Senior Bowl 2012 predictions | Page 4

MadDog49er · 2012-01-22T06:37:07-08:00

It is time to really crank up the postseason bowl games, with Senior Bowl practices starting in about 24 hours. As I did last year, here are my projections from this week. I will add throughout the day. QB- not an inspiring group of players this season, nowhere near the level of Dalton, Locker, Ponder of 2011. With Tannehill out of the game, most of the guys are mid-rounders at best. I will go out on a limb and say that the old man, Weeden, has the best practice sessions, but that Russell Wilson wins the game MVP award. ranking: Weeden, Foles, Lindley, Cousins, Wilson, Moore (no arm) RB- another anemic group, except for Chris Polk. He should easily be the star of this group. WR- Ok, let's have some fun. We have big guys, short guys, slow guys and rockets. Kendall Wright should emerge as the star of this week, and Dwight Jones should be the best big receiver out there. Joe Adams probably emerges as the most explosive of the group, but little Patrick Edwards of Houston may be the guy that surprises some people. I expect a big week from him. As for the big WR's, forget Criner, McNutt, Fuller, Robinson. The big man to watch is Appalachian State's Brian Quick. This is his coming out party, and I fully expect him to look better than theo bigger named guys. Great, great group. TE- the star of the whole week on offense may be a little known TE, from. Louisiana-Lafayette named Ladarius Green. 6'6" , 240 and unstoppable. Welcome to the NFL, Mr. green. Lots of work needed in blocking, but this guy is a nightmare matchup problem for defenses. UMass TE/FB Emil Igwenagu is a blocking machine. May end up the best blocking FB in the draft and has good hands. A terrific late rounders for a smart team. OL- a really mixed bag on the OL this week, with underachievers and overachievers. The hot name right now is gigantic Mike Adams, from Ohio State. He is 6'7", with long arms, and a lot of teams will be taking a long look at him. He should emerge easily as the best OT on the field, while Utah's Tony Bergstrom should also have a terrific week. I think Levi Adcock emerges as the third best. This is the week link to the OL for the week. the real battle is to see who emerges as the best interior player of the week, and this is my favorite group of players in the game. you have Cordy Glenn of Georgia, who was so athletic that he played at a high level at LT for the Bulldogs this year. Big, smooth, and a terrific player. Kelechi Osemele of Iowa State is another first round potential player. Both should be fighting for the top spot as OG. i will give the edge to Glenn. Should have a great week. Ben Jones is clearly the best center in the game, and will be a solid second round selection for a team looking for an anchor in the middle of their line. however, one lesser known guy that should have a monster week is Silatolu of Midwestern State. He may be the guy I am most staring at this week. Finally, how could a draft go by without a standout Wisconsin guard. Kevin Zeitler is not a match for his junior sidekick Peter Konz, but the kid still pretty good. Wisconsin OL come ready made for the NFL, and Zeitler will probably be starting for someone next year. Will he be on the board when the Niners select at the end of the second round? Not sure. Watch this group. Defense- DL- The DL star of this week should be a two-horse race. Devon Still, in my opinion, will be the first front seven player taken in the draft, and I can see him going as early as number four to the Browns/Rams. He is a dream player. Great size at 6'5", 305, and a non-stop motor. Competing with him is Quinton Coples, who may be the most versatile DL in the draft. He can play the 4-3, 3-4, can play inside and outside. Coples and Still will battle to be the best, and I give the edge to Still. The drop off is pretty steep after these two. Billy Winn of BSU is a big named guy, but he is not at their level, and will probably be a bit too short to be graded as a top level 3-4 DE and too heavy to be a 4-3 DE. He is headedbto the DT position. A better 4-3 DT will be Brandon Thompson of Clemson, who I expect will have a solid week. He is a classic 4-3 undertackle, someone who can penetrate and disrupt an offense. I think we will see some tremendous battles in the trenches with Still, Coples and Thompson versus the stellar group of interior lineman. One more guy the Niners may want to look at for. 