2007 NFL Scouting Combine Information

2007-nfl-draft

The 2007 NFL Scouting Combine list is official and can be accessed here:

Official 2007 NFL Scouting Combine List

A recent history regarding 40 yard dash times: The 2007 NFL Combine will be broadcast on the NFL Network, but the event is not open to the general public. There will be a lot of confusion on what the prospects true 40 yard dash time is. The NFL Network and other NFL team scouts, media and scouting organizations will be standing on the finish line with stop watches and will record their own 40 yard dash times. However, the official times are electronic, and those actual times will not be released until days after the Combine is complete. The electronic times are usually going to be slightly slower than the hand times. For example: a 4.46 forty might come back officially at 4.51.

The NFL Scouting Combine will be held February 21 - 27, 2007.

2007 NFL Combine invitees will take part in the following events:

40 Yard Dash
The 40 yard dash is a test of speed and explosion. The player starts from a three-point stance and runs 40 yards as fast as possible. The player is timed in 10, 20 and 40 yard increments, to gauge the player’s explosion of the line and time to top speed.

Bench Press
All players, with the exception of quarterbacks and wide receivers, participate in this test of strength. The player’s goal in this event is to bench press 225 pounds as many times as possible.

Vertical Jump
Most important to wide receivers and defensive backs. To measure vertical jump, a player stands flat-footed in front of pole with a multitude of plastic flags sticking out. The bottom of the pole is adjusted to the height of the player’s fingertips when raised straight above his head. The player then jumps from a standing position, and tries to swat as many of the plastic flags as he can. The flags, staged every half inch on the pole, rotate and give the event judge a reading of the height the player jumped.

Broad Jump
The broad jump is also done from a standing position, but this drill measures how far a player can jump. This drill is most important to positions that use lower body strength to gain an advantage (i.e. offensive and defensive linemen and running backs). The length of the jump is measured from the starting point to the back of the heel closest to the starting point upon landing.

3 Cone Drill
Tests speed, agility and cutting ability. Three cones are set up in a triangle or L shape, with each cone 5 yards apart. The player starts in a 3-point stance at the first cone. The whistle blows and the player sprints 5 yards ahead to the first cone, reaches down and touches a white line and then sprints back to the starting cone. At the starting cone, he reaches down and touches a white line, then heads back to the second cone. This time, he runs around the outside of the second cone, and cuts right to the third cone. He runs a circle around the third cone from the inside to the outside, then runs around the second cone before returning to the first cone.

20 Yard Shuttle
The 20 yard shuttle test lateral speed and coordination. The player starts in a three point stance, straddling a yard line facing the sideline. When the whistle blows, the player runs 5 yards to one side, touching the yard line. He then sprints 10 yards in the other direction and again touches the yard line, at which point he sprints back to the yard line he started from.

60 Yard Shuttle
The 60 yard shuttle is basically the same drill as the 20 yard shuttle. The only difference is that instead of running 5 yards, 10 yards then 5 yards, the player runs 10 yards to one side, then back 20 yards and then 10 yards to the starting point. This drill is probably the best test of endurance in the entire combine.

Position Specific Drills
Maybe one of the best ways to test a player’s ability to play a position is to run them at drills specifically designed for players of their position. Coaches and Scouts typically run the players through the drills, taking note as to their performance. These drills are typically overlooked for some of the sexier drills, like the 40 yard dash and bench press.
Other Drills:

Physical Measurements
Each player in attendance will be measured for height, weight and arm and hand length. Offensive and defensive linemen, as well as running backs, are also measured for body fat percentage.

NFL Team Interviews
Each NFL team is afforded the opportunity to interview up to 60 of the prospects in attendance. The interviews take place in the player hotel, and typically contain questions designed to test a player's character, mental toughness and football intelligence.

The Wonderlic Test
The Wonderlic test is designed to test a players I.Q. The test is 50 questions long, and each player is only given 23 minutes to complete it. Though the test is very rarely completed, the Wonderlic is typically regarded as a good way to measure a player's intelligence.

The Cybex Test
The Cybex test starts with a player strapped to a machine. The machine tests the player's joint movement and flexibility. While this test does not typically receive much attention, this test can be the difference between the first day and second day on draft weekend for a player with either a recent injury or a history of injuries.

Injury Evaluation
In conjunction with the Cybex test, each prospect also must survive a myriad of medical tests, including X-rays and physicals, to ensure that the player's injuries have all healed.

Urine test
As with any prospective employees these days, each prospective player must pass a urine test, designed to identify any substances deemed illegal by the NFL including marijuana, cocaine and performance-enhancing drugs.

Risers and Fallers for the 2007 NFL Draft

With all the bowl games and the College All-Star games complete, we can now take a look at how the prospects have faired in hurting or helping their draft stock. Here is a brief look at my risers and fallers for the 2007 NFL Draft, in no particular order:

Risers:
QB Drew Stanton, Michigan State
QB Jeff Rowe, Nevada
QB John Beck, BYU
QB Jeff Smith, Georgetown (Ky)
RB Tony Hunt, Penn State
RB Thomas Clayton, Kansas State
RB Kenny Irons, Auburn
RB Eldra Buckley, Tennessee-Chatanooga
RB Steve Baylark, Massachusetts
FB Brian Leonard, Rutgers
FB Le'Ron McClain, Alabama
TE Ben Patrick, Delaware
WR Rhema McKnight, Notre Dame
WR Audrae Allison, East Carolina
WR Dwayne Bowe, LSU
WR Chris Davis, Florida State
WR Jason Hill, Washington State
WR Paul Williams, Fresno State
WR Courtney Taylor, Auburn
WR David Ball, New Hampshire
WR Jacoby Jones, Lane
OC Ryan Kalil, USC
OC Kyle Young, Fresno State
OT Levi Brown, Penn State
OT/G Tony Uguh, Arkansas
OG Ben Grubbs, Auburn
OG Josh Beekum, Boston College
OG Mansfield Wrotto, Georgia Tech
DT Antonio Johnson, Mississippi State
DT Brandon Mebane, California
DT David Patterson, Ohio State
DT Kareem Brown, Miami (Fl)
DE Adam Carriker, Nebraska
DE Anthony Spencer, Purdue
DE Dan Bazuin, Central Michigan
DE Jay Moore Nebraska
DE Justin Hickman, UCLA
DE/OLB Edgar Jones, SE Missouri
LB David Harris, Michigan
LB Patrick Willis, Ole Miss
LB Quincy Black, New Mexico
LB Stewart Bradley, Nebraska
LB Zak DeOssie, Brown
LB Chad Nkang, Elon
DB Tanard Jackson, Syracuse
DB Brandon Merriweather, Miami (Fl)
CB C.J. Wilson, Baylor
CB Josh Wilson, Maryland
S Michael Griffin, Texas
Punter Daniel Sepulveda, Baylor

Fallers:
QB Brady Quinn, Notre Dame
QB Jordan Palmer, UTEP
QB Troy Smith, Ohio State
QB Chris Leak, Florida
RB Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois
RB Kenneth Darby, Alabama
OT Joe Staley, Central Michigan
OC Dan Mozes, West Virginia
OG Justin Blalock, Texas
OC/OG Doug Datish, Ohio State
TE Clark Harris, Rutgers
DE Quentin Moses, Georgia
DE LaMarr Woodley, Mishigan
DE Chase Pittman, LSU
S Aaron Rouse, Virginia Tech
*CB Daymeion Hughes, California
*Hughes looked good in the first two days of practice for the Senior Bowl, but injured his back on day three. The extent (seriousness) of his back injury will be key for the 2007 NFL Draft. If he runs good at the combine he will be a first rounder, but if he doesn't work out at the combine he could slip.

2007 Senior Bowl Post Game Report

Have you ever seen so many fumbled snaps in one game of football? I know it was wet and the quarterbacks weren't familiar with their centers , but it sure wasn't an enjoyable game to watch for a casual fan. But if you are reading this you probably aren't just a casual fan, like me, you follow the NFL Draft and this, along with the NFL Combine are the premier events leading up to the the 2007 NFL Draft.

The Senior Bowl is a week long event starting with a weigh in and a week of practices before the actual game. Many scouts attend the practice but don't stay for the game. The game was nationally broadcasted by the NFL Network and played in Mobile Alabama. It was sold out, but the 40,646-seat Ladd-Peebles Stadium was barely half full at the start, and in pouring rain was almost empty by the start of the fourth quarter.

The final score, if anyone really cares, was a 27-0 victory by the North. The north had better quarterback play and their offensive line played much better as a whole. The North offensive MVP went to Michigan State quarterback Drew Stanton and the defensive MVP was awarded to Michigan cornerback Leon Hall. South players recognized were Auburn offensive lineman Ben Grubbs (South offensive MVP) and Ole Miss linebacker Patrick Willis (South defensive MVP).

