Senior Bowl 2012: 10 Players Making Noise in Practice Sessions

The following 10 players are making noise at the 2012 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., according to draft experts from National Football Post, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo! Sports and Pro Football Weekly. 

Brandon Boykin, Georgia

From Wes Bunting of National Football Post:

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The undersized defensive back competed all practice long, showcasing a burst out of his breaks and good speed vertically down the field. He does have a tendency to get a bit grabby at times when asked to re-direct. However, he did a nice job staying in receivers back pockets throughout and looks like a “plus” slot guy at the next level.

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Brandon Thompson, Clemson

From ESPN's Scout Inc. (via Heather Dinich):

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Thompson has shown quickness and the ability to anchor against double teams, and he has quick hands and more athleticism than you might think. He was disruptive during 9-on-7 running drills, collecting a couple of tackles for loss.

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Devier Posey, Ohio State

From Tony Pauline of Sports Illustrated (Wednesday):

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WR Devier Posey of Ohio State continues to impress with his physical skills. He shows exceptional quickness in and out of routes and a nice burst of speed. He hasn't shown the strong hands or ability to pluck the ball from the air, but to his credit Posey has not dropped many passes the past three days. 

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Chris Rainey, Florida

From Pro Football Weekly:

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Florida's Chris Rainey caught my eye throughout the South's practice. How could he not, considering his blazing speed? Rainey had great cuts on his routes in the running backs vs. linebackers drill and then lined up in the slot later on in 7-on-7 drills. Rainey also caught a long pass down the sideline, which was one of the longest plays of the day. Rainey could get some looks as a change-of-pace back, especially if he keeps having success as a receiver.

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Also, from Pauline (Tuesday):

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Chris Rainey of Florida really stood out with his versatility and ability to be a true receiving threat. On one play he even threw a block on defensive lineman Tony Jerod-Eddie of Texas A&M and removed him from the action. Jerod-Eddie weighed in more than 125 pounds heavier than Rainey on Monday. 

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Quinton Coples, North Carolina

From Rob Rang of CBS Sports:

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Measuring in at nearly 6-6 and 281 pounds, Coples has the size, strength and athleticism to be a force regardless of scheme. Rated as the No. 1 defensive end prospect and 12th overall by NFLDraftScout.com, Coples is the highest-rated Senior Bowl participant. He hasn't disappointed, terrorizing the South team's quarterbacks and running backs by consistently penetrating the line of scrimmage to blow up plays before they've even begun.

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Doug Martin, Boise State

From Mike Tanier of Yahoo! Sports:

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Martin was one of Monday's stars and has looked like one of the best athletes on the field so far. Martin even lined up at fullback in front of Isaiah Pead (RB, Cincinnati) in what appeared to be a "speed" package for a few snaps.

 

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Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State

From Tanier:

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On the offensive line, Kelechi Osemele (G-T, Iowa State), stood out during position drills, routinely putting defenders on their butts.

 

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Dwight Bentley, Louisiana-Lafayette

From Pro Football Weekly:

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Louisiana-Lafayette CB Dwight Bentley had some real nice plays on the ball and impressed Redskins DB coach Raheem Morris. 

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Marvin Jones, California

From Kevin Fishbain of Pro Football Weekly:

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A lot of people talked about California WR Marvin Jones on Monday, and I can see why. He is very quick on his routes and made a couple of nice catches. He may have the best speed among the North's receivers.

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Also, from SI's Tony Pauline:

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WR Marvin Jones of Cal continues to impress. We spoke of his route-running skills and burst earlier, but he's also a heady ballplayer. He just did a terrific job staying with the action and following his quarterback across the field, finding the open space to help out the signal caller, who was about to be sacked.

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LaDarius Green, Lousiana-Lafayette 

From Pauline:

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TE LaDarius Green of Louisiana Lafayette has caught the ball exceptionally well today. He's very fluid and the 237-pounder looks more like a possession receiver. He needs to improve his blocking, which will come by adding strength, but he looks like a good candidate as a move tight end for the next level.

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