3-4 DE. Kneestton Randall of Texas is built in that perfect frame, 6'5"" 305, and the kid is a hard worker and team leader. I also expect him to be fully ready to go, and a player the team may target in the third round if he is still on the board. As for toilet-clogging NT, Washington's Alameda Ta'amu is virtually unmovable at 6'3", 337, and should be the best of the 2 gappers. As for the DE/OLB players in the game, Andre Branch will generate the most attention. The Clemson star at 6'4", 260 is the perfect size for a 3-4 defense. He also has the ability to drop into coverage, which will make a lot of 3-4 teams interested. Relentless motor. Expect a big week. Got to love the Arkansas DE Jake Bequette. Could be the fastest DE in the game, and I think will get himself at least one sack in the game. At 6'5", 270, he runs very well. Not sure how they will line up Texas DE Emmanuel Acho, but the younger brother of Arizona Cardinal Sam Acho will run from sideline to sideline, and will be the games best hustler. Great character guy, but I think he will be limited to a 4-3 OLB role in the NFL. As for the final guy to take a long look at, Vinnie Curry of Marshall has been one of the most productive players in the nation the past two years, is a team leader and high character guy, and can flat out play. I will go out on a limb and name him the Defensive Player of the Game with two sacks. Branch, Bequette and Curry are the three guys to really focus on, in my opinion. Note added Monday: Totally omitted information for Alabama's Courtney Upshaw. Upshaw was one of the most dominant defenders in the country this past year, and yet he presents a risk for teams at the next level, as I expect him to be less than 6'2" in the weigh-in. This is certainly not a disqualifier, but makes it that much more difficult, as there are few highly successful edge rushers at this height. We have seen recently the struggle of another stud college defender of the same height and frame in Brandon Graham. This will be a gigantic week for him, as he competes with some of the best OT's, to prove that this is a non-issue at the next level. I think we will see mixed results. DB- The top graded DB entering the week will be CB Alfonzo Dennard of Nebraska, who might end up a top 25 pick, followed by Alabama safety Mark Barron. Here is the problem for Niners fans: most of the top graded CB's entering the Senior Bowl are shorter than what the team likes. Dennard, Brandon Boykin, Leonard Johnson are all around 5'9 1/2", and the team likes its corners to be taller. I think some of the Shrine contest CB's better fit their mold. There may be one exception to the rule. Vanderbilt CB Casey Heyward may simply be too good to pass up. At a bit taller, at 5'11", Heyward appears to have the length to play bigger at the next level. The weigh in will be huge for him. I expect him to keep up with, or even better Dennard this week. It is a shame that Montana CB Trumaine Johnson was not invited to come to the game. I am guessing his arrest earlier this year played a part in the matter. A final player to cover is the controversial Janoris Jenkins of North Alabama, who was booted off the Florida squad for two arrests. Way too good to dismiss, way too smooth in his backpedal, and should show pretty well this week. But, the off the field stuff is going to have him off many teams boards, including the 49ers, in my opinion. At safety, it is all about Barron and Oklahoma State FS Markelle Martin, who I think is an instant starter in the NFL. I expect Martin to show exceptional coverage skills, and Barron to be somewhat exposed in coverage. Barron is better suited as an in the box safety, and he will be superb in that area. But Martin is the star of the two. The player I think will shine this week is South Carolina SS Antonio Allen, who is strong in both run and pass defense. To me, he is an option the the team will have to consider if the team sees Goldson leave in free agency and they think Whitner can shift to FS. To wrap, I see the stars of the week (guys who either play at the top level/and or small school guys who prove they can play with the big boys and outdo them) as Ladarius Green of Louisiana Lafayette, Markelle Martin of Oklahoma State, Devon Still or PSU (who will be very emotional this week), Chris Polk of Washington, Vincent Curry of Marshall, Brian Quick, and Casey Heyward of Vanderbilt. The best units will be the interior OL, the DT's and the CB's.

