Bowl games - draft prospect watch

[Clonamery]

Gently, please, gentle-beings, tis the season of peace and good will, not to mention Bowl excitement - and how can a team have too many Wes Welkers?

Tis what the Texas Tech coach thinks anyway....

 

[PATSNUTme]

Great thread for scouting. Let's try to keep it updated as the Bowl games progress.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

St. Petersburg Bowl Memphis vs. South Florida
When: Dec 20, 2008 Time: 4:30 PM EST TV: ESPN2

Players to watch - Memphis

#71 Brandon Pearce, OT, (rSr), 6-6, 292 - UDFA

Players to watch - South Florida

#95 George Selvie, DE, (rJr), 6-4, 252 - Stud edge rusher likely to be moved to OLB in either the 3-4 or 4-3.

#27 Tyrone McKenzie, OLB, (rSr), 6-2, 235 - Serious run stuffer, a bit undersized for NE, but worth keeping an eye on.

watch DE clinton macdonald of memphis........ a 6'3" / 285 DE who may be a perfect replacement for jarvis green...the guy can run a 4.7/40 as a late rounder

 

[tanked_as_usual]

New Orleans Bowl Troy vs. Southern Miss
When: Dec 21, 2008 Time: 8:15 PM EST TV: ESPN

Players to watch - Troy

#91 Brandon Lang, DE, (Jr), 6-4, 250 - 10.5 sacks/8 QBH in 12 games

#20 Terence Moore, SS, (Sr), 6-2, 218 - late Rd/UDFA, converted QB with two seasons at SS, 5 int in 2008.

Players to watch - Southern Miss

#1 Shawn Nelson, TE, (rSr), 6-5, 242 - mid-Rd prospect.

add sherrod martin/troy (CB) 6'0", 191 4.45/40

 

[tanked_as_usual]

notre dame versus hawaii......

keep an eye on ND DT pat kuntz.......sorry, just had to

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

EagleBank Bowl Wake Forest vs. Navy

Players to watch - Wake Forest:

#59 Aaron Curry, OLB, (rSr), 6-2, 246 - He looks as good as advertised, a lot to like there.

#2 Alphonso Smith, CB, (rSr), 5-09, 190 - not much coverage work against Navy, though he did get a pick on a badly thrown ball. He looked good with his run force against the triple option.

#9 Chip Vaughn, SS, (rSr), 6-2, 214 - I liked this guy, always around the ball.

#43 Stanley Arnoux, ILB, (rSr), 6-1, 240 - He didn't get tested too often up the middle, most of the option runs went outside, but he's worth monitoring his Pro-Day to see how his measurables shake out and whether to consider trying to bring him in as a UDFA - also the color man predicted he would be playing on Sunday.

Players to watch - Navy

#36 Eric Kettani, FB, (Sr), 6-0, 242 - If the Pats didn't have Heath Evans, I'd be very interested in this kid.

Players not on my short list who jumped out at me:

Wake Forest

#17 Brandon Ghee, CB, (rJr), 6-0, 190 - This kid looked like a SS the way he was playing the run force. I think I have a Wake game recorded to watch yet, so I'll be checking him out to see how he looks in coverage.

#96 Boo Robinson, DT, (rJr), 6-2, 325 - The little fellow got some critical penetration to disrupt the option a number of times. From a NT perspective he's worth watching.

Navy

#26 Shun White, RB, (Sr), 5-08, 190 - If BB picks this kid with his 7th round pick we are going to have an interesting Training Camp. He's been assigned to Surface Warfare after he graduates, but that's only because they don't want him showing up the jets on take off - the kid flies.

 

[BradyManny]

EagleBank Bowl Wake Forest vs. Navy

Players to watch - Wake Forest:

#59 Aaron Curry, OLB, (rSr), 6-2, 246 - He looks as good as advertised, a lot to like there.

#2 Alphonso Smith, CB, (rSr), 5-09, 190 - not much coverage work against Navy, though he did get a pick on a badly thrown ball. He looked good with his run force against the triple option.

#9 Chip Vaughn, SS, (rSr), 6-2, 214 - I liked this guy, always around the ball.

#43 Stanley Arnoux, ILB, (rSr), 6-1, 240 - He didn't get tested too often up the middle, most of the option runs went outside, but he's worth monitoring his Pro-Day to see how his measurables shake out and whether to consider trying to bring him in as a UDFA - also the color man predicted he would be playing on Sunday.

