top talent this receiver will be skyrocketing up draft boards.

 

Lawrence Sidbury, DE, Richmond

 

-- Another lower level prospect whose play just lights up the stat sheet. In Sidbury’s biggest game of his career, this year’s Division II National Championship, the defensive lineman stood tall recording four sacks. A fantastic athlete off the edge, the end will likely make the transition to linebacker because of size and strength limitation at a listed 6 feet 4 inches tall and 265 pounds. Rarely do prospects get to change positions during Senior Bowl week, but scouts will looks to his athleticism and fluidity off the edge. Performing well a week ago in the Shrine Game, Lawrence Sidbury will look to build on his late season momentum.

 

Also Watch Closely: Conner Barwin (DE Cincinnati), Larry English (DE Northern Illinois), Moise Fokou (LB Maryland), Louis Delmas (S Western Michigan), Rashad Jennings (RB Liberty), William Beatty (OT UConn), Scott McKillop (ILB Pitt), and Cedric Peerman (RB Virginia)

[Guest Aloysius]

Sidbury likely could be had later in the draft. Word is that he only runs a 4.8 40.

 

During the Shrine Game, one of the announcers talked about how Sidbury designed a computer program that tracks defensive tendencies. The program worked so well that his coaching staff at Richmond ended up using it.

 

Sounds like the intelligent type of player Mangini & co. covet.

[Guest Aloysius]

Sidbury measured in at 6'2", 267 lbs. today. Also has decent-sized hands (10 1/2") and very long arms (35").

 

We'll see how he fares against NFL-caliber OT's in the Senior Bowl practices. Though his measurables are borderline kosher for playing DE, his build looks more like a 3-4 OLB.

 

But we may not get to see him in LB drills until the Combine.

[Guest Aloysius]

Wow. LSU OG-OT Herman Johnson measured in at 6'7", 382 lbs. Also has huge hands (11 1/4") and 36" vines for arms.

 

The amazing thing is that he actually moves pretty well.

[Guest Aloysius]

Also, Rey Rey measured in a shade under 6'2" and 254 lbs.

 

Here are the full rosters:

 

North Squad

 

South Squad

[JewDago]

ramses barden sounds like an ideal replacement for jurevicius if he can have a good week of practice. i'd never heard of him before, but he has insane size for a WR. if he has any speed whatsoever and can run even decent routes, he'll fly up boards, likely to the point where we'll have no chance of getting him.

 

think he tops out as a third-round prospect at this point or could he get into the second?

[Guest Aloysius]

nfldraftscout has Barden pegged as an late 2nd/early 3rd Round pick. But a bad 40 time could drop him lower (he's said to be a 4.6 guy).

 

Should be interesting to see how he fares in practices this week.

[JewDago]

whoops, didn't do the research. looks like a good week pushes him into the early 2nd/late 1st range, and a 4.6 is perfectly acceptable for a WR his size. people are gonna start comparing him to plax.

[Guest Aloysius]

Yeah - bad would be creeping up towards 4.7.

[JewDago]

agreed - he doesn't want to fall into TE 40 times, but, if he does and it depresses his stock, that can only be good for us if we're interested.

 

it'll be interesting to see if his game speed is better than his timed speed. i have a feeling it is.

[Guest Aloysius]

nfldraftscout projects he'll be drafted in the 5th Round.

[Guest Aloysius]

NFL Network's airing coverage from the Senior Bowl practices right now.

 

Cody Brown just embarrassed Phil Loadholt.

[Oldcrow1945]

Cody Brown just embarrassed Phil Loadholt.

 

I'm shocked that some have this guy going in the first round. His stock has been getting lower with every month.

Orakpo completely destroyed him in the UT-OU game. He did not have a great senior season.

[Guest Aloysius]

I think the feeling is that Loadholt will be effective once he's moved to RT, away from speed-rushers. But with so many teams running a 3-4, both OT's need to be able to block speed guys.

 

But some team will become enamored with Loadholt's measurables (6'8", 340 lbs., 36" arms) and take him in the 2nd Round. He'll be a dominant run-blocker, but he'll also get his QB killed.

[Oldcrow1945]

I think the feeling is that Loadholt will be effective once he's moved to RT, away from speed-rushers. But with so many teams running a 3-4, both OT's need to be able to block speed guys.

 

But some team will become enamored with Loadholt's measurables (6'8", 340 lbs., 36" arms) and take him in the 2nd Round. He'll be a dominant run-blocker, but he'll also get his QB killed.

 

That last part...Right!....Started laughing when I read that.

 

[Guest Aloysius]

In a one on one matchup, B.J. Raji got some push on Alex Mack. The next time, it looked like Mack held onto Raji's jersey.

 

Mitch King used his quickness to get around Max Unger, who was lining up at center. I love King, but he lacks a true NFL position and definitely isn't a fit for the 3-4.

