2011 NFL Draft: Observations from the First Two Days of Senior Bowl Practice
Ladies and gentlemen, Senior Bowl week is officially in full swing.
For die-hard draft fans, this week marks the beginning of a three-month period simply known to outsiders as "busy season."
If you're lucky enough to have been blessed by the cable gods with the NFL Network, you have the opportunity to play pro scout and take a nice week long look at some of the best senior prospects for the upcoming 2011 NFL Draft competing against each other in every possible drill you could imagine.
Sure there's probably better things you could be doing with your time than watching Greg McElroy throw 10-yard out routes, but if you're a true draft fan, this is what you live for. Plus, the occasional glimpse of Stacey Dales never hurts.
We've already got two days of practice in the books.
Here are a few observations from the goings-on down in Mobile.
1. Titus Young Can Fly
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If you watched Boise State at all this season, you probably got a good glimpse of wide receiver Titus Young's superb speed.
I got the chance to really sit down and watch three Boise State games this year—the opener with Virginia Tech, the Friday night Fresno State beat down and the bowl game against Utah.
In all three games, the one player on the Broncos who stood out to me the most was Young.
Although he's not quite the game breaker as DeSean Jackson, he's in that same sort of mold.
Young was absolutely flying on the first day of practice, and he all of a sudden has me very amped and intrigued to watch him run at the combine.
2. If I Were Running a 3-4 Defense, I'd Want Phil Taylor in the Middle of It
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Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor is just one bad motha—you know what.
If I were building a nose tackle from scratch, the blueprint I'd use would be Taylor—a 6'4'' 340 lb. ball of pure power.
I know his 2009 season was nothing to write home about, and he did have his troubles at Penn State, but I'd pounce on this guy if he's hanging around in the second round.
3. The Buffalo Bills Coaching Staff Needs To Pay Attention to Von Miller
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With the third pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select Von Miller, linebacker, Texas A&M.
If we end up hearing that very announcement on draft night, I can't say I'd be surprised.
Sure, since Buffalo is sitting in the three hole this go-around, picking Miller would mean the Bills would have to pass on a few of the big names like say an A.J. Green. But considering the Bills ranked dead last in the league in rush defense, and they have one of the most porous front sevens in the league, that might just be the move they need to make.
This past season's transition to a 3-4 defense certainly didn't go smoothly, but adding a disruptive force like Miller to come rush off the outside would be a major boost.
Something to think about for the next few months.
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4. Jake Locker Gets Nervous Far Too Easily
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A lot of people were wondering what made Jake Locker return to Washington for his senior season, considering he would have been, at the very least, the second biggest name in an uncharacteristically weak quarterback class.
Maybe it was the fact he received a second-round grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Board or maybe it has to do with the fact he just wasn't equipped to handle the spotlight of the NFL at that point in his life.
We'll never truly know what made Locker come to the decision to head back to Seattle for one more year, but from the looks of what we've seen so far this week, it still doesn't seem like he's ready for the NFL spotlight.
Locker hasn't been as bad as Tim Tebow was during last year's practices, but if this is really the best he has to offer, then he might be in big trouble.
There's no doubting Locker has the physical ability to be a great pro signal-caller, but the jury's still out on whether or not he's got the mentality to be the face of a franchise.
5. Jeremy Kerley Would Make the Ultimate Slot Receiver
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My Jeremy Kerley man crush has been reaching a fevered pitch over the last month, and it doesn't look like the temperature is about to go down anytime soon.
Kerley may only be 5'9'', but what he lacks in size, he makes up for with his dynamic playmaking ability both on offense and in the return game.
It's not like we haven't seen this formula work before. Take a converted quarterback with great athleticism, hands and fundamentals, stick him at slot receiver and watch him flourish.
Kerley is going to make a terrific, dependable second option for some lucky NFL quarterback.
6. No Running Back Has the True "It" Factor, But Each Has Something to Offer
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Running back always seems to be a position decimated by early departures so it comes as no surprise that we rarely see many first-round caliber senior running backs.
This year seems no different. While we may not have any true elite types running around down in Alabama this week, each back looks to be a valuable contributor in the NFL.
We've got backs of all shapes and sizes from the little 5'8'' jitterbugs like Kentucky's Derrick Locke and West Virginia's Noel Devine to bigger, more imposing players like Oklahoma's DeMarco Murray and Nebraska's Roy Helu Jr.
The two guys I'm most anxious to see are Louisville's Bilal Powell and Oklahoma State's Kendall Hunter. I'm big fans of both, and I want to see if they can produce valuable runs against some of the best defenders in the country.
7. Derek Sherrod Is Loaded with Potential
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Potential—it's a word that often takes on a life of its own when it comes to the NFL Draft.
Every year, there are players who have proved their worth in college and solidified their high draft stock, and mixed in with them are the prospects with potential.
We hear the same line every year—so-and-so is loaded with potential. It's the players who are loaded with potential who are usually the riskiest gambles though. They're the high risk-high reward guys we love to talk about.
One such player in the 2011 draft class is Mississippi State offensive tackle Derek Sherrod.
The 6'5'', 315 lb. Sherrod has the build and the look of a franchise left tackle, and he possesses all the skills to be a stud, but he's still yet to put it all together.
Five years from now, Sherrod could very well be the best offensive tackle in football, or he could be one of those guys who simply had potential.
Only time will tell.
