Senior Bowl Preview- North Roster

Denario Alexander, WR, Missouri- Alexander reminds me a lot of Brian Robiskie last year. He’s one of the more underrated WR prospects in the senior class. He has good speed and acceleration as he gets to top speed quickly and can break hard without throttling down. Alexander has good hands, great size, runs solid routes, and has good body control when high pointing the ball during his jumps. This game would go a long way to prove that he’s worthy of a 3rd round grade. I want to see if he has the speed to run away from people though, as that is the only thing I question about his overall skills.

Tyson Alualu, DE, California- I would not be surprised at all to see Alualu make his way into the first round due to what I am calling the ‘Tyson Jackson effect’. I never thought Tyson Jackson was that great last year, I would go as far as saying I would have never drafted him until the end of the first, and he went third overall to the Chiefs. Alualu is better than Jackson, but that doesn’t mean he will go in the top 10. He has the size and strength to play the five technique and be outstanding at the position, but he also has the speed to play a 4-3 power end. He has good straight line speed, and can rush the passer around the edge as well. I really like what I have seen in Alualu’s overall game and I would be very surprised if he made it past a team like the Chargers, Steelers, or Patriots in the late first round. I’m most interested to see if he will play end or tackle in this game.

Larry Asante, FS/SS, Nebraska- Asante skipped the Shrine game for this game, so this is the same write up as before. Seeing as the Bears are so needy at the FS position, it makes me even more excited about Asante as I would LOVE to see him in the Navy and Orange next year. His speed shows up film, which is impressive. He is like a missile coming up to support the run, and he can really hit. He’s solid in deep coverage as well. He has the ideal size as well, so I’m expecting big things from him in this game.

Zane Beadles, OT, Utah- Beadles took a step back this year in my opinion. He has good feet, and could definitely play LT at the next level but I don’t think he has the height or long enough arms to do so. He also has a bad habit of getting his head too far into the block, so he ends up getting shucked, thrown to the ground, or he lunges and ends up on the ground himself. He will more than likely need to move inside to guard, but I don’t know if he has the strength to do well there. I think he will eventually be good, and he reminds me a lot of Green Bay OG Darryn Colledge, who was as close of a comparison as I can think of from having watched both in college. He’s still got second or third round potential due to his ability to play several positions and because of his nimble feet and aggressive nature of play.

LaGarrette Blount, RB, Oregon- The suspension for punching a Boise State player will weigh heavy on Blount. He came in to the season out of shape, and that shows his lack of discipline and desire to be a better player. When he was on the field, I didn’t see anything that looked like a difference maker at the next level. I would not draft him because of the discipline issues, and with the league’s recent stance on this, I would guess most teams will agree with me and not bother with the potential headache.

Chris Brown, RB, Oklahoma- Between the tackles runner who does more with effort than natural talent. He’s not exactly the biggest runner though, which worries me that he will wear down quickly at the next level trying to make it between the tackles. He doesn’t show enough burst or flash, nor the hands, to warrant anything more than a late draft pick. He is the quintessential role player though, and I think he will find a way to contribute and make a roster.

Sean Canfield, QB, Oregon State- There is something there, and I think he’s going to rise fast going in to the draft. This game will definitely be a platform for him to shine, much like Cutler did when surrounded by some better talent than a few years back. Good arm, good enough accuracy, just needs some work on making the right decisions and looking off the DBs better. I think he may be the best senior QB as I like him better than Tony Pike of Cincinnati (also in this game). Canfield has good size as well, and is a pocket passer with some athleticism. Probably best as a back up to begin with, with the potential to be a starter. He would make a good third or fourth round pick for a team with an older veteran who will need someone to groom.

Kurt Coleman SS, Ohio State- On film Coleman never really stood out. He was aggressive and solid coming up against the run, but you never really saw him make an impact either positively or negatively in the passing game. That’s something to watch for here, as there are some very good TEs in this game that he will have to cover. If he can hold his own, it will move him up in my book.

Dorin Dickerson, TE, Pittsburgh- He’s a pass catching threat, but not an inline TE. He cannot block at all. He has very good speed though, so someone will take a chance on him sooner than later because he can stretch the seam.

Phillip Dillard, OLB, Nebraska- Dillard’s instincts really stood out in the games I saw, and he has good speed. When he reads his keys, he explodes and makes the play for a loss. He’s undersized, but I really like what I saw in him and think he can fit in a variety of LB positions. He will be challenged in this game by some of the games best OL though, so if he can show he’s stout enough at the point, I think he will start to steadily move up people’s draft boards because of his athleticism.

A.J. Edds, OLB, Iowa- He’s solid but unspectacular. He won’t hurt you but he might not help you a great deal either. He’s a lot like Hunter Hillenmeyer in that vein.