OK on to the evaluations. Some key performers from the North squad:

QB (Quarterback) Drew Stanton from Michigan State was the best signal caller on the field by far, he stands tall in the pocket, has accuracy and a quick delivery. He threw a beautiful end zone fade pattern to Audrey Allison for a touchdown in the end zone. I think Stanton carries a first round grade. I know I am in the minority here, but I even like him better than QB Brady Quinn.

I did not think QB Troy Smith from Ohio State looked good, yes he can scramble and throw a decent ball on the run, but standing in the pocket he is short at only 6 foot and widely inaccurate. Dick Vermeil stated he was wild with his throws all week.

QB Tyler Palko from Pitt surprised me, he showed nice mobility and accuracy. He has very good pocket presence and displayed his athleticism when he threw a nifty little shuffle pass. He reminds me a little bit of the Cowboys Tony Romo.

RB (Running back) Tony Hunt from Penn State looked like the best running back on the field. Not great, but decent, he has thick thighs and is very hard to bring down. He won the game's MVP award kind of by default as no one really stood out. Hunt finished the game with 8 carries for 38 yards and a TD.

RB Kolby Smith from Louisville also looked good. Smith is interesting in the fact that if RB Michael Bush wouldn't have gotten hurt this year we probably wouldn't even be talking about him, but we are, and he is good. He has decent size at 5-11 214 pounds and looks like a good third down scat back. His NFL Draft stock is definitely on the rise.

The North's offensive line played very good and it was led by OT (Offensive tackle) Levi Brown, also of Penn State. Brown is as good as advertised, great NFL size for a tackle at 6-5 323 pounds. Brown has great feet, slides well, and shows a mean streak. He finishes blocks until the whistle blows. He looks like a franchise left tackle in the NFL and should be a top ten pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.

G (Offensive guard) Josh Beekum from Boston College also looked good, at 6-1 315 he is a tad short, but he plays with good leverage and is very good on his feet, he pulled on a few plays and made some nice blocks.

C/G (Center/Guard) Doug Datish from Ohio State was moved from center to guard for this game but didn't distinguish himself.

FB (Fullback) Brian Leonard was incredible, he does the little things so well. He can block, catch the ball, and if you give him the rock he knows what to do with it. He didn't have great stats, but he ran for some very nice short yardage first downs. He ran over 240 pound All-American Inside Linebacker Patrick Willis on one such run. Leonard is little small for a full back, he lost some weight lately, his weight went down from 238 pounds down to 224. I think he will have a long career in the NFL.

As far as wide Receivers (WR), I think Rema McNight from Notre Dame, Audrey Allison from East Carolina, Jason Hill from Washington St. and Paul Williams from Fresno State all had good games. They are all right around 6-0 200 pounds. Williams was a late roster addition after a good East-West Shrine game. McNight runs good routes and is quick in and out of his breaks, and Jason Hill has long arms and a knack for catching the ball in the end zone, he recorded an amazing 32 career touchdowns while playing for Washington State.

On the defensive side of the ball you have to be impressed with Defensive tackle (DT) Amobi Okoye from Louisville. He was listed at 6-2 312 pounds, but weighed in at the Senior Bowl at 6-2 287. He is only 19 years old and has been starting for Louisville since he was a true 16 year old freshman. He is incredibly quick, strong, and uses his hands well. He will have to play in a 4-3 type defense in the NFL, but give him a couple years in a strength program and he could be a Pro Bowl NFL defensive Tackle. He had a dominant Senior Bowl performance and I look for him to be a top 20 pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. He reminds me of the Bears' Tommy Harris.

I almost forgot to mention Defensive End (DE) Adam Carriker from Nebraska. Adam will be a hot commodity in the 2007 NFL Draft because of his quickness, strength and size. Carriker has prototype size at 6-5 292 pound and can play the run and the pass equally well. He was just too much for the South's offensive line and was pressuring the QB's all day. He could play in a 3-4 or a 4-3 type defense, but he really fits the mold of a New England Patriot's type defensive end.

Carriker's teammate from Nebraska DE Jay Moore also had a heck of a game. More had two sacks and a big league strip that caused the QB to fumble the ball. Moore has a quick first step, but at 6-4 276 he might have to play outside linebacker in the NFL.

Linebacker (LB) David Harris from Michigan had a nice game. Harris is a very under-rated player, he has decent size at 6-2 239 pounds, is fast to the ball, and fights through blocks well. He recognized a screen pass very nicely and dropped RB Ken Darby for a loss.

DE Anthony Spencer also had a nice game, Spencer is very explosive getting to the QB and displayed a nice inside move in this game. At 6-2 266 pounds this sack master might be a situational pass rusher and/ or an outside linebacker at the next level.

Cornerback (CB) Josh Wilson from Maryland looked very good in coverage for the North. He is only 5-9 192 pounds, but he has good quickness and plays the ball very well. Wilson looks well coached as he knows just when to turn and look for the ball.

They call CB Leon Hall "Lockdown Leon" and for good reason. He is not flashy and he doesn't have "Neon Deion Sanders" speed, but he plays with excellent technique. He might not ever be a Pro Bowl corner in the NFL, but he could be a quality starter for years to come.

Some key performers from the South squad:

I feel a little sorry for the South's offensive skill players because they didn't get many plays to showcase their skills. Either the South's QBs were fumbling the ball or the offensive line was failing to block, but you can see by the goose egg on the scoreboard it wasn't a good day for the South Offense.

Probably the best offensive player for the South was Auburn's Kenny Irons, he is shifty and quick and finishes his runs very well.

QB Jordan Palmer is through, you can put a fork in him, in my opinion. I don't see any NFL skills there. He has a slow delivery, is inaccurate, and not very athletic. On one play he was barely touched and he fell to the ground taking a sack.

OT Joe Staley from Central Michigan had a horrible game. After a week of good practices leading up to the Senior Bowl, some were considering Staley as a possible first rounder, not anymore. Staley had two mental and one physical breakdown in the game and allowed three sacks. This former tight end has got some things to work on before he could play tackle in the NFL.

On a positive note, I liked the play of their right tackle Mansfield Wrotto from Georgia Tech. Wrotto is a very interesting prospect. He was originally a highly recruited defensive tackle, then converted to offensive guard by coach Chan Gailey. At the senior Bowl he was converted to right offensive tackle. In the game, I went back and watched the film of him again, and he played really good. Wrotto weighed a solid, athletic 6-3 316 pounds. With a little patience and development he could be a solid NFL player and a steal in the 2007 NFL Draft.

TE (Tight End) Joe Newton from Oregon State is a huge, athletic Tight End. Nicely sized at 6-6 257 pounds, and soft hands. He reminds me of Dallas's Jason Witten.

WR Chris Davis from Florida State will be playing in the NFL next year. Davis is a smaller return man, but he is also a cat quick receiver. I can see the 5-10 180 pound Davis as a third down slot receiver and a punt returner in the NFL.

WR Courtney Taylor from Auburn played a nice game, he looks to turn the ball upfield and run when he gets it in his hands and he had a nice RAC (run after the catch) in the 2007 Senior Bowl.

The best true fullback in the game, not counting Brian Leonard, was Le'Ron McClain from Alabama. At 6-0 258 he is a battering ram for a lead blocker.

Most of the stellar performances for the South in this 2007 Senior Bowl came from the South's defense and they did have a lot of shining stars.

The defensive MVP was (ILB) Inside Linebacker Patrick Willis from Ole Miss. Willis was all over the field and continued to show why he will be a first round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Willis finished with 11 tackles. This 6-1 240 pound linebacker will probably be in the running for the NFL's defensive rookie of the year next year.

DE Ray McDonald from Florida was in on the QB a few times. The scouts were talking about how flabby this 6-3 282 pound End looked at the Senior Bowl weigh-in, but regardless, he is a gamer.

Dick Vermeil was just raving about Miami's huge defensive tackle (DT) Kareem Brown, and at 6-4 303 pound he is a load. With Brown plugging the middle, most of the North's runs went to the outside. Miami players seem to have had their draft stock fall due to character issues, and for good reason, but most of those players end up playing well in the NFL.

The other two Defensive tackles that jumped out at me were relatively unknown Antonio Johnson from Mississippi and Tank Tyler from NC State. Johnson plays with a non stop motor and low pad level. He was a force on the inside. At 6-2 305 pounds he has NFL size and could be sleeper pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Tank Tyler is one of the biggest tackles at 6-2 323 and could even play nose tackle. I think very highly of Tyler, he is big, strong, quick and uses his hands well. I rate the "Tank" as a late first round prospect for the 2007 NFL Draft.

I have mixed feelings on the two big name Texas defensive backs. While I really like Michael Griffin as an excellent cover safety, I thought Aaron Ross was a little slow recovering and reacting.

Brandon Merriweather from Miami looks like a great NFL prospect, at 5-10 192 I don't know if he has the size for free safety, but he is a speedy playmaker. He plays with good technique and has a knack for stripping the ball which he did nicely in this game. However, character issues linger with Brandon Merriweather after he was in that ugly fight last year on the football field.