Players to watch - Navy

#36 Eric Kettani, FB, (Sr), 6-0, 242 - If the Pats didn't have Heath Evans, I'd be very interested in this kid.

Players not on my short list who jumped out at me:

Wake Forest

#17 Brandon Ghee, CB, (rJr), 6-0, 190 - This kid looked like a SS the way he was playing the run force. I think I have a Wake game recorded to watch yet, so I'll be checking him out to see how he looks in coverage.

#96 Boo Robinson, DT, (rJr), 6-2, 325 - The little fellow got some critical penetration to disrupt the option a number of times. From a NT perspective he's worth watching.

Navy

#26 Shun White, RB, (Sr), 5-08, 190 - If BB picks this kid with his 7th round pick we are going to have an interesting Training Camp. He's been assigned to Surface Warfare after he graduates, but that's only because they don't want him showing up the jets on take off - the kid flies.

Only saw the first half.

Yeah, Ghee was all over the field and Vaughn made his presence felt as well.

Smith looks the part for a Pats CB in terms of size/speed, but didn't see him enough in coverage to make an impression. The fact that he was used on offense shows some versatility - he had a nifty run until he fumbled, as he was trying to do too much).

Curry looks like a force. Maybe its just having to play against that option based offense, but as others have mentioned, he looks more like a 4-3 OLB, a sideline to sideline and pin-your-ears back pass rusher.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Curry looks like a force. Maybe its just having to play against that option based offense, but as others have mentioned, he looks more like a 4-3 OLB, a sideline to sideline and pin-your-ears back pass rusher.

Curry looks like a good fit inside with Mayo and Guyton, I doubt he drops out of the Top 10, but he'd be a very good #10 - like the last draft's #10.

 

[BritPat]

Was Mayo not a sideline to sideline, pass rushing 4-3 OLB until his final year?

The more I see of Curry, the more I see him as a 3-4 ILB. Got the size and speed, and the instincts. Got the all important smarts and character too.

If we don't do any trading up or down, there are now probably 4 or 5 players I have no problems seeing us draft at our spot which now looks likely in the late teens. Curry is one, although I think he only falls if there's a run on OT's like last year (and I think there very well could be).

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

New Mexico Bowl Colorado State vs. Fresno State

Players to watch - Colorado State

#80 Kory Sperry, TE, (rSr), 6-5, 252 - His blocking needs some refinement and he needs to get stronger, but he also showed how to score a TD reception on a back corner fade over double coverage. Put him on your Day Two list.

Players to watch - Fresno State

#85 Bear Pascoe, TE, (rSr), 6-6, 258 - About what we've seen all year, still a good mid-round prospect.

#72 Bobby Lepori, OT, (rSr), 6-5, 295 - 3 years starting at LT for Fresno, he needs to get stronger and may need to slide inside, but looks like a quality late round/UDFA prospect for the Dante Scarnecchia Big Man Dancing Academy.

#28 A.J. Jefferson, CB, (Jr), 6-0, 190 - I didn't see anything of him.

Players not on my short list who jumped out at me:

Fresno State

#73 Kenny Avon, OT, (rSr), 6-3, 288 - RT, the man they ran behind most consistently, he looks much bigger than 288. A UDFA prospect I can see in Dante's academy.

#8 Sharrod Davis, CB, (rSr), 5-10, 190 - He wasn't working against the best receivers in the NCAA, but he looked solid within my limited understanding of CB technique. A late round/UDFA prospect who might transition well to FS.

Colorado State

#5 Gartrell Johnson, FB, (rSr), 5-10, 225 - had a field day running aganst Fresno State's soft run D. Nice power runner whom they also use as a receiver out of the backfield.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Watching the Division II Championship between Minnesota-Duluth and NW Missouri State:

Color man Ray Bently claimed NW Missouri State's rJr. FS Myles Burnside 5'11", 195 was the best Safety he had seen "at any level" this year. NFL Draft Scout has him rated the #20 FS in the 2010 draft with the stock-is-rising arrow, it will be interesting to see where they have him ranked next Fall after they've digested film and scouting reports over the Spring and Summer.