Jan 25, 2012 at 1:49 PM

#46

OnTheClock
Hall of Fame
Posts: 38,643

Originally posted by vrabbit:
Originally posted by OnTheClock:
Originally posted by hofer36:
Originally posted by MadDog49er:
Markelle Martin and Antonio Allen has looked great in drills, in my opinion, and may be the two best safeties in the game. Allen did take one bad angle on a running play, but other than that goof, has looked like a guy who can come up and hit some people. Martin is smooth in coverage. He was the only one I saw who could cover L. Green from the safety position.

The best 4-3 linebacker in the game is Zach Brown. The dude covers like a CB, runs like the wind, and is effortless. To me, he is the first 4-3 backer off the board.

I was not as enthusiastic about Coples as many analysts. He is a great athlete, and has unlimited upside. I just didn't see him beat his opponent in drills like I expected. To me, Jaye Howard of Florida, looked like a better pass rusher from the inside. Coples looks much more comfortable on the outside. I am wondering if he should continue to stay at DE, since he is 280 pounds, and not try to stack on any more weight to move inside. I have always listed him as a 4-3 DE, and that should be his home, on the strong side.

As for centers, Ben Jones has not fared as well as I expected. He looks more like a waist bender than knee bender, and was off balance way too often in drills. On the flip side, Cordy Glenn, who was beaten early, flat out stuffs people at guard, and runs well enough to block in the second level. He was super effective at squaring up on linebackers, and driving them out of plays. Better than Brandon Brooks, the star of last week, in second level blocking. Nobody is getting close to the QB when Mike Adams is blocking. First rounder for sure. The only question is whether he cracks the top 20 picks.

Chris Rainey is crazy fast. I thought Joe Adams might be the fastest guy on the field, but it is not close. Rainey will be the fastest guy at the combine, and I will stack a big pile of money on it. Somebody is going to lay down a second rounder on this kid on his speed and versatility alone. Yikes!!!

So, mini-conclusion, guys who are blowing up this week:
* Chris Rainey
* Courtney Upshaw
* Mike Adams
* Cordy Glenn
* Zach Brown

where does rainey project position wise in nfl...sproles like scatback, slot receiver, return man, all of the able?
if he is that fast i think the ghost of al davis will select him for the raiders

Rainey is a KR/ST guy. Might be used sparingly as a package player for specific plays.

so would he be the Sproles-like prospect of this draft? At least from the senior class, I know LMJ is getting that tag too

It's tough to say he's Sproles-like. Sproles is THICK. While only 190.. at 5-6, that's some muscle packed onto that frame. LaMichael James is closer, but still not as thick. Rainey is more like McCluster.

Jan 25, 2012 at 2:01 PM

#47

vrabbit
Veteran
Posts: 35,953

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by vrabbit:

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by hofer36:

Originally posted by MadDog49er:
Markelle Martin and Antonio Allen has looked great in drills, in my opinion, and may be the two best safeties in the game. Allen did take one bad angle on a running play, but other than that goof, has looked like a guy who can come up and hit some people. Martin is smooth in coverage. He was the only one I saw who could cover L. Green from the safety position.

The best 4-3 linebacker in the game is Zach Brown. The dude covers like a CB, runs like the wind, and is effortless. To me, he is the first 4-3 backer off the board.

I was not as enthusiastic about Coples as many analysts. He is a great athlete, and has unlimited upside. I just didn't see him beat his opponent in drills like I expected. To me, Jaye Howard of Florida, looked like a better pass rusher from the inside. Coples looks much more comfortable on the outside. I am wondering if he should continue to stay at DE, since he is 280 pounds, and not try to stack on any more weight to move inside. I have always listed him as a 4-3 DE, and that should be his home, on the strong side.

As for centers, Ben Jones has not fared as well as I expected. He looks more like a waist bender than knee bender, and was off balance way too often in drills. On the flip side, Cordy Glenn, who was beaten early, flat out stuffs people at guard, and runs well enough to block in the second level. He was super effective at squaring up on linebackers, and driving them out of plays. Better than Brandon Brooks, the star of last week, in second level blocking. Nobody is getting close to the QB when Mike Adams is blocking. First rounder for sure. The only question is whether he cracks the top 20 picks.

Chris Rainey is crazy fast. I thought Joe Adams might be the fastest guy on the field, but it is not close. Rainey will be the fastest guy at the combine, and I will stack a big pile of money on it. Somebody is going to lay down a second rounder on this kid on his speed and versatility alone. Yikes!!!

