Senior Bowl

I’m far behind but I’m covering the Senior Bowl anyway as it did help prove some things to me on guys I was questioning.

Kevin Huber, P, Cincinnati- I know, the same punter again, but this guy is the truth. I think he goes as high as the 4th or 5th round, which is crazy for a punter. This guy is a potential special teams ace though.

Patrick Chung, SS, Oregon- I’ve always liked Chung a lot and I think he’s moved up to be my favorite safety prospect in this draft. He played some FS in this game and did well. He can cover, he can hit, he can tackle. I’d take him in the late first, but I think he’ll make it into the early second. I don’t think he makes it past Seattle in the second round at all.

Max Unger, OC, Oregon- He played some guard in this game and did not do well. He was a bit too finesse, which fits what I’ve seen. I still love him at center though, and think he has Pro Bowl potential at the position. But this game proved he has to stay at this position.

Fili Moala, DT/DE, USC- He’s very quick, but he gets washed so easily in the run game. I’m really not sure where he fits best. I think he may get overpowered at the point as a 3-4 DE, so he might have to play inside in a cover-2 that can exploit his quickness. He’s slipped at least until the third round in my opinion.

Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee- Ayers used the Senior Bowl to earn himself an awful lot of money. He looks really good, and stood out against some of the game’s best. He has good outside quickness for a bigger DE, and he was able to overpower the smaller/athletic tackles with his bull rush. He’s a bit of a one-year wonder though, so I’m hesitant, but he could easily slip into the late first round now due to the lack of depth at 4-3 DE (which he is a true 4-3 DE).

Larry English, DE/OLB, NIU- In practice and in the game you see his speed once again. He will have to play 3-4 OLB, but I could see him coming off the board early in the second and learning on the job. He’ll struggle in coverage at first, but he’ll make his money rushing the passer.

Andre Brown, RB, NC State- Once again showed up. He was the best RB in this game, and his post-season performances so far have moved him way up in my rankings. I really like his style and I think he’ll be a steal no matter where he goes. He could move up into the second round, but I think he’s a great pick near the top of the third.

Rashad Jennings, FS, Alabama- I still don’t like him for the same reasons. He’s a very poor tackler, and that’s dangerous for a FS.

Eric Wood, OC, Louisville- Wood is growing on me slowly as I wasn’t a huge fan to start. He showed he can pull well and block the moving target at the second level. Where he struggles is lunging in pass protection, but that’s a bit easier to cover when playing with guards on each side. He should go sometime in the third round.

Mitch King, DT, Iowa- I really like King’s hustle, and he looked like the best defender in this game (even though he’s not). He’s got good pass rush skills as he’s undersized as a DT. To me, he’s an ideal 3-4 DE who can slide inside on four man fronts. I think he could go as high as the late second round to a team like the Steelers, who would be a perfect fit for King.

Scott McKillop, ILB, Pitt- McKillop is strictly a two-down run stuffing ILB, but he’s a VERY good inside presence. He’d fit really well on a team like the Dolphins who already have a more athletic inside linebacker who can cover, and McKillop can take on blockers and stuff the run. He’s not going to blow anyone away with athletic numbers, he’s just a good football player.

Rhett Bomar, QB, Sam Houston St- Bomar was the starting QB for Oklahoma prior to getting kicked out of school for accepting money from a booster for a job he didn’t work at. Bomar has the physical attributes, but he needs to work on the mental side of the game. He stares down his receiver too much, and when pressured, he loses his secondary reads. He’s probably a 5th rounder who will be a third stringer. Maybe in a few years, he becomes a good second option. I’m just not sure he’s starter material.

Derek Pegues, Mississippi St- He’s good against the run, and is a good SS prospect. He didn’t show much in the pass game though, so it’s hard to say where he’d fit.

Ashlee Palmer, OLB, Mississippi- Palmer stood out in this game and in the practice sessions. I’m a bit surprised I don’t remember much about him from the games I watched Ole Miss play in. He’s an ideal fit as a WLB in a cover-2. He looks a lot like Lance Briggs to me, and I’d love to see him as a 4th rounder in a Bears uniform.

Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia- His bad hips really keep coming through. I just don’t see him as a second round pick like so many other draft experts. He’s too much of a liability in the pass coverage game to draft him that high. And he’s not a good enough pass rusher to offset this.

Quinn Johnson, FB, LSU- He’s a true run blocking fullback. He’ll get drafted late by a team like the Ravens or someone who still uses a traditional FB.

Tony Fiametta, FB, Syracuse- Fiametta is more of the new breed of FB. He’s a lot like Le’ron McClain of Baltimore was this year. He’s an effective runner, lead blocker, and has good hands. He’s not as good of a lead blocker as Johnson, but he’s a better offensive weapon than him.

