2014 senior bowl

2014 NFL Draft: Matt Miller's Scouting Notebook for Senior Bowl Week
By Matt Miller , NFL Draft Lead Writer Jan 23, 2014


The 2014 Senior Bowl is closing, but the NFL draft season is only heating up. After three days of viewing practices and speaking with players in Mobile, Alabama, what was learned? A ton.

The Senior Bowl cannot be beaten when it comes to player access, the volume of evaluations happening live and the hands-on teaching and adapting the players must do. The NFL Scouting Combine may be a more hyped event, but for raw player evaluating the Senior Bowl is tops.

There's a ton to get to this week and two notebooks full of notes to share.



Five Up, Five Down


Five Up

5. QB Derek Carr, Fresno State

The most talented player at the 2014 Reese's Senior Bowl, Fresno State's quarterback was dominant throughout the week. He may have been helped by the poor talent level of the other quarterbacks in Mobile, but Carr took advantage and went to work.

The most impressive aspects of his week were shown both on and off the field. His velocity and accuracy were at the highest of levels. Even during a very cold and windy Tuesday practice the California kid was able to excel in the elements.

Carr also impressed by staying after practice to work with any receiver willing to run routes and work on timing together. He has clearly stepped up as the leader of the South team.



4. DT Aaron Donald, Pitt

I've spent time writing about Aaron Donald in this space before. He's lightning fast, instinctive and productive. Michael Felder even made him his No. 1 ranked player in our CFB 250 series.


Donald's only real knock was his height, but during the week of practices against the best senior offensive linemen in the nation, he excelled at every stop. Donald used his lower center of gravity to fire off the ball and make himself a tiny target for the hands of interior blockers. And with his outstanding first-step quickness added on to his small target area, he was able to consistently get into the backfield and make plays.

The Senior Bowl is great at allowing evaluators to compare players side-by-side, and seeing Donald work the top linemen in the nation has him moving up my board.



3. DE Dee Ford, Auburn

The flashiest performer of Senior Bowl week was, without question, Auburn pass rusher Dee Ford. The smooth, sleek, explosive edge defender was all over the field making plays. And his raw speed was undeniable from the stands.

Ford jumped out on film, too, but you always wondered where you'd play him in the NFL. The Jacksonville Jaguars staff answered that question this week by allowing him to line up at both left and right defensive end in a base 4-3 set. He flourished no matter the side of the line and no matter who tried to block him.

The best fit for Ford moving ahead is likely at outside linebacker, but a big week here has pushed him into late first or early second round territory.



2. CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Nebraska

The buzz around practices was that NFL teams are now looking for the big, long, aggressive cornerback to fit into press coverage schemes. In short, teams want the next Richard Sherman.

Stanley Jean-Baptiste isn't quite Richard Sherman, but coaches and scouts will see a lot of similarities and a clay they can work with in his Nebraska game film and the abilities shown in practice. Jean-Baptiste has the frame (6'2 3/8", 215 lbs) and the fluid hips and feet to play in press coverage at the next level.

Some may knock his hip technique or how high he plays, but when you're over 6'2", you won't be as flexible as a smaller cornerback. That's OK, because a smaller cornerback can't press and jam like he can.

Don't be surprised to hear Jean-Baptiste's name called at the end of Day One or very early on Day Two.



1. DT RaShede Hageman, Minnesota

The only man I was physically afraid to get in front of this week was Minnesota's RaShede Hageman. At an even 6'6" and 318 lbs, he towered over the competition. Literally.

Hageman's film showed an impressive, and at times dominant, defensive tackle. My biggest question mark heading into the week was his ability to play with leverage. It's fine to be 6'6" as a defensive tackle, but can you get low? Can you make yourself a small target for blockers? Hageman didn't always do this at Minnesota, but in Mobile the switch was flipped and he started dominating.

Seeing Hageman develop throughout the week was eye-opening. And with his god-given length, burst and strength he shines as a scheme-versatile defender able to play in a conventional 4-3, 3-4 or the trendier hybrid fronts. Teams that want him should be ready to spend a pick inside the first 20 picks to get him.


