Senior Bowl 2012: 5 Players Who Will Fall Down Draft Boards with Bad Performance

The Senior Bowl is one of the biggest stages for draft-eligible college players to showcase their talents to NFL teams, which means that if a player falters at this event, it can severely hinder their draft stock.

NFL scouts already have certain impressions on players based on their college careers both on and off the field, so performing poorly in a game where pro head coaches are on both sidelines could plummet a player down the draft board. Here are five players who will be in that boat if they fail to perform in Alabama.

Will Blackwell, Offensive Guard, LSU

LSU's Will Blackwell is already a bit light to play offensive guard in the pros at just 290 pounds, and the fact he has only started one full season for the Tigers certainly puts a red flag next to his name for teams.

His skills are in his pass protection, but he's on the edge between a late round pick and an undrafted free agent right now. Considering the last many have heard from Blackwell was his comments against the BCS National Championship game officials, he'll need a big day down in Mobile if he wants a call come April.

Quinton Coples, Defensive End, UNC

North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples has been up and down draft boards as of late, but he's already on the right track during the Senior Bowl practices so far, according to ESPN's Todd McShay.

The ESPN draft analyst claimed just today that Coples "was clearly the best player on the field during the South team practice."

McShay added that Coples got the best of Florida State tackle Zebrie Sanders on multiple occasions. Sanders is currently projected as a late first round pick.

It appears the former Tar Heel is doing what needs to be done at the moment, but if he's able to keep up this success, he could work his way up the draft board in many teams' eyes.

Jaye Howard, Defensive Tackle, Florida

Defensive tackle Jaye Howard was able to give Florida fans at least one thing to cheer about during a mediocre 7-6 season and he'll hope to be the talk of Mobile after the Senior Bowl.

What gives Howard a leg up on some other tackles and defensive ends in his draft class is his ability to play both of those positions, which many teams like the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants have taken a liking to over recent years.

That versatility also puzzles teams as to where they should put a player like Howard if they draft him, so he'll need to be at his best whenever he's lined up as an end or tackle in order to prove to NFL squads that they can feel safe putting him at either position.

Janoris Jenkins, Cornerback, North Alabama

Janoris Jenkins has had a roller coaster of a college career, which started at Florida and due to multiple marijuana-related arrests, ended at North Alabama.

Jenkins was a knucklehead for most of his college days and he suffered the necessary consequences, but teams won't forget the fact he was arrested on more than one occasion along with getting kicked off the Gators football team.

The corner has been doing plenty of damage control so far in Alabama, telling the National Football Post:

“I just told [teams] I made some mistakes as a kid, and it's how you learn from making that mistake. It's nothing they have to worry about."

While the interviews are a chance for Jenkins to show he's changed, his biggest asset is his stellar ability on the gridiron, which he'll need to showcase if he wants to stay in the first round conversation.

Russell Wilson, Quarterback, Wisconsin

There's no denying the fact that Russell Wilson has the talent and the arm strength, but what concerns NFL teams most about the Wisconsin quarterback is his height.

Wilson measured in at the Senior Bowl at just 5'10", which would make him the shortest quarterback in the league next year if he's on an NFL roster.

Still, there are believers in Wilson, such as NFL Network's Mike Mayock who told Rotoworld.com the following:

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"Wilson looks a lot like Doug Flutie to me, he really does. He makes plays, he's smart, he's tough."

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ESPN's Todd McShay also said in a recent interview that he believes that Wilson can make all the necessary plays, he "just needs a few more inches."

If the Wisconsin quarterback can put on a show in Mobile like he did all season for the Badgers, that should make NFL teams feel more confident in his talent and focus less on his height.