2011 Senior Bowl: Top 20 South Roster NFL Prospects
The 2011 Senior Bowl is this weekend and there are NFL scouts scattered throughout Mobile, Alabama, trying to get a up close and personal look at the top senior prospects.
Only the best seniors are invited every year.
This is the beginning of a long and grueling process towards the NFL Draft. Every player wants to put forth their best performance in front of their peers. Some of these guys have played against each other since grade school.
With so much to gain and lose, playing well this week can make or break a player's stock.
The South team will be coached by Chan Gailey and the Buffalo Bills staff. This will be the first time taking orders from a pro coach.
Here are the top prospects for the South roster heading into this weekend's game.
20. Bilal Powell: Louisville RB
1 of 20
Powell is a powerful runner who will appeal to hard-nosed running teams, but he isn't an evasive back and will rarely make defenders miss.
Runs with good lean to get through arm tackles, or even run over smaller defenders. A strong senior bowl could really help Powell out.
Projected Round: 4
19. Kelvin Sheppard: LSU LB
2 of 20
He has the perfect body to line-up behind nose tackles.
He had his best year as a senior, leading LSU and ranking third in the SEC with 103 total tackles. So far he has been impressive in practice this week.
Projected Round: 4
18. Pernell McPhee- Mississippi State DE/DT
3 of 20
He was selected to the All-SEC Football First Team for the 2010 college football season.
McPhee finished the 2010 campaign with 9.5 tackles for loss, a pair of sacks, four pass breakups, and a team-leading 12 quarterback hurries.
This guy could fly up the board in the coming weeks.
Projected Round: 4
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17. Noel Devine: West Virginia RB
4 of 20
Devine never made the impact that was expected from him at West Virginia. He is very undersized but has incredible speed.
His track speed and ability to elude defenders in the open field makes him extremely difficult to defend.
He could severely damage his stock with a poor showing in Mobile.
Projected Round: 4
16. James Carpenter: Alabama OL
5 of 20
An above average run blocker for the Crimson Tide that helped carve out lanes for Mark Ingram.
There are issues with his foot speed and ability to handle any sort of speed rushers. The senior bowl will be a big test for him.
Projected Round: 4
15. K.J. Wright: Mississippi State LB
6 of 20
A very explosive and disciplined linebacker, Wright could get a big boost in his stock and visibility this week.
He's extremely active and has great closing speed for an outside linebacker.
Projected Round: 3
14. Jarvis Jenkins: Clemson DT/DE
7 of 20
A huge load that can gobble up the run, Jenkins should get a chance to play both defensive tackle and defensive end as a 3-4 player.
He may be able to make a big move up the board with a stand-out performance. He has to make sure to watch his weight before the combine though.
Projected Round: 3
13. Kristofer O'Dowd: USC OL
8 of 20
O'Dowd, a three year starter at center for the Trojans, was an honorable mention All-Pac-10 pick this season.
He was part of an offensive that ranked third in the Pac-10 in rushing (189.8 ypg), fourth in scoring offense (31 ppg), fourth in passing offense (241.7), and fourth in total offense (431.5 ypg) in 2010.
He would be a lot higher, but he played even better his sophomore and junior season.
Projected Round: 3
12. Marcus Gilbert: Florida OL
9 of 20
Not considered the strongest or toughest player, Gilbert has got to show he can put up a fight in the trenches.
But he excels at keeping his feet active and arms extended while engaged.
Lots of eyeballs will be on Gilbert this weekend.
Projected Round: 3
11. Ronald Johnson: USC WR
10 of 20
According to scouts, Johnson is having a rough week in practice so far. He looks slow coming out of routes and has dropped numerous balls.
He doesn't have great size or speed, but he has sure hands and good route discipline. Playing well on Saturday is looking to be a big step for Johnson.
Projected Round: 3
10. Christian Ponder: FSU QB
11 of 20
This week is one of the most important in Ponder's career, which is why the 6'3", 227 pound quarterback has got to play well.
If Ponder does well during the five days of practices and drills at Ladd Peebles Stadium, his NFL Draft stock will rise. If he doesn't, his performance will confirm existing doubts about his health and ability.
Projected Round: 2
9. Luke Stocker: Tennessee TE
12 of 20
He uses his large frame extremely well to create separation from defenders and protect the ball away from opposing coverage.
But he doesn't block that well, bending at the waist a little too much and over-extending with his arms.
Reports have come back pretty positive so far for Stocker this week.
Projected Round: 2
8. Leonard Hankerson: Miami (FL) WR
13 of 20
Hankerson struggled with drops early in his career, catching only 17 passes for 203 yards and three scores in his first two seasons at "The U."
But he began to turn things around his junior season and had an even better senior campaign. He ranked among the ACC's best in receptions (72), receiving yards (1,156) and he even broke Michael Irvin's school record with 13 touchdown receptions.
Hankerson's improvement over the past two seasons could be enough to make him the first senior wide receiver drafted in 2011.
Projected Round: 2
7. Danny Watkins: Baylor NT
14 of 20
The native Canadian and former junior college transfer showed steady improvement between his first and second year with Baylor.
He is quick on his feet and has the strength to defend even the largest nose-tackle in the NFL.
He projects to be a left tackle in the NFL.
Projected Round: 2
6. DeMarcus Love: Arkansas OL
15 of 20
Good initial quickness off the snap, but possesses only average balance and agility in pass protection situations overall.
He will likely play right tackle or guard in the NFL. A strong showing in the senior bowl will solidify his draft position.
Projected Round: 2
5. Allen Bailey: Miami FL LB/DE
16 of 20
Scouts love his versatility and work ethic but are still trying to figure out where he fits best on an NFL roster.
Bailey lacks the superior speed off the edge that most NFL teams prefer outside and isn't currently strong enough to hold up inside.
It's well known that Bailey has the tools to succeed in the NFL...the question is where?
This is the time to let Chan Gailey use him in a variety of packages and see what position might fit him best.
Projected Round: 2
4. Curtis Brown: Texas CB
17 of 20
Brown has elite speed, the ability to blanket receivers, as well as the abilty to return punts.
He has made a lot of fans among NFL coaches and scouts.
The importance of finding athletes of this caliber is big and it should help Brown stay high up on many draft boards in April.
The senior bowl will give him a chance to show it off.
Projected Round: 2
3. Andy Dalton: TCU QB
18 of 20
How is a QB that guided his team to an undefeated season be so under the radar?
That’s the predicament that the TCU QB finds himself in. He amassed 2,857 yards on a outstanding 66 percent completion percentage. He tossed 27 TDs with only six INTs. He scored another five TDs with his feet.
The numbers are there and the leadership and winning is as well. The problem is he doesn’t wow scouts with his physical frame and he doesn’t have a single trait that really jumps off the page. Let's see what he can do a the senior bowl.
Projected Round: 2
2. DeAndre McDaniel: Clemson SS
19 of 20
Clemson had a great secondary and McDaniel is the top player in the unit.
He was selected to the All-ACC First Team for the second consecutive year in 2010 season.
He had a team best four interceptions and his 15 career interceptions rank third among all players and second best in Clemson history.
He has all the tools to be a starting NFL safety for years to come.
Projected Round: 2
1. Von Miller: Texas A&M LB
20 of 20
The 2010 Butkus award winner, and 2009 first-team All-American, Miller was the Big 12 sack leader for the second straight year with 9.5 sacks in 2010.
He is a great tackler and will surely be successful at the pro level.
He is a top 10 pick and can do little to improve his status at the senior bowl.
Projection: First-round
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