Jonathan Wade from Tennessee will probably be a high draft pick after he runs a sizzling 40 yard dash at the NFL Combine. He played good in the Senior Bowl, he is a little small at 5-9.7 192 pounds, but did I mention blazing speed? He has ran as fast as 10.3 seconds in the 100 meters.

Don’t Forget About Alabama Running Back Ken Darby

With underclassmen running backs (RB) Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch stealing the spotlight, it’s easy to forget about the seniors. Peterson and Lynch could easily be top 10 picks in the 2007 NFL Draft, they are both that good. But most teams won’t have the luxury of drafting that high, so they will be left with a handful of average seniors. Yes Kenneth Darby from Alabama had a poor senior season; I was kind of surprised actually, I just loved this player as a junior when he was a (2005) First-Team All-SEC (Coaches) selection. He rushed 239 times for 1,242 yards and 3 TDs with an impressive 5.2 yards per carry average. I thought about this time, (his senior year), we would be talking about him being a potential first round NFL Draft pick. But Darby just wasn’t himself as a senior. I am not making excuses for him, well actually I am, but he did suffer a nagging hip injury this year and lost a little of his aggressiveness and confidence, defenses were keying in on him and he didn’t get as many carries, he only rushed the ball 210 times for 835 yards, with a mediocre 4.0 yards per carry average.

Now let’s fast forward to the present, playing in his back yard in Mobile Alabama, Kenneth Darby is having some very impressive workouts at the Senior Bowl practices this week. There is a lot of conflicting information coming from the Senior Bowl, but most of the reports that I have heard, and actually watching him practice on the NFL Network, Darby is looking very good. He has decent size at 5-11 and 215 pounds, not a speedster, but explosive and very shifty. He also hands nice hands catching the ball out of the backfield. Darby had 66 career receptions for 310 yards and 2 TDs while he was playing for the Tide. I compare him (slightly) to Emmitt Smith. Now I am not putting him in the 1st round of the 2007 NFL Draft, he has just been to inconsistent, but if he plays good in the game (Senior Bowl) and runs a sub 4.5 forty yard dash at the 2007 NFL Combine, he could be a third or fourth round NFL Draft pick, and be a quality running back in the NFL.

Under-classmen in the 2007 NFL Draft

The NFL has released the list of all the pro prospects that have declared themselves eligible for the 2007 NFL Draft. The criteria is that they have to be three years removed from high school, that is why you will see a few sophomores.

Early Entrants in the 2007 NFL Draft:

The Bold numbers in parenthesis means potential draft spot (#range).

Jon Abbate - Linebacker - Wake Forest
Jamaal Anderson - Defensive End - Arkansas (10-21)
Antwan Applewhite - Defensive End - San Diego State
Jon Beason - Linebacker - Miami (50-90)
Ahmad Bradshaw - Runningback - Marshall
Alan Branch - Defensive Tackle - Michigan (5-20)
Michael Bush - Runningback - Louisville (15-45)
Keenan Carter - Nose Tackle - Virginia
Stanley Doughty - Defensive Tackle - South Carolina
C.J. Gaddis - Defensive Back - Clemson
Ted Ginn Jr. - Wide Receiver - Ohio State (10-20)
Anthony Gonzalez - Wide Receiver - Ohio St.
Chris Henry - Runningback - Arizona
Chris Houston - Defensive Back - Arkansas (40-50)
Jason Jack - Defensive End - Texas A&M
Brandon Jackson - Runningback - Nebraska
Dwayne Jarrett - Wide Receiver - Southern California (4-15)
Calvin Johnson - Wide Receiver - Georgia Tech (1-5)
Charles Johnson - Defensive End - Georgia (20-45)
Rory Johnson - Linebacker - Mississippi
Marshawn Lynch - Runningback - California (5-20)
Robert Meachem - Wide Receiver - Tennessee (10-30)
Zach Miller - Tight End - Arizona State (15-45)
Jarvis Moss - Defensive End - Florida
Reggie Nelson - Defensive Back - Florida (10-20)
Greg Olsen - Tight End - Miami (20-50)
Adrian Peterson - Runningback - Oklahoma (3-10)
Antonio Pittman - Runningback - Ohio State
Darrelle Revis - Defensive Back - Pittsburgh (35-50)
Sidney Rice - Wide Receiver - South Carolina (10-30)
Gary Russell - Runningback - Minnesota
JaMarcus Russell - Quarterback - Louisiana State (1-5)
Brandon Siler - Linebacker - Florida (40-50)
Ryan Smith - Defensive Back - Florida
Brock Stratton - Linebacker - Texas Tech
Ramonce Taylor - Runningback - Texas
Lawrence Timmons - Linebacker - Florida State (25-45)
Darius Walker - Runningback - Notre Dame
Danny Ware - Runningback - Georgia
Eric Wright - Defensive Back - Nevada-Las Vegas

Center Ryan Kalil Moving Up NFL Draft Boards

USC Football has been the poster child of College Football these past few years, but one prospect for the 2007 NFL Draft that has gone unsung is Center Ryan Kalil. After starting for USC at Center since his sophomore season, he has been an All-PAC 10 player the last two. Now the Senior Center has capped off an excellent season with a good post season. Reports out of Mobile Alabama at the Senior Bowl practices are that Kalil is performing at a dominant level. At 6-2 291 pounds he is a little on the light side, but he is very strong, quick and plays with good leverage. Kalil is the best center in this draft, hands down, and has now possibly moved into the bottom of the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. A strong performance during the actual Senior Bowl game and at the NFL Combine could elevate his lofty draft status even further.

On another note, a Small School Prospect that I am high on will now be playing at the Senior Bowl. Tight End (TE) Ben Patrick from Delaware is going to replace TE Clark Harris from Rutgers who was injured Tuesday. Patrick could begin practice as early as Wednesday.

Running Back (RB) Garrett Wolfe from Northern Illinois was also injured and will be replaced by RB Thomas Clayton from Kansas State.

Defensive End/ Outside Linebacker Lamar Woodley from Michigan is questionable for the game as he tweeked his hamstring. I think Woodley's draft stock was slipping anyway, and this will not help.

Official Senior Bowl Roster

The 2007 Under Armour Senior Bowl is scheduled for Saturday, January 27, 2007, in Mobile’s Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

Kickoff is 3 PM and the contest will be nationally-televised
by NFL Network

* Check back here (The NFL Draft Site) after the game for a complete performance evaluation for these 2007 NFL Draft Prospects.

2007 Senior Bowl South Team Alphabetical Roster:

33 Rufus Alexander LB 5-11 230 Oklahoma
85 Dallas Baker WR 6-3 205 Florida
8 Fred Bennett DB 6-1 200 South Carolina
63 Justin Blalock OL 6-4 332 Texas
28 Lorenzo Booker RB 5-10 191 Florida State
80 Dwayne Bowe WR 6-1 201 LSU
99 Kareem Brown DL 6-5 305 Miami
80 Tim Crowder DE 6-4 270 Texas
34 Ken Darby RB 5-11 213 Alabama
3 A.J. Davis DB 5-10 186 N.C. State
7 Buster Davis LB 5-10 244 Florida State
3 Chris Davis WR 6-0 185 Florida State
76 Tim Duckworth OL 6-5 312 Auburn
30 Earl Everett LB 6-2 227 Florida
12 Nick Folk K 6-2 212 Arizona
62 Dustin Fry OL 6-3 324 Clemson
61 Brett Goode DS 6-1 235 Arkansas
27 Michael Griffin DB 6-1 205 Texas
69 Ben Grubbs OL 6-3 302 Auburn
64 Leroy Harris OL 6-3 296 N.C. State
21 Johnnie Lee Higgins WR 6-0 184 UTEP
4 David Irons DB 5-10 188 Auburn
23 Kenny Irons RB 5-11 195 Auburn
90 Antonio Johnson DL 6-3 303 Mississippi State
67 Ryan Kalil OL 6-3 285 USC
4 Kevin Kolb QB 6-3 228 Houston
12 Chris Leak QB 6-0 210 Florida
93 Ryan McBean DL 6-5 285 Oklahoma State
33 Le’Ron McClain RB 6-0 258 Alabama
95 Ray McDonald DE 6-3 276 Florida
19 Brandon Meriweather DB 6-0 190 Miami
87 Martrez Milner TE 6-4 252 Georgia
94 Quentin Moses DE 6-6 250 Georgia
89 Joe Newton TE 6-7 251 Oregon State
5 Jordan Palmer QB 6-5 229 UTEP
17 Kevin Payne DB 6-0 215 Louisiana-Monroe
92 Chase Pittman DE 6-4 263 LSU
31 Aaron Ross DB 6-0 191 Texas
78 Arron Sears OL 6-4 330 Tennessee
37 Daniel Sepulveda P 6-2 223 Baylor
42 Juwan Simpson LB 6-3 228 Alabama
73 Joe Staley OL 6-6 300 Central Michigan
2 Chansi Stuckey WR 5-10 181 Clemson
86 Courtney Taylor WR 6-2 200 Auburn
43 Tony Taylor LB 6-0 234 Georgia
72 Tank Tyler DL 6-2 310 N.C. State
66 Tony Ugoh OL 6-5 305 Arkansas
29 Jonathan Wade DB 6-0 190 Tennessee
49 Patrick Willis LB 6-2 230 Ole Miss
51 Mansfield Wrotto OL 6-3 315 Georgia Tech