So, mini-conclusion, guys who are blowing up this week:
* Chris Rainey
* Courtney Upshaw
* Mike Adams
* Cordy Glenn
* Zach Brown

where does rainey project position wise in nfl...sproles like scatback, slot receiver, return man, all of the able?
if he is that fast i think the ghost of al davis will select him for the raiders

Rainey is a KR/ST guy. Might be used sparingly as a package player for specific plays.

so would he be the Sproles-like prospect of this draft? At least from the senior class, I know LMJ is getting that tag too

It's tough to say he's Sproles-like. Sproles is THICK. While only 190.. at 5-6, that's some muscle packed onto that frame. LaMichael James is closer, but still not as thick. Rainey is more like McCluster.

gotcha, good observation

Jan 25, 2012 at 2:10 PM

#48

BoiseNiner
Veteran
Posts: 8,322

I've been hearing good things about my boy Doug Martin this week, but I don't have the chance to watch it overseas in Europe. He's my favorite Boise State prospect in the draft this year, just ahead of Potter. I love Kellen Moore, but I'm realistic about his chances in the NFL.

Any insight from people on here that have been paying close attention this week?

Jan 25, 2012 at 2:17 PM

#49

vrabbit
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Posts: 35,953

Originally posted by BoiseNiner:
I've been hearing good things about my boy Doug Martin this week, but I don't have the chance to watch it overseas in Europe. He's my favorite Boise State prospect in the draft this year, just ahead of Potter. I love Kellen Moore, but I'm realistic about his chances in the NFL.

Any insight from people on here that have been paying close attention this week?

read a lot of good things about Martin every where I go, his performance this week so far is putting him in the discussion for #2 RB in the draft, that's the highest praise I've read on him so far this week

and about Moore, yeah, he's now wowing people with his physical skills in practice, but it's hard to argue against his resume, he may just be one of those gamer type players who's only shot in the NFL will be if he gets a Yates-like opportunity

Jan 25, 2012 at 2:25 PM

#50

BoiseNiner
Veteran
Posts: 8,322

Originally posted by vrabbit:

Originally posted by BoiseNiner:
I've been hearing good things about my boy Doug Martin this week, but I don't have the chance to watch it overseas in Europe. He's my favorite Boise State prospect in the draft this year, just ahead of Potter. I love Kellen Moore, but I'm realistic about his chances in the NFL.

Any insight from people on here that have been paying close attention this week?

read a lot of good things about Martin every where I go, his performance this week so far is putting him in the discussion for #2 RB in the draft, that's the highest praise I've read on him so far this week

and about Moore, yeah, he's now wowing people with his physical skills in practice, but it's hard to argue against his resume, he may just be one of those gamer type players who's only shot in the NFL will be if he gets a Yates-like opportunity

Nice to hear that about Martin. A lot of people talk about Boise States passing game, but Doug Martin and the running game is what makes this team so dangerous. It's not a coincidence that the only game we lost this year was when Martin was unable to play, and our 3rd string RB coughed up eventually the game-killing fumble. Martin is a beast and I'm glad he's showing people what many Boise State fans already knew about the kid. Strong, quick and reminds me a little of Ray Rice, but not as polished with his receiving(though he is capable).

Not surprised to see Moore struggle a bit. Love the kid and what he did for my school, but his small frame and lack of elite arm strength will be his undoing. I can just imagine Willis getting through the line unblocked on a blitz.....

Thanks dude.

Jan 25, 2012 at 3:18 PM

#51

AB81Rules
Hall of Fame
Posts: 34,203

Houston WR Patrick Edwards just came up limping after a double step on CB Bill Bentley.

Vick Ballard looked good in the RB blocking LB drills, Ingram and Coples both look explosive.

Brandon Thompson didnt seem to be getting any penitration in the middle, couldnt get thru the OL.

Jan 25, 2012 at 3:59 PM

#52

LumpiaJeff
Veteran
Posts: 51,513

Originally posted by BoiseNiner:
I've been hearing good things about my boy Doug Martin this week, but I don't have the chance to watch it overseas in Europe. He's my favorite Boise State prospect in the draft this year, just ahead of Potter. I love Kellen Moore, but I'm realistic about his chances in the NFL.

Any insight from people on here that have been paying close attention this week?

He looks the part of a good NFL running back. Can't wait to watch him on Sundays.

