On The Clock: Pittsburgh Steelers

Results: 12-4, 1st In the AFC North
General Manager: Kevin Colbert (Director of Football Operations), Head Coach: Mike Tomlin (3rd Year), Offensive Coordinator: Bruce Arians (3rd Year/6th Year With the Steelers), Defensive Coordinator: Dick LeBeau (6th Year)

Offense Rankings: No. 22 Overall, No. 20 Scoring, No. 17 Passing, No. 23 Rushing
Defense Rankings: No. 1 Overall, No. 1 Scoring, No. 1 Passing, No. 2 Rushing

Last Five Years: 56-24; Last Playoff Appearance: 2008; Last Playoff Victory: 2008 (27-23 Over the Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl)

2008 Draft: (1-23) RB Rashard Mendenhall, (2-53) WR Limas Sweed, (3-88) OLB Bruce Davis, (4-130) OT Tony Hills, (5-156) QB Dennis Dixon, (6-188) LB Mike Humpal, (6-194) S Ryan Mundy

Top Picks Last Five Years:
2008 – (1-23) RB Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois
2007 – (1-15) LB Lawrence Timmons, Florida St.
2006 – (1-25) WR Santonio Holmes, Ohio St.
2005 – (1-30) TE Heath Miller, Virginia
2004 – (1-11) QB Ben Roethlisberger, Miami-Ohio

Booms: QB Ben Roethlisberger (1st Round 2004), OT Max Starks (3rd Round 2004), TE Heath Miller (1st Round 2005), CB Bryant McFadden (2nd Round 2005),OT Trai Essex (3rd Round 2005), OG Chris Kemoeatu (6th Round 2005), WR Santonio Holmes (1st Round 2006), OT Willie Colon (4th Round 2006), OLB LaMarr Woodley (2nd Round 2007), P Daniel Sepulveda (4th Round 2007)

Busts: DB Ricardo Colclough (2nd Round 2004), WR Fred Gibson (4th Round 2005), WR Will Reid (3rd Round 2006), DE Orien Harris (4th Round 2006), DE Ryan McBean (4th Round 2007)

Additions:
None.

Subtractions:
QB Byron Leftwich (FA-Tampa Bay)
CB Bryant McFadden (FA-Arizona)
RB Gary Russell (Released)
OG Kendall Simmons (Released)
FS Anthony Smith (FA-Green Bay)
OT Marvel Smith (FA-San Francisco)
WR Nate Washington (FA-Tennessee)

Keepers:
QB Charlie Batch
CB Fernando Bryant
OT Willie Colon
OT Reai Essex
LB Keyaron Fox
LB Andre Frazier
LB Arnold Harrison
OG Chris Kemoeatu
DB Anthony Madison
TE Sean McHugh
OT Max Starks (Franchised)

2009 Picks:
Round 1, Selection 32
Round 2, Selection 32
Round 3, Selection 32
Round 4, Selection 32
Round 5, Selection 32
Round 5, Selection 33 (Compensatory)
Round 6, Selection 32
Round 7, Selection 17 (From Tampa Bay)
Round 7, Selection 32

Team Needs – Players of Interest (Day One):
1. Offensive Tackle: William Beatty, UConn; Jamon Meredith, South Carolina; Phil Loadholt, Oklahoma; Gerald Cadogan, Penn St.; Fenuki Tupou, Oregon; Troy Kropog, Tulane
2. Wide Receiver: Percy Harvin, Florida; Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland; Kenny Britt, Rutgers; Hakeem Nicks, UNC; Brian Robiskie, OSU; Juaquin Iglesias, Oklahoma; Jarett Dillard, Rice; Mike Thomas, Arizona
3. Guard: Herman Johnson, LSU; Andre Levitre, Oregon; Kraig Urbik, Wisconsin; Trevor Canfield, Cincinnati
4. Defensive End: Tyson Jackson, LSU; Jarron Gilbert, San Jose St.; Evander Hood, Missouri; Sen’Derrick Marks, Auburn; Fili Moala, USC
5. Cornerback: Darius Butler, UConn; Jairus Byrd, Oregon; D.J. Moore, Vanderbilt; Sean Smith, Utah; Keenan Lewis, Oregon St.; Macho Harris, Virginia Tech; Mike Mickens, Cincinnati; Coye Francis, San Jose St.; Asher Allen, Georgia