Five Down

5. QB David Fales, San Jose State

No player had more of an up-and-down week that San Jose State's David Fales.

The senior quarterback struggled throughout the early portion of the week, but not just on the field. Fales measured in very small at 6'1 3/8" and definitely looks small in the pocket. One team scout I spoke to compared him to a "shorter Alex Smith" in terms of footwork, arm strength and his build.

Fales did rebound well by Wednesday, but two days of poor velocity and ball placement will be something teams take home with them.



4. QB Stephen Morris, Miami (Fla.)

Stephen Morris' slide down draft boards continued this week in Mobile.

The Hurricane quarterback entered the year with considerable praise after evaluators viewed his junior season and saw considerable upside. But Morris regressed in 2013 and could never find a consistent footing on a weekly basis.

Add that to a surprising weigh-in (6'1 6/8" and 208 lbs) and you have some issues he needed to work through. Morris' inconsistent ball placement and velocity were obvious in practices, though, and his old habit of only throwing inside the hashes made for a long week of quarterback drills.



3. OLB Michael Sam, Missouri

The All-American pass rusher from Missouri struggled to find a role in the Atlanta Falcons schemes this week. Coming into the game, Sam was moved from his home at left defensive end to outside linebacker. Through one and a half days of practice there he looked stiff and unsure of himself. That led to the coaching staff shuttling him to defensive line drills.

Sam is small for a classic 4-3 defensive end, and without great strength you have to question his ability there to get off blocks and make plays. But ask him to stand up and play outside linebacker and you have a liability in coverage.

Sam enjoyed a great 2013 season, but finding a spot for him in the NFL will be more difficult than originally thought.



2. OLB Adrian Hubbard, Alabama

Like Michael Sam, Adrian Hubbard was asked to be something he's not this week--a 4-3 outside linebacker.

Hubbard made his living at Alabama as an edge-rushing linebacker, but never as a player dropping into coverage and making plays in space. Hubbard needs to be moving forward, not backward, when the ball is snapped. Playing in a base 4-3 scheme this week, he's been flat, stiff and out of position.

That may hurt Hubbard when it comes time to evaluate the Senior Bowl, but teams also know he's best served as a 3-4 outside linebacker. That said, he has to learn to play lower and with more flexibility regardless of the scheme. Even 3-4 outside linebackers have to play in coverage.



1. CB Aaron Colvin, Oklahoma

A torn ACL suffered in practice destroys the draft stock of the best cornerback on the field early in the week. Now Aaron Colvin is off to have surgery next week, confirmed by Senior Bowl staff in an announcement to the media Wednesday.

Colvin was a solid top 50 player for me heading into the week. Now, with his 2014 season in question, he should be expected to drop to at least the fifth-round range of the draft.
 
Forgot who it was on Sirius today but they were gushing over CJ- called him Gronkowski-like
 

20 Things I Think I Think About the Senior Bowl
January 23, 2014 by Greg A. Bedard
MOBILE, Ala. — After spending a few days with most of the NFL world at the Senior Bowl, here are a few thoughts as the offseason gets started:
1. We’ll see what ultimately happens in the draft, but the prevailing opinion among scouts and executives was that this is the weakest crop of first-round talent at the Senior Bowl ever. The benchmark is 2012, when Quinton Coples was the first of eight first-round selections to participate in the Senior Bowl, taken by the Jets 16th overall. It would be a surprise to see any player out of this group taken that high, and there’s probably just a small group of possible first-round prospects: QB Derek Carr (Fresno State), DE Dee Ford (Auburn) and DT Aaron Donald (Pittsburgh). One personnel executive saw just three in the conversation: Notre Dame OT Zack Martin, Ohio State OT Jack Mewhort and Minnesota DE Ra’Shede Hageman. The reason for the dropoff? Under the new CBA, which bars a contract renegotiation until after a player’s third year, more and more underclassmen (a record 98 this year) have the idea to start the free agency clock as soon as possible to get to the big money in their second contract. The more underclassmen that declare, the more watered down the senior class—nevermind the standouts that skip the game entirely (we’ll have more on this tomorrow).
2. The most impressive player in person was Pittsburgh DT Aaron Donald. He measured in at 6-1 and 288 pounds—short and light typically for NFL interior linemen—but the production is undeniable. He absolutely dominated one-on-one drills, and did it with a blend of power and speed. There are obvious comparisons to Bengals All-Pro DT Geno Atkins, who similarly dominated the Senior Bowl in 2010 at 6-1½ and 293 pounds. He wasn’t drafted until the fourth round, which was an obvious mistake in hindsight. We’ll have more on Donald soon.
aaron-donald-800.jpg

