2011 Senior Bowl: 10 Players Miami Dolphins Fans Should Watch For This Week

Monday afternoon marked the beginning of Senior Bowl festivities in Mobile, Alabama. The Senior Bowl famously invites college football's finest seniors from schools both large and small to compete on a national stage in front of every NFL staff.

Between interviews, medical evaluations, and intense practices, you could almost call the Senior Bowl a 'mini combine' with an actual football game to top it off. Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano will be amongst those evaluators in Mobile this week, searching for the perfect prospects to mesh with their schemes.

Pressure is mounting against the Dolphins duo to produce a landmark draft class, and the Senior Bowl will provide them with an up close and personal glimpse into some of the collegiate players that will be on their draft board come April. The following ten are sure to draw the attention of Ireland and Sparano, and their performances this week might dictate whether or not they remain on Miami's radar.

#10 Edmond Gates, Wide Receiver, Abilene Christian (South)

Hoping to follow in the footsteps of recent Abilene Christian Wildcat successes in the NFL (Johnny Knox, Bernard Scott, Daniael Manning), wide receiver Edmond Gates has chosen to declare himself eligible for the NFL Draft and participate in the Senior Bowl.

Gates dominated the Division II ranks in 2010, reeling in 66 receptions and 13 touchdowns for the Wildcats. His standout play earned him an invite to the NFL Combine as well, so you can expect to hear more from Gates as the draft process progresses.

Gates is an explosive wide receiver who could be on the Dolphins' radar in the mid-to-late rounds of the Draft. His limited experience as return man also makes him a valuable commodity to Miami.

#9 Brandon Fusco, Center, Slippery Rock (North)

Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano have continually whiffed on quarterbacks and wide receivers, but they certainly have a keen eye for collegiate offensive linemen. The duo have utilized late round picks to grab John Jerry, Shawn Murphy, and Donald Thomas. Although Thomas and Murphy are no longer with the team, they were both effective starters when given the opportunity.

The Dolphins' draft class will almost certainly contain a few offensive linemen, and the team's lack of a second round pick means that many of those linemen will come in the latter portions of the draft.

Slippery Rock's Brandon Fusco might come from a school you have never heard of, but he is being touted as one of the better centers in this year's draft. Fusco has a chance to shine for the first time on a national stage this week, and possibly prove himself worthy of a fourth or fifth round draft pick.

#8 Jeremy Kerley, Wide Receiver, TCU (South)

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FORT WORTH, TX - OCTOBER 16: Wide receiver Jeremy Kerley #85 of the TCU Horned Frogs carries the ball against the BYU Cougars at Amon G. Carter Stadium on October 16, 2010 in Fort Worth, Texas. TCU beat BYU 31-3. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Between Brandon Marshall, Davone Bess, Brian Hartline, Roberto Wallace and Marlon Moore, the Dolphins might not be in the market for a wide receiver this offseason. However, Miami is most certainly in the market for speed, and TCU's Jeremy Kerley has plenty.

Kerley enjoyed a breakout senior season with the Horned Frogs in 2010, reeling in 56 receptions and 10 touchdowns. More importantly, Kerley was one of college football's deadliest return men, averaging almost 28 yards per kick return and eight yards per punt return.

The Dolphins are desperately lacking both a game-breaking kick returner and a wide receiver with burning speed. Kerley packages both with a late-round price tag, although a strong performance this week could boost him towards the middle rounds of the draft.

#7 Bilal Powell, Running Back, Louisville (South)

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LOUISVILLE, KY - OCTOBER 15: Bilal Powell #15 of the Louisville Cardinals runs for a touchdown during the Big East Conference game against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium on October 15, 2010 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by An

The Dolphins' quarterback chaos will draw everybody's eyes to the quarterbacks at the Senior Bowl this week, but there is an equal amount of mayhem looming ahead for the team's running back corps.

Ricky Williams has almost definitely played his last downs as a Dolphin, and Ronnie Brown is slated for unrestricted free agency. So, if Brown bolts town or fails to negotiate a new deal (which is unlikely, he will probably return), the Dolphins will soon find themselves without one legitimate starting running back on the roster.

Fortunately for the Dolphins, there is an abundance of high-caliber running backs taking part in the Senior Bowl, and Louisville's Bilal Powell is one participant who could be on Miami's radar in the middle rounds of the draft. Powell's week got off to a rocky start when official weigh ins downgraded his height from 6'1" to 5'10. Still, Powell is a workhorse who utilized his unique blend of size, speed, and explosiveness to rush for 1,405 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2010, averaging 6.1 yards per carry.

He will split carries with Georgia Tech's Anthony Allen, West Virginia's Noel Devine, and Kentucky's Derrick Locke for the South on Saturday.

#6 Jake Kirkpatrick, Center, TCU (South)

It is difficult to pinpoint the root of the Dolphins' rushing miscues, whether it be aging running backs, an ineffective offensive line, poor play calling, or a combination of the three.

