Matt Austin 4 Rec. 68 Yards 1 TD & 5 Rec. 32 Yards 2 TDs

Dwayne Frampton 10 Receptions 153 Yards 1 TD

Jonathan Massaquoi 7 Tackles 2 Sacks 3 Hurries

“There is always a next step.”

With these words, University of Toledo’s Eric Page ended his decorated college career and entered the 2012 NFL Draft. It was a career littered with accomplishments and awards. With 306 receptions in 3 seasons (and the NCAA record in sight), Page was not only a finalist for this year’s Paul Hornung Award, given to the game’s most versatile player, but also a 2010 first team All American kickoff returner, who also returned punts, was used in the running game, and threw 4 TDs. Page is the definition of ultra-productive, saving his best season for last, being named 1st team All MAC at 3 positions, recording 125 receptions, and ripping through Ohio State’s defense for 12 catches, 145 yards, and 2 TDs.

As for the next step, Page projects as a versatile slot receiver and dynamic return man. At 5’ 10” 180 lbs, he’s small by NFL standards, but is similar in size and build to fellow Toledo Rocket, Saints’ WR Lance Moore, and should have a similar but better pro career. Though short, Page is solidly put together and has demonstrated sustained toughness and durability. He’s a quick twitch athlete with elite quickness and developed agility and balance. Though he lacks the elite speed to consistently stretch the field vertically, he exhibits explosiveness and a top level short area burst that lets him reach top gear rapidly and turn short passes into big plays on a consistent basis. Keeping a low pad level, he accelerates out of breaks, displaying a fluid, sudden change of direction that allows him to separate from defenders both pre and post-catch.

Page showcases good hands, and will make the tough catch, hanging on after absorbing a hit, though in heavy traffic his catching is inconsistent. He looks the ball all the way in, generally plucking it away from his body, with few careless drops. A small wingspan minimizes his catching radius, but he tracks the ball well in the air and will make catches outside his frame. He isn’t a natural leaper but demonstrates plus body control and effectively uses his body to shield defenders on slants or ins in the 3 step game. Page is fearless in going over the middle, and has no problem concentrating on the ball with a LB or SS lurking for the Sportscenter hit.

As a WR, he displays little wasted motion coming off the line, then sinks his hips well to make sharp, precise cuts. His ability to change direction without slowing down helps him gain separation from DBs coming out of breaks. He does struggle at times against press coverage, not utilizing a variety of moves to disengage from physical CBs and can be jammed or rerouted if the D-Back gets his hands into Page’s chest. Toledo coaches lined him up all over the formation, helping him get a free release by slotting him or often running him in motion. Similar strategies, as well as improved skills, will allow him to be successful at the NFL level.

In route, Page maneuvers well through traffic, working the shallow and intermediate zones, and has an instinctive understanding of coverages, knowing how to settle in the soft spots. For a small WR, he’s an effective red zone target, with a genuine nose for the endzone. He struggles against a double team, at times isn’t patient enough on double moves, and has limited route tree experience. He primarily runs slants, swings, quick outs and crossing routes, and may well be college football’s “King of the Bubble Screen.”

After the catch, Page is explosive and elusive in the open field, utilizing first rate burst and change of direction to make tacklers miss in space. He sees the whole field and takes advantage of cutback lanes, making him a legitimate big play threat. He’s not a punishing, powerful runner, but he will run through some arm tackles, and when you’re not expecting it, will jack someone right in the grill with a stiff arm. In addition, he is an elite return man, who uses those open-field running skills to terrorize opponents’ special teams coordinators. As a blocker, he doesn’t shy from contact, but size limits his effectiveness here. He’s not strong enough to physically control DBs, and sometimes get his pad level too high, but generally is a sound shield blocker who doesn’t take plays off.

Overall, I really like Eric Page as a highly productive slot receiver and explosive kick returner. Others have compared him to Wes Welker or Steve Smith, but he’s not as strong or as polished a route runner as Welker, and he doesn’t possess Smith’s raw speed, but like these receivers, he is a dynamic playmaker with the potential to flip field position or rip off a big gainer every time the rock is in his hands. Look for Page to fly off the draft board in the late 3rd to early 4th round.

The NFL team that snags Page will get not only a talented playmaker, but also a team leader, with the respect of opposing players and coaches, and a genuine sense of humor. When asked why he chose to forgo his senior season at Toledo and enter the draft, he replied “I’m not going to get any taller.” There may not be any inches in his future, but for Eric Page, there is always a next step. He’s come a long way, having only started playing WR full time in 2009. Now, 3 years, 300+ receptions, and 35 TDs later, it’s going to be a long, long time before anyone in college football catches this rocket man.