Cedric Peerman, RB, Virginia- He’s a really tough runner, but he fumbled again! This guy really needs to work on securing the ball as he has fumbled in almost every game I’ve watched him play.

William Beatty, OT, Connecticut- I’m not as sold as everyone else. He has the frame and footwork to make an ideal LT, but his technique is not very good. He cocks his arms and keeps them by his waist instead of by his chest. This leads to him letting DE’s into his chest and he gets outside their framework then (framework being the square chest area between the shoulders from side to side, and from the neckline to the bottom of the chest). Someone may take him in the first, but he’s not ready to contribute, so I’d say mid to late second at best.

Pat White, QB, West Virginia- He had yet another good post-season game, but I still don’t think he’ll ever play QB at the NFL level. He’s too short and his technique goes out the window once he gets pressured. I don’t reach for him until the 4th at the earliest, and that’s as a wildcat QB and potential WR.

Mike Thomas, WR, Arizona- He looked impressive again and he’s going to make some team very happy in the third round. I don’t care if he is undersized, he gets open and makes plays.

Derrick Williams, WR, Penn St- I’m not sure about his skills as a WR, but I’m drafting him as a return man as early as the 4th.

Jeremiah Johnson, RB, Oregon- He’s a tough runner and a very good pass catcher. I think he’s going to go late and be a very nice sleeper pick.

Alex Mack, OC, California- Unlike Unger, Mack showed he can play OG if needed as well and be very good at the position. Once again, he proved to me that he’s the best OC prospect I’ve seen in a long time. If he doesn’t go in the first round, it’s a shame. If he’s available at pick #32, the Steelers should be rejoicing.

Louis Delmas, FS, Western Michigan- I think Delmas and Ayers are the two most likely surprise first round picks to come from this Senior Bowl. Too many people are overlooking how good Delmas is. He’s a great tackler in the run game, and he has good speed and instincts in the pass game. He’s an ideal FS, and right with Chung as the best overall safety prospects in this draft. He’s a bit undersized, but he’s a great football player. I wouldn’t even be shocked to see the Bears look very hard at Delmas at #18 overall. Some may call that a reach, but I wouldn’t.

Rey Maualuga, MLB, USC- I don’t care if he runs a 5.2 40 at the combine, I want him on my team. He’s a difference making inside presence in the run game, and sets the tone for a defense. He’s a lot like a Rey Lewis, but maybe not as polished in the pass game.

Brian Cushing, OLB, USC- He might go before Maualuga now because of his versatility. He can play in any defense and I think he can play any LB position. He could go as high as #9 to the Packers, and I doubt he makes it past the first 15 picks. He’s a very good well-rounded prospect.

Mike Wallace, WR, Ole Miss- I liken Wallace to a young Bernard Berrian. He’s a good deep threat with size. He could move into the late third to early fourth round range.

Connor Barwin, OLB, Cincinnati- I really love Barwin’s potential. He could play either TE or 3-4 OLB in the NFL and be very good at either. His potential is at OLB though, and I think he doesn’t make it past the Patriots with the 34th pick in the draft. He’s an ideal fit for their defense, and he has the potential to be a difference maker with some coaching and experience.

Tyronne Green, OG, Auburn- Green looked very good in practice and really performed well in the game. I think he’s really moved himself up draft boards and might be the next best guard prospect behind Duke Robinson.

Kyle Moore, DE, USC- Moore is a bit too inconsistent, and that’s why his draft stock takes a hit. But he’s versatile and can fit into a 3-4 or 4-3 DE position due to this size. I think he’s better fit as a pass rushing DE in a 3-4, as he’s big enough to hold up in the run as well. But he’s still nothing more than a 5th rounder or so.

Phil Loadholt, OT, Oklahoma- Loadholt fell even further in my eyes after practices and this game. He just has really poor technique, and he’s too slow to play OT. I wouldn’t draft him prior to the 5th round, and I will never expect him to be good at the NFL level.

Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss- Jerry once again stood out in practice and games. He was almost unblockable with his great initial quickness and speed. I would take him anywhere between 10th and 15th overall, but due to the teams picking near there and their needs, I could see him slipping into the 20’s. He’ll be a great pick though and I think he’ll make an immediate impact.

BJ Raji, DT, Boston College- In practice, he WAS unblockable. He beat every interior OL with his power and then with his quickness. He’s a great overall prospect as he’s big enough to play a true NT in a 3-4, but quick enough to be a difference making DT in a 4-3. I don’t think he makes it out of the top five and he shouldn’t.

Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma St- I just don’t like him as much as everyone else does. He’s not that great of a blocker for his size, and he’s definitely not fast enough. I wouldn’t draft him in the first as you can get a better offensive weapon in the 2nd through 4th rounds.

Graham Harrell, QB, Texas Tech- He looked HORRIBLE and it shows he’s not played under center. He’s just not a good QB and I wouldn’t draft him at all.