Photo Credit: College Press Box (Texas), Steve Slade/UConn Division of Athletics

On The Clock: Baltimore Ravens

Record: 11-5, 2nd In the AFC South
General Manager: Ozzie Newsome, Head Coach: John Harbaugh (2nd Year), Offensive Coordinator: Cam Cameron (2dn Year), Defensive Coordinator: Greg Mattison (1st Year/2nd Year With Ravens)

Offense Rankings: No. 18 Overall, No. 11 Scoring, No. 28 Passing, No. 4 Rushing
Defense Rankings: No. 2 Overall, No. 3 Scoring, No. 2 Passing, No. 3 Rushing

Last Five Years: 44-36; Last Playoff Appearance: 2008; Last Playoff Victory: 2008 (13-10 Over the Tennessee Titans)

2008 Draft: (1-18) QB Joe Flacco, (2-55) RB Ray Rice, (3-71) LB Tavares Gooden, (3-86) S Tom Zbikowski, (3-99) OG Oniel Cousins, (4-106) WR Marcus Smith, (4-133) OT David Hale, (6-206) S Haruki Nakamura, (7-215) WR Justin Harper, (7-240) RB Allen Patrick

Top Picks Last Five Years:
2008 – (1-18) QB Joe Flacco, Delaware
2007 – (1-29) OG Ben Grubbs, Auburn
2006 – (1-12) DT Haloti Ngata, Oregon
2005 – (1-22) WR Mark Clayton, Oklahoma
2004 – (2-51) DT Dwan Edwards, Oregon St.

Booms: C Jason Brown (4th Round 2005), DT Haloti Ngata (1st Round 2006), S Dawan Landry (5th Round 2006), P Sam Koch (6th Round 2006), OG Ben Grubbs (1st Round 2007), KR Yamon Figurs (3rd Round 2007), OT Marshal Yanda (3rd Round 2007), RB Le'Ron McClain (4th Round 2007), QB Joe Flacco (1st Round 2008)

Busts: DT Dwan Edwards (2nd Round 2004), WR Devard Darling (3rd Round 2004), OLB Dan Cody (2nd Round 2005), DB David Pittman (3rd Round 2006), WR Demetrius Williams (4th Round 2006)

Additions:
C Matt Birk (Free Agent)
CB Chris Carr (Free Agent)
CB Domonique Foxworth (Free Agent)
TE L.J. Smith (Free Agent)

Subtractions:
QB Kyle Boller (FA-St. Louis)
C Jason Brown (FA-St. Louis)
WR Terrance Copper (FA-Kansas City)
DE Marques Douglas (Released)
CB Corey Ivy (FA-Cleveland)
SS Jim Leonhard (FA-New York/AFC)
CB Chris McAlister (Released)
ILB Bart Scott (FA-New York/AFC)
DE Lee Vickers (FA-New York/NFC)

Keepers:
QB Todd Bouman
P Sam Koch
LB Rey Lewis
WR Marcus Maxwell
DT Brandon McKinney
OLB Terrell Suggs (Franchised)

2009 Picks:
Round 1, Selection 26
Round 2, Selection 25
Round 3, Selection 24
Round 4, Selection 23
Round 5, Selection 26
Round 6, Selection 25

Team Needs – Players of Interest (Day One):
1. Wide Receiver: Percy Harvin, Florida; Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland; Kenny Britt, Rutgers; Hakeem Nicks, UNC; Brian Robiskie, OSU; Juaquin Iglesias, Oklahoma; Jarett Dillard, Rice; Mike Thomas, Arizona
2. Offensive Tackle: Eben Britton, Arizona; William Beatty, UConn; Jamon Meredith, South Carolina; Phil Loadholt, Oklahoma
3. Kicker: None.
4. Outside Linebacker: Clay Matthews Jr., USC; Brian Cushing, USC; Aaron Maybin, PSU; Connor Barwin, Cincinnati; Larry English, Northern Illinois; Clint Sintim, Virginia; Cody Brown, UConn
5. Defensive End: Tyson Jackson, LSU; Jarron Gilbert, San Jose St.; Evander Hood, Missouri; Sen’Derrick Marks, Auburn; Fili Moala, USC