1. Indianapolis Colts

Andrew Luck – QB – Stanford   A no-brainer pick for the franchise in the midst of a massive overhaul. The Bill Polian-Peyton Manning era is officially over in Indianapolis and whether Manning remains the starter or not, the future of the Colts will depend on the success of the Stanford prodigy. There won’t be any suspense surrounding the first pick in April, this one is already set.

2. St. Louis Rams

Matt Kalil – OT – USC   Many experts feel this pick will be up for sale with teams pushing hard for the next highest ranked signal-caller, Robert Griffin III. If the Rams keep this pick, they will be using it to aid Sam Bradford. Many expect the team to seek out a true #1 wide receiver here, but Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon is not in the elite Calvin Johnson/A.J. Green league. No offensive line allowed more sacks during the 2011 season and Matt Kalil provides St. Louis with an elite blind-side protector for the foreseeable future.

3. Minnesota Vikings

Riley Reiff – OT – Iowa   The Vikings are stuck between a rock and a hard place here. They will be shopping this pick to the highest bidder, presumably a team that would like to move up for Baylor’s Robert Griffin. If they are unable to trade out of this spot, it makes sense that the Vikings would attempt to supplement young Christian Ponder by drafting a receiver or offensive lineman. In this scenario, Minnesota reaches for one of the class’ elite pass blockers. Reiff steps in right away and provides a huge upgrade at left tackle.

4. Cleveland Browns

Robert Griffin III – QB – Baylor   It seems as if the Browns have been rebuilding perennially since the franchise returned to the NFL in 1999. At the root of their struggles: a tumultuous and mediocre history at the Quarterback position. Griffin, the Heisman Trophy winner, has the physical and mental tools to buck the trend in Cleveland. In addition to his ability to stretch the field with his arm, “RG3” possesses the speed the offense so desperately lacks.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Trent Richardson – RB – Alabama   The argument could be made that the Buccaneers already have their franchise back in LeGarrette Blount, but don’t be shocked if the bowling ball from Alabama proves too tempting with this pick. Richardson is in an elite class in terms of running back prospects, possessing a rare combination of balance, power, vision, and burst. Tampa Bay and new head coach Greg Schiano would like to return to their smash-mouth roots and this pick gives Josh Freeman an incredibly potent weapon.

6. Washington Redskins

Ryan Tannehill – QB – Texas A&M   From my desk here in Ohio, I can almost hear the collective groan of Redskins fans and casual mock draft readers as they see this pick. Hear me out on this one: last year, very few expected four quarterbacks to come off the board in the first twelve picks. Washington is in dire need of a talented, young player under center and Ryan Tannehill fits the Mike Shanahan mold. Though he spent two years at wide receiver at Texas A&M, Tannehill possesses the necessary size, arm strength, mobility, and natural feel for the position needed to develop into an effective starter at the NFL level.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars

Quinton Coples – DE – North Carolina   If I were to list the names that currently comprise the Jacksonville defense, you would find yourself in awe with the mediocrity of the group. The Jaguars do have several solid players on that side of the ball, but few standouts. To say Quinton Coples would be an upgrade at left defensive end over free agent Leger Douzable would be a great understatement. Coples, a bit of an underachiever in 2011, has the length, power, quickness, and versatility to be a terror in the NFL if he is able to conquer the mental aspect of the game.

8. Carolina Panthers

Morris Claiborne – CB – LSU   With Cam Newton on board, Carolina certainly seems to be a franchise heading in the right direction. Unfortunately, however, their defense is filled with gaping holes everywhere from the line to the defensive backfield. After suffering key injuries early, the Panthers managed to finish only 28th in the NFL in total defense. Morris Claiborne is a steal here and as safe a pick as you could ask for. Though he lacks former teammate Patrick Peterson’s combination of size and athleticism, Claiborne may be the better true cover corner at this point.

9. Miami Dolphins

Justin Blackmon – WR – Oklahoma State   The Dolphins’ two top priorities with this pick are likely to be: 1) a franchise quarterback, 2) the best available pass-rusher. With Justin Blackmon on the board here, Miami will be forced to reconsider. While Brandon Marshall is still a formidable primary target, the team’s offense sure would look a heck of a lot better with a reliable and explosive #2. Blackmon is not a burner, but he is a polished route runner with suddenness, size, an understanding of coverages.