Aaron Donald (Scott W. Grau/Icon SMI)
3. Every NFL executive raves about the depth of the receiver position in this draft, so expect teams to load up often at the position. There are all different types of receivers to be had, as you could see from the Senior Bowl. From BYU’s Cody Hoffman (6-4, 218) to Wyoming’s Robert Herron (5-9, 193) it’s kind of pick your flavor at the receiver position, which has undeniably been enhanced over the years with the rise in the passing game on the college level.
4. While the Browns’ head coaching situation was talked about in negative terms, I kind of cast that aside because the feeling I got is most people don’t know team president Joe Banner and general manager Mike Lombardi that well. Both kind of stick to their past associates, and aren’t really the most personable guys. I don’t view that as a positive or negative. Both are smart and have a track record for being associated with success. Everyone knows what the deal is in Cleveland: the structure is already set, so the direction is clear.
5. That stands in stark contrast to the Dolphins’ general manager search. Not even the candidates have a clear idea what the structure is going to be, especially what executive vice president Dawn Aponte’s role is and what the extent of her power will be. Until that happens, no one has any idea what kind of job that is.
6. I fell in love with Clemson T/G Brandon Thomas when he handled South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney largely one-on-one this season. That continued this week. His smart, savvy and tough play reminds me a bit of future Hall of Fame guard Brian Waters. Thomas just knows how to play.
7. Speaking of Clowney, it was a very smart move on his part to come to Mobile this week and meet face-to-face with NFL teams. They have a lot of questions for him, and it at least shows he’s not afraid of answering them.
8. At 6-7, 331 pounds and with quick feet, Miami OT Seantrel Henderson has always looked the part of a franchise left tackle, but he’s never put it altogether. NFL teams have their doubts whether he ever will, but it’s hard to overlook the natural talent.
9. Virginia Tech QB Logan Thomas can really spin the ball. Yeah, he’s been wildly inconsistent in his career, but he’s the perfect guy for a team to develop down the road.
10. Wisconsin WR Jared Abbrederis (6-1, 189) was very productive in college and seems to be popular among the draftniks, but I have a hard time seeing him at the NFL level as anything better than a No. 3 receiver.
derek-carr.jpg

G.M. Andrews/AP
11. Carr was, by far, the best quarterback prospect in Mobile. Not sure if he’s a franchise quarterback, but his compact delivery and background both under center and in the shotgun make him intriguing.
12. Nebraska CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste (6-3, 220) should certainly be helped by the recent rage about bigger NFL defensive backs (Seahawks) but he’s got a long way to go with his footwork. He looked similar to Patriots bust Ras-I Dowling.
13. Clemson QB Tajh Boyd would be a perfect developmental player for a team like the Eagles, who will probably need to keep a stable of passers in that offense. He’s a great athlete and has a good arm. Accuracy will always be the thing he needs to overcome, and that’s tough.
14. It’s too bad Oklahoma CB Aaron Colvin tore his ACL this week, because he was definitely standing out for his man coverage ability. Looked like a first-rounder.
15. Looking for a WR who has a natural ability to high point the ball in the air? Take a look at Alabama’s Kevin Norwood.
16. Absolutely love Wisconsin RB James White. He’s just 5-9 and 206, but he’s built thickly in the lower body and has great balance. He reminded me a lot of Bucs RB Doug Martin (5-9, 215).
17. Keep an eye on Washington State safety Deone Bucannon. He’s built like a physical safety and plays with a nasty edge.
18. Lotta buzz about Wisconsin LB Chris Borland being the next Zach Thomas (Dolphins) as an undersized linebacker. I just don’t think Borland has the playing speed that made Thomas great, but Borland does always seem to be around the ball.
19. Any teams looking for a top-flight receivers coach should be calling former Packers and Cowboys assistant Jimmy Robinson. He was in Mobile looking for a chance to get back into the game after a year off for personal reasons. Robinson was instrumental in the development of Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, James Jones and Dez Bryant. The new Browns offensive coordinator should be calling Robinson after his success with Bryant.
20. Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage, the former Browns general manager and longtime personnel executive with the Ravens, has done an excellent job bringing the event to another level. It’s now a first-class event, and scouts raved about how subtle changes made it much easier for them to do their jobs.
 
