Senior Bowl 2012 Score: Who Contributed Most to North's Win?

The 2012 Senior Bowl is all wrapped up and there were some notable performances on both sides. Joe Adams stepped up big time for the South squad in the loss, as did Casey Heyward from Vanderbilt, who is shooting up my rankings. 

This article is going to focus on the best performances from the victorious North squad. 

Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State

Probably still nothing more than a third-round pick, the former Michigan State signal-caller did help the North out a great deal in this game. He did miss some wide open receivers and struggled with decision making at times. 

However, Kirk Cousins proved that he might have a future in the NFL after all. You have to take into account a couple dropped passes when looking at Cousins' mediocre 5-of-11 stat line. Compared to the way Russell Wilson and Kellen Moore played today, 10-of-19 combined, Cousins had a great outing.

Gerell Robinson, WR, Arizona State 

Not ranked in my top 200 prior to the Senior Bowl, Robinson had a standout performance. He caught a 40-yard touchdown pass from Kirk Cousins to open up the scoring in the second half and give the North a two-touchdown lead. He looked extremely solid running routes and showed off some good hands. 

We will have to see what Arizona State's pro day and the NFL draft combine does for Robinson, but at this point he has to be considered one of the winners of the Senior Bowl and a major reason why the North won. 

Marvin Jones, WR, California 

One catch for eight yards doesn't tell the entire story. His touchdown catch from Russell Wilson opened up the touchdown scoring segment of this otherwise defensively dominated game. All week long we heard about how Jones has impressed, he did not disappoint today. 

I saw him get great separation at the line against top-tier corner competition, which bodes well for his draft stock. Look for him to shoot up most people's draft boards. 

Vinny Curry, LB, Marshall

The former Marshall player looked like a man among boys. Not only did Vinny Curry acquire two sacks, he was in the offensive backfield all game long. He was able to beat Zebrie Sanders, a fellow up-and-coming player, for a sack on the mildly athletic Nick Foles. 

Of course when you are talking about a player getting multiple sacks and breaking up a pass, he is going to get a lot of attention, and he moved himself into my top 30.

Bobby Wagner, LB, Utah State

Bobby Wagner has been one of my favorite defensive players throughout the entire postseason leading up to the Senior Bowl. Boy did he prove me right today. The former Utah State linebacker was all over the field with seven tackles and an interception. 

Wagner proved that he has the ability to drop back into coverage, get in the offensive backfield and draw out a play. His performance for the North squad has to be considered one of the primary reasons they won the game. 

Jamell Fleming, CB, Oklahoma

Probably the biggest riser of Senior Bowl week was this former Oklahoma standout. Reports during practice indicated that he was extremely good in coverage, utilizing a pro-ready technique on the outside. 

His performance in the game matches up perfectly with what we heard all week. It isn't just about the interception he had, Fleming showed great football IQ. He also made four tackles and forced a fumble. 

Probably going to get a first-round grade after this performance. 

Kendall Reyes, DL, Connecticut 

Reyes wasn't just good in rush defense, he stepped up extremely well putting pressure on the quarterback today. This is a huge improvement from what I saw from the former UConn player during the 2011 season. 

He showed exactly why many 3-4 teams would be interested in his services as a defensive end. He showed really good technique, an ability to stop the run and an above-average pass rush technique. These factors really played well for the North squad along their defensive front. 

Conclusion 

So there you have it. Some notable performances from the victorious side in today's "All-Star game." Some of these players were expected to step up such as Jamell Fleming. However, it was really nice to see that Robinson kid prove that he belongs in the conversation with the second-tier receivers in this draft. 

Bobby Wagner and Vinny Curry, two players I really like, also helped their stock a great deal.