10. Buffalo Bills

Courtney Upshaw – OLB – Alabama   While no one knows for sure what defensive scheme the Bills will be running next season, the fact remains: adding a pass rusher will be the team’s top priority. Whether it is standing up or with a hand on the ground, Courtney Upshaw is among the most gifted edge rushers in this draft. His performances both at the Senior Bowl and in the National Championship reinforced Upshaw’s status as one of this draft’s best overall defenders.

11. Kansas City Chiefs

Jonathan Martin – OT – Stanford   The Chiefs caught the injury bug especially badly during the 2011 season, losing key contributors Jamaal Charles and Eric Berry for the season early on. Luckily for Kansas City, their window of opportunity is far from closed in the competitive AFC West. If the team is able to come to terms with free agents Dwayne Bowe and Brandon Carr, the eleventh pick will be free to pursue an offensive lineman. With Branden Albert holding down the left side, Martin would face the responsibility of taking over for Barry Richardson on the right.

12. Seattle Seahawks

Brandon Weeden – QB – Oklahoma State   As I pass this notion along, I am gearing up for the worst. How can you justify taking a 28-year-old with a pick as high as twelfth overall? Simple: the Seahawks need a quarterback and Brandon Weeden can play. While Seattle is sure to make a strong push for free agent Matt Flynn, they must come out of the draft with a signal-caller should he sign elsewhere. Weeden is everything you want in a quarterback both physically and mentally. When it is all said & done, he may wind up with a career much like Kurt Warner’s.

13. Arizona Cardinals

David DeCastro – OG – Stanford   Whether or not the team won more games than many expected, the first year of the Kevin Kolb experiment in Arizona has to be considered a massive failure. To protect their huge investment, expect the Cardinals to address their struggling offensive line sooner rather than later. Ideally you would like to land a franchise left tackle with this pick, but David DeCastro is rare amongst offensive guard prospects. He could start from day one and give the team a stalwart on the line for years to come.

14. Dallas Cowboys

Michael Brockers – DL – LSU   Many will be clamoring for the Cowboys to select the highest rated defensive back on the board, but at this point that appears to be too much of a reach. By using this pick to address holes in their defensive front, Dallas figures to improve against the run and give All-Pro linebacker Demarcus Ware more space to maneuver. In Brockers, the team gets a high upside lineman with all the physical tools necessary to become a dominant force.

15. Philadelphia Eagles

Luke Kuechly – ILB – Boston College   It is no secret that both Philadelphia fans and coaches were appalled at the play of their linebackers during the 2011 season. The team juggled through rookie starters and was unable to find consistent production anywhere. For the Eagles, it may be time to invest earlier at the position. Luke Kuechly is a tackling machine. Though he has trouble shedding blockers, he has displayed tremendous instincts and range throughout his career at BC.

16. New York Jets

Michael Floyd – WR – Notre Dame   With reports that the Jets locker room was in complete turmoil late last season, expect some significant roster moves this offseason. Rex Ryan is putting his neck out for Mark Sanchez and it is likely that the team will put an emphasis on finding starting talent at running back, wide receiver, and offensive tackle. Michael Floyd is a tremendous talent with bona fide #1 potential. Though he comes with some character red flags, New York may be willing to set aside their concerns if they must replace both Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress.

Dwight Bentley CB (LA Lafayette) 6 Tackles

Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

Senior Bowl Diary: Day 2

Senior Bowl Diary: Day 3

Today at the Senior Bowl can be described with 3 blurry pictures:

After a tornado warning and torrential downpour, practices went inside and essentially boiled down to walkthroughs. In other words, very little scouting.

Fortunately, I got onto the escalator at the same time as a man who as it turns out is the agent for the hot ticket of the week, Joe Adams. We struck up some good conversation and he altered my perspective on the “greed” of the sports agent industry. While he may be an expert at buttering people up as part of the job, he seemed to genuinely care about the well-being of Joe Adams – his one and only client this draft.

After hearing about and speaking to Adams, it’s hard not to root for him. He is soft-spoken, likes video games (mostly NBA2K or Call of Duty), and doesn’t party. He is training in Fort Lauderdale with Chris Carter and his 40 time is reportedly 4.25 right now. After watching him this week, I don’t doubt it. When I asked him about Adams’s stock, the agent said that he came in here as a 3^rd rounder (about where I had him) and is now in the 2^nd round (where I now have him) or maybe late 1^st with a good combine.