2007 Senior Bowl North Team Alphabetical Roster

95 Victor Abiamiri DE 6-4 268 Notre Dame
2 Aundrae Allison WR 6-0 188 East Carolina
75 Josh Beekman OL 6-2 314 Boston College
51 H.B. Blades LB 5-11 241 Pittsburgh
53 Stewart Bradley LB 6-3 245 Nebraska
67 Levi Brown OL 6-5 325 Penn State
6 Prescott Burgess LB 6-3 245 Michigan
92 Adam Carriker DE 6-6 290 Nebraska
87 Scott Chandler TE 6-7 258 Iowa
8 David Clowney WR 6-1 185 Virginia Tech
16 Mason Crosby K 6-1 213 Colorado
50 Doug Datish OL 6-4 291 Ohio State
22 Josh Gattis DB 6-1 213 Wake Forest
29 Leon Hall DB 5-11 195 Michigan
81 Clark Harris TE 6-5 254 Rutgers
45 David Harris LB 6-2 239 Michigan
68 Ryan Harris OL 6-5 295 Notre Dame
80 Jason Hill WR 6-0 210 Washington St.
13 Daymeion Hughes DB 5-11 185 California
26 Tony Hunt RB 6-1 220 Penn State
28 Tanard Jackson DB 6-0 189 Syracuse
61 Nicholas Leeson DS 6-2 250 Virginia Tech
23 Brian Leonard RB 6-1 238 Rutgers
72 James Marten OL 6-5 305 Boston College
17 Marcus McCauley DB 6-1 199 Fresno State
5 Rhema McKnight WR 6-1 212 Notre Dame
43 Boo McLee LB 6-0 251 West Virginia
52 Brandon Mebane DL 6-1 300 California
44 Jay Moore DE 6-4 275 Nebraska
76 Dan Mozes OL 6-3 287 West Virginia
7 Brandon Myles WR 6-1 190 West Virginia
91 Amobi Okoye DL 6-2 312 Louisville
3 Tyler Palko QB 6-2 222 Pittsburgh
97 David Patterson DL 6-3 285 Ohio State
90 Quinn Pitcock DL 6-3 300 Ohio State
36 Adam Podlesh P 5-11 205 Maryland
31 Paul Posluszny LB 6-2 230 Penn State
63 Manuel Ramirez OL 6-4 329 Texas Tech
30 Aaron Rouse DB 6-4 213 Virginia Tech
64 Samson Satele OL 6-2 294 Hawaii
33 Kolby Smith RB 6-0 215 Louisville
10 Troy Smith QB 6-1 215 Ohio State
49 Anthony Spencer DE/OLB 6-3 262 Purdue
5 Drew Stanton QB 6-3 235 Michigan State
32 Eric Weddle DB 5-11 201 Utah
83 Paul Williams WR 6-2 210 Fresno State
4 Josh Wilson DB 5-9 184 Maryland
1 Garrett Wolfe RB 5-7 170 Northern Illinois
56 LaMarr Woodley DE 6-1 269 Michigan
73 Marshal Yanda OL 6-4 295 Iowa

The 2007 East West Shrine Game Report

The 82nd annual East-West Shrine Game ws played Friday night (January 21st 2007). The game moved last year to San Antonio from San Francisco after years of declining interest in the Bay Area of California, then to Houston's Reliant Stadium this year. Paid attendance was announced as 23,554, an improvement of about 5,000 from a year ago at the Alamodome.

The game itself wasn't too exciting and there were no phenomenal performances similar to last years performance of WR Marques Colston, but nonetheless, due partly to Colston's stunning success in the NFL, the game itself has taken on a renewed interest from NFL scouts. New Orleans star receiver Colston was the 2006 Shrine Game MVP and was drafted in the 7th round of the 2006 NFL Draft. If you are a draftnick, you have to love this game where Small School Prospects get to compete with the second tier major college prospects.

The West team was coached by an engaging Dan Reeves while the East team was coached by an old, out of touch Don Shula. Reeves was seen actively coaching his young players, where as Shula barely knew who was on the field, seemingly delegating everything to his assistant coaches. The West defeated the East 21-3, but I don't think anyone really cared who won, except Reeves, who has publicly stated he would like to coach again in the NFL.

On to the 2007 NFL Draft Prospects:
I think the difference was the West had the better quarterbacks, BYU's John Beck led a scoring drive in the first quarter and Nevada QB Jeff Rowe threw two TD passes later in the game and subsequently was the MVP of the game. Both quarterbacks helped their stock for the 2007 NFL Draft, but none more than Rowe, who at 6-5 225 pounds stands tall in the pocket, sees the field well and has a strong arm. Beck is a little smaller at 6-2 216 pounds, but he has a very quick release and is extremely accurate, there are questions about his arm strength however. Beck finished his career at BYU as the Cougars' second all-time leading passer with 11,021 yards.

Other standouts for the West Team:

WR Paul Williams from Fresno State had an excellent game. I was real high on this kid last year, but he battled injuries this year and his NFL Draft stock slipped a little. Williams hauled in a nice 79 yard TD pass from Jeff Rowe in this game and his NFL Draft stock is on the rise again. He has nice size at 6-2 210 pounds, blazing speed and good hands. We will see much more of Williams as he has recently been invited to the 2007 Senior Bowl.

Center Kyle Young is an interesting prospects, after starting 47 straight games and widely considered a top prospect for the 2007 NFL Draft, Young was suspended and not invited to the 2007 NFL Combine. Young showed up at the Shrine game and played the entire second half. At 6-5 330 pounds he is a mammoth of a man and he did a good job, he isn't real mobile, he looked a little heavy and wore two huge knee braces on both knees. Some think he might project to guard at the next level.

Cornerback C.J. Wilson from Baylor looked good at the game and displayed outstanding coverage skills all week in practice.

Defensive End Justin Hickman from UCLA provided a nice pass rush during the game. Hickman is a little short at 6-2 263 pounds, but had excellent production in the PAC 10. Hickman finished the season with 42 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks.

Outside Linebacker Quincy Black from New Mexico is an impressive prospect, he looked very fast in the game and at 6-3 238 pounds, he is a special teams daemon, which is a highly regarded talent in the NFL. Blazing speed will help him fly up the NFL Draft boards after the NFL Combine.

Inside Linebacker Brandon Archer has been around for a while, playing for Kansas State he has been making big plays his entire career and he continued to clog up the middle in this Shrine game.

TE Michael Allen is Small School talent, he played for tiny Whitworth College and he showed himself well during this game. He was the "first man down" on punt coverage and recovered a Steve Breaston muffed punt. Allen will have to earn a roster spot playing special teams and he flashed impressive special teams ability in the game.

University of Houston Running Back Jackie Battle had 2 carries for 18 yards and one reception for 11 yards in this Shrine game. He will be tried out at fullback in the NFL and at 6-2 245 pounds he has the size for it.

Prospects for the East Team:

Defensive End Dan Bazuin from Central Michigan was the star of the East recording 2 1/2 sacks. Bazuin is considered a little short at 6-2 272, but he has an explosive first step and a big league swim move (arm over). Bazuin has been incredibly productive in his career, recording 16 sacks last year and 10 1/2 this year.

Defensive Tackle Clifton Ryan from Michigan State had one heck of a game and looks like a major NFL Draft "sleeper". Ryan has a non stop motor and nice size at 6-2 302 pounds. The West Team's centers had a tough time with him.

Linebacker Zak DeOssie from Brown was in on tackle after tackle. His dad played in the NFL and he also seconds as a long snapper. At 6-4 240 pounds he will be given a chance in the NFL and if he runs a good enough 40 yard dash he could sneak into the first day of the 2007 NFL Draft. DeOssie might be the top non division I prospect in the nation.

Cornerback Michael Coe from Alabama State looked good in the game and showed good coverage ability during the week in practice. Coe played for three years at Arkansas before transferring to Alabama State this year.

Wide Receiver David Ball was already a celebrated prospect before this game, but here he caught everything thrown his way in this game and only helped his draft stock. He made a big league catch in traffic, jumping and catching the ball at its highest point.

WR Jacoby Jones from tiny Lane College is an interesting prospect, he has NFL size at 6-4 218 and is very explosive, he was getting open play after play and was very elusive on a punt return. He is raw and needs to improve on catching the ball , as he had a couple drops. If he would have caught all his passes he could have been the MVP.

Cornerback Travarous Bain was an impressive specimen during the game being the first man down on numerous occasions on punt and kick-off coverage. Reportedly he looked good in practice and at 6-0 180 pounds looks to hear his name called in the 2007 NFL Draft.