Photo Credit: Mark Campbell, UD Athletics Media Relations Photo, College Press Box (Maryland)

Combine Results:3-Cone Drill - OL

1. Lydon Murtha, Nebraska, OT – 7.06
2. Xavier Fulton, Illinois, OT - 7.35
3. Max Unger, Oregon, C - 7.39
4. Jon Cooper, Oklahoma, C - 7.46
A.Q. Shipley, Penn St., C - 7.46
6. Jason Smith, Baylor, OT - 7.53
7. Joel Bell, Furman, OT - 7.55
8. Eric Wood, Louisville, C - 7.56
9. Seth Olsen, Iowa, OG - 7.59
10. William Beatty, UConn, OT - 7.62

Combine Results: Broad Jump - OL

1. Antoine Caldwell, Alabama, C - 9'3"
Xavier Fulton, Illinois, OT - 9'3"
3. Eugene Monroe, Virginia, OT - 9'2"
Matt Slauson, Nebraska, OG - 9'2"
Lydon Murtha, Nebraska, OT – 9'2"
6. Brandon Walker, Oklahoma, OG - 9'1"
Joel Bell, Furman, OT - 9'1"
8. Travis Bright, OG, BYU - 9'0"
9. William Beatty, UConn, OT - 8'11"
10. Jon Cooper, Oklahoma, C - 8'9"
Jamon Meredith, South Carolina, OT - 9'9"

Combine Results: Vertical Jump - OL

1. Travis Bright, OG, BYU - 35.5"
2. Lydon Murtha, Nebraska, OT – 35"
3. Brandon Walker, Oklahoma, OG - 34"
Matt Slauson, Nebraska, OG - 34"
5. William Beatty, UConn, OT - 33.5"
6. Xavier Fulton, Illinois, OT - 31"
Jonathan Luigs, Arkansas, C - 31"
A.Q. Shipley, Penn St., C- 31"
9. Andy Levitre, Oregon St., OG - 30.5"
Eric Wood, Louisville, C - 30.5"
Robert Brewster, Ball St., OT - 30.5"
Michael Oher, Mississippi, OT - 30.5"

SENIOR BOWL – NORTH PRACTICE NOTES

Quarterback: Of all the quarterbacks, Rhett Bomar has the most potential, but he needs a lot of work in terms of his mechanics and consistency. Don’t expect him to be an instant impact rookie a la Joe Flacco regardless of the similarities. Like Flacco, Bomar transferred from a FBS school (Oklahoma) to a FCS school (Sam Houston St.) before earning a Senior Bowl invite. (Flacco ended up at Delaware after starting his college career at Pittsburgh) In addition to having the best arm of this group, Bomar is the most athletic quarterback of the North threesome. He had some issues taking the ball from under center, making the transition from a shot-gun quarterback.

Going under center, Graham Harrell did a nice job dropping back and talking the ball. He didn’t look like a quarterback who spent his entire career (high school and college) in shot-gun spread offenses. Too bad he wasn’t as impressive when asked to throw the football – his ball flutters. Even on the rare occasion when he threw a tight spiral, Harrell simply didn’t have the arm on the deep comeback throws.

Nathan Brown had some issues under center and fumbled a couple of snaps. He is short and doesn’t have the strongest arm, which makes his lack of crisp mechanics and side-arm delivery even more concerning. Like Harrell, Brown didn’t show the arm strength to make sideline throws. Brown looks his best in “game situations” – in the 11-on-11 he was able to settle in and make some solid throws. Thursday was Brown’s best day as he ran the 11-on-11 very well.

Running Backs: Jeremiah Johnson stood out among this group. He has very good lateral quickness – simply put, he can make you miss. Coming out of the backfield, this former Duck is a tough cover and while he is not a feature back, he will make somebody very happy with his ability as a number two.

Cedric Peerman looks like a natural route runner. He should land somewhere as a third down back.