[Guest Aloysius]

Great spin move by Evander "Ziggy" Hood. Not sure if he projects well to 3-4 DE, but I like what I've seen thus far.

[JewDago]

larry english looks reallly, really fast with good agility and acceleration. he'll get handled if tackles can lock onto him and take him to the ground, but that can happen to a lot of LBs when they start a speed rush instead of a bull rush.

 

max unger got handled a minute ago.

 

michigan's DE, jamison (#91 at the senior bowl) has looked good a couple of times, too, but looks more like a 4-3 de. it's possible he could play in a one-gap 3-4, though.

[JewDago]

Great spin move by Evander "Ziggy" Hood. Not sure if he projects well to 3-4 DE, but I like what I've seen thus far.

that spin was destructive. whoever was blocking hood didn't even get a hand on him before he was past him.

[Guest Aloysius]

Unger can't handle Ron Brace's strength. Not a good sign for Unger's ability to handle 3-4 NT's.

 

Out at guard, Alex Mack got beat by B.J. Raji on successive plays. Raji showed a nice repertoire of pass-rush moves (spin & swim).

[Guest Aloysius]

larry english looks reallly, really fast with good agility and acceleration. he'll get handled if tackles can lock onto him and take him to the ground, but that can happen to a lot of LBs when they start a speed rush instead of a bull rush.

 

max unger got handled a minute ago.

 

michigan's DE, jamison (#91 at the senior bowl) has looked good a couple of times, too, but looks more like a 4-3 de. it's possible he could play in a one-gap 3-4, though.

Unger's having a bad day. Not only is he showing marginal strength, but his arms measured in at 32.5" at the weigh-in - too short to slide out to tackle.

 

Jamison's someone I watched earlier this year with an eye on whether he could convert to 3-4 OLB. Didn't come away thinking he could, but I liked his hustle & gritty play. He'll be a nice backup 4-3 DE at the next level.

[Guest Aloysius]

Both Unger and Mack fared better against Raji in 11 on 11 drills, where they were able to redirect him & use his momentum to take him out of the play.

 

Conversely, DE Cody Brown struggled a bit in the one on one drills, but continues to look great in the 11 on 11's. He beat former teammate William Beatty for what amounted to a sack. This guy's definitely a 3-4 OLB prospect to watch (though his weighing in at 242 lbs. is a tad disappointing).

[Guest Aloysius]

Brown got around Loadholt again for what would've been a QB hit. Also got a stop on a draw play.

[Guest Aloysius]

Here's a nice scouting report on Connecticut DE-OLB Cody Brown:

 

Positives: Excellent athlete. Uses his hands to rip off blocks from much bigger tackles. Very good off the edge. Able to get into the chest of his man to bull rush him into the quarterback. Will close on quarterbacks quickly and secure the tackle. Plays on the strong and weak sides, as well as a stand-up rusher at times. Shows potential to be an effective 3-4 rush linebacker. Should be an asset on special teams coverage units. Recognizes misdirection quickly.

 

Negatives: Lacks great bulk to hold up as an every-down end, and will likely switch to 3-4 rush linebacker in the pros. Can get moved out of the hole. A bit high and choppy in his backpedal, but he can get deep on zone blitzes. Needs to hustle and chase a bit more when plays are downfield or down the line. Quarterbacks and ballcarriers can sidestep him as he closes because he doesn't break down quickly enough to make the tackle.

He had 11 sacks and 16.5 TFL's this year. Liked what I saw of him in the International Bowl, and he definitely was impressive today.

[Guest Aloysius]

A couple months ago, Scott Wright put up a post on his blog about Mr. Spin Move, Missouri's Evander "Ziggy" Hood:

 

There is a chance that the senior defensive tackle class won't produce a single first round pick next April but that doesn't mean there won't be some very good football players available. One guy who I like a lot is Missouri's Evander Hood.

 

Had he entered the 2008 NFL Draft after his junior season the NFL's Underclassmen Advisory Panel felt "Ziggy" would have been a third round pick and that may be a worst-case scenario for him in 2009. In terms of measurables Hood is more than adequate across the board at 6-3 and 295 lbs. with 5.00 speed but it's his quickness, intangibles and motor that really set him apart. Simply put, this guy never lets up and it's that hustle, toughness and intensity that allow him to make so many plays in pursuit. Just to give you an idea about his work ethic in the weight room, "Ziggy" has added 40-45 pounds to his frame since he first set foot on the Mizzou campus in '05.

 

Hood most likely projects as a three-technique at the next level [translation: penetrating one-gap 4-3 DT -Alo] and while not many are talking about him as a first round possibility I think he could be right on the fringe when all is said and done. In fact, if I were Bill Polian and the Indianapolis Colts I'd be looking very closely at Hood. He may not be flashy or get a lot of pub on the national level but "Ziggy" is one of the best senior defensive tackles in the country and in my opinion he should compete with guys like Peria Jerry and Terrance Taylor for the top spot in the months leading up to the 2009 Draft.