Jan 25, 2012 at 4:18 PM

#53

DVDA
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Posts: 2,367

Can Melvin Ingram play OLB in a 3-4 at the next level? Where is he projected to go right now?

Jan 25, 2012 at 4:22 PM

#54

vrabbit
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Posts: 35,953

Originally posted by 23zack80:
Can Melvin Ingram play OLB in a 3-4 at the next level? Where is he projected to go right now?

yes, top 40

Jan 25, 2012 at 5:22 PM

#55

AB81Rules
Hall of Fame
Posts: 34,203

Originally posted by 23zack80:
Can Melvin Ingram play OLB in a 3-4 at the next level? Where is he projected to go right now?

After seeing him in senior bowl practices I can see him at 3-4 OLB. Right now I have him in the 1st round, 20th to Tennessee.

Jan 25, 2012 at 5:46 PM

#56

communist
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Posts: 12,475

"Speaking of North Carolina WR Dwight Jones, no prospect has disappointed me more this week than him. He hasn't been able to get off the line and beat any kind of jam. He was routinely re-routed significantly vs. smaller corners and looks more like an inside player only."

"Texas A&M wide out Jeff Fuller is never going to separate much in the NFL, but he adjusts to the football and can balance himself well when going up to make a play down the field. However, he really struggled catching the football all practice long Wednesday. And for a guy who is going to need to win with corners draped all over him at the next level, having "plus" hands is a must, something he hasn't shown since his junior year."

[ Edited by communist on Jan 25, 2012 at 5:47 PM ]

Jan 25, 2012 at 6:14 PM

#57

vrabbit
Veteran
Posts: 35,953

Originally posted by communist:
"Speaking of North Carolina WR Dwight Jones, no prospect has disappointed me more this week than him. He hasn't been able to get off the line and beat any kind of jam. He was routinely re-routed significantly vs. smaller corners and looks more like an inside player only."

"Texas A&M wide out Jeff Fuller is never going to separate much in the NFL, but he adjusts to the football and can balance himself well when going up to make a play down the field. However, he really struggled catching the football all practice long Wednesday. And for a guy who is going to need to win with corners draped all over him at the next level, having "plus" hands is a must, something he hasn't shown since his junior year."

tall WR's are the s**t thought ...

Jan 25, 2012 at 7:58 PM

#58

Travisty13
Veteran
Posts: 5,269

Originally posted by SF69ers:

Originally posted by MadDog49er:

Originally posted by SF69ers:
Read some notes on the past Senior Bowl practices and it looks like three of my favorite prospects are performing well: Dwight Jones, Casey Hayward, and Alfonzo Dennard.

Some draft blogs say that Dwight Jones will be a stud receiver in the NFL. I see a poor man's Andre Johnson.

Casey Hayward has shown that he's more than just a zone defender. He's playing receivers physical at the line of scrimmage and really disrupting routes. He's also shown good leadership during the practices. From what I've read, he was shutting down Dwight Jones, then talked to him on the sidelines to boost his confidence.

Alfonzo Dennard has also shown to be competitive off the line of scrimmage, playing receivers very physical and sticking to their hips. Unfortunately, he tends to get stiff and ends up getting beat by quicker receivers. I still think he's a top 25 pick for sure.

Other notable performers: Alameda Ta'amu, who has shown pretty good quickness for someone being that big. Marvin Jones, showing great quickness and speed, and McNutt, who is basically catching EVERYTHING thrown his way.

The insanity of following the Senior Bowl reports is trying to sort out the truth from mixed reports on players. Some have said D. Jones has struggled, while others think he has performed well. Same thing for Dennard, who I thought looked terrible on Monday, but has rebounded well. Ta'amu has had mixed results, with most saying he is a solid two-down NT. Marvin Jones started out hot, but not much talk since Monday.

From what I saw, Heyward was the best of the 5'11" and taller CB's. He stuck well with his receivers, and looked comfortable. He doesn't look as natural as a Janoris, Boykin, or Dennard, but gets the job done. These shorter CB's are so smooth in their transition. Good crop of smaller CB's this year. That being said, I think many in the league have moved Josh Norman into the second round. Any guy who is 6'+ and can cover well will get a ton of attention.