Syracuse product Tony Fiametta had a stellar week. Fearless and physical as a blocker, he also looked good as a receiver coming out of the backfield. At this point, he is the odds-on favorite to be the first fullback off the board come April.

Wide Receivers: Brian Robiskie has terrific hands, maybe the best of this group. He also has no peers in terms of his route running skills. A true technician who plays like his father is a receiver’s coach in the NFL…which he is (Terry Robiskie coaches wide receivers for he Minnesota Vikings).

Ramses Barden had trouble adjusting to playing against a higher level of competition. Even with his big school size, Barden had some trouble getting off jams at the line of scrimmage.

Juaquin Iglesias showed good quickness and the ability to change direction. He plays faster than his 40-time.

None of these defensive backs on the North – and there were some good ones – were able to stay with Derrick Williams in terms of his speed/quickness. After making most of his yardage at Penn St. on screen and junk passes, Williams showed he can in fact run routes and get down the field.

Before he was injured, UNC’s Brooks Foster flashed the ability to stretch the field, but he can also be pushed around. He needs to get tougher and more physical.

In addition to displaying skills as a pass catcher, Brandon Gibson laid an impressive crack back block on defensive end Will Davis in 11-on-11 drills. Gibson showed great hands and could not be held in check – he always found a way to get open.

Malcolm Johnson was a late (injury) addition but quickly became a favorite target of the North quarterbacks, seeing a lot of action in 11-on-11, flourishing in the Red Zone.

Tight End: Brandon Pettigrew pushed Scott McKillop out with relative ease in one-on-one blocking drills. He is a man at tight end, one of the few legitimate in-line blockers at the position.

Big man John Phillips is known as much for his blocking as he is his pass catching, if not more so, but he displayed excellent hands in 11-on-11 drills. He doesn’t necessarily get a lot of separation so he won’t be an explosive pass receiver but appears to be a safe/reliable option.

Offensive Tackles: One of the more intriguing prospects is UConn tackle William Beatty. He needs to do a better job of keeping his back upright and bending his knees, but you have to love the upside he possesses. He got better as the week went on, which is how his pro career will likely go. He needs to put on weight or he’ll be vulnerable to a bull rush, but he has the frame to do so and he’s got the athleticism and footwork to protect the quarterback’s blindside.

Early on, the weakest offensive tackle on the North team was Illinois product Xavier Fulton, who was beaten pretty regularly in one-on-one situations. I did like that he improved throughout the week, rather than hanging his head after his early struggles.

Phil Loadholt was very inconsistent in one-on-one pass blocking drills. The problem is his footwork and lack of lateral mobility. When he gets his hands on pass rusher, it’s game over. The size and length (excellent wingspan) are there for him to play left tackle, but in all likelihood his lack of footwork will prevent him from playing the marquee position. He will shift to the right side on Sundays. Against some of the lesser talent, Loadholt was able to block them, but when he had to block the premier pass rushers on the North, he couldn’t handle them – yet another sign he belongs on the right side.

Guards: Wisconsin guard Craig Urbik was the most consistent interior lineman all week. How do you not love this guy? While most of the centers and guards were getting outplayed by a strong group of defensive tackles, Urbik held his own on almost every snap. He anchors well and even showed excellent footwork when the opposition changed direction. You're not going to overpower Urbik

Andy Levitre is making the move inside after playing tackle at Oregon St. He simply lacks the length to play in the perimeter as his short arms prevent him from pushing linemen away and knocking them off their moves. Levitre had trouble when asked to block speed rushers but has good technique and uses his hands well.

Centers: Max Unger had some trouble handling the faster/quicker players and powerful linemen. When matching up with a noseman like Ron Brace, he was pushed right back into the pocket – the same happened when he was asked to block B.J. Raji. He does a better job when the opposition tries to out-quick him – he’s more athletic than your typical center.

Alex Mack is tougher than Unger, but he had troubles with Ziggy Hood’s spin moves. He was also overpowered by B.J. Raji (in 11-on-11), putting in doubt whether he will be able to handle premier defensive tackles one-on-one. Mack has a nasty streak and does a good job of maintaining leverage.