Jacoby Ford, WR, Clemson- Without question Ford is a true deep threat, as he has home run hitting speed. He can return punts, and has very good run after the catch ability, with good field vision. Surprisingly enough for a ‘speed guy’, Ford is actually a really strong blocker. He shows a good hand punch and he’s willing to fight to sustain his blocks. The only thing that will keep him from going in the second round range is that he body catches a bit too much, and he’s not the biggest guy either. He has upside though, and you can’t teach speed, so a big game here may help boost his stock (especially for a team like the 49ers who desperately need a return man).

Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati- Gilyard is incredibly quick, but doesn’t seem to be very fast, if that makes sense. He gets open not by running away from people but form being able to make his cuts at top speed with very little movement up top. He’s going to make an outstanding slot receiver and a top notch returner right away. I think that he may not run the fastest 40, which could drop him, but it’s not something to be concerned with as he’s plenty fast enough on film. Playing him on the outside will be a chore though as he may get overpowered by bigger corners. If he can shake those guys here, he’s a lock for the second round.

Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan- I really like Graham. He isn’t the tallest end, so he reminds me of Dwight Freeney. Because he’s short in stature, he gets good leverage. He shows a very strong initial punch, and has a fantastic bull rush (his strongest pass rush move in my opinion). He also does a very good job of knocking the tackles off balance and then swimming or ripping past them. He can anchor the edge and is solid against the run, and he’s close to being what I would call an elite pass rusher. He could fit in a 3-4 as an OLB, but I think he’d also make a good cover-2 rush end with his ability to stack the line against the run. I expect him to excel in the pass rush drills in practice (also shown on NFL Network) and to have an impact in the game.

Garrett Graham, TE, Wisconsin- Graham’s not a big guy, but he blocks like one. Blue collar, hard worker, and will make a team better. Reminds me of Todd Heap, and he should go in the third to fourth round range. His size will be the only thing that holds him back, but I think he has the drive to overcome this and contribute at the next level

Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho- With good coaching and work on the finer points of his technique, he could be a perennial Pro Bowler. He’s got great feet, he pulls around the edge effortlessly, and he’s great at getting his hands on the second level defender. I don’t know if I would take him in the first because there are some things that do bother me. He does not do a good enough job of getting his hands inside consistently, he has a tendency to stay high on the pull, and he also consistently punches guys off instead of locking in the defender and driving them completely out of the play. These are all little things, and the former OL in me nit picking, and I wouldn’t argue if someone took him at the end of the first. There are some solid DL prospects here, and if he can show that aggressiveness and finish guys here, someone will pull the trigger on him in the first for his potential alone.

Shawn Lauvao, OT/OG, Arizona State- Lauvao intrigues me as a tackle prospect. He is a bit inconsistent with his footwork though, and I don’t think he has the foot speed to play on the left side in the pros. He could fit very well on the right side though as he is a tough run blocker who also does well getting to the second level and keeping his feet moving on blocks. He could potentially move in to guard as well, as I’m not sure his arms as long as you’d like for a tackle. I didn’t see as much tape on him as I would have liked to, so I’m very interested to see how he performs in this game.

Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan- I’ve called LeFevour a poor man’s Tim Tebow before, and I stick by that assessment. He’s been extraordinarily productive at the collegiate level, and he’s a great leader, but that does not make him an NFL QB. His arm is not strong enough, and he’s not accurate either. A good game here may make me reconsider my stance that he’s not an NFL QB prospect, but I still won’t budge from the fact that I don’t think he’s worth spending a pick on until the 4th-6th rounds.

Kyle McCarthy, SS, Notre Dame- He will be a special teams ace. McCarthy looks undersized for SS, he doesn’t look fast enough to play FS, but he is always around the ball. He’s smart, knows where to be, and he plays hard. I want guys like that on my team, regardless of whether their measurable numbers say they should play in the NFL.

Zoltan Mesko, P, Michigan- He’s a punter. He looks decent, but nothing that makes me think he’s worth anything more than a 6th or 7th round pick. By now you should start to see the trend that I don’t spend much time scouting kickers and punters.

Koa Misi, DE/OLB, Utah- I really like Misi, and I’m not sure why I haven’t noticed him before this season. He’s an ideal fit as a rush OLB in the 3-4, and essentially plays this position at the collegiate level. He’s 260+lbs, so he has the size, he has a very good grasp of pass rushing and uses a variety of moves, he does a good job of coming in on delayed blitzes when in the two point, and he is effective in coverage as well. Misi has good straight line speed and in one game almost ran down a very fast running back who had a ten yard head start. No one really is saying much about him, but I think he has the goods. I would not be surprised at all to see him excel here, and I hope he does so I can point my finger at the world and say ‘I told you so’.

Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State- I really like Odrick! He’s a pure 3-technique who lives on penetration into the backfield to disrupt plays. He can often show a tendency to miss plays by getting too far up-field, but it’s successful more often than not. What impressed me most was the fact that he does not turn his shoulders too quickly, so he handles the double team well for an undersized tackle. He has the power and speed to play the 5-technique as well, but I think he can be a game changer in a cover-2 style defense. He absolutely took over this game. In Peen State’s bowl game against LSU, Odrick absolute took over the game and was completely unblockable. In fact, there was more than just one game where I saw teams actively planning around him to try not to let him affect their offense. He’s good enough to still make an impact though. I will be shocked if he makes it out of the first round.

Eric Olsen, OC, Notre Dame- Olson is a fringe draft pick to me as he gets beat by speed and power. He doesn’t get good push in the run game, and he does not hold up on an island in the middle in the pass game as well. Granted, the Notre Dame OL hasn’t been great since the Brady Quinn era, so showing well here could at least lead to a late round selection.

Tony Pike, QB, Cincinnati- Pike is very streaky, and I question if his arm is strong enough to make all of the throws in the NFL. He’s not good throwing on the run either. He has the size you want in a pocket passer, but I’m not sure he’s anything more than a career backup. He’s worth drafting though, and he has the prototypical size to work with at the next level.

O’Brien Schofield, OLB/DE, Wisconsin- I don’t need to say much more about him, but I’m glad he got the invite (and accepted it) to come to the Senior Bowl. I’m hoping he plays some DE in this game to show his pass rush ability after proving to scouts last week that he can play in space as an OLB.

Matt Tennant, OC, Boston College- Tennant is the best senior OC I have seen this year. He’s just incredibly sound with his technique and leverage. His hand punch is violent and it gets him the room he needs to reset and get DL off of his frame. He blocks the second level extremely well, and he’s so successful at this because of his wide base and ability to stay balanced. What really impressed me was his ability to recover if he slipped off the fit. I think he will rise steadily, and he’s a guy I want on my team. Interior linemen that aren’t can’t miss slip come draft day, so he’d be a gem for a team should he slip into the third round and onward.

Cam Thomas, DT, North Carolina- Thomas did not get the publicity of the other more highly regarded UNC defensive linemen this season, but I think he deserves some credit. He’s very tall with long arms, and is big as well. He may even fit well as a 3-4 nose, but I think his best value is as a run stuffing NT in a 4-3. He’s got a chance to shine in this game as critics can’t say his production would be because of the other top talent around him. The field is leveled in this game, so I will be watching closely to see how he holds up.

Syd’Quan Thompson, CB, California- If Thompson were two inches taller, people would say he’s a first round lock. He reminds me of Alphonso Smith from Wake Forest last year in that he has everything you want in a lock down corner except for ideal height. He’s aggressive in coming in against the run and will shoot like a bullet at a runners legs. He’s physical on the jam, and he has good ball skills. He’s smart in zone coverage and reads routes well, so he knows when to break. I think he’ll make a steal in the second round for a team who doesn’t care if he is only 5’9”. There are some big, physical receivers on the South squad, so he will get the chance to show he can hang at the next level.

Ed Wang, LT, Virginia Tech- Wang has some potential to play LT at the next level, but he’s best suited to starting off at RT. He’s a very good run blocker, definitely above average for the position, but he’s just an adequate pass blocker. He’s valuable though because of his versatility to serve as a team’s swing tackle. In this game, watch to see how he handles the speed rush around the corner from guys like George Selvie and Antonio Coleman

Sean Weatherspoon, OLB, Missouri- Weatherspoon runs too hot and cold for my liking, but there is no denying the fact that he has the talent to start in the NFL. He has elite closing speed and the ability to get around the corner as a pass rusher. He’s undersized though so he struggles when the play is run right at him. Weatherspoon has the speed to be dangerous as a WLB in a 4-3, and if you give him space and keep him clean, he can make plays at the next level.

Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State- Good hips, good speed, and can shut guys down. He showed the ability to play on the man in press and equally well in off man or zone coverage. He’s a strong tackler for the position as well. This could give him a chance to shine, and if he does well, he could push himself up into the second round range.

Sam Young, RT, Notre Dame- Young’s extremely experienced, is solid in the run game, but he will struggle a lot with speed on the corner at the next level. Seems as though he will make a decent starting RT at the next level, but it’s tough to spend anything higher than a 3rd rounder on a player who you have to say this about. Like Ed Wang, he can help his stock in this game by showing a better/quicker kick step and stopping these undersized South speed rushers from getting the edge.