While the agent said every team has been asking, he particularly singled out the Detroit Lions and New England Patriots as being huge fans of his. Even Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham has said to Joe Adams (sarcastically) that he would love to even have him on the team to play both ways – wideout and corner.

Brandon Weeden also came up in the conversation and Joe Adams said that he LOVES Brandon Weeden. I always like when a player compliments another player and who would know better about how good a quarterback is playing than a wideout?

Speaking of player endorsements, Senio Kelemete was one of the few players to answer honestly when asked who impressed him most out here. As opposed to the usual “well, everyone down here is good” the Samoan offensive tackle/guard said that Virginia DE Cam Johnson was very tough to defend with his explosive first step. Thanks a lot Senio, now I need to watch Cam Johnson more (who I neglected this week unfortunately).

The Senior Bowl practices were a very new and exciting experience for me. Thanks to Draft Breakdown for sending me down here!

Asa Jackson 5 Tackles 1 Forced Fumble 2 Passes Defended

Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

Senior Bowl Diary: Day 2

Today at the senior bowl was quite an eventful day. Keeping with my trend of having no trend with my Senior Bowl reports, I’m going to break up my overall impressions by squads because today the experience in each was vastly different.

NORTH

Maybe it was because it is the morning practice, but the North side’s Day 3 was a bit of a snoozer. Instead of spending time showcasing player talents, the Vikings coaching squad spent a majority of the time doing walk-through.

The signal callers were consistently sloppy, with the exception of Kirk Cousins. He had a very good day, arguably the best quarterbacking performance that I have seen this week. Cousins was especially adept at finding the spaces in the zone defenses. There was nice pace on his throws and he seemed settled and confident. The Spartan is likely rising up many draft boards right now but I’m still not sure that I would spend earlier than a 3^rd rounder on him. If someone expects him to become the face of their franchise they might be sorely disappointed. Just a sidenote but a few moments ago I walked by a man conversating with Cousins and they seemed to be doing a memory test with cards. The first card was an Ace of Spades.

Making Cousins look even better was the poor play of Kellen Moore and Russell Wilson. While it didn’t help that the Centers were having snap issues (primarily the new guy Rishaw Johnson, who got extra work after team drills) they were not looking good. His windup is long, he is robotic, and his arm strength is lacking. I was very low on Moore coming in, seeing him in person I have trouble even seeing him getting drafted.

The best wide receiver on the North side was Marvin McNutt in my opinion. He did well at adjusting to the ball in the air and finding the soft spot in the zone. Unlike some of the receivers here, he’s good at playing the ball in the air. Speaking of, T.J. Graham is one of the players that doesn’t have great aerial skills. His shiftiness and route running will need to be from the slot but he’ll need to work on his press technique. A player who stood out to me was Emil Igwenagu. His height (6’1) may be a problem at TE but he looks to have versatility and either way, has nice ball skills for a man his size. He might be this year’s Charles Clay who I loved last year out of Tulsa.

One receiver who I have a very love/hate relationship with right now is DeVier Posey. His smoothness in and out of breaks is something else but dang it Posey, catch the ball! He uses his hands but doesn’t extend them like you want and seems to lose concentration – naturally causing drops and double catches. As a result of the drops, he will sometimes take the weak way out and catch it with his body. Poseyyyy!!! *shakes fist*

After practice, I spoke a bit with Brian Linthicum. He was held out of yesterday’s practice with a right shoulder injury. Admittedly, I didn’t get to watch him much but he discussed how his one off the field incident (being arrested for a fight) was the only time he has been in trouble in his life. He seemed sincere and wanted to show this week that he can block as well as be a vertical threat.

Chris Polk still failed to impress. But I had a discussion with some people over just how much a running back can even showcase one’s self in this type of a format where there isn’t even real tackling. I can’t say that I strongly disagree.

I wish that I had a ton to say about defensive players but there weren’t many chances to shine. Jamell Fleming played tough and Leonard Johnson likes to hit. After practice speaking with Johnson’s people, they told me that they weren’t letting Johnson play press coverage enough and considering that’s one of his strength, no argument here.

Other notes that I don’t feel like putting in paragraph form:

Brian Quick doesn’t use his size to his advantage and I don’t know if he likes contact.

LaVonte David is very small, if he switched numbers with Dennard, I don’t know if many would notice.

Billy Wagner was very solid and moves well in coverage for a larger LB.

