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Senior Bowl Stock Reports

Senior Bowl Stock Reports
By Nick Haswell for Football Reporters Online

It is just about that time of the year again. The NFL season is culminating this Sunday with the Super Bowl between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints. That means that the Super Bowl is the last professional football game for 6 months. For some, that is sad news. But for the hardcore football fans, it just means that it is time to turn their attention for the NFL Draft. Between now and Thursday, April 22nd, all NFL Draft eligible prospects are trying to better their draft prospects through intense training programs, individual pro day workouts, the NFL Scouting Combine, and multiple “All-Star” Bowl games. One of those bowl games is the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. The 2010 version of the event took place this past Saturday. NFL Scouts from all 32 teams convened in Mobile the previous Monday for Senior Bowl practices and stayed through the week in an attempt to find the next Steve Largent, Joe Namath, Walter Payton or Brett Favre. Based on the week’s practices and the game on Saturday, here are several players who improved their draft stock and several who hurt their stock:
Stock Up

RB/WR Dexter McCluster, Mississippi. McCluster is the versatile speedster that any NFL team could use. He showed he can be used as a slot receiver, as a running back or a quarterback in the Wildcat package. McCluster can also impact the return game with his explosive playmaking ability. Although size is an obvious concern, and he’ll never be an every down running back, McCluster’s explosion and versatility will get him drafted in the Second Round.

RB LeGarrette Blount, Oregon. Blount, has been the subject of one of the larger stories of the 2009 college football season. After being suspended for the season after the first game of the 2009 season, Blount’s draft stock took a huge hit. But he was reinstated late in the season and had a few big carries in the Rose Bowl clinching win over Oregon State. Blount arrived in Mobile at a solid 240 pounds, and rushed for a 14 yard touchdown which showed his good athleticism and power that will make him a Third Round choice in April.

WR Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati. Gilyard was inconsistent during the week of practice. But he displayed that he is a gamer on Saturday with his Offensive Player of the Game performance. The Bearcat receiver caught five passes for a game high 103 yards and a touchdown. Gilyard got behind the South defense a couple times for receptions, as well as adjusted well to a pass thrown behind him by quarterback Dan LeFevour. With his return ability, Gilyard could have pushed himself into the Second Round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

OL Mike Iupati, Idaho. The 6-6, 325 pound offensive lineman from the University of Idaho was the best o-lineman in Mobile this past week. Although Iupati struggled in the game, especially in pass protection, Iupati showcased power and balance in the run game during the week that should translate to him being off the draft board in the late stages of the First Round.

DE/OLB Brandon Graham, Michigan. Graham was the biggest winner of the Senior Bowl. Graham was already known to be a strong defender against the run, but he displayed the ability to get after the quarterback both during the week of practice and during the game, where he earned Most Valuable Player honors by posting two sacks and a forced fumble. Graham is versatile enough to play either defensive end in a 4-3 scheme or outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. He has cemented his status as a First Round draft pick.

DE Alex Carrington, Arkansas State. Carrington arrived in Mobile with something to prove as a player from the Sun Belt Conference. Carrington left Mobile impressing NFL scouts with his strength at the point of attack and also bull rushing opposing offensive tackles. The Second Round could be possibly when Carrington will be drafted in April now after last week’s performance.

OLB Dekoda Watson, Florida State. A Seminole linebacker that is fast and undersized? Yep, Watson is another one who fits that description. Watson made a couple big plays for the South on Saturday that displayed his toughness and instincts, which are essential for defensive players in the NFL. On one of the plays, Watson caught fast Fresno State running back Lonyae Miller from behind. Plays like that could get Watson drafted in the Third or Fourth Round.

Stock Down

QB Tim Tebow, Florida. The rock star of the 2010 Senior Bowl struggled all week. Tebow did nothing to dispel his slow release, poor footwork or inaccuracy in Mobile. Sure, Tebow has incredible intangibles, a winning attitude, and is one of the tougher players in the nation, but he needs a few years of intensive work to become an NFL starting quarterback. He at best a Third Round prospect, but more than likely someone will overdraft him in the late First or Second Round.

QB Sean Canfield, Oregon State. Canfield had a chance to really improve his draft stock with a strong showing in the Senior Bowl. But instead he hurt his stock immensely. Canfield already is not a great athlete or strong-armed, but in Mobile he also telegraphed his throws and made poor decisions. He is now considered to be a late round choice.

NT Terrence Cody, Alabama. The prototypical 3-4 nose tackle, Cody, showed up in Mobile at a giant 370 pounds. He appeared slow for his weight, out of shape, and displayed poor technique. Tennessee defensive tackle, Dan Williams, looked to be the better of the nose tackle draft prospects in Mobile. There is now concern that Cody could be out of the NFL early because of his weight issues. Cody looked to possibly move into the late First Round with a strong performance in the Senior Bowl, but with showing up at a sloppy 370 pounds, he is now a Second or even Third Rounder.

S Taylor Mays, USC. It’s hard to believe that when Mays was considering entering early into the 2009 NFL Draft that he was considered a top 10 pick. Now, Mays is at best a late First Round pick. Some evaluators are even giving him mid-round grade. Mays’ size, strength, and speed combination are off the charts for a safety. But during last week’s practices and during the Senior Bowl, Mays was lacking the instincts and playmaking abilities needed for an NFL safety. His lack of instincts are especially concerning for a defensive player.

Dooley hits recruiting ground running-New UT coach holding his own despite late start

Dooley hits recruiting ground running
       New UT coach holding his own despite late start
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing writer Football Reporters Online
Southeast Region
 
After Lane Kiffin abruptly left Knoxville like a villain in the middle of the night questions arose. How could Tennessee keep their highly recruited class intact? Who would do the recruiting while they searched for a new head football coach? Once the coach was hired, could he keep this class together and could he get others to come to Knoxville?
 