Tight End Ben Patrick from Delaware stood out for a catch he didn't make. He was wide open on one occasion and his quarterback overthrew him badly, he dove and laid out for the ball, flashed superior athletic ability. At 6-4 270 pounds he will get a long look in the NFL Draft.

One of the best running backs on the field was University of Massachusetts Steve Baylock. Baylock looked fast on the field, good vision and caught the ball very well out of the backfield.

On a negative note, quarterback Lester Ricard from Tulane looked terrible. Yes he has nice size at 6-5 223 pounds, but he has an agonizingly slow delivery, mediocre accuracy and has no chance in the NFL in my opinion.

Wide Receiver Steve Breaston from Michigan didn't help his draft stock. He muffed a punt in the game and muffed a few in practice leading up to the game.

WR Jeff Samardzija Turns His Back on 2007 NFL Draft

Notre Dame Wide Receiver Jeff Samardzija has decided to forget football and focus on baseball. "Obviously it took some time," Samardzija said Friday evening. "It wasn't necessarily out of the blue. Things just kind of add up."

Samardzija is a right handed pitcher, and was the Chicago Cubs' fifth-round pick in last year's amateur draft. He made seven starts for their Class A teams at Boise and Peoria last summer, posting a 2.70 ERA. Don't worry, Jeff Samardzija will not have to trade in his Cadillac Escalade with this decision. His will collect a nice $2.5 million signing bonus and the Cubs hold options for a sixth and seventh seasons in 2012 and 2013. If the options are exercised, the deal would be worth $16.5 million over seven years.

Samardzija claims he is done with football, but is headed for a brutal stint in the minor leagues, probably starting for Class A Daytona after spring training. The deal also includes a no-trade clause.

Does anyone remember former Michigan quarterback Drew Henson, he also initially tried baseball, but changed his mind later and was drafted by the NFL's Houston Texans in the 6th round, and later traded to the Dallas Cowboys? After a stint in NFL Europe last year, the Cowboys gave up on Henson in favor of Tony Romo, and the last I heard Henson was trying ot for the Vikings and Patriots.

I think there is a decent chance some NFL team will still draft Samadzija at the end of the draft in order to retain his rights. He was an incredible football talent and would have been a mid-to-late 1st round draft pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Jeff has outstanding size at 6 foot, 5 inches tall, and 218 pounds, and he was very productive for Notre Dame catching 78 passes for 1,017 yards and 12 touchdowns. Opposing defenses knew he was going to get the ball, but still couldn't stop him.

After a year or two playing baseball he might realize football is his true calling and the NFL team that has his rights will have a wide receiver gem on their hands. But obviously, like every NFL Draft pick, there is a risk, if baseball does work out for him, the team that drafted him will have wasted a pick.

Looking for a Quarterback in the 2007 NFL Draft? ....Good Luck

Can someone find me a quarterback?

Picture: Kevin Kolb, Houston

Colt Brennan from Hawaii pulls out of the 2007 NFL Draft at the last moment and Brian Brohm from Louisville doesn’t declare, as some thought he might. These recent developments are making the quarterback position one of the weakest in years for this 2007 NFL Draft. All I can say is thank goodness for LSU’s JaMarcus Russell, that is, if you are a Raider fan, because Russell will almost certainly be selected first over-all by the Oakland Raiders.

Besides QB JaMarcus Russell, which I have previously covered, here are my rankings for the available quarterbacks for the 2007 NFL Draft.

1. Brady Quinn, 6-4 225, Notre Dame:
Coming into the season he was thought of as the top dog, in the pre-season he was rated the number-one quarterback in college football for 2006 by The Sporting News and Lindy's, and a 2006 first-team preseason All-America selection by The Sporting News, Lindy's, Athlon, Street & Smith's and CBSSportsLine.com. Quinn was the recipient of the Sammy Baugh trophy which is awarded to college football's top passer by the Touchdown Club of Columbus as well as the winner of the Maxwell Trophy. He has already found an agent (Tom Condon), a lawyer, an accountant and a marketing rep for endorsements. Quinn will probably be drafted 2nd over-all by the Detroit Lions, he is big and tall and has a powerful arm. I just don’t think he is that accurate. One game doesn’t make or break a prospect, but he looked terrible in his final collegiate game Jan. 3, 2007 in a 41-14 embarrassing loss to LSU in the Sugar Bowl.

2. Drew Stanton, 6-3 230, Michigan State:
Another big, strong kid with an excellent collegiate career under his belt. This year Stanton completed 164 passes for 1,807 yards with 12 TDs and 10 interceptions. Very accurate passer, completing 61% of his passes. Stanton doesn’t look to have a real powerful arm and doesn’t see the field well at times as evidenced by his 10 interceptions. Stanton won’t be a first rounder, but with an excellent combine, could sneak into the 2nd round.

3. Kevin Kolb, 6-2 230, Houston
Incredibly experienced prospect, Kolb was highly rated out of high school and has started since he was a true freshman; he was the first true freshman to start the season opener at quarterback in the history of the University of Houston. For his collegiate career, Kolb has played in 50 games, threw for 12,964 yards, 85 touchdowns and 31 interceptions. In this weak QB class, Kolb could fly up the draft boards, especially if he has a good combine.

4. Trent Edwards, 6-3 223, Stanford:
Earned several preseason accolades in 2006, including First Team (The Sporting News) and Second Team (Athlon, Steele's) All-Pac-10 honors, as well as an honorable mention All-American selection (Street & Smith's). He ranks among Pac-10 and NCAA leaders in completions per game (#67T NCAA, 13.43), total passing yards (#66 NCAA, 1027), passing yards per game (#9 Pac-10, #75 NCAA, 146.71), total offense (#9 Pac-10, #86 NCAA, 152.0) and passing efficiency (#9 Pac-10, #66 NCAA, 120.6)

Edwards draft stock is slipping, he had a better 2005 season than this year (2006). Has struggled in his last four games, completing just 33-of-59 passes for only 344 yards with four picks and just one TD. He will need to have an excellent combine to regain his lofty draft status; he might even be a mid to late round draft pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.

5. Troy Smith, 6-0 213, Ohio State
I have already covered him here: Another Heisman Jinx

The Rodney Dangerfield of the 2007 NFL Draft

He just gets no respect, maybe he is to slow or to small, but one thing I know is Western Michigan’s Ameer Ismail knows how to play the game of football. The 6 foot 2 inch, 230 pound former running back is the Division I sack and tackle for loss champion for the 2006 season. He led the entire nation with 17 sacks and 25.5 tackles for loss.

Ismail is not real experienced playing defense; in 2004 he switched positions from running back to linebacker. I would say he caught onto the other side of the ball (defense) pretty well. In 2005 he became a first-team All-MAC selection and was named WMU's Defensive MVP. He racked up 93 tackles with 20 tackles for loss and eight sacks. Ismail proved that was no fluke this season with 73 tackles, including 25.5 tackles for loss and his 17 sacks. Ismail wasn’t too bad in pass coverage either recording two interceptions this season.

"I guess the change from running back has worked pretty well," Ismail joked. "I think it is the best thing that could have happened and it allows me to help the team as much as I can."

So why isn’t he thought of as a top prospect for the NFL Draft? He wasn’t even invited to the 2007 NFL Combine. I think scouts are concerned about his foot-speed and size. Playing for Western Michigan he played with his hand down and rushed the passer on most plays, but in the NFL he doesn’t have the size to do that on a consistent basis, heck he is barely even big enough to play linebacker. He is kind of a tweener between strong safety and outside linebacker.

But don’t discount this playmaker, NFL rosters are full of players that don’t “fit the mold” of the prototype player. He has an explosive first step, almost impossible for a tackle to block him one on one. Can anyone say Dwight Freeney? Ismail, I think, will be a major sleeper in this upcoming NFL Draft, he might even go undrafted, and if so, will be an excellent free agent pickup for some lucky team. He will be a special teams demon until he finds his position in the NFL.

Spotlight on RB Nate Ilaoa, Hawaii

I wasn't really surprised when I saw Nate Ilaoa on the 2007 NFL Combine list. Every time I watched the Hawaii Rainbow's play the last few years I was amazed by this players talent. Very short and stocky at 5 foot 9 inches and around 250 pounds, he looks like Barry Sanders on steroids. But oh what a prospect, he has fought all kinds of adversity in his career, he has had injury problems and weight problems, seeing his weight fluctuate between 245 and 255 pounds.

I really like his NFL potential because of his versatility, he is a former receiver and it shows. Quite often you would see Ilaoa going in motion and splitting out wide from his running back position. Over his career he caught 151 passes for 1,694 yards and 9 TDs. He is a weapon on screens and draws and as a regular running back he is no slouch either, he played in 40 games, had 222 carries for 1,719 yards and 20 TDs.

I think he will provide an NFL team some nice value in the later rounds of the 2007 NFL Draft. He should earn a roster spot returning kickoffs, playing on special teams and coming in as a third down back. A lot of NFL Scouts will have their eyes on Nate Ilaoa at the NFL Combine, and I would expect him to have an excellent workout. If he runs the 40 yard dash around 4.50 he could even sneak into the 4th or 5th round of the 2007 NFL Draft.

