Day 3 of the Senior Bowl wasn’t as action packed as in year’s past, so I decided to write a Week In Review article with a few Wednesday notes sprinkled in.  I’ve broken the week down into categories of what I saw, and I certainly appreciate everyone for checking these reports out!  Make sure to stay tuned as I leave for El Paso and the Texas vs The Nation Game on Sunday.

Risers

These players really helped their draft stock in Mobile.

Dan LeFevour(Central Michigan) was seen by some in the scouting community as a fourth-round pick, but he was clearly the most consistent quarterback in Mobile and could now go somewhere in the second-round.

Zac Robinson(Oklahoma State) had a reputation as a “system” quarterback, and some thought he would struggle with a more traditional set in Mobile.  In fact, just the opposite happened and Robinson was clearly the best quarterback for the South squad.

Jarrett Brown(West Virginia) had limited experience as a starting quarterback at West Virginia, but wowed everybody in Mobile with his athleticism and arm strength.  He’s clearly a project quarterback, but one with a higher upside than most expected.

Legarrette Blount(Oregon) impressed everyone in Mobile with his pass protection, and speed when running through the tackles.  He had to rebuild his image after his suspension for most of the season, and was a very good interview.

Joique Bell(Wayne State) was an award winning running back, but scouts always question the level of competition for small school players.  Bell showed that he clearly belonged in Mobile, and he’ll rise up draft boards even further before April with a good workout at the combine.

Dexter McCluster(Mississippi) is a versatile player, and continued to show that he could be a dangerous weapon in a number of different ways.  Scouts are concerned with his lack of bulk, but in practice he proved to be nearly untouchable in open space and showed he could “out quick” a jam at the line of scrimmage.

Cam Thomas(DL - North Carolina) was a dominant force in Mobile, and he may have helped his draft stock more than any other player at the Senior Bowl.  Not only did he show great strength and power, but he also had a variety of pass rushing moves and a tireless motor.

Dan Williams(DL - Tennessee) is following the path of fellow Tennessee teammate Robert Ayers, and he may wind up as a first round pick after his performance in Mobile.

Larry Asante(CB - Nebraska) made plays and showed the ability to press wide receivers effectively at the line of scrimmage.

Fallers

These players may find themselves sliding down draft boards because of their performance in Mobile.

Tim Tebow(Florida) struggled in Mobile, and scouts were working with him to shorten his steps when he throws and tighten up his throwing motion.  I liked the fact that he wasn’t afraid to practice in front of teams in this All-Star setting, but he proved to be a bigger project than some thought.  He still may be selected with a premium pick, but that will be more for his ability to sell tickets (in Jacksonville) than what he does on the field.

Taylor Mays(USC) not only did he look stiff on the field, Mays failed to impress during the interview process.  I know members of the media that were either “big timed” by Mays (he refused to talk to a major outlet) or he absolutely refused to make eye contact when he was being interviewed.

Confirmations

These are the players that confirmed what my film study showed me during the course of their careers.

Dan LeFevour(Central Michigan) has been a favorite of mine since his record setting sophomore season.  Seeing him up close and in person he displayed many of the same qualities (fearlessness, moxie, throws well on the run, etc) that I had seen on film.

Anthony Dixon(Mississippi State) is who we thought he was!  He’s not a fullback, even though he spent some time practicing at that position.

Ben Tate(Auburn) runs with more power then you would expect out of player his size.  He is very determined, and capable of picking up the tough yards after contact.

Surprises

These are the players that surprised me in person, and their game looked much different from what I had seen on tape.

Jarrett Brown(West Virginia) was a player I knew would be athletic, but I didn’t expect his arm strength and accuracy to be as far along as they are.

Legarrette Blount(Oregon) surprised me with his speed between the tackles and pass blocking ability.

Joique Bell(Wayne State) got it done at a lower level of competition, but proved that he could hang with the big boys in Mobile. I liked his decisiveness and ability to set up defenders at the second level.