Yes, we go through all these mixed notes every season, and I sorta enjoy it. I like to read up on all the different opinions then watch the practice highlights to match. Dwight Jones did start out slow on Monday, but the reason could be due to the rough weather and sloppy field. He's beginning to make some plays in practice. Jeff Fuller is someone I'm a bit disappointed in. Looks mighty inconsistent in practice.

As far as Ta'amu is concerned, it's a surprise to see someone at 340 lbs getting off the ball quick and even getting pressure on the QB. You'd figure maybe he'd just be a run stuffer, but he could progress to being very much like Raji or Wilfork with the right coaching.

I stand by my thoughts in drafting Hayward in the 2nd round. With his performance so far this week, his stock may be rising and we might not have the opportunity to select him. I like Janoris a lot as well, but he's a top 25 pick and we won't have the chance to take him. The guy looks like a playmaker in the pros.

@RUSSLANDE Russell Lande
UNC WR D. Jones struggled today as he looked upright & stiff running routes & did not seem comfortable catching ball cleanly.
https://twitter.com/#!/RUSSLANDE/status/162020804203266048

"Speaking of North Carolina WR Dwight Jones, no prospect has disappointed me more this week than him. He hasn't been able to get off the line and beat any kind of jam. He was routinely re-routed significantly vs. smaller corners and looks more like an inside player only."
http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Senior-Bowl-South-Practice-Report-Day-3.html

I wouldn't say Dwight Jones is "performing well" this week. Doesn't sound like he's dominating against good competition and doesn't sound like a 1st rounder to me.

And Dennard has been struggling all week long also. On the flip side, Heyward does seem to be playing very well this week.

Jan 25, 2012 at 8:03 PM

#59

Travisty13
Veteran
Posts: 5,269

Originally posted by vrabbit:

Originally posted by communist:
"Speaking of North Carolina WR Dwight Jones, no prospect has disappointed me more this week than him. He hasn't been able to get off the line and beat any kind of jam. He was routinely re-routed significantly vs. smaller corners and looks more like an inside player only."

"Texas A&M wide out Jeff Fuller is never going to separate much in the NFL, but he adjusts to the football and can balance himself well when going up to make a play down the field. However, he really struggled catching the football all practice long Wednesday. And for a guy who is going to need to win with corners draped all over him at the next level, having "plus" hands is a must, something he hasn't shown since his junior year."

tall WR's are the s**t thought ...

Appalachian State WR Brian Quick finally started to flash a little for me today. He's a good-looking kid with a big frame and can track the football down the field. Plus, he did a better job dropping his pad level working the comeback and looked more natural catching the football. I still don't see the guy as a big time NFL receiver who consistently is going to be able to win off the line and separate out of his breaks. But he's got enough natural talent to create some mismatches at the next level.
http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Senior-Bowl-North-Practice-Notes-Day-3.html

@RUSSLANDE Russell Lande
App St. WR B. Quick struggled catching the ball today, but he definitely showed he is a big WR with good AA - A project type with potential.
https://twitter.com/#!/RUSSLANDE/status/161972076427747328

2 Other WRs, Marvin Jones from Cal and Juron Criner from Arizona seem to be having very good weeks in practice.

Jan 25, 2012 at 8:09 PM

#60

Travisty13
Veteran
Posts: 5,269

@RUSSLANDE Russell Lande
Arizona WR J. Criner had another VG day Tuesday. Ran very sharp & precise routes, used hands well to stay free from CB & had excellent hands

@RUSSLANDE Russell Lande
Cal. WR M. Jones showed speed to get deep separation vs Neb CB A.Dennard two times in today's practice.

@RUSSLANDE Russell Lande
Cal WR M. Jones had another good day. He ran good routes, sold fakes well, was able to get separation deep consistently & caught ball well.

@WesBunting Wesley Bunting
#Arizona WR Juron Criner made a pair of impressive catches with CB's draped all over him, but will never separate much in NFL #SeniorBowl

@WesBunting Wesley Bunting
Day one winners from the North Practice at SeniorBowl are... 4. #Cal WR Marvin Jones, sneaky deep speed, adjusted well #NFLDRAFT