2007 NFL Draft Scouting Combine List

The 2007 NFL Combine invite list is out. The NFL Scouting Combine will be held February 21 - 27, 2007 at Indianapolis, Indiana. Here is an early list of the NFL Prospects that have been invited. Underclassmen will be added as they declare:

Quarterbacks
John Beck, BYU
Trent Edwards, Stanford
Luke Getsy, Akron
Matt Gutierrez, Idaho State,
Kevin Kolb, Houston
Toby Korrodi, Central Missouri State
Chris Leak, Florida
Tyler Palko, Pittsburgh
Jordan Palmer, UTEP
James Pinkney, East Carolina
Brady Quinn, Notre Dame
Jeff Rowe, Nevada
JaMarcus Russell, LSU
Troy Smith, Ohio State
Isaiah Stanback, Washington
Drew Stanton, Michigan State
Zac Taylor, Nebraska
Jared Zabransky, Boise State

Running Backs
Cory Anderson, Tennessee
Deon Anderson, Connecticut
Lorenzo Booker, Florida State
Eldra Buckley,Tenn-Chattanooga
Ahmad Bradshaw, Marshall
Michael Bush, Louisville
Thomas Clayton, Kansas State
Alonzo Coleman, Hampton
Jon Cornish, Kansas
Kenneth Darby, Alabama
Chris Henry, Arizona
Tony Hunt, Penn State
Nate Ilaoa, Hawaii
Kenny Irons, Auburn
Brandon Jackson, Nebraska
Brian Leonard, Rutgers
Marshawn Lynch, California
LeRon McClain, Alabama
Ronnie McGill, North Carolina
Tyrone Moss, Miami-Fl
Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma
Antonio Pittman, Ohio State
Gary Russell, Minnesota
Kolby Smith, Louisville
Jason Snelling, Virginia
Raymonce Taylor, Texas
Dariuas Walker, Notre Dame
Danny Ware, Georgia
Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois
Dwayne Wright, Fresno State
Deshawn Wynn, Florida
Selvin Young, Texas

Wide Receivers
Aundrae Allison, East Carolina
Dallas Baker, Florida
David Ball, New Hampshire
Reggie Ball, Georgia Tech
Dwayne Bowe, LSU
Mark Bradford, Stanford
Steve Breaston, Michigan
David Clowney, Virginia Tech
Jemalle Cornelius, Florida
Craig Davis, LSU
Chris Davis, Florida State
Aaron Fairooz, Central Arkansas
Yamon Figurs, Kansas State
Joel Filani, Texas Tech
Tedd Ginn Jr. Ohio State
Anthony Gonzalez, Ohio State
Jarrett Hicks, Texas Tech
Johnnie Lee Higgins, UTEP
Jason Hill, Washington State
Jonathan Holland, Louisiana Tech
Drisan, James, Boise State
Dwayne Jarrett, USC
Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech
Onrea Jones, Hampton
Jacoby Jones, Lane
James Jones, San Jose State
Jordan Kent, Oregon
Mike Mason, Tennessee State
Marquay McDaniel, Hampton
Rhema McKnight, Notre Dame
Robert Meachem, Tennessee
Ryan Moore, Miami-Fl
Legedu Naanee, Boise State
Syvelle Newton, South Carolina
Jerard Rabb, Boise State
Sidney Rice, South Carolina
Ryne Robinson, Miami-Oh
Laurent Robinson, Illinois State
Steve Smith, USC
Bret Smith, Tennessee
Syndric Steptoe, Arizona
Chansi Stuckey, Clemson
Jayson Swain, Tennessee
Courtney Taylor, Auburn
Matt Trannon, Michigan State
Mike Walker, Central Florida
Chandler Williams, Florida International
Paul Williams, Fresno State
D'Juan Woods, Oklahoma State

Tight Ends
Michael Allan, Whitworth College
Kevin Boss, Western Oregon
Scott Chandler, Iowa
Daniel Coats, BYU
Johny Harline, BYU
Clark Harris, Rutgers
Zack Miller, Arizona State
Martrez Milner, Georgia
Joe Newton, Oregon State
Ben Olson, Miami (Fl)
Ben Patrick, Delaware
Anthony Pudewell, Nevada
Gijon Robinson, Missouri Western
Dante Rosario, Oregon
Derek Schouman, Boise State
Matt Spaeth, Minnesota

Offensive linemen
Allen Barbe, Missouri Southern
Justin Blalock, Texas
Levi Brown, Penn State
Andrew Carnahan, Arizona State
Chris Denman, Fresno State
Doug Free, Northern Illinois
Ryan Harris, Notre Dame
Mario Henderson, Florida State
Stephon Heyer, Maryland
Corey Hilliard, Oklahoma State
Chase Johnson, Wyoming
Adam Koets, Oregon State
Mike Otto, Purdue
Arron Sears, Tennessee
Ken Shackleford, Georgia
Joe Staley, Central Michigan
Herbert Taylor, TCU
Joe Thomas, Wisconsin
Tony Ugoh, Arkansas
Dane Uperesa, Hawaii
Elliott Vallejo, Cal-Davis
Julius Wilson, UAB
Mansfield Wrotto, Georgia Tech
Doug Datish, Ohio State
Mark Fenton, Colorado
Dustin Fry, Clemson
Leroy Harris, NC State
Ryan Kalil, USC
Enoka Lucas, Oregon
Drew Mormino, Central Michigan
Dan Mozes, West Virginia
Scott Stephenson, Iowa State
Andy Alleman, Akron
Josh Beekman, Boston College
Nathan Bennett, Clemson
Stephen Berg, Arizona State
Tim Duckworth, Auburn
Brandon Frye, Virginia Tech
Ben Grubbs, Auburn
Gabe Hall, Texas Tech
Mike Jones, Iowa
Palauni Ma Sun, Oregon
James Marten, Boston College
Uche Nwaneri, Purdue
Manny Ramirez, Texas Tech
Dan Santucci, Notre Dame
Samson Satele, Hawaii
Cameron Stephenson, Rutgers
Kasey Studdard, Texas
Marshal Yanda, Iowa

Defensive Tackles
Jay Alford, Penn State
Baraka Atkins, Miami-Fl
Alan Branch, Michigan
Larry Brown, Oklahoma State
Kareem Brown, Miami-Fl
Jeremy Clark, Alabama
Quinton Echols, Kansas State
Justin Harrell, Tennessee
Keith Jackson, Arkansas
Antonio Johnson, Mississippi State
Derek Landri, Notre Dame
Ryan McBean, Oklahoma State
Brandon Mebane, California
Amobi Okoye, Louisville
David Patterson, Ohio State
Quinn Pitcock, Ohio State
Paul Soliai, Utah
Marcus Thomas, Florida
Mataifale Toeaina, Oregon
DeMarcus Tyler, North Carolina State

Defensive Ends
Victor Abiamiri, Notre Dame
Gaines Adams, Clemson
C.J. Ah You, Oklahoma
Ikaika Alama-Francis, Hawaii
Jamaal Anderson, Arkansas
Dan Bazuin, Central Michigan
Larry Birdine, Oklahoma
Mkristo Bruce, Washington State
Noland Burchette, Virginia Tech
Adam Carriker, Nebraska
Joe Cohen, Florida
Tim Crowder, Texas
Victor DeGrate, Oklahoma State
Jacob Ford, Central Arkansas
Justin Hickman, UCLA
Xzavie Jackson, Missouri
Charles Johnson, Georgia
Turk McBride, Tennessee
Ray McDonald, Florida
Jarvis Moss, Florida
Jay Moore, Nebraska
Quentin Moses, Georgia
Chase Pittman, LSU
Jay Richardson, Ohio State
Brian Robinson, Texas
Clifton Ryan, Michigan State
Anthony Spencer, Purdue
LaMarr Woodley, Michigan
Abraham Wright, Colorado

Outside Linebackers
Rufus Alexander, Oklahoma
Antwan Barnes, Florida International
Quincy Black, New Mexico
Jon Beason, Miami (Fl)
H.B. Blades, Pittsburgh
Stewart Bradley, Nebraska
Prescott Burgess, Michigan
Justin Durant, Hampton
Earl Everett, Florida
KaMichael Hall, Georgia Tech
Nate Harris, Louisville
Rory Johnson, Mississippi
Stephen Nicholas, South Florida
Sam Olajubutu, Arkansas
Paul Posluszny, Penn State
Dallas Sartz, USC
Tim Shaw, Penn State
Brandon Siler, Florida
Juwan Simpson, Alabama
Tony Taylor, Georgia
Lawrence Timmons, Florida State

Inside Linebackers
Jon Abbate, Wake Forest
Desmond Bishop, Cal
Buster Davis, Florida State
Zak DeOssie, Brown
David Harris, Michigan
Zach Latimer, Oklahoma
Marvin Mitchell, Tennessee
Chad Nkang, Elon
Michael Okwo, Stanford
Blair Phillips, Oregon
Kelvin Smith, Syracuse
Justin Warren, Texas A&M
Anthony Waters, Clemson
Patrick Willis, Mississippi