In the last few weeks Derek Dooley has answered the questions soundly. He was given three weeks to assemble a staff and then hit the recruiting trail. He has been able to keep eight kids from this class and has made strides out in the field. He may not be able to compete with Alabama or Florida yet but his no drama, respect for the game and university approach is getting some attention. It has made some take notice after the abandon ship move by Kiffin.
 
The approach has not worked with all recruits, as would be expected. Players such as Michael Taylor, a four-star linebacker from Westlake (Ga.) High School, have already de-committed. He will now be going to Florida. Others may follow as well.
 
On the other side of the coin, assistant coach Terry Joseph made a trip to Mississippi to visit with highly regarded prospects Shon Coleman and Damien Robinson. Both are offensive linemen and Robinson has gotten about 30 or so offers already. After the visit Robinson decide to visit Knoxville next weekend after his visit to Mississippi this weekend.
 
Dooley himself was in Florida at weeks end to visit with defensive linemen Calvin Smith and Corey Lemonier from Hialeah High. Lemonier has not yet committed but Smith has been on board since before Kiffin left. He still has other visits to the likes of Alabama, North Carolina, Florida State and Illinois too. As for Lemonier, he likes Auburn, Florida State and Miami.
 
So the work continues for Dooley and his staff with signing day just a few days away. He will not be expected to have a class ranked in the top 10, or to compete with Florida or Alabama right now. He will be expected to put this program back in order the way it should be. He needs to get the kids to buy into football without the media hype that Kiffin brought with him. He will need to get the kids that were here last year to believe in him and his system. If he can do that he can have a good year and then build with his own class next year.
 
He won’t make noise and he won’t talk when he is not supposed to. He will do it the right way, the way he was taught by his dad, the legendary Vince Dooley. He will not embarrass himself or the university, because if he does, he has a firecracker for a mom and I have a feeling she will let him have it if he tries. One thing is for sure, respect is being restored in Knoxville.
      

TIM TEBOW-an early look

TIM TEBOW-an early look-by J.P. Fox for Football Reporters Online

    As probably the most celebrated player coming out of college in I don’t know how long, Tim Tebow should be on his way to stardom in the NFL. But as we all know, college success doesn’t automatically translate into success in the NFL. Tebow isn’t your prototypical quarterback. He might have a run-first mentality, which isn’t what NFL Scouts look for in a franchise QB. In college, he focused on short-to-intermediate routes but did have an outstanding 67% completion percentage with a mind-boggling 88:15 TD to INT ratio. With those numbers, you would think he is at the top of the draft boards of NFL executives. The debate begins….. Is Tebow a franchise QB?? Is Tebow destined for another position in the NFL?? Is he a Pat White type of player, strictly running the wildcat?? There are many different views.
   
    Tim Tebow won two BSC National titles, as a freshman and a junior. He also captured the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore. With that on your resume, and his knack for being the team leader, that’s things you look for in a QB. Can he lead his team to championships? Yes. Can he throw the ball with accuracy? Yes, 67% completion percentage is not too shabby. Can he improvise? Yes, his 57 rushing touchdowns in his career broke the all-time SEC record. So why are there so many doubters?? Well, Tebow has a long, slow, elongated delivery when throwing the ball. The NFL looks for QB’s to have short, quick releases and that is not something that Tebow possesses. When Philip Rivers came out of college, people knocked him for having an unusual delivery. Look at how he turned out in the NFL: He was an MVP candidate down the stretch for the Chargers. Tebow also has taken a beating in college. Not by getting sacked a lot, but by the way he runs with the football. He is a competitor, and he prefers to play "smash mouth" football, running guys over instead of sliding.
   
    With his bullish mentality, some people believe Tebow is destined to be a tight end, fullback, H-Back, or even a linebacker or safety. He’s 6’3 240 pounds and that could be a perfect size for an H-Back or linebacker. But would the transition to another position be that much worth the while for a team to take a chance on, rather than keeping him at his natural position and teaching him proper mechanics?? That’s where everybody wonders and wonders about him. I’d like to see somebody take a chance on him as a quarterback. His statistics don’t lie. With the numbers he put up, and his ability to make things happen, he’s like a bigger Vince Young. In the BCS National title game that Vince Young played in against USC, he had the game of his life. Also, like Young in a big-time game, Tebow put up the game of his life in the 2010 Sugar Bowl against Cincinnati, posting 533 total yards and 4 touchdowns. He was 31 of 35 passing with 482 yards. That had people talking and probably had some NFL GM’s rethinking their view on him as a QB. I know you can’t judge somebody on one game, but that was a big step in the right direction.

    Starting at linebacker, #55, Tim Tebow….. Doesn’t that just sound weird?? Tebow has been a quarterback his entire life, and making him switch to another position, teaching him all the new techniques, that might ruin a player. He has already said that he will do everything in his power to be a quarterback at the next level. Working hard, changing his throwing motion, listening to coaches, and more. Changing a QB’s throwing motion could be disastrous. It could ruin his confidence and make him think too much. But changing his position entirely might not be the worst thing either, on the flip side. He is a huge guy, a freak physical specimen, and a team-first player. If somebody drafted him to be an H-Back or Tight End, I’m sure he wouldn’t object. But I know, in his heart and his mind, he’d love the opportunity to be a quarterback. In my mind, a team that has a QB that he can sit behind for a few years to learn and work on his game would be the ideal fit. I truly believe he will be a successful QB at the next level and I really would like to see that happen. I grew up watching him play quarterback and be successful at it, and I’d like to continue watching him do that. But if he has to play a new position, I wish him all the best in that endeavor as well.

The Tim Tebow watch continues……
 

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