NW Missouri State is sending the left side of their O-line to the Cactus Bowl. LT Reid Kirby (6'6" 300) and LG Tom Pestock (6'4" 300) have the size BB and Dante like.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

New Mexico Bowl Colorado State vs. Fresno State

Players to watch - Colorado State

#80 Kory Sperry, TE, (rSr), 6-5, 252 - His blocking needs some refinement and he needs to get stronger, but he also showed how to score a TD reception on a back corner fade over double coverage. Put him on your Day Two list.

Players to watch - Fresno State

#85 Bear Pascoe, TE, (rSr), 6-6, 258 - About what we've seen all year, still a good mid-round prospect.

#72 Bobby Lepori, OT, (rSr), 6-5, 295 - 3 years starting at LT for Fresno, he needs to get stronger and may need to slide inside, but looks like a quality late round/UDFA prospect for the Dante Scarnecchia Big Man Dancing Academy.

#28 A.J. Jefferson, CB, (Jr), 6-0, 190 - I didn't see anything of him.

Players not on my short list who jumped out at me:

Fresno State

#73 Kenny Avon, OT, (rSr), 6-3, 288 - RT, the man they ran behind most consistently, he looks much bigger than 288. A UDFA prospect I can see in Dante's academy.

#8 Sharrod Davis, CB, (rSr), 5-10, 190 - He wasn't working against the best receivers in the NCAA, but he looked solid within my limited understanding of CB technique. A late round/UDFA prospect who might transition well to FS.

Colorado State

#5 Gartrell Johnson, FB, (rSr), 5-10, 225 - had a field day running aganst Fresno State's soft run D. Nice power runner whom they also use as a receiver out of the backfield.

Is this the same Sperry that blew out his knee a year or two ago? I liked him before the injury.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Is this the same Sperry that blew out his knee a year or two ago? I liked him before the injury.

He missed last season with an ACL injury - sounds like your man.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

St. Petersburg Bowl Memphis vs. South Florida

Players to watch - Memphis

#71 Brandon Pearce, OT, (rSr), 6-6, 292 - RT, he looks like a good Scarnecchia Academy candidate for the late rounds/UDFA.

Players to watch - South Florida

#95 George Selvie, DE, (rJr), 6-4, 252 - Hampered by injury this season, he didn't make any splashy plays in the game, but I did see some good heady play from him. The announcers noted that he was double-teamed on 53% of his snaps this season and speculated that he would stay for one more year to try and bounce back from this season's slowdown - they thought he'd be a good 3-4 OLB.

#27 Tyrone McKenzie, OLB, (rSr), 6-2, 235 - He didn't look bad taking on OL and either ducking them or stacking and shedding - though Spielman doing the color felt he needed to improve his point-of-attack play in an otherwise complimentary assessment. I'm not sure if he can hold up over a 17 game season playing 3-4 ILB, but his instincts against the run looked good, he was okay against the pass. I'll be monitoring his Combine.

Players not on my short list who jumped out at me:

South Florida

#82 Ben Busbee, TE, (Jr.) 6-3, 242 - The starting TE was benched for the first half for a team rules violation and this kid had Spielman excited over key blocks he threw and a couple nice catches, one for a TD where he powered through tacklers to reach the end zone.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Las Vegas Bowl (16) BYU vs. Arizona

Players to watch - BYU

#74 Travis Bright, OG, (rSr), 6-5, 318 - Did not display the mobility I look for in a Scarnecchia OL.

#76 Ray Feinga, OG, (rSr), 6-5, 338 - Did not display the mobility I look for in a Scarnecchia OL.

#65 Dallas Reynolds, C, (Sr), 6-5, 324 - Did not display the mobility I look for in a Scarnecchia OL.

#32 Dennis Pitta, TE, (Jr), 6-5 250 - Played well on a bum wheel, a lot to like about this kid.

Players to watch - Arizona

#33 Ronnie Palmer, ILB, (rSr), 6-2, 245 - Fast, but did not look like a good 3-4 fit.

#77 Eben Britton, OT, (rJr), 6-6, 310 - Definitely a Day One pick and maybe a Rd one pick if he comes out.

Players not on my short list who jumped out at me:

BYU

#9 Austin Collie, WR, (Jr), 6-2, 206 - Nice looking WR/KR

#35 Matt Bauman, ILB, (Jr), 6-1, 232 - A little light, but always around the ball making plays...if he can add some bulk and maintain his speed for next year...