Cornerbacks
Anthony Arline, Baylor
Fred Bennett, South Carolina
Tyron Brackenridge, Washington State
Tarrell Brown, Texas
Michael Coe, Arkansas
Duane Coleman, Clemson
A.J. Davis, NC State
C.J. Gaddis, Clemson
Chris Houston, Arkansas
Leon Hall, Michigan
Daymeion Hughes, Cal
David Irons, Auburn
Tanard Jackson, Syracuse
Reggie Lewis, Florida
Trumaine McBride, Mississipi
Marcus McCauley, Fresno State
Brandon McDonald, Memphis
Aaron Ross, Texas
Darrelle Revis, Pitt
Kenny Scott, Georgia Tech
Bo Smith, Weber
Eric Weddle, Utah
Chaz Williams, Louisiana Monroe
C.J. Wilson, Baylor
Josh Wilson, Maryland

Safeties
Gerald Alexander, Boise State
Travarous Bain, Hampton
Fred Bennett, South Carolina
Zach Catanese, Arizona State
Craig Dahl, North Dakota
Jessie Daniels, LSU
Eric Frampton, Washington State
Josh Gattis, Wake Forest
Dashon Goldson, Washington
Corey Graham, New Hampshire
Michael Griffin, Texas
Brandon Harrison, Standford
Deandre Jackson, Iowa State
Michael Johnson, Arizona
Laron Landry, LSU
Brandon Meriweather, Miami
Chinedum Ndukwe, Notre Dame
Reggie Nelson, Florida
J.D. Nelson, Oregon
Marcus Paschal, Iowa
Leonard Peters, Hawaii
Sabby Piscitelli, Oregon State
Aaron Rouse, Virginia Tech
Brandon Sharp, Louisville
Daren Stone, Maine
Jonathan Wade, Tennessee
John Wendling, Wyoming
Marvin White, TCU
Tom Zbikowski, Notre Dame

Cowboys Team Needs for the 2007 NFL Draft

I haven't written about the Dallas Cowboys in a while, I have been in a depression since the debacle in Seattle. But now it's time to move on and focus on the 2007 NFL Draft. Honestly, I thought Dallas's defense would be much farther along at this point than it is, they have an awful lot of high draft picks on that side of the ball. The Cowboys have really neglected their offense in the draft since Parcells took over and it shows. I think the front seven (on defense) for Dallas will be just fine, next year they will get Greg Ellis back, talented youngster Jason Hatcher should be ready and OLB Bobby Carpenter really flashed some big time talent in that final game against Seattle.

1. Offensive Guard:
This is the weakest position on the team. They were really counting on 3rd round draft pick Stephen Peterman to take over one of the guard spots, and they signed Marco Rivera with the hope that he could regain his pro bowl form. Neither happened and as a stop gap, they signed a journeyman guard in Kyle Kosier, a guy that the lowly Detroit Lions didn't even want.

Don't look at the stats, yes on paper they had decent rushing numbers, but when they really needed to run, they couldn't. Most of their yards came on draws and traps when the defense was playing the pass and most of Marion Barber's touchdowns came with a heroic effort on his part, and decent tackle, tight end and receiver blocking.

They probably need to replace both guards, Rivera needs to be released and Kosier is nothing more than a backup. So what do they do? They have to draft offensive line early and often and try to sign a top free agent.

Unfortunately for Dallas this isn't a great year for guards. I would like to see them get Sam Baker from USC and convert him to guard, or possibly Texas's Justin Blaylock, Texas Tech's Manuel Ramirez or Boston College's Josh Beekman.

2. Free Safety:
This is a coin toss between free safety, cornerback and defensive tackle. It depends on what the Cowboys really think of Pat Watkins. If they don't think Watkins is the answer then they need to get someone in the backfield with some ball skills, because Roy Williams is terrible in pass coverage. It would be nice to get a LaRon Landry (LSU) or a Reggie Nelson (Florida), but they will probably be long gone by the time Dallas gets to make a selection. They might get lucky and draft Virginia Tech's Aaron Rouse, Miami's Brandon Meriweather or Oregon State's Sabby Piscitelli. In the later rounds I like Memphis's Wesley Smith and as a late round/free agent type Dallas should take a look at is Small School Prospect Dan Peters from Shepherd University. Shepherd had 32 career interceptions at the Division II level.

3. Defensive Tackle:
Dallas can't expect Jason Ferguson to play every down. Fergi had an excellent season and they were lucky he didn't get injured, but relying on lady luck again would be foolish. They tried to address it last year, Montavious Stanley was a nice draft pick, but unfortunately when he got to camp he turned into yet another bust, I think at one point he was released and then signed back to the practice squad. Coming off a season ending injury, Tennessee's Justin Harrell could be available for Dallas, he might be worth a gamble. They would probably have to use their first rounder on Ohio State's Quinn Pitcock, LSU's Glenn Dorsey, Louisville's Amobi Okeye or NC State's Tank Tyler. All of those guys have the plus 300 pound size to play the nose in the 34 defense. Maybe the Cowboys get lucky and one of those studs slip to them in the 2nd round.

4. Cornerback:
I propose moving Anthony Henry to free safety and drafting a corner very early. Henry has played safety before and has publicly stated that he would not oppose that idea. I just don't think he is good enough to be a cover corner in the NFL. In the second half of the season he was abused. Terrance Newman is a solid corner, not great, but solid. I think he (Newman) is just now coming into his own and should be able to man the corner position for 3-4 more years. But back to Henry, he needs replaced. Maybe Dallas should use their top pick on Pitt's Darrelle Revis or Fresno State's Marcus McCauley. Some other candidates could be Syracuse's Tanard Jackson or Baylor's C.J. Wilson. I also like small school speedster Travarous Bain from Hampton.

So that's it for now, but check back often for continious draft coverage of the Cowboys and an extensive post draft report.

Another Heisman Jinx

Ohio State's record setting QB Troy Smith appears to be yet another Heisman flop. After winning the Heisman Trophy and leading Ohio State to an undefeated regular season, Smith looked like anything but an NFL Prospect during the BCS Championship game against Florida.

Will the real Troy Smith please stand up. Yes I know, one game doesn't make or break a player, but in the eyes of NFL Scouts a game like that can change a lot of opinions, especialy if the scout was on the bubble anyway, as many were due to his lack of height, Smith will probably "measure out" at the NFL Combine at barely six foot tall.

So what did I see that confirmed my opinion? Well, mainly arm strength and an awkward throwing motion. Do you remember right before the end of the first half against Florida at the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (BCS Championship Game); The Buckeyes were at about the Florida 45 yard line, with just enough time to throw one hail marry pass and Smith ran up to the line of scrimmage and heaved the ball as far as he could. The ball never even made it to the goal line. That is not going to cut it in the NFL, his ball had very little velocity and of course his accuarcy was poor. He also didn't have a good feel in the pocket and bailed out before he should have on numerous occasions. Lastly, I don't like his throwing motion, he cocks the ball way back before he throws and telegraphs his passes, the ball doesn't zip out of his hands.

Mike Mayock of the NFL Network said today that he still thinks he (Smith) will be a second round pick. I am not buying it, someone will take a chance on him, but I could easily see him slipping into the second day of the 2007 NFL Draft. With a poor Senior Bowl and/or Combine I could even see him lasting until the tail end of the draft. Heck, unlike some past college quarterbacks, he doesn't have the speed to play wide receiver so if a team doesn't think he can become an NFL QB it is even possible he goes undrafted.

OK, call me crazy, but that's what I think.

2007 NFL Mock Draft Updated

Rob's Mock Draft

Two Blue Chippers to Enter the 2007 NFL Draft

Two of the best pro prospects at their repective positions have announced their intentions to enter the 2007 NFL Draft. This has been expected for quite some time and Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson is widely considered the top player available. The Oakland Raiders will have a difficult decision between Johnson and LSUs QB JaMarcus Russell. Johnson is a freak of nature with tight end size and wide reciever speed and hands, he is projected to measure out at about 6-4 230 pounds and clock in with 4.4 speed.


Michigan defensive tackle Alan Branch also opted to forgo his senior season yesterday. Branch is still developing, but displayed an incredible amount of size, strength and athletic ability on one of the nation's best defenses. Branch is projected to be a top 10 pick and with a good NFL Combine could be gone within the first five selections. Branch is another freak of nature, with proto-type size at 6-5 328 pounds, he would make an ideal fit in any defensive scheme.

Safety Dan Peters, Shepherd University

Maybe the best NFL Prospect in America you have never heard of. Division II All-American Safety Dan Peters from Shepherd University. Peters is 6-1 207 pounds and is an incredible ball-hawk. Peters' 32 career interceptions are a WVIAC record and second all-time in Division II. The talented senior is the first player in collegiate football history to repeat as a national interception champion. Peters recorded 12 interceptions last season (2005) and an amazing 14 interceptions this year (2006).