In all likelihood, it is a combination, but the offensive line should always shoulder most of the blame. Dolphins brass replaced three proven starters with three unknowns, and the side effects showed.

The Senior Bowl will feature an abundance of high grade offensive linemen, and TCU center Jake Kirkpatrick might be a hidden gem. Kirkpatrick was an All-American in 2009, and anchored the Horned Frogs fifth ranked rushing offense in 2009 and 10th ranked rushing offense in 2010.

At 6'3", 305 pounds, Kirkpatrick fits the Bill Parcells criteria of massive offensive linemen, and could be a target for the 'Fins in the third round.

#5 Christian Ponder, Quarterback, Florida State (South)

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NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 11: Quarterback Christian Ponder #7 of the Florida State Seminoles drops back to pass against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 11, 2010 in Norman, Oklahoma. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Ge

Christian Ponder's name has been shoved aside while names like Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert soak up the spotlight, but few Florida natives have not forgotten about the Florida State signal caller.

Ponder's career at FSU is marred by untimely injuries and disappointment, but when he was healthy, the Seminoles thrived. Although he failed to achieve the Heisman hopes that some predicted, Ponder led the Seminoles to an ACC Title berth, throwing for 2,044 yards and 20 touchdowns (and only 8 interceptions) in 2010.

Ponder's numbers suffered from FSU's run-first mentality, but he remained one of college football's most accurate and consistent quarterbacks. With a clean bill of health, Ponder has a chance to catapult his draft stock with a solid performance this week. In all likelihood, he will pan out as a second or third round pick, perhaps in arm's reach for the Dolphins.

#4 Lance Kendricks, Tight End, Wisconsin (North)

How much do the Dolphins really value the tight end position? Based on their loyalty and reliance on Anthony Fasano, they do not seem to place a premium on it.

Perhaps a new offensive coordinator and a new tight ends coach will sway Tony Sparano and Jeff Ireland away from their old habits, and persuade them to invest in a young, pass-catching tight end. The Dolphins have lacked one since Keith Jackson made a few Pro Bowl in the early 90's, and the Senior Bowl provides a perfect platform for Miami to find a productive tight end.

The 2010 Draft Class is one of the weaker tight end classes in recent memory, but considering Miami will not target one until at least the third of fourth round, it might work in their favor. Wisconsin's Lance Kendricks caught 43 passes and five touchdowns for the Badgers in 2010, and he will be a participant in the Senior Bowl. Tight end might not stick out as a dire need, but considering Miami's passing game has nearly hit rock bottom and most of the NFL's best offenses utilize an athletic tight end, it is a position that deserves more consideration.

#3 Stephen Schilling, Offensive Guard, Michigan (North)

If the Dolphins choose to address holes at quarterback or running with their first round pick, then the third round will most likely be dedicated to the interior line.

Michigan's Stephen Schilling headlines the group of offensive guards and centers at this year's Senior Bowl. Schilling was a three year starter for the Wolverines, splitting time between tackle and guard, but ultimately specializing at guard.

Schilling weighs in at 6'4", 301 pounds, and currently projects as a third round pick. A strong showing this week might raise his stock, but Schilling should otherwise be right on Miami's radar both this week and during the draft.

#2 Kendall Hunter, Running Back, Oklahoma State (North)

Criminally underrated despite rushing for 1,548 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2010, Oklahoma State running back Kendall Hunter will take to the Senior Bowl in an attempt to raise his draft stock and attract some national attention.

Hunter burst onto the national scene as a sophomore in 2008, rushing for 1,555 yards and 16 touchdowns. His junior season was derailed by a severe ankle injury, but Hunter dispelled all doubters by posting huge numbers in 2010.

As of now, Hunter is being projected as a second or third round pick. Based on his incredible athleticism, speed, and elusiveness, it is difficult to imagine him slipping into the third round, especially if he has a strong showing this week. However, if Hunter does fall into the third round, he could easily become the next Shonn Greene, a player that everybody seemed to know would be successful yet fell into the middle rounds. By the odd chance that occurs, Miami would most definitely be in play for Hunter, who could help solve the team's running back mess immediately.

#1 Jake Locker, Quarterback, Washington (North)

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SEATTLE - SEPTEMBER 18: Quarterback Jake Locker #10 of the Washington Huskies looks on during the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on September 18, 2010 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

It may sound odd, but you should considering rooting against Jake Locker this week. Locker is arguably the most complete quarterback in the 2011 Draft Class, and as of now, there seems to be a rather decent chance that he will be on the board when Miami picks at 15.

Locker struggled playing on a second tier Washington Huskies squad this past season, but he is deceptively mobile, has a pinpoint accurate arm, and was groomed in a  pro style offense. Also, remember that just last year, Locker was being touted as the best prospect in college football, ranked higher than Sam Bradford and Ndamukong Suh.

But with a standout performance at the Senior Bowl, Locker could easily boost his stock, perhaps into the top 10 and out of Miami's reach. With a sub-par performance this week, Locker may continue to hover around the middle of the first round, in striking distance for the 'Fins.