#64 R.J. Willing, C, (rJr), 6-5, 312 - Showed more mobility than the other BYU OL while playing a chunk of the 1st half at LG.

Arizona

#66 James Tretheway, OT, (rSr), 6-6, 308 - RT, AZ liked running behind their right side - decent mobility, UDFA prospect.

#75 Joe Longacre, OG, (rSr), 6-3, 318 - RG, AZ liked running behind their right side - decent mobility, UDFA prospect.

#7 Willie Tuitama, QB, (Sr), 6-3, 224 - flashed some talent, bring him to TC and give him a test drive if he's there late.

EDIT: add - #37 Chris Gronkowski, ILB, (Jr), 6-2, 245 - Listed by NFL Draft Scout as their #60 ILB for 2010, he was playing FB and showed great hands out of the backfield. His baby brother is the stud sophomore TE rated #1 TE for his draft class.

 

[BradyManny]

Players to watch - South Florida

#95 George Selvie, DE, (rJr), 6-4, 252 - Hampered by injury this season, he didn't make any splashy plays in the game, but I did see some good heady play from him. The announcers noted that he was double-teamed on 53% of his snaps this season and speculated that he would stay for one more year to try and bounce back from this season's slowdown - they thought he'd be a good 3-4 OLB.

Hmm, interesting. Where would you put him in terms of a conversion project? From what I've seen of him (mainly, highlights), he looks purely a pass rusher, and might have a Gholston like rookie year if he were put in a 3-4.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Las Vegas Bowl (16) BYU vs. Arizona

EDIT: add - #37 Chris Gronkowski, ILB, (Jr), 6-2, 245 - Listed by NFL Draft Scout as their #60 ILB for 2010, he was playing FB and showed great hands out of the backfield. His baby brother is the stud sophomore TE rated #1 TE for his draft class.

The baby brother looked good. I think there is even a third brother Gronkowski, a baseball player. We do a lot of college baseball and softball games, and I seem to remember seeing a Gronkowski playing baseball, but it was on the East Coast, Maryland or Delaware, somewhere in the mid Atlantic.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

The baby brother looked good. I think there is even a third brother Gronkowski, a baseball player. We do a lot of college baseball and softball games, and I seem to remember seeing a Gronkowski playing baseball, but it was on the East Coast, Maryland or Delaware, somewhere in the mid Atlantic.

The FB transferred from Maryland to Arizona, he was a baseball player. The third brother will be playing for Maryland in the Humanitarian Bowl.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

New Orleans Bowl Troy vs. Southern Miss

Players to watch - Troy

#91 Brandon Lang, DE, (Jr), 6-4, 250 - So. Miss. seemed to have game planned some for him, but even so he didn't appear to be that significant either as a pass rusher or run stuffer. He'd be wise to stay and finish school and pick up another year of experience.

#20 Terence Moore, SS, (Sr), 6-2, 218 - I don't think his future is in the NFL, at least not as a S.

Players to watch - Southern Miss

#1 Shawn Nelson, TE, (rSr), 6-5, 242 - he wasn't used as a blocker in-line, but was pretty good blocking upfield, he showed some route running/receiving skill and may be worth a pick late Rd 4 or later.

Players not on my short list who jumped out at me:

Troy

#14 Jorrick Calvin, CB, (Jr), 5-10, 184 - created the first turnover and scored the first TD on the first play from scrimmage by reading and disrupting a lateral, knocking the ball down and catching it on the bounce to run in for the score. He kept showing up all game making plays. He also returned kicks.

#12 Levi Brown, QB, (rJr), 6-4, 225 - Color man Shaun King claimed this kid was the most "accurate" passer he'd seen in college ball this year, noting that Levi placed the ball to protect his receivers and to help them with YAC. Levi is a transfer from Richmond who is currently not on scholarship, he reportedly started a JV game against one of the prep academy's early in the year before winning the starting job mid-season. Having observed the Cassel transformation this season, I could see his inexperience in the pocket and allow for what some good coaching could do for him. Good arm, good mobility, pretty good decisions within the limits of his reported experience.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Watched a little of the Boise State - TCU game and the TCU DE Hughes? the highly touted one had a decent game. He struggled to get off blocks but was solid against the run and applied sonme pressure on the Boise State QB.

He should be available at the end of the first round.