This has been quite the season for Peters, recording 69 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and 7 pass break-ups to go along with his myriad of pick-offs. He has been named to every first team All-American Team under the sun, D2football.com, AP Little All-American and Daktronics.

Peters has a rare blend of size and speed, he obviously has ball skills and if he has a blazing run during his predraft (Pro Day) workout, could possibly fit into the 2007 NFL Draft.

For more information on Small School Prospects for the NFL Draft visit my sister blog here: http://nfl-prospects.blogspot.com

Four More to Enter the 2007 NFL Draft

The numbers are growing daily, four more underclassmen are planning on declaring their intentions on entering the 2007 NFL Draft within the next few days. The deadline for under-classmen declaring for the 2007 NFL Draft is January 15th, and we should expect to hear about more almost daily until then.

As reported right here on this blog last week after the 2006 Sugarbowl, it's now official, LSU Junior Quarterback Jamarcus Russell will be in the 2007 NFL Draft. I predict he will be the 1st over-all pick of the Oakland Raiders.

Also, sophomore Sidney Rice, South Carolina's career leader in touchdown receptions, is forgoing his final two seasons to enter the 2007 NFL Draft. In two seasons, Rice caught 23 TDs to set the school's career mark. Big, tall and fast, with a ton of potential, Rice should be a mid to late first round Draft pick.

ESPN's Joe Schad is also reporting that Miami junior linebacker Jon Beason said Sunday he will enter the NFL draft. "I wanted to play for coach [Randy] Shannon," Beason said. "But the risk in not coming out is just too much. Selfishly I have to go. I'm ready now to bring my intensity and passion to an NFL team."

Lastly, Arkansas is now losing two of its top defenders to the NFL Draft, defensive end Jamaal Anderson and all-SEC cornerback Chris Houston. Anderson led the SEC in sacks with 10½ in the regular season and added three in the Capital One Bowl. Houston is a cat quick 5-11 181 pound cornerback that finished the season with 45 tackles, a team-high three interceptions and 13 pass break ups.

JaMarcus Russell, First Pick in the 2007 NFL Draft?

If the quarterback position is the most important in football then LSU’s JaMarcus Russell is the best player in college football, and should be the first pick in the upcoming 2007 NFL Draft, that is, if the junior LSU quarterback enters the Draft.

Russell thoroughly outplayed quarterback Brady Quinn in the 2006 Sugar Bowl as LSU destroyed Notre Dame 41-14. Russell completed 21-of-34 passes for 332 yards, two passing and one rushing touchdown and one meaningless interception on his way to being unanimously named the game’s Most Outstanding Player.

“I’ve said it before, I think I have the best quarterback in the country,” LSU Coach Miles said. Russell said he appreciated the accolades he received after the game and the comparisons to Quinn and his abilities but he wanted to spread the credit around to as many Tiger players as possible.

“My main thing is playing for my teammates and my coaches,” Russell said. “Everyone has their opinion about who they think is the best and you can’t change that. I don’t know why I wasn’t considered for the Heisman. But, I really do think I’m one of the best in college football.”

LSU destroyed the over-rated Notre Dame offense 577-291 after trailing the Irish in total yardage 261-244 at halftime. The yardage total was the highest of the season for the prolific LSU offense that compiled 31 first downs, 19 of them in the second half. Notre Dame managed only 17 first downs.

After a brilliant junior season, Russell hasn't officially decided if he will turn pro or will return to LSU (11-2) for his senior year. However, I don’t see him passing up the opportunity to become an instant millionaire, and in my opinion will almost certainly turn pro and should be the first pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.

Before the game, Brady Quinn was thought of as a lock to be the number one pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, not anymore. Yes he throws the ball hard, but Quinn looked very erratic with his throws, he doesn’t have a quick throwing motion, shows poor touch and was wild all night. He had the “deer in the headlights” look all night. With probably every NFL scout, owner and coach on earth watching the game, you have to play big in big games, and Quinn didn’t

As for JaMarcus Russell, all I can say is WOW. He is not just a one game wonder, this kid is for real. With a quick flip of his wrist he can launch the ball 60 yards accurately downfield. Russell was hitting his receivers in stride all night. He is 6-6 260 pounds, stands tall in the pocket and has very good power and speed when he takes off running. Similar quarterback prospect to Tennessee’s Vince Young, a better passer, but not as dangerous of a runner.

On another note, there are a couple of other prospects from LSU to keep an eye on for the 2008 and 2009 NFL Drafts. The best offensive guard that I have seen this year is LSU sophomore Herman Johnson, at 6-7 351 pounds he is a man mountain. The way he gets out and pulls on sweeps reminds me of the NFL future Hall of famer Larry Allen. The other young star is on the defensive line, keep an eye on Defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francisco. This freshman is 6-3 281 pounds but is very strong and quick. He was just tossing the Notre Dame offensive line around and hounding Brady Quinn all night long.

RB Marshawn Lynch Declares for the 2007 NFL Draft

Not a surprise, with no senior stars at running back, juniors Marshawn Lynch and Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson are the two highest rated running backs in the 2007 NFL Draft. Peterson is a special talent, with home-run speed, but runs too upright, takes a lot of direct hits and sustains a lot of injuries. I like Lynch, at 5-11 217 pounds he has decent size but runs low to the ground and is very elusive, he rarely takes a hard hit and has excellent hands coming out of the backfield. It will be tempting for NFL teams to draft Adrian Peterson, he has Eric Dickerson like ability, but the safer pick would be Lynch, therefore he is my top rated running back for the 2007 NFL Draft.

Link to ESPN story

The New Baby Sapp for the NFL Draft

USC’s Sedrick Ellis at 6-1 295 might not have the perfect size for a defensive tackle, but they said the same things about the Bears’ Pro Bowl tackle Tommy Harris when he entered the draft. Ellis was the new baby Sapp against the Michigan Wolverines in the 2006 Rose Bowl. He was too much for the heralded Michigan offensive line, consistently crushing the middle and plugging the run or putting pressure on QB Chad Henne. He was a key cog in USC’s stunning 32-18 defeat of Michigan. Ellis helped hold Michigan to only 12 rushing yards in the entire game. Just how good is he, Ellis was recently selected the winner of the Pac-10's Morris Trophy as the league's best defensive lineman. The award is picked by the conference's starting offensive linemen.

Ellis played a major role in the Trojans' 10-2 regular-season record that led to a Rose Bowl berth. With Ellis in the middle of the line, USC led the Pac-10 in both scoring defense (14.9 points per game) and total defense (293.8 yards per game). A two-year starter and a first-team All-Pac-10 selection this year, Ellis missed three early games with a knee injury, but still posted 34 tackles, including eight tackles for loss and 4.5 quarterback sacks, broke up three passes, recovered two fumbles and blocked a kick.

Ellis is only a junior and expected to return in 2007 where USC should enter the season ranked number one, and subsequently Ellis should be one of the top rated tackles for the 2008 NFL Draft.

Current NFL Draft order

1. Oakland (2-14)
2. Detroit (3-13)
3. Cleveland (4-12)
4. Tampa Bay (4-12)
5. Arizona (5-11)
6. Washington (5-11)
7. Minnesota (6-10)
8. Houston (6-10)
9. Miami (6-10)
10. Atlanta (7-9)
11. San Fransico (7-9)
12. Buffalo (7-9)
13. St. Louis (8-8)
14. Carolina (8-8)
15. Green Bay (8-8)
16. Pittsburgh (8-8)
17. Jacksonville (8-8)
18. Cincinnati (8-8)
19. Tennessee (8-8)
*20. NY Giants (8-8)
*21. Denver (9-7)
*22. New England (from Seattle) (9-7)
*23. Dallas (9-7)
*24. Kansas City (9-7)
*25. New Orleans (10-6)
*26. NY Jets (10-6)
*27. Philadelphia (10-6)
*28. New England (12-4)
*29. Indianapolis (12-4)
*30. Baltimore (13-3)
*31. Chicago (13-3)
*32. San Diego (14-2)
*Subject to results of the playoffs

Jarrett Smells Like Roses for the 2007 NFL Draft

USC Receiver Dwayne Jarrett had a breakout game on national TV on New Years Day. Jarrett, the record breaking USC receiver, caught 11 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns to help the eighth-ranked USC Trojans end their season triumphant Monday in a 32-18 Rose Bowl blow-out over Michigan.

The junior Jarrett will almost certainly declare for the 2007 NFL Draft and shouldn't last past the tenth pick in the first round. Jarrett really impressed me with his hands, size (6-5 215) and speed, but most of all with his excellent route running, he can really get separation from defensive backs. Jarrett is a much better prospect than fellow Trojan WR Mike Williams, who was a first round draft pick by the Detroit Lions in the 2006 NFL Draft.

If Jarrett does turn pro, he would have capped off quite a spectacular career at USC. Since the 2004 season he has accumulated a remarkable 205 receptions for 2,933 yards and 39 touchdowns.