Defensive Tackles: At his best, B.J. Raji was dominant, pushing around most guards and centers throughout the week. He displayed both the quickness to get around offensive linemen as well as the strength to overpower them. Raji can be so disruptive – at one point breaking up a hand-off in 11-on-11, pushing Alex Mack back into the quarterback.

The other Boston College defensive tackle, Ron Brace, is a one-trick pony. He’s not trying to trick anybody – it’s a straight power bull rush every time. At times he comes out of his stance too high, a no-no for man expected to make his living over the center. It was disappointing to see Brace get handled on back-to-back plays by Virginia Tech’s Ryan Shuman, a borderline draftee. He easily had the most false starts in one-on-one drills. Brace will get solid push from time-to-time, but rarely will flat out beat his blocker.

If you’re looking for moves, Mizzou’s Ziggy Hood had the O-Line baffled with his spin move. While he typically put the offensive linemen through the spin cycle, Hood also busted out an occasional swim move to beat his man. He is tough to block one-on-one.

Mitch King blew by several offensive linemen using his quickness on inside moves, as well as speed off the edge. He also uses hands well. The one-on-one scenarios play to his strengths. When he tried to use a power move, he was cut off at the path – he had no chance to get into the backfield. He is explosive, but simply lacks the size NFL teams are looking for, which doesn’t mean he can’t create a niche for himself as a role player at the next level.

Alex Magee who was added to the roster on Tuesday, exploded by Andy Levitre, using his hands to get by the former Beaver. Magee displayed a speed rush and showed a nice combination move when he powered outside to set up with spin move back inside. I really like his quickness.

Defensive Ends: Larry English showed some glimpses as an edge pass rusher. It looks like he put on some weight for Senior Bowl week, but has he robbed himself of some quickness? He picked up his play as the week went on, displaying a variety of pass rush moves, which is how he’s going to make his money on the next level. English looked solid when asked to cover. He is an ideal candidate to move to outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme.

Tim Jamison had some moments, but often goes too wide, always trying to beat his man on the perimeter. He looks like a ‘tweener – to small to play on the line of scrimmage, not long enough to be an outside pass rusher.

Cody Brown plays a little too upright. He could not get by Phil Loadholt on numerous one-on-one opportunities. Brown responded later in the week, at times attacking the blocker – he knocked both Xavier Fulton and college teammate William Beatty on their rear ends.

After spending most of his time at tight end, Connor Barwin did get an opportunity to show what he could do as a pass rusher. He was able to drop his inside shoulder and go around the pass blocker and also showed his natural instincts and quickness setting up linemen with a hesitation move.

Linebackers: Tyrone McKenzie, out of USF, looks like a solid three-down linebacker. He’s not very explosive but he can cover and there is something to be said for not having to leave the field. He did a great job sticking with Brandon Pettigrew and knocked some balls away.

Marcus Freeman had trouble shedding blockers, although he did avoid Brandon Pettigrew in 11-on-11 as the former Cowboy was trying to block him. He will be a productive pro, but is likely limited to being a weakside linebacker in a 4-3 defense. Freeman is at his best playing in space, whether he is trying to avoid a block or make a tackle. He may be the best linebacker in coverage – so smooth and natural when dropping back.

Clint Sintim is trying to prove he can play in a 4-3 defense after flourishing in a 3-4 system at Virginia. He might be able to play the strongside, but is probably better suited to be a rush linebacker. On that note, he struggled in one-on-one coverage when asked to stay with running backs.

Cornerbacks: Darius Butler displayed good footwork throughout the week. He’s a little undersized, but his hips are as fluid as any corner playing this week. At times, Butler disappointed a bit with his speed – does his 40-time translate to the field? For a corner who lacks ideal size, he needs to show more closing speed. He did impress with his physical play at the line of scrimmage, at one point spinning Brooks Foster completely around right at the line. He looks like he has the skills to play bump-and-run.

Coming out of Oregon St. Kennan Lewis is a physical corner, not at all afraid to mix it up.

