Finally watching the Senior Bowl

[Jack's sore libido]

I had a guest in town the weekend it was on, and then of course there was the Super Bowl, and a new work schedule, blah blah blah ...

Anyway, I've watched the first quarter.

Observations:
-- Antoine Caldwell has done a very nice job on B.J. Raji. Raji hasn't really been involved in any plays. He's tried the spin move at least three times and been swallowed up each time. He's tried to bull-rush him, and Caldwell stood his ground. And he tried to dance around him, but Caldwell matched him step for step. Color me unimpressed by Raji so far, and very impressed by Caldwell.

-- Rashad Jennings, from Liberty, has been the most impressive RB. He could be this year's Tim Hightower. Kid had a good run that showed patience, vision and balance, and more important, he kept his head in the game when a play broke down and his QB had to roll out, and he came back to throw a big block for him.

-- Graham Harrell, if he was ever considered a first-rounder, no longer will be. He's Colt Brennan.

 

[Byron2112]

Harrell looked like shit, he's packin' a real pea shooter.

Raji didn't make plays, but I was pretty impressed with the way he used his hands, he was real active in that respect... alotta young guys just bull or beat guys with a first step, so I think he's ahead of the game there... but I agree, I've soured on blowing the #7 on a guy that wasn't outstanding against the best college has to offer.

 

[Jack's sore libido]

Just watched the second quarter.

Observations:
-- Maybe the best thing I can say about Peria Jerry is that the North team did everything it could to avoid running a play toward his side of the field. Jerry showed good hustle and good quickness off the snap.

-- The 'SC linebackers are really no-shows, particularly Clay Mathews, who was behind the play a couple times in passes to his side. Brian Cushing blew up a guard, Levitre, but then didn't finish the play (and the Virginia kid broke a tackle from Cushing), and Maualuga did force a fumble, but it looked like it was awfully lucky for him.

-- Pat White has a place in the NFL at QB. He could have a nice, long career as a backup, like Seneca Wallace. And he can be very successful in that role, IMO. He could be one of these guys who, for a few games, is capable of getting his team a few wins because he's not like anything opponents will have game-planned for. And with the Wildcat formation getting so popular, maybe he could be a spot package player, too. I think he does have an NFL arm, and his quickness and speed to the edge are really special.

-- Ron Brace showed bigtime hustle by taking on a double-team, then chasing NC State's Andre Brown 30 yards downdfield after a screen pass.

-- B.J. Raji still making zero impact.

-- Michael Oher called for a hold on a fourth-and-short play. Yikes.

 

[007]

Jennings is the type of guy I expect to have a Chris Henry (Arizona RB not thug WR) like combine and shoot up draft boards.

6-1 235 and chiseled out of granite.

I see guys like Javon Ringer, Cedric Peerman, James Davis, Mike Goodson, Arian Foster, Andre Brown and Jeremiah Johnson ranked ahead of him on a couple sites, and I'd happily take a flier on Rashad over any of those guys if I needed a RB. He's got #1 back potential, and most of those guys dont.

 

[Jack's sore libido]

Watched the third quarter ...

-- Guess I spoke too soon on the SoCal linebackers. Maualuga made a great play to start the third quarter by blowing up a screen pass and Cushing did a good job containing a short pass on third-and-long.

-- I'd been wondering why the North team was picking on Ellis Lankster so much, until I saw them finally throw to the other side, and Alphonso Smith nearly took it to the house.

-- I think Peria Jerry, at this point, has risen above B.J. Raji on my wish list. I really wouldn't be at all disappointed in taking him in the first round, even at No. 7. I think he'll probably wind up in Denver, though, to play DE in the 3-4.

 

[brick]

Missed the game this year (not that the game means much, the workouts are more important anyway) but where did they have Jerry lining up?

To me he looks like he is carrying too much weight, and that if he could drop some pounds he could be an excellent DE.

 

[Jack's sore libido]

He was lining up at DT, but he seemed to be consistently lining up wider than you'd normally see a DT, almost crowding the DE.