Since then, B.J. Raji has surged and Terrance Taylor regressed. Jerry likely will be the first three-technique taken, but Hood made a strong case today that he should be the second.

 

nfldraftscout projects that he'll be a 2nd Round pick.

 

 

[Guest Aloysius]

A couple months ago, Scott Wright put up a post on his blog about Mr. Spin Move, Missouri's Evander "Ziggy" Hood:

 

There is a chance that the senior defensive tackle class won't produce a single first round pick next April but that doesn't mean there won't be some very good football players available. One guy who I like a lot is Missouri's Evander Hood.

 

Had he entered the 2008 NFL Draft after his junior season the NFL's Underclassmen Advisory Panel felt "Ziggy" would have been a third round pick and that may be a worst-case scenario for him in 2009. In terms of measurables Hood is more than adequate across the board at 6-3 and 295 lbs. with 5.00 speed but it's his quickness, intangibles and motor that really set him apart. Simply put, this guy never lets up and it's that hustle, toughness and intensity that allow him to make so many plays in pursuit. Just to give you an idea about his work ethic in the weight room, "Ziggy" has added 40-45 pounds to his frame since he first set foot on the Mizzou campus in '05.

 

Hood most likely projects as a three-technique at the next level [translation: penetrating one-gap 4-3 DT -Alo] and while not many are talking about him as a first round possibility I think he could be right on the fringe when all is said and done. In fact, if I were Bill Polian and the Indianapolis Colts I'd be looking very closely at Hood. He may not be flashy or get a lot of pub on the national level but "Ziggy" is one of the best senior defensive tackles in the country and in my opinion he should compete with guys like Peria Jerry and Terrance Taylor for the top spot in the months leading up to the 2009 Draft.

Since then, B.J. Raji has surged and Terrance Taylor regressed. Jerry likely will be the first three-technique taken, but Hood made a strong case today that he should be the second.

 

nfldraftscout projects that Hood will be a 2nd Round pick.

 

 

[Guest Aloysius]

Scott Wright has posted his Senior Bowl weigh-in impressions.

 

Some interesting ones:

• Rey Maualuga, LB, USC
  • 6'1 7/8", 254 lbs.
  • "Disappointing with a small lower body."
• Brian Cushing, LB, USC
  • 6'3", 243 lbs.
  • "Impressive with a strong, muscular build."
• Clay Matthews, LB, USC
  • 6'3", 246 lbs.
  • "Cut with good muscle structure."
• Clint Sintim, LB, Virginia
  • 6'2 5/8", 249 lbs.
  • "Rangy and built top to bottom."
• Cody Brown, DE-OLB, Connecticut
  • 6'2", 242 lbs.
  • " Broad shoulders and built like a WR."
• Larry English, DE-OLB, N. Illinois
  • 6'2", 254 lbs.
  • "Looked strong and very solid."
• Lawrence Sidbury, DE-OLB, Richmond
  • 6'2", 267 lbs.
  • "Developed with extremely long arms."
• Alex Mack, C, Cal
  • 6'4", 312 lbs.
  • "Looked strong and powerful."
• Max Unger, C, Oregon
  • 6'4 3/4", 299 lbs.
  • "Did not stand out by any means."
• Eric Wood, C, Louisville
  • 6'4", 304 lbs.
  • "Bulky and not much muscle definition."
• Andre Brown, RB, NC State
  • 6'0 1/4", 224 lbs.
  • "Impressive with great muscle tone."
• Rashad Jennings, RB, Liberty
  • 6'1", 234 lbs.
  • "Very muscular and well developed."

[Guest Aloysius]

Some players Browns scouts spoke to today:

• Max Unger, C, Oregon (Projected: late Round 1/early Round 2)

• Eric Wood, C, Louisville (Round 3)

• Keenan Lewis, CB, Oregon State (late Round 2/early Round 3)

• Shawn Nelson, TE, Southern Miss (Round 5)

[Guest Aloysius]

BC d-lineman Ron Brace's marginal athleticism showed up in the stack and shed drill. He's probably limited to playing NT in the pro's.

 

Conversely, Iowa's Mitch King looked like a linebacker out there - not surprising, given that was King's position before he packed on forty pounds to play DT. I wonder if he could drop weight and be a serviceable 3-4 linebacker.

 

Cody Brown and Larry English looked like guys capable of making the transition to 3-4 OLB. Mike Mayock said he's been "intrigued" by what he's seen of English. The Browns sent a lot of scouts out to Northern Illinois games this year; he could be a target of ours in early Round 2.

[Guest Aloysius]

Marcus Freeman is struggling getting off TE/FB blocks in one on one drills.