I believe Macho Harris had a better week than he’s being given credit for. He’s never going to be an on the island corner, but will find a place in the NFL. He was very physical with Ohio St.’s Brian Robiskie, simply not allowing the former Buckeye to go where he wanted to go (by most accounts, Robiskie was one of the tougher receivers to cover). He also showed the ability to play off-man coverage, which is not his strength.

Safeties: William Moore lacks the fluid hips to be effective in coverage, which is why some scouts are speculating he may have to make the move to linebacker, like Oklahoma’s Nic Harris. He seemed to get pushed back step-by-step by Brandon Gibson in coverage and then was completely turned out of position.

Coming out of Western Michigan Louis Delmus also struggled as a coverman. On one drill, he gave Derrick Williams a ton of cushion only to see the Penn St. product run right by him anyway. This Bronco is at his best running down hill and will flourish against the run. Delmus will get caught peeking into the offensive backfield on play-action.

One safety who was solid when asked to cover wide receivers one-on-one was Oregon’s Patrick Chung, who surely helped his stock this week.

Photo Credit: Mizzou Media Relations; OU Athletics Department; David Knachel, Virginia Tech Athletics Communications; USF Athletics Communications; OSU Athletics; Sam Houston State Athletics, College Press Box

All Star: Senior Bowl Report - Day 2

DAY TWO NOTES FROM BOTH PRACTICES:

* Liberty U./Pittsburgh running back Rashad Jennings… impressed everyone during the weigh-in; solidly built upper-body and carries 235 pounds very well. Shows an extra burst in the open field. Coachable kid that listens to his position coach and then responds by improving portions of his game. Made a cut and move in the open field that kept the defender off-balance, but for his size he plays as fast as some of the smaller RB’s on the roster. Should he run in the 4.4 range at the Combine he could easily move his way into being the highest draft senior RB in this class.

* Oregon running back Jeremiah Johnson… is shorter than ideal, but well-developed and looks like he could add ten pounds to his frame. Has shown good acceleration, took the ball on an off-tackle to the right side and was able to hit the corner and propel himself down the sideline during team drills. Running hard both days and has given team’s something to think about in terms of his ability to be an every-down back.

* Oklahoma offensive tackle Phil Loadholt… has played both left and right tackle during the first two practices. Has played on the left side in college, but many NFL scouts see him as being just a right tackle prospect for the next level. He does a good job when he locks onto defenders, but struggles with quicker, more athletic pass rushers on the left side. Gets way to erect off the snap, gives up too much of his big frame and than does not have the ability to re-direct if he misses on his initial punch. Carries more of a fourth-round grade as of today, but if the run on OT’s starts as early as expected than it could impact his final grade in a positive way.

* Southern Miss tight end Shawn Nelson… has really gained the attention of everyone watching the tight end position. He is smooth in his routes, catching most balls with his hands and then accelerating well in the open field. Appears to be about 4.6 40-time and then has done much better than expected in terms of his in-line blocking. Was able to block USC linebacker Ray Maualuga to a standstill during pass rush drill. Still needs to get bigger/stronger in the upper-body, but the effort and production has been there throughout both practices.

* Connecticut offensive tackle William Beatty… this is my guy long-term at the tackle position. He can play left tackle at the NFL level, brings a very good combination of natural size, foot work and athleticism. Has room to grow, will over-extend at times and also not create as much force as desired with his initial punch, but he can slide and mirror with any defender on the North roster, including Larry English and Cody Brown. Just moves so well and effortlessly for a 290-pound blocker. Has the frame to one-day weigh in at 315-320 pounds. Over the course of his career I could see Beatty earning just as many trips to Hawaii as guys like Jason Smith, Michael Oher and Andre Smith, and with the added benefit that you would not have expend a high first round choice to choose him.

* Cincinnati defensive end/tight end Connor Barwin... practiced again at tight end, but did see a few late practice reps at defensive end. He will play defensive end for the most part on Wednesday. He also stands a great chance of setting a record on Saturday as he can become the first player in the history of the 60-year contest to play on both sides of the ball during the actual Senior Bowl game.