SOUTH

Now for some real football discussion (JK, but seriously). The south practices are much more high paced, feature more hitting, and lets the players showcase their abilities. Their coaches are also more vocal, with the exception of Mike Shanahan – who I don’t think has even talked to a player yet.

I watched the quarterbacks sparingly, but nothing that I saw stood out much though I did hear that Ryan Lindley had his best practice of the day. The feedback about Weeden/Foles was more of the same.

The players who stole the show were the cornerbacks and the two lead dogs were Brandon Boykin and Janoris Jenkins. Each of them played phenomenally. Boykin showed that the physique isn’t all show and at one point jammed Dwight Jones at the LOS so hard that Jones nearly gave up. It was pure annihilation and did I mention that he will probably run in the 4.4 range? I would confidently say that he’s looking like a 1^st rounder and can’t wait to watch more tape on him. As for Jenkins, he played tight coverage all day and showed an elite closing ability. He also has swagger which you can’t teach.

As you would imagine when the cornerbacks looked this good, the receivers really struggled. Dwight Jones and Jeff Fuller got out-physicalled by small cornerbacks while failing to show any inch of separation.

One exception was Juron Criner. He has the best ball skills of the wideouts on the South team. Some of them get lost when the ball is in the air but Criner doesn’t. I spoke to a man who has known Criner his whole life who told me of his rebounding ability in basketball back in the day. I can’t see that. The concerns with Criner seem to be speed related and he is training with Michael Johnson ‘s people in Texas to work on it. Also speaking with Criner after practice, one can’t help but root for him.

Keenan Robinson showed some real explosive pass rushing ability in linebacker versus running back pass protection drills. He showcased a gorgeous swim move and showed nice hip flexion for a physical specimen and at 6’3 240 there is room to grow. As good as he looked in that drill, his teammate Emmanuel Acho looked just as bad. He was stonewalled by a running back in a drill where the linebacker has a clear advantage. He looked unexplosive.

Others:

Jake Bequette is playing outside linebacker and is not looking good.

Will Vlachos is arguably the worst player here.

Just as players are getting into the rhythm of things, the week is nearing a close *sniff*. Tune in for the final Senior Bowl Diary tomorrow!

Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

Senior Bowl Diary: Day 1

Today at practice we finally got to see both teams play – and in ideal weather. The sun was shining and even though there was a bit of a nip in the air the field conditions were perfect. It was a great sign especially after a slippery Monday. Full pads allowed for many players to state their cases – who stood out and who dropped the ball? Here are some of my rambling observations.

NORTH

None of the North quarterbacks really stood out to me. But I did keep an eye on footwork early on and it’s unanimous that Russell Wilson is the most natural in his dropback. His steps are natural, light, and unforced. If this was beach football, he would hardly leave a footprint. His height and arm are still obvious concerns but the fact that the footwork is often the last thing to click for a young QB is a nice sign for Wilson. Kellen Moore I was not impressed with in the slightest and can’t get over how much he doesn’t look like an NFL QB. Kirk Cousins looked okay, not particularly good or bad. He has shown the arm to make all of the throws but hasn’t gotten into rhythm yet.

With running backs, Doug Martin had the best day. After Trent Richardson, he may be the safest back in the draft and has shown punt return ability to boot. Chris Polk continues to underwhelm, showing no explosion and some lumps in pass protection. He has some stock salvaging to do.

DeVier Posey looked smooth as usual but puts the ball on the ground way far too often. Completely random: He’s a lefty. So if he makes a left-handed highlight catch at some point in his career adjust your reaction accordingly. Brian Quick had a really nice catch in traffic but I haven’t seen him use his size to his advantage as much as someone his height should. Marvin McNutt is the best receiver on the North team but just had to drop a beautifully thrown fly route from Kirk Cousins – which happened to be one of the last things he did before practice ended thus leaving a sour taste in everyone’s mouth. Consistency issues are still there.

I’ll admit that I didn’t keep an eye on the trenches too much, but a guy who stood out is Kendall Reyes. At the weigh-in he showed that he’s large but doesn’t carry any extra weight. He stuffed the run well and showed that he can move too, pursuing a ball-carrier 20 yards down the field at one point.

I like the competitiveness of Leonard Johnson. He’s passionate and will vocally react. He’s small and will get beat by larger receivers but he’s growing on me. Scrappy is how I would describe him. Someone who is not growing on me is Alfonzo Dennard. While he did make a nice play as gunner on special teams, he doesn’t excel at turning and running with receivers. Getting beat deep by Alshon Jeffery should have been a warning sign but you’re really seeing it first-hand now at practice. Maybe being on such a great defense covered up some flaws in Dennard’s game.
George Iloka had the highlight of the day with a diving interception and has opened some eyes with his play and size. But to me he seems really stiff and can get exposed while in man coverage. His stock is rising but I figured that is worth noting that an important part about his game still needs refining.

