Senior Bowl
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Sobo: Enter the Senior Bowl
By Brent Sobleski
As the Cleveland Browns once again enter another off-season after a woe-begotten regular season, their fans turn optimistically to the draft process. Hopes hinge upon exactly who should be the right pick. The Shrine All Star Game comes first on the calendar, but the Senior Bowl is arguably the single most important off season event for future National Football League talent. It allows top prospects to compete on the football field under NFL coaching supervision, seeing how each player responds to these same coaches and situations. Plus, there is the added bonus of personal interviews and interaction when not on the field. Each year certain players rise and fall based on one weeks’ overall performance.
So who exactly are this year’s top rated participants and who may be under the radar but deserves a little attention? Below are some highlighted names to keep a close eye on as the week progresses.
Top Talents
Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi
-- The Rebel product can be found highly rated throughout the community of draftniks. This blindside protector might be slightly overrated at this point. Oher has been inconsistent throughout his career in both technique and play. Specifically, the offensive lineman plays a little stiff in the hips, does not always display good knee bend, and has never dominated at a level consistent with his overall talent. He is a very good athlete and has very strong hands giving glimpses of elite status, but this week will go a long way determining if Oher is a legit top ten talent or slides slightly in the first round.
Rey Maualuga, LB, USC
-- A fierce inside linebacker whose highlight reel is as impressive as any prospect in this draft class. Unfortunately those same highlights do not always reflect Maualuga’s play on the field. A team leader and impact defender, this middle linebacker must show the ability to read and react quickly, drop back into pass coverage effectively, as well as getting off of blocks and working through trash. There is certainly some discrepancy as to where Maualuga should be rated, but the bottom line is this linebacker is a player whose competitiveness can be an asset this week.
Brian Cushing, LB, USC
-- Another Trojan enters the list as one of the weeks’ top talents. Cushing has been a jack of all trades while at Southern California. Equally adept dropping back in coverage as he is rushing the passer, Cushing is a well rounded defender who can work in any defensive scheme. The two downfalls of this prospect’s game would certainly be his injury history first and foremost, as well as being overwhelmed at the point of attack by bigger blockers. Often overshadowed by bigger names on the Trojan defense, Brian Cushing is a legit impact NFL linebacker and could hear his name in April’s first round.
BJ Raji, DT, Boston College
-- After a year away from football due to academic ineligibility last season, Raji had the talent to enter the NFL draft. Instead he went back for his senior campaign and continued a level of dominance seen two years prior. Raji has shown the ability to be a complete disruptive threat to all opposing offenses. Big and strong at the point of attack at 320 pounds plus, this defensive tackle’s technique is what separates him from the rest of the crop. Raji uses his hands extremely well to get off blocks and displays multiple pass rush moves to get to the quarterback. Once scouts realized this defender’s work ethic was not in question, his stock rose very very quickly.
Alex Mack, C, Cal
-- Combining intelligence with physical talent, Alex Mack is one of the more impressive pivot prospects to enter the draft in recent memory. California did not have the year they expected on the field, but this center certainly played up to his billing. Strong at the point of attack, along with a good pass set; he has all the makings of a tone setter in the trenches. Often the interior offensive linemen are overlooked slightly throughout the draft process and this week can showcase their abilities. In the case of an Alex Mack, it would not be a surprise to see him rise quickly back into first round conversation.
Super Sleepers
Ramses Barden, WR, Cal Poly
-- Simply an impressive physical specimen at a listed 6 feet 6 inches tall and 227 pounds. Even more impressive were his stats last year at the Division IAA level: 67 receptions, 1257 yards receiving, and 18 touchdown catches. The Mustang quarterback only threw for a total of 23 touchdowns the entire season. Barden’s combination of size and talent will certainly make him an enticing prospect, and with a good week against top talent this receiver will be skyrocketing up draft boards.
Lawrence Sidbury, DE, Richmond
-- Another lower level prospect whose play just lights up the stat sheet. In Sidbury’s biggest game of his career, this year’s Division II National Championship, the defensive lineman stood tall recording four sacks. A fantastic athlete off the edge, the end will likely make the transition to linebacker because of size and strength limitation at a listed 6 feet 4 inches tall and 265 pounds. Rarely do prospects get to change positions during Senior Bowl week, but scouts will looks to his athleticism and fluidity off the edge. Performing well a week ago in the Shrine Game, Lawrence Sidbury will look to build on his late season momentum.