Three Star Performance

This group of players had three good days of practice in Mobile, and showed consistency throughout.

Legarrette Blount(Oregon) had three great days of practice.  Not only did he showcase his trademark power, but he flashed the ability to break off big runs with speed to the hole.

Dexter McCluster(Mississippi) is a dangerous weapon that was drawing comparisons to Percy Harvin and DeSean Jackson among those in the scouting community.

Cam Thomas(DL - North Caroliina) loves to get after the quarterback.  He would use a straight up bull rush to push the pocket, and he has a motor that just won’t quit.

Brandon Graham(DL - Michigan) was perhaps the best player in Mobile this week.  He has great functional strength and knows how to use leverage to throw offensive linemen around.  He also has a variety of pass rush moves, and can get to the quarterback in a hurry with a great first step.

Two Star Performance

This group of players had two good days of practice in Mobile, but one day showed that they had more things to work on.

Dan LeFevour(Central Michigan) almost had a three star performance in my opinion, but on Wednesday he had a few passes that were off the mark.  His mechanics are a little unorthodox, but he throws well on the run and is always looking downfield to make a play.   

Tony Pike(Cincinnati) has a rocket arm, but has a lot to learn about reading a defense.  With his size Pike sees the field well, but doesn’t put the ball into tight spots.  Pike does get good air under his deep passes, and will properly lead his wide receivers.

Zac Robinson(Oklahoma State) kind of flings the ball, but it comes out of his hand in a hurry.  He is athletic enough to evade the rush, and will keep a play alive with his feet.  He does tend to force the ball into tight spots which can lead to turnovers.

Lonyae Miller(Fresno State) is a natural and instinctive runner with enough speed to the hole and moves in the open field.  He is a liability in pass protection, and will have to greatly improve in that area if he wants to get on the field as a third-down back.

Joique Bell(Wayne State) is quick, decisive, and agile.  He’s got speed to the corner, and understands angles to maximize the yardage on each carry.

Anthony Dixon(Mississippi State) has power, determination, and can cutback for big yards.

Mardy Gilyard(Cincinnati) was inconsistent in Mobile, but when he was “on” it looked great.  He’s very quick in and out of his breaks, and is very slippery after the catch.

Ed Dickson(TE - Oregon) moves very well for a big man, and has a fierce “my ball” mentality.  Once the pass is secure he quickly turns upfield to gain yardage, and moves well with the ball in his hands.

Jimmy Graham(TE - Miami) is clearly a former basketball player, and knows how to “box out” defenders and use his frame to shield them away from the football.  Graham is very athletic and can get upfield in a hurry.

Alex Carrington(DL - Arkansas State) plays with good functional strength and gets off the line of scrimmage quickly.  His arms aren’t as long as scouts like, but he can hand fight to get past offensive linemen.

One Star Performance

This group of players only had one good day of practice in Mobile, and have many things to work on.

Sean Canfield(Oregon State) would have been a zero star if he had not flashed some ability on Wednesday.  Most of his passes were low and wobbly, but by the third day he seemed more comfortable and was zipping some passes over the middle. 

Tim Tebow(Florida) got better as the week went on, but still has many things to work on.  Not only is his wind up elongated - he has a hitch in it where he completely stops the momentum of his throwing arm.  He also needs a lot of room to operate in order to throw because he takes a huge step forward when he releases the ball.

Rashawn Jackson(FB - Virginia) is not Jason Snelling.  He’s not as big or as fast as the former Cavalier and current Atlanta Falcon.  However, he is a good enough receiver to make a roster as a backup fullback and special teams player. 

Joe Webb(UAB) is a converted quarterback and not very polished as a wide receiver.  He does have football ability, but will have to be developed and his raw skill will have to be honed.

Anthony McCoy(TE - USC) showed great strength when beating the jam off the line or in his route, however his hands were very inconsistent each day in practice.