SENIOR BOWL REPORTS: FINAL

Here is a final analysis on the NFL Prospects during Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Al. as reported by Tony Pauline of sportsillustrated.cnn.com.

Remember our next opportunity to see these guys in action will be at the NFL COMBINE on 02/21/2007! Stay tuned for more updates from COLDDRAFT 2007!


Risers
1. Amobi Okoye/DL/Louisville: Okoye was the talk of the town this week. Weighing in at a chiseled 287-pounds, he displayed tremendous quickness and athleticism from the first practice. Okoye, a bright and articulate 19-year-old, also interviewed well for the teams that spent time with him.
2. Adam Carriker/DL/Nebraska: Another front four player who was tough to block, Carriker elevated his draft stock significantly. Displaying a combination of strength and intelligence, he also came across well during interviews.
3. Dwayne Bowe/WR/LSU: The big pass catcher separated himself from the rest of the group and distinguished himself as the top senior receiver in the country.
4. David Irons/CB/Auburn: Irons capitalized on a terrific senior campaign with a great showing in Mobile. He was consistently applauded by coaches for his cover skills, hard work and ability to learn new defensive systems.
5. Michael Griffin/S/Texas: Displaying an array of talent in centerfield, Griffin made an impact every day at practice. His ball skills in coverage were outstanding as was his play defending the run.
6. Brandon Mebane/DT/California: The stout defensive tackle was unblockable for most of the week. Displaying tremendous quickness, he showed pass rush moves scouts were not aware he had.
7. Ryan Kalil/C/USC: The Trojan blocker looked great on the pivot. Holding his own against bigger opponents, he showed a lot of unexpected skill blocking in motion.
8. Aundrae Allison/WR/East Carolina: Allison impressed scouts from the first day he stepped on the field. Catching everything thrown in his directions, he also got deep behind defenders with consistency.
9. Mason Crosby/PK/Colorado: Crosby regularly put his field goals through the uprights from 50-yards or longer with plenty of room to spare.
10. Antonio Johnson/DT/Mississippi State: The big tackle showed-off his athleticism all week. More impressively, he consistently made plays up the field, something that was lacking in his college career.


Sliders
1. Ryan Harris/OL/Notre Dame: Continuing what was a poor senior season, Harris was beaten regularly in Mobile. At one point he was chastised by Jon Gruden for allowing a sack on Thursday.
2. Marcus McCauley/CB/Fresno State: Another who struggled in '06, McCauley was beaten with regularity all week. His performance during Thursday's no pads practice was not good.
3. Patrick Willis/MLB/Mississippi: Willis gave good effort all week and looked strong in the box. Problem was he struggled making plays out to the sidelines or in reverse. He does not resemble the first-round talent many have pinned him to be.
4. Quentin Moses/DE/Georgia: The Bulldogs pass rusher checked in much lighter than expected at 249 pounds and was handled all week by blockers. During interviews, Moses did not come off as a confident individual.
5. Troy Smith/QB/Ohio State: While Smith was accurate with his short and intermediate passes, his long throws were off. Smith did not display the ability to drive the deep pass and was rarely on the mark downfield.

SENIOR BOWL REPORTS: DAY 3

Day 3 of the Senior Bowl practices in Mobile Alabama are considered the most important of all practices for NLF PROSPECTS as scouts from all 32 teams attend todays sessions & it is one of the last opportunities these College Seniors have to showcase their talents before the NFL COMBINE.

Here is the latest RISERS & SLIDERS reported by Tony Pauline @ sportsillustrated.cnn.com.


RISERS
• Ken Darby/RB/Alabama: After a bitterly disappointing campaign Darby took advantage of his final opportunity to play football in front of NFL scouts. Explosive carrying the ball, he broke several long runs and was tough to bring down.
• Michael Griffin/S/Texas: The Longhorn defensive back has been exceptional in both pass coverage and run defense. A rangy centerfielder who makes plays in every direction, Griffin has constantly been around the ball all week.
• Martrez Milner/TE/Georgia: Another athletic tight end from the Bulldog program, Milner has looked sharp catching the ball all week. Running good routes, he's displayed the speed to break into the secondary and his blocking has improved.
• Arron Sears/OL/Tennessee: Sears is finally putting it together after a rocky start. Controlling opponents, he's showed a lot of strength and versatility as well. Sears' play in Mobile could vault him into Round 1.
• Eric Weddle/DB/Utah: The versatile defensive back started making a lot of plays on the ball Wednesday. Truly a hard-working player, he broke up several passes and was constantly around the action.

