Senior Bowl 2011: Titus Young and 10 Players with Stocks on the Rise
2011 Senior Bowl: The collegiate exhibition game is set for Saturday from Mobile, Alabama. The game is a way for football players that have exhausted their eligibility to showcase their skills for scouts.
This is the first event in what will be a long and arduous screening process leading up to the 2011 NFL Draft.
After the Senior Bowl, there are a multitude of personal workouts and the combine to worry about, so players' fates will rise and fall every day until the draft. The days leading up to Saturday's game are no different.
There are a great number of athletes finally getting some respect and notice. There are also some players who are first round material getting a boost by playing in the exhibition. Here are the 10 players getting the most out of the Senior Bowl and the practices leading up to the big game.
10. Jake Locker, QB, Washington
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Jake Locker seems to be getting a boost by his mere appearance. We have seen Locker's stock rise and fall for the past few weeks. He is yet to crack the top of the first round yet, but there is hope that he remains a pick on the first day.
Locker understands his critics and is at the Senior Bowl to show his willingness to improve. That gives plenty of teams with quarterback issues looming in the next year or so some hope.
Todd McShay of ESPN wrote, "At this point, I'd be comfortable drafting Locker in Round 1 only if I had a veteran starting quarterback whom I could rely on for at least one more year."
Jake has a few kinks in his delivery, but scouts are confident that he would make a prime time QB given the time to grow.
9. Bilal Powell, RB, Louisville
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Powell has come out of nowhere. He is a small back that scouts doubted had any worth at the next level. Early workouts showed that he could stand to gain 10 to 15 pounds of mass. But it is widely thought doing so would not slow him down a bit.
He also answered questions on his pass blocking, which he has been proficient in. He still does not stand to make the first round. However, he is now firmly on the radar.
8. Christian Ballard, DL, Iowa
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When considering talent for the defensive line, coaches need to see one thing: explosion. You have to be a shot out of a cannon on the line. That is what Ballard is showing on the field in practice this week.
Scouts are exclaiming that Ballard is not only explosive but hustles as well. He can't wait to mix it up on the line. It is that workhorse mentality that is setting him apart early.
In a draft that contains a plethora of talent at defensive line, it is important to establish yourself as a dynamo. Ballard is doing just that.
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7. Ahmad Black, S, Florida
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The knock on Ahmad Black has always been his pass coverage. Black flourished in his ability to hone in on the run but was susceptible to the deep pass. Either all of the stigma was wrong or Black has been working on plugging up some holes.
He has been excellent thus far in drills. He is covering well, giving the corners an added cushion. He has also come up with some big-time plays. That, after all, is exactly what you would want from a safety.
6. Vincent Brown, WR, San Diego State
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Brown may not be the fastest receiver on the gridiron, but what he does, he does extremely well. Brown has been a by the book wideout that runs precision routes. He is also proving to be somewhat of a gritty player.
A lot of his catches have come as he out-willed the reception over his coverage. He is fighting some very good defensive backs for the ball and winning out. The never say die attitude is giving Brown some lift in the draft.
San Diego State surprised some people this season. Perhaps the Aztecs have one more shock up their sleeve in Vincent Brown. He has the size and power to make a difference on the next stage. Now all he needs is a team.
5. Colin Kaepernick, QB, Nevada
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Kaepernick has pretty much quieted all of the question marks scouts had on him prior to the workouts for the Senior Bowl.
The first note was that Colin was too lean to make it through the NFL season. The weigh-in signaled a great deal more muscle mass than previously thought.
He was also not highly touted as a passer. He has shown the ability to do just that. He is getting his passes off in a timely manner with precision and power.
He is also showing just how quick he can be. The pistol offense made Kaepernick into a run and gun quarterback. But it was uncertain how quick he really was. He is showing tremendous explosion and pickup speed so far in workouts.
4. Brooks Reed, OLB, Arizona
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The Wildcats defensive end may prove much more valuable at outside linebacker. That is how scouts and coaches at the Senior Bowl practices have him slotted.
Reed has been a beast this week. He is shooting the gaps with regularity and pushing around the other players with his strength. The Arizona pass rusher seems to have the size and power to tip the scales in his favor on a rush. But coaches think he has shown enough agility to cover his side at linebacker.
Versatility is always a good thing. Reed should be a very happy man.
3. Mason Foster, LB, Washington
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Mason Foster has been dispelling critics his whole career. He was not highly sought-after out of high school. Despite Foster's great high school résumé, Washington was the only school to come calling.
Now he is in a similar predicament. He is not a highly touted draft prospect, so once again, Foster will work hard to showcase his skills. The playing from behind mentality has given this player much of the grit and determination scouts are looking for.
Kevin Weidl of Scouts, Inc. commented, "Foster's instincts are the thing that stick out. He does a great job finding the ball and always being around the ball. He's good at recognizing plays and showed that by diagnosing a screen pass twice and getting in position to make the stop."
Foster is showing that speed and attention to detail that could make him a solid defender in the NFL for many years.
2. Titus Young, WR, Boise State
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We all knew Titus Young could fly. He had to be able to create separation from the line in the Boise State offense. But the Senior Bowl has been very good for our boy Young.
He is finally getting the recognition he deserves. Scouts are commenting on his work ethic and ball-catching ability. Some have mentioned him in the light of DeSean Jackson. That can't hurt your stock too much.
Young is by far the most talented player in the Senior Bowl at the receiver position. He could rise far enough to make teams think twice about taking Julio Jones or A.J. Green.
1. DeMarco Murray, RB, Oklahoma
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As is always the case with superb talent, the more you stay on the field, the more people tend to like you. Every rep has scouts more and more comfortable with DeMarco Murray. Ideally they would like him to gain a few more pounds, but he is killing it as is.
He missed a couple of pass-rushing blocks in practice, but that is being overlooked for the strengths he brings. Murray is as elusive as they come. He is not afraid to take to the middle and pound away.
If he does happen to get some space, he is gone. The man just flies in the open field. He is a treasure that could very well find a spot on the first day of drafting.
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