West Roster

Dexter Davis, DE/LB, Arizona State- I don’t see what others do in Davis. He has decent speed around the edge but he has no secondary pass rush move and he’s a liability in the run game as he’s not strong enough at the point. He will have to move to rush OLB at the next level, and I think someone will fall in love with his measureable at the combine and may overdraft him. He’s a mid-round prospect to me, but if he lights it up in this game, it could help to sway me slightly.

Dimitri Nance, RB, Arizona State- I think Nance doesn’t get enough credit as a legit running back. He’s a compact guy with good balance and good burst. He doesn’t seem to be someone how can run away from you, but he picks large chunks of yardage each carry because he keeps his legs churning after contact. He’s going to make some team very happy. He’s a good value pick, and seems to have very little bust potential to me since he probably won’t be drafted until some point in the fourth round or onward. These are the kind of games where guys like Nance can move up. Look no further than Matt Forte at the Senior Bowl two years ago. He was a solid prospect, who had a great game, and ended up going to the Bears in the second round.

Max Hall, QB, BYU- He’s just too short to play in the NFL. He has very good accuracy though, so he very well may end up getting drafted by someone as an emergency QB or third team guy. His arm is good enough but not ideal, his touch is good, and his decision making is decent. If he were 4 inches taller, he’d be in the mix as a potential NFL starter. He should have the easiest time transitioning in this game because he has his favorite receiver to throw to from BYU in TE Dennis Pitta.

Dennis Pitta, TE, BYU- I really like Pitta, but he absolutely has to go to the right team. He is strictly an H-back, as he needs to be split out wide, or motioned into the backfield. He is a poor blocker and can be taken out of a game if you put a bigger LB on him at the line and jam him. He is an elite weapon in the pass game though, is a fantastic route runner, and has phenomenal hands. On the right team, he can be a difference maker in the pass game. On the wrong offense, he will be a liability. Watch closely to see how he does in run blocking scenarios, and to see if he struggles to get off the line when an OLB is jamming him at the line.

Jan Jorgensen, DE, BYU- Jorgensen is very up and down. He has some decent speed to the outside, but can also hold his ground in the run. He’s not great at any one thing, but he’s not bad either. He may end up being a late rounder who will fit well as a 3-4 DE. He reminds me of the Steeler 3-4 defensive ends. Effort guy who is drafted late and works his way into the rotation.

Seyi Ajirotutu, WR, Fresno State- He’s a late round possession type receiver. He’s got good size though and he is a willing and capable blocker, which is hard to find in modern day college receivers. He can make a push to move up in the draft if he can show that he has the speed to gain separation from the corners in this game and get open deep.

Keaton Kristick, OLB, Oregon State- I absolutely love Kristick! His technique is absolutely phenomenal, which is what really sold me on him as a prospect. He’s a bit undersized, but he makes up for it with outstanding instincts and great form. I think he’s versatile enough to play several LB positions, and I want this guy on my team. He’s a football player, and I don’t care what his combine numbers are, his film says he’s the real deal. I expect him to do very well here.
Emmanuel Sanders, WR, SMU- Sanders is actually a pretty decent looking prospect. He’s a bit undersized, but he has very good cutting ability and can make big plays in space. He’s a solid punt returner as well that can break big runs, but may also make you want to tear your hair out as he changes direction a lot (hello Devin Hester II). He shined in a pass friendly offense this season, so it will be important to see if he can translate that production to a different style of offense.

Chris Marinelli, RT, Stanford- Marinelli is a solid RT prospect. He has the feet to protect the edge, and he also has the intensity needed to attack the defenders in the run game. He seems to have the frame to get bigger and stronger as well (because he’s a bit light right now), and I think he could potentially sneak into the late third or early fourth round.

Ekom Udofia, DT, Stanford- Udofia is another solid prospect that hasn’t gotten much publicity to date. He’s a big guy who is very hard to move in the run game but also shows good initial quickness off the ball and can penetrate into the backfield. Once he gets past that first blocker, he’s hard to move around as well. He’s going to make a good value pick, and I could see his stock rising as I think he may be able to play in a rotation as a 3-4 NT. I’m hoping he’ll get matched up against Sergio Render as I think this will tell a lot about what you have in each of these guys (one being a very solid run defender and the other being an impressive run blocker).