Also Watch Closely: Conner Barwin (DE Cincinnati), Larry English (DE Northern Illinois), Moise Fokou (LB Maryland), Louis Delmas (S Western Michigan), Rashad Jennings (RB Liberty), William Beatty (OT UConn), Scott McKillop (ILB Pitt), and Cedric Peerman (RB Virginia)
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Sidbury likely could be had later in the draft. Word is that he only runs a 4.8 40.
During the Shrine Game, one of the announcers talked about how Sidbury designed a computer program that tracks defensive tendencies. The program worked so well that his coaching staff at Richmond ended up using it.
Sounds like the intelligent type of player Mangini & co. covet.
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Sidbury measured in at 6'2", 267 lbs. today. Also has decent-sized hands (10 1/2") and very long arms (35").
We'll see how he fares against NFL-caliber OT's in the Senior Bowl practices. Though his measurables are borderline kosher for playing DE, his build looks more like a 3-4 OLB.
But we may not get to see him in LB drills until the Combine.
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Wow. LSU OG-OT Herman Johnson measured in at 6'7", 382 lbs. Also has huge hands (11 1/4") and 36" vines for arms.
The amazing thing is that he actually moves pretty well.
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Also, Rey Rey measured in a shade under 6'2" and 254 lbs.
Here are the full rosters:
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ramses barden sounds like an ideal replacement for jurevicius if he can have a good week of practice. i'd never heard of him before, but he has insane size for a WR. if he has any speed whatsoever and can run even decent routes, he'll fly up boards, likely to the point where we'll have no chance of getting him.
think he tops out as a third-round prospect at this point or could he get into the second?
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nfldraftscout has Barden pegged as an late 2nd/early 3rd Round pick. But a bad 40 time could drop him lower (he's said to be a 4.6 guy).
Should be interesting to see how he fares in practices this week.
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Yeah - bad would be creeping up towards 4.7.
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nfldraftscout projects he'll be drafted in the 5th Round.
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NFL Network's airing coverage from the Senior Bowl practices right now.
Cody Brown just embarrassed Phil Loadholt.
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NFL Network's airing coverage from the Senior Bowl practices right now.
Cody Brown just embarrassed Phil Loadholt.
Aloysius said:
Cody Brown just embarrassed Phil Loadholt.I'm shocked that some have this guy going in the first round. His stock has been getting lower with every month.
Orakpo completely destroyed him in the UT-OU game. He did not have a great senior season.
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I think the feeling is that Loadholt will be effective once he's moved to RT, away from speed-rushers. But with so many teams running a 3-4, both OT's need to be able to block speed guys.
But some team will become enamored with Loadholt's measurables (6'8", 340 lbs., 36" arms) and take him in the 2nd Round. He'll be a dominant run-blocker, but he'll also get his QB killed.
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I think the feeling is that Loadholt will be effective once he's moved to RT, away from speed-rushers. But with so many teams running a 3-4, both OT's need to be able to block speed guys.
But some team will become enamored with Loadholt's measurables (6'8", 340 lbs., 36" arms) and take him in the 2nd Round. He'll be a dominant run-blocker, but he'll also get his QB killed.
Aloysius said:
I think the feeling is that Loadholt will be effective once he's moved to RT, away from speed-rushers. But with so many teams running a 3-4, both OT's need to be able to block speed guys.But some team will become enamored with Loadholt's measurables (6'8", 340 lbs., 36" arms) and take him in the 2nd Round. He'll be a dominant run-blocker, but he'll also get his QB killed.
That last part...Right!....Started laughing when I read that.
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In a one on one matchup, B.J. Raji got some push on Alex Mack. The next time, it looked like Mack held onto Raji's jersey.
Mitch King used his quickness to get around Max Unger, who was lining up at center. I love King, but he lacks a true NFL position and definitely isn't a fit for the 3-4.
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Great spin move by Evander "Ziggy" Hood. Not sure if he projects well to 3-4 DE, but I like what I've seen thus far.
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larry english looks reallly, really fast with good agility and acceleration. he'll get handled if tackles can lock onto him and take him to the ground, but that can happen to a lot of LBs when they start a speed rush instead of a bull rush.
max unger got handled a minute ago.
michigan's DE, jamison (#91 at the senior bowl) has looked good a couple of times, too, but looks more like a 4-3 de. it's possible he could play in a one-gap 3-4, though.
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Great spin move by Evander "Ziggy" Hood. Not sure if he projects well to 3-4 DE, but I like what I've seen thus far.
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Unger can't handle Ron Brace's strength. Not a good sign for Unger's ability to handle 3-4 NT's.
Out at guard, Alex Mack got beat by B.J. Raji on successive plays. Raji showed a nice repertoire of pass-rush moves (spin & swim).
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