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.