Like previous Tale of the Tape subject Titus Young, Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor boosted his stock with an impressive Senior Bowl week. The mammoth 6’3″, 337-pound prospect exhibited plenty of strength and a surprising amount of athleticism. Some even have speculated that those impressive physical tools could push Taylor all the way up to the first round.

Taylor’s recent stock surge is quite an accomplishment for a player who once appeared to be on the way to wrecking his football career. He started his college career at Penn State, but off the field issues led to his dismissal from the team. Taylor transferred to Baylor but had an underwhelming ’09 season, appearing out of shape and displaying inconsistent technique.

However, Taylor recommitted himself to developing his game last summer, dropping close to twenty pounds of excess weight. Also, he became a better overall football player, showing Keep Reading…

Colin Kaepernick

Position: QB School: Nevada Height: 6’4 5/8" Weight: 233 lbs Class: RS-Senior 40 time: 4.53 All-Star Game: Senior Bowl Team Captain: 2010 Draft Projection: 2rd Round

Summary

Kaepernick could easily be one of the most unheralded, NFL-caliber quarterbacks to come out of college football in a long time. He was one of the most statistically successful quarterbacks in NCAA history and helped bring the Nevada football program to prominence. With an outstanding mixture of athleticism and passing abilities, he has proven himself to be a rare, dynamic specimen whose stock has sky-rocketed after his impressive performance at the Senior Bowl. He has plenty to offer to NFL teams and is extremely coachable, so turning him into a pro-style quarterback shouldn’t be too tedious of a task. If he can stay healthy and build on all of the tools that he developed at Nevada, he could Keep Reading…

This year the first pick in the NFL Draft belongs to the Carolina Panthers. The team formally announced that they wanted Stanford Quarterback Andrew Luck with this top selection, but when he went back to school someone made a lot of money. The John Fox era is over in Carolina, enter former Chargers Defensive Coordinator Ron Rivera. With a laundry list of needs, the Panthers could use an upgrade at almost every position. It’s up to Rivera to decide what he’s got in young Jimmy Clausen and where the first overall pick would be used. Like the Miami Dolphins in the 2008 NFL Draft, there’s no obvious #1 and no prospect in this class screams “can’t miss.”

There are many comparisons to be drawn between Carolina’s situation this season and the decision that Miami faced just three years ago. That 2008 Draft lacked a sure-fire top Keep Reading…

Jake Locker

Position: QB School: Washington Height: 6’2 1/2" Weight: 231 lbs Class: RS-Senior 40 time: 4.59 All-Star Game: Senior Bowl Team Captain: 2009 & 2010 Draft Projection: Mid-Late 1st Round

Summary

Locker is an über-talented player who has all of the physical tools to be an elite NFL quarterback. There are a few areas of his game that need some major adjustment, but you can’t overlook all of the potential that he possesses and his prototypical NFL arm. With some work on his accuracy, decision making, and disregard for his body, Locker could make some NFL team much better next year. He’s got a bright future ahead of him. I project that he will be a mid-to-late first round draft pick.

Decision Making

This is scouts’ second-biggest concern when it comes to Locker. He has plenty of tools to work with in his arsenal, Keep Reading…

After a long week of practicing, interviewing and tailgating, the actual game came upon us. I predicted a North win, as they had a much better defense throughout the week of practices, with the South’s QBs proving ineffective. So with a whole lotta southern sunshine and down south cooking, two planes flew over Ladd-Peebles Stadium and we finally had kickoff.

GAMEDAY SCRATCHES

Stephean Paea, DL, Oregon State – Knee injury Edmund Gates, WR, Abilene Christian – Hamstring injury Gabe Carimi, OL, Wisconsin – Ankle injury Ahmad Black, DB, Florida – Illness Quinton Carter, DB, Oklahoma – Undisclosed injury

BIGGEST WINNERS

*Leonard Hankerson showed his versatility everywhere; offensive MVP with 5 catches for 100 yards and 1 TD and also covered punts and kickoffs. *Von Miller may be the best pure athlete here and should not stay long on the board. *Danny Watkins was very effective and looked Keep Reading…