* Northern Illinois defensive end Larry English… thickly built natural pass rusher that continues to flash that all important quickness off the ball while also getting scouts talking about where he fits best at the NFL level. One key evaluator said that he would play OLB in a 3-4, but another countered with the idea that he should remain at defensive end like Alex Brown (Bears) or Robert Mathis (Colts).

* Ole Miss linebacker Ashlee Palmer… while a lot of the media and internet scouts have said this kid was added to the roster because he’s an SEC defender the NFL scouts know for a fact that this kid could be one of the best all-around athletes on the South defensive roster. Runs as well as some safeties, gets a very good break on the ball and attacks the line of scrimmage on run plays. Little under-sized for certain schemes, but he can make big-plays and should standout in the game itself.

* Tennessee defensive end Robert Ayers… his grade has skyrocketed since the start of his senior campaign and the past two days have done nothing to stop that progress. He is strong at the point of attack, relentless in his pursuit of the football and has flashed good pass rush moves, as well. Has done very well in his 1-on-1 match-ups. He could turn out to be one of the best strong-side 4-3 defensive ends in this draft and a solid second round choice.

* Georgia defensive tackle Corey Irvin… does not impress with his body type, but he has a very good motor, physical and looks to finish the play. Did so both during 1-on-1’s and in team drills. Nearly killed one of his own QB’s by running over them in team drills and has gotten the better of most interior defenders on run plays. Has only one real year of game film for scouts to observe, so that could keep him from jumping into the first few rounds.

* USC defensive lineman Kyle Moore… the most under-rated of the Trojans’ prospects in attendance this week. He can play several positions, but will likely be drafted as a defensive end by a team using a 3-4 scheme. It is hard to find quality 5-technique DE’s that has the length, bulk/size and then talent to actually make plays. He can add 10-15 pounds to his frame over time and become a starting caliber player in the right scheme.

* USC outside linebacker Clay Matthews, Jr… more unsung and under-rated but either way he is making a name for himself in-spite of being a future second-generation NFL player. Has done very well as a pass rusher and just plays with great intensity on every rep. Very good strength; does not stay blocked and has hustled to the ball on each down. Could also be used as a stand-up DE depending upon the scheme.


* Mississippi State defensive back Derek Pegues… have liked his play style, getting aggressive with receivers and showing the ability to stick with nearly all of them during 1-on-1 drills. Fluid hips and likes to come up and get involved versus the run. Certain teams view him at cornerback and others free safety. Can also provide a dangerous return man to the team that selects him.

* West Virginia kicker/punter Patrick McAfee… has a huge and naturally powerful leg, able to really boom both his punts and kickoffs. Accurate on field goals, but the ability to handle all of the kicking duties for a team may allow him to now sneak into the back end of the draft.

WHAT WE’RE HEARING:

* Purdue defensive lineman Alex Magee was in uniform and practicing today, although he was not on the initial roster and did not weigh-in with the rest of the game’s prospects on Monday morning.

* Utah sophomore defensive end Paul Kruger, BYU junior wide receiver Austin Collie and Southern Mississippi were not listed on the list of underclassmen that declared for the NFL Draft because they have already completed their fifth year of eligibility. Collie and Kruger both did a Mormon mission while Gerald McRath missed a season due to an injury.

* Tuskegee senior defensive back Derek Douglas has spent the past two days watching the practices from the sidelines and handing out his bio and highlight DVD to scouts. Thus far he’s been able to meet up with evaluators from 14-16 teams and has contacted Auburn University about working out at their Pro Day.

* Questions are now surrounding what issue or issues might have come up last week in regards to Wisconsin offensive guard Andy Kemp. Kemp weighed in at the East-West Shrine Game only to leave shortly there after when it was announced and shared with all in attendance that he had been invited to the Senior Bowl. He was never listed on the roster here in Mobile and when questioned the game staff and even a former teammate denied that he was ever suppose to attend this week’s game. The speculation is that he either failed his physical or had some type of personal issue arise last week in Houston.

* A total of eight offensive tackles were taken in the first-round of last year’s NFL Draft, according to several evaluators on-hand they expect that number to potentially be lower (4-5) in round one, but the Top-4 tackles could come off the board before the first 15 picks are made.

Photo Credit: OU Athletics Department, SEC Sports Media