Michael Shumard, OG, Texas A&M- I thought Shumard was undraftable as a tackle prospect (he was the starting LT for the Aggies), but maybe the move to guard for this game will help him out. I’m still not hopeful about his chances, but the change in position may be all that he needs to sneak into the late rounds.

Reggie Carter, MLB, UCLA- I’m not sure about Carter. He gets caught in the trash a little too often, but he flashes at times. He does extend well and use his hands to fend off blocks, but he does not disengage quickly enough to find the ball. Pay attention to how he handles the blocks from guards or tackles that come up to the second level, because if he can’t handle it here, he won’t in the pro’s either.

Alterraun Verner, CB, UCLA- I have two concerns with Verner. One is his straight line speed, as I’m not sure how fast he really is on the field. The second issue is he plays almost exclusively off the line, so I think he may struggle when put in a system that requires press man coverage. He has very good instincts in zone coverage though, and he can read the QB and the receiver’s routes to make a play on the ball. He can cover on an island though, and that is why I think someone will look his way in the second to third round range. He’ll be asked to get out of his comfort zone in this game, so it will be good to see how he responds when being asked to play up on the line. If he plays well, I could see him moving up steadily due to the somewhat subpar depth at the position in the draft this year.

Devin Ross, CB, Arizona- In the two games I saw from the Wildcats, I didn’t see anything out of Ross. That’s actually not as bad as it sounds. With the TV angle we all get at home, scouting the boundary players, like corners and wideouts, is very difficult since the camera tends to focus more on the pocket until the ball is out. By not seeing Ross much, that means the QB wasn’t throwing the ball his way because he was covering his man. So it will be intriguing to watch him in this game as he seems like he might be a guy who will slide a little come draft day, which is good news for a team that needs CB help later in the draft (yep, I meant the Bears, sadly)

Earl Mitchell, DT, Arizona- Mitchell seems a bit undersized and has a tendency to get washed in the run game a bit too easily, but he is a solid interior pass rusher. He might develop as a 3-4 DE, but holding up well against the run may prove he can fit as a three-technique tackle in a Cover-2 style scheme.

Mike Tepper, LT, California- There is something there with Tepper. He has the length to play LT, and his feet are good enough as well. He just needs to work on playing with a bit better knee bend, and he also could use some more lower body strength to hold the POA. Otherwise he has all of what you look for in the basics of a starting LT. I’m not completely sold on Tepper though as I have to admit I did not see enough games to make me certain he can play LT at the next level. So I will be watching him closer than some others in this game

Jaron Baston, DT, Missouri- I didn’t see enough production from Baston on film to think that he’s anything more than a late rounder to undrafted. So even with a big game, I wouldn’t be overly confident in him.

Brian Jackson, CB, Oklahoma- This guy will make a great nickel corner for a team that likes to blitz. Jackson does a great job disguising the blitz off the corner and he knows how to get to the ball when he hits the QB to force a fumble. He shows fluid hips in his drops when playing in deep zone coverage, so he can cover as well. I think his stock will steadily rise come draft day, but I am a bit concerned about his injury history as he missed time this season. He’s definitely another player to watch closely though.

Stevenson Sylvester, OLB, Utah- I’m probably one of the biggest fans of Sylvester out there, so my opinions maybe slightly slanted due to what I have seen to date. If it weren’t for the times where Sylvester flat out makes bad reads and overruns plays, I think he’d be a lock for the first round. He’s just an impact player who shows up at his best when the bright lights are on. He’s solid in coverage, he explodes into tackles and hits, and he can rush the passer as well. He’s versatile enough to play at any LB position and do well. If he can go to a team with a good position coach and a veteran who will work with him on some of the finer points of reading his keys and such, he could grow into a Pro Bowl player. This is what I would consider the ‘bright lights’, so I’m hoping Sylvester will show up and prove me right, since I’ve now raved about him!
Robert Johnson, FS, Utah- Johnson is a hammer, and he will blow receivers up if they come across the middle. I didn’t see him in coverage much though because the games I saw on him he was playing more in the box and the opposing teams didn’t throw deep up the middle. He looks like a solid prospect though at a position that is steadily becoming one of the deepest in the draft.
Larry Asante, FS/SS, Nebraska- 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.

TJ Ward, S, Oregon- Ward is outstanding in run support, but he lacks the necessary instincts in coverage. I saw him get lost several times in zone coverage, and that’s a concern. He is great against the run though, so he has value as either an in the box safety or potentially as a LB. If he can show better instincts in coverage on Saturday, I will be pleasantly surprised.