Sutton stuffing Sims in the backfield.

A poor Senior bowl week, but he is a gamer.

Dee Ford with two sacks in 10 minutes.
 
Dee Ford again.

Dude has made a lot of money this week.

Note to college juniors: Go to the senior bowl next year. It usually doesnt hurt you, and in some cases (Iupati, Manuel, Ansah, Watkins, Solder, Odrick) it can really make you some money...
 
Ford and Donald carrying over momentum from the practices.

Carr, Garrapolo, Fales all looked good. other QBs looked like ass.

I like Sims from WVU and that TE from Colorado made some nice plays.

How about the rangy looking corner Jean Baptist (?) would like to get a guy like that in the later rounds
 
I'mma go on record and say the Jags are gonna take Carr at #3.. I gotta admit he looked better than I thought- He looks like a goodin'... Jags coaching staff coaching him now.. If they do in fact pass on him I wouldnt touch Carr till rd 3
 
Both Carr and Garoppolo looked good in the game. Prefer Garoppolo with his quick release and consistent accuracy - also, would likely come cheaper in the draft than Carr.
 
Right on que though...Pressure up the middle and Carr looks like a completely different player.

Hmm.
 
Both Carr and Garoppolo looked good in the game. Prefer Garoppolo with his quick release and consistent accuracy - also, would likely come cheaper in the draft than Carr.
I'm sorry. It seems everyone has a hard on for one of these quarterbacks. We already have McGloin who is better. If we take any QB it probably would be Murray in the 7th round.
 
Well he's no Jimmy Clausen but then again who is.

Smh, Mr. Monday-morning quarterback decides to chime in after the fact. I also wanted Peterson instead of Russell, but somehow you do not bring this up.

Regardless, it was the right call at that time - the Raiders offense was not working with Russell, something needed to change. He was available, it was worth the risk at that time.
 
What a putz -- Mr. Monday-morning quarterback decides to chime in after the fact. I also wanted Peterson instead of Russell, but somehow you do not bring this up.

Regardless, it was the right call at that time - the Raiders offense was not working with Russell, something needed to change. He was available, it was worth the risk at that time.
I was just kidding man I liked the kid to, I even called him little Rich at one time. I might not have been as sold on him as you but I did not hate him. Anyway its good to see you again you old sourpuss!
 
Senior Bowl: This week's standouts
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January, 23, 2014
JAN 23

By Todd McShay, Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl | ESPN.com

MOBILE, Ala. -- The Senior Bowl game isn’t until Saturday, but the individual drills, group drills and team sessions in practices Monday through Thursday have already given us a very good idea of what the prospects here this week bring to the table.

Here is our take on the prospects whose skills separated them from the others in areas specific to their respective positions. Which QB has the strongest arm? Who is the fastest receiver? Consider these the prospect superlatives for the 2014 Senior Bowl.

QUARTERBACKS

Best footwork: Jimmy Garoppolo, Eastern Illinois
Garoppolo has shown the most precise footwork of any QB here this week. We've been impressed with his ability to marry his eyes to his feet while going through his progressions.

Strongest arm: Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech
This one's not even close. Thomas has elite arm strength to push the ball vertically. The windy conditions on Tuesday gave him an opportunity to show off that arm.