SLIDERS
• Kevin McLee/OLB/West Virginia: The hard-working Mountaineer linebacker has given a lot of effort all week but just can't matchup with the players in Mobile. McLee is slow to the sidelines and has been consistently blocked from the action.
• Kolby Smith/RB/Louisville: A physical specimen, Smith has not stood out in any aspect this week. Looking like an ordinary ball carrier, his blocking has also been lacking the few times he lined up at fullback.
• Kareem Brown/DT/Miami-Fl: After a good start to the week Brown's play has come down to earth. Unable to disengage from blocks, he's been easily tied up at the point by opponents the past two days.
• Tim Duckworth/G/Auburn: The interior blocker has not showed much in the way of balance, movement skills or footwork. The strength of his game, the ability to knock defenders off the ball, has also been lacking.
• Chase Pittman/DE/LSU: Pittman has given effort but the undersized and slow defensive end has not made many plays this week.

SENIOR BOWL REPORTS:Day 2

"DAY 2 PRACTICE"

Hey gang! One of the best opportunities for NFL coaches to access a prospects abilities ,prior to the NFL DRAFT in April, is during the “Senior Bowl” practices. The only other opportunity is the NFL Combine, which of course only gives them an idea of the players “Measurables”. These practices are a great way for Coaches to see these players in motion.

Reports from the Senior Bowl are usually pretty difficult to get but “Tony Pauline” of “sportsillustrated.cnn.com” reports that there are some ”Risers” & “Sliders” at the Mobile, Alabamba Senior Bowl practices.
Get your notepads out & jot these down!!!

RISERS

• Dwayne Bowe/WR/LSU: The Tigers' big possession wide out has caught everything thrown his way during the first two practices. Bowe has shown soft, natural hands yet at the same time a mean streak when he must battle for the reception.
• David Irons/CB/Auburn: Over shadowed by his brother (Kenny) throughout college, Irons has stood tall here in Mobile. He has shown the ability to shutdown opponents and has battled hard every day. His efforts have been commended by the coaches and Irons has significantly improved his draft stock.
• Antonio Johnson/DT/Mississippi State: The big athletic tackle has far and away been the best lineman on the South team. Johnson has been quick off the ball and tough to stop. He has bull-rushed defenders off the line or finessed his way past them. NFL scouts always knew Johnson had great potential and he's starting to show it at the Senior Bowl.
• Adam Carriker/DL/Nebraska: If Johnson is the best defensive lineman on the South then Carriker is the best one on the field to date. Carriker has also been impossible to stop, displaying a great combination of power, speed and smarts.
• Tony Hunt/RB/Penn State: Hunt surprised everyone by checking in a little heavier than expected at 239 pounds. Yet that seems to have positively affected his game. Hunt has been a monster carrying the ball on the inside and equally productive as a blocker.

SLIDERS
• Joe Newton/TE/Oregon State: The big tight end has looked slow and sluggish. And while he's effectively caught the ball, most of his receptions have come no more than five yards off the line of scrimmage. To make matters worse Newton's blocking has been subpar.
• Fred Bennett/CB/South Carolina: A terrific athlete, Bennett is struggling with his football skills in Mobile. Slow to react, Bennett has gotten beat a number of times and seems to be doing too much thinking and not enough playmaking.
• Marcus McCauley/CB/Fresno State: McCauley has been beaten like a drum the past two days. Consistently giving up deep receptions, McCauley has also allowed numerous catches in underneath coverage.

•Ryan Harris/OL/Notre Dame: While fundamentally sound, Harris has not shown the bulk or strength to stay with Senior Bowl players, never mind NFL stars. Used at both tackle positions, he's been pushed off the ball all week.
• Tyler Palko/QB/Pittsburgh: A try-hard passer with solid short-range accuracy, Palko has not displayed the arm strength or physical stature to play at the next level.