8. Andy Dalton May Actually Be Cooler Than the Other Side of the Pillow
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NFL Network analysts Mike Mayock and Charles Davis have been singing the praises of TCU quarterback Andy Dalton, and after taking one look at his demeanor and the way he carries himself, it's hard not to jump on the bandwagon.
No Dalton doesn't have the strongest arm nor does he throw the prettiest passes, but what he does have is a sense of calm about him—that special intangible which is rare in a quarterback.
The stage never seems too big for Andy Dalton, and it's that quality which probably had a lot to do with his 25-1 record as a starter over the last two seasons.
The former Horned Frog signal-caller may never be a full time starter in the NFL, but he definitely looks like the kind of player who will catch some team's eye.
9. Sam Acho Is Small!
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One player I was excited to get a good look at this week is Texas defensive end Sam Acho.
Acho has quietly had two stellar seasons playing both defensive tackle and defensive end for the Longhorns, and there may not be a more quality character person in this entire draft.
The only problem?
Acho is 6'2'', 255 lbs., and he looks even smaller when going up against some of the mountainous offensive tackles in one-on-one drills.
Watching Acho battle it out with 6'5'', 315 lb. Alabama tackle James Carpenter really drove home the point he is either going to have to bulk up a whole lot to be an every down lineman, or he'll have to make the move to rush linebacker.
It's sad because, if Acho had another two inches and 25 pounds on his frame, he'd probably be a first-round pick.
10. Shareece Wright and Johnny Patrick Are Two Cornerbacks To Remember
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Patrick Peterson and Prince Amukamara cast a big shadow over this year's cornerback class and with good reason. The two likely top-10 picks are both elite prospects who have the chance to be game changers in the NFL.
There's a little more meat on this year's cornerback bone than just Peterson and Amkuamara though.
You have juniors like Miami's Brandon Harris, Utah's Brandon Burton and Aaron Williams of Texas who will get some good publicity but there's a whole a host of seniors who are flying under the radar.
Colorado's Jimmy Smith seems to be right on that next tier, but even if you dig a bit deeper, you'll come up with impressive prospects like Virginia Tech's Rashad Carmichael, North Carolina's Kendric Burney and Clemson's Marcus Gilchrist.
Two senior cornerbacks who I've taken note of so far this week are Shareece Wright of USC and Johnny Patrick of Louisville. Both look like they have the talent to fit somewhere on that so called next tier of cornerbacks, and I'm going to keep an eye on both throughout the evaluation process.
11. Al Davis Is Going To Fall in Love with Colin Kaepernick
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I couldn't think of a more spot on animal comparison for Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick than a gazelle.
Now, I do have to give credit to Mike Mayock for coming up with that one because he really hit the nail on the head. Watching Kaepernick run with those long strides trying to avoid would-be tacklers really reminds you of a gazelle trying to evade an attacking lion on one of those Discovery Channel specials.
So I just have to ask: Is anybody else super psyched to watch the 6'5'' Kaepernick run a sub-4.6 40 at the combine and make Al Davis' head explode?
With the 48th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders select, uh oh.
12. Courtney Smith Passes the Eyeball Test
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So Courtney Smith is the definition of raw?
So he coudn't catch a cold during the first two days of practice?
So he comes from a school that's been playing football about as long as a Lane Kiffin coaching tenure?
I say, so what?
Smith is 6'5'', 230 lbs. and looks insanely intimidating.
Now don't get me wrong, I would never actually design a play that involves throwing the ball in Smith's direction, but he's the type of receiver who looks like he would just have half of the wussy cornerbacks in this league shaking in their cleats.
Terrell Thomas, be afraid, be very afraid.
13. Rodney Hudson Is Going To Be One of Those Guys
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Every year, you run across a few prospects who give off the vibe that screams "I'm going to be one of those players who turns into a rock solid pro and sticks in the league for 10 years."
One player whose been giving me that vibe this week is Florida State offensive guard Rodney Hudson.
At 6'2'', 290 lbs, Hudson isn't going to overwhelm you with his size, and he's not going to make your jaw drop when you throw on the game film, but everything about him just screams dependable starter.
The fact that he basically became the leader of the Seminole offensive line the same day he stepped foot in Tallahassee certainly helps his case.
14. A Bunch of College Offensive Tackles Will Have To Kick Inside
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It takes a special type of football player to man the offensive tackle position in the NFL. You've got to have a very specific skill set to handle the job.
A lot of college linemen just don't have all the necessary traits it takes to be an NFL tackle, but that doesn't mean they should be tossed to the side and forgotten about.
Every year we see a number of college tackles who may lack the needed footwork and quickness get moved inside to guard where they can better utilize their strengths and mask their deficiencies.
We've got a whole bunch of linemen at the Senior Bowl who fit into that exact category. Some former college offensive tackles who will most likely make their NFL living as interior players include Clint Boling (Georgia), Danny Watkins (Baylor), Marcus Gilbert (Florida), DeMarcus Love (Arkansas) and Lee Ziemba (Auburn).
15. The Small School Kids Went to a Small School for a Reason
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Outclassed is a word that comes to mind when looking at some of the small school prospects such as Toledo's Kevin Kowalski and Slippery Rock's Brandon Fusco—two centers who struggled mightily at times in one on one drills as they tried to deal with the quickness and power of opposing defensive linemen.
You of course knew it was going to be hard for these guys to adjust to the step up in speed and strength of the competition, and that has been painfully evident these first few days, especially when it comes to the offensive linemen.
Hopefully, these first few practices were just an adjustment period for the small school players, and they will be able to find their comfort zone as the week wears on.
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