Quickest release: Derek Carr, Fresno State
Carr's above-average arm strength isn't the only reason he can get the ball from Point A to Point B. Once Carr makes up his mind where he's going with the football, he gets it out of his hands more quickly than any QB here. Garoppolo was a close second.

RUNNING BACKS

Most versatile: Charles Sims, West Virginia
Even though he has smaller hands, Sims catches the ball well and he's an above-average route-runner in addition to his lateral quickness as a ball-carrier.

Vision/Instincts: Antonio Andrews, Western Kentucky
Andrews is a strong between-the-tackles runner who has shown good patience and vision while making the most of his blocks.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Best vertical speed: Josh Huff, Oregon
We were surprised by Huff's quick start and extra gear when tracking the ball down vertically.

Best separation skills: Robert Herron, Wyoming
While Herron has had a hard time fielding the ball this week, he's been the most explosive transitioning in and out of breaks.

Best ball skills: Ryan Grant, Tulane and Kevin Norwood, Alabama
Grant and Norwood were the most consistent pass-catchers here this week as they both showed natural hands and good body control when adjusting to throws.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

Best run-blocker: OT/OG Zack Martin, Notre Dame
Martin makes up for his lack of overwhelming power with quick feet, sound hand placement and tenacity.

Best pass protector: OT Morgan Moses, Virginia
Moses can work on his consistency, but he uses his length to cut off the edge, shows the ability to redirect and is strong enough to anchor.

Best technique: OT Jack Mewhort, Ohio State
Mewhort's initial footwork, hand placement and pad level were consistently sound this week.

Toughest: OC Bryan Stork, Florida State
Stork lacks prototypical measurables, but his effort and fight throughout the week were among the best we've seen of any lineman in this class.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

Best interior rusher: Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh
Donald showed the ability to beat offensive linemen with quickness, power and active hands, and his ability to do it so many different ways make it that much harder to keep him off the quarterback.

Best edge-rusher: Dee Ford, Auburn
Ford was by far the most explosive edge-rusher here. On top of that, we were highly impressed with his flexibility to bend the edge.

Strongest interior run-stuffer:DaQuan Jones, Penn State
At 6-3½ and 323 pounds, Jones is as tough to move off the ball as you would expect with a player his size. He's flashed heavy hands all week.

Best edge-setter: Brent Urban, Virginia
He's got a great-looking frame. He did a great job playing with quality pad level and using his length to stack and shed blockers to consistently maintain edge responsibility.

LINEBACKERS

Best Instincts: ILB Chris Borland, Wisconsin
Borland read his keys and located the ball quicker than any other linebackers here. His instincts increase his already above-average range.

Best range: OLB Jonathan Brown, Illinois Brown covered a lot of ground chasing the run and in coverage, which is important for a linebacker who doesn't have great size.

Best pass-rusher: OLB Jeremiah Attaouchu, Georgia Tech
One of Attaouchu's greatest strengths on film is his ability to get to the quarterback, and it showed up here as well. He has good initial quickness, active hands and good balance.


Best in coverage: OLB Telvin Smith, Florida State
Smith is almost built like a safety, so it’s no surprise as that he's so fluid in coverage. He's light on his feet, changes direction well and shows above-average closing burst. It should be noted he didn't catch the ball well this week, but he showed his ability to get his hands on throws.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Best press technique: CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Nebraska
Jean-Baptiste has above-average size and uses his length well to disrupt receivers' releases. He also has above-average balance and fluidity for a taller corner and, being a former receiver, appears natural locating and playing the football.

Best man-to-man cover skills: CB Jaylen Watkins, Florida
Watkins showed quick feet, above-average fluidity and transitioned well out of his breaks, not to mention he also flashed good anticipation and route-recognition skills to get early breaks on throws. Utah State's Nevin Lawson also flashed well here this week.

Most versatile: S Dez Southward, Wisconsin
At 6-0⅛ and 206 pounds, Southward is big enough to lineup at safety, at which he shows good recognition skills, range, plus the ability to play the run. He didn't show great fluidity at corner, but he's smart and he has enough foot speed to line up there depending on the matchup.
 
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