SOUTH

Nick Foles has not had a great week so far. The indecisiveness continues and he’s just not looking natural right now. He has the arm, the size, and looks good throwing the ball while warming up, but things have not clicked. In my opinion, like Blaine Gabbert should have been, he’s a 3^rd rounder who has to sit and learn. Brandon Weeden has been the best QB at the Senior Bowl – very comfortable in his reads and the RPM on his passes makes catching the ball easier for his wideouts.

Chris Rainey got work at WR/RB, and looked good at both. His routes were crisp, but I still would like to see how he catches the ball in the air, something he wasn’t asked to do often in college. If the only way he can catch the ball is with his feet on the ground then his catching radius goes down massively. Also before getting caught up in the flash, I need to see him block. The rest of the running backs looked average except for Lennon Creer, who looked rusty. He did just arrive in town but when the coaches get on you for quitting on a play, that’s not good.

I really want to like Antonio Allen. He’s a gamer and has the swagger that you like in defensive backs, but he wastes motions too often when covering space and doesn’t have super change of direction. Even the slightest wasted move at safety could mean 6. That may be correctable though, so I’ll keep my fingers crossed.

Jake Bequette got work at outside linebacker and looked out of place. In agility drills he probably would get a C- from me, and I’m a lenient grader. It could be because he’s thinking more than playing but he looks much better with his hand down.

Quinton Coples dominated at the point of attack. He is so good at re-establishing the line of scrimmage and played with the mean streak you would expect from a guy who sets out to “destroy everybody.” I don’t know if he’s ever going to become any more than a 10+ sack guy but he’s playing himself back into top 10 considerations with his disruptive play. My comparison to Calais Campbell is looking good right now.

The only other guy who looked as overpowering as Coples today for the South was Courtney Upshaw. His first punch is so strong. While he can struggle to disengage when a big lineman gets their paws on him, if he’s the one to initiate contact it’s game over. His ability to set the edge at either DE or OLB is going to be coveted. If I had to compare him to someone it would be the immensely underrated Jarrett Johnson, with slightly better pass rushing ability.

As you would expect from reading the comments about Upshaw/Coples, the offensive linemen didn’t do great. Jeff Allen, Matt McCants, and Zebrie Sanders (whose agents should be furious that he’s playing RT instead of LT) especially had difficulties, primarily in run-blocking.

With Melvin Ingram, I feel like I’m missing the boat. He’s a good player, and is super versatile but I would not confidently select him in the 1^st round unless that team has very few needs. A team like the Jets that will move him around would be ideal. One thing that Ingram is a master at is taking advantage of weaker offensive linemen – even more reason to move him around. But if a team drafts him expecting him to stick at one position and make Pro Bowls, I think they’ll be let down.

I have huge redflags about Marquis Maze. For the 2^nd practice in a row, he ran around with his shirt hanging out. I don’t know why, but that irks me. And after practice, I spoke with him and he was still complaining about his height measurement. 28 hours later, you just got done with an exhausting practice and you’re still complaining about your height measurement? C’mon man! If there’s something you should be complaining about, it’s your (over)weight. Okay, that’s probably the meanest I’ll ever be to a prospect because I hate judging the character of people that I don’t know well. Still, I think he has some growing up to do at the next level.

Lastly, I love Casey Hayward. He was physical in tight coverage but QBs really wanted to test him today and to no avail. Hayward held Jeff Fuller in check after Fuller opened some eyes on Day 1. He won’t get much love because he’s not a burner and he’s not a highlight film, but I can think of no better way to describe Casey Hayward than exceptionally solid.

Other notes:

Zach Brown said that he is going to aim for a 4.35 forty yard dash prior to the NFL Combine and work from there.

Terrance Ganaway played a bit of FB.

Kevin Zeitler played some Center.

Cordy Glenn slid over to LG.

LaVonte David in coverage versus Michael Egnew – advantage Egnew.

There is so much going on at one time that it is information overload. As a result, there are many players who I just couldn’t get a good look at and wouldn’t be confident in commenting on or stealing from someone else’s notes. If you have a player in particular who you would like information about, hit me up on Twitter and I’ll take a closer look.