It's really Mel Kiper behind that name.
Biggie! What jail have you been in that doesn't have internet? It's been entirely too peaceful around here.
To me he looks not so much slow, but slightly awkward and non-instinctive (maybe what he meant by playing slow). I've had very limited viewings though.
Now that surprises me, watching him in Senior Bowl scrimmages and then the Senior Bowl, I thought he was very good in the read/react/instinctive category. Not just filling run lanes and getting himself up to the line before the RB, but also in the passing game, tracking receivers out of the backfield and reacting quickly to where the ball was going.
I know these are inadequate, but it's what I have. On the two run tackles he made, the plays were limited to a 1 yd gain and a 1 yd loss. On the screen pass he forced a fumble. He was also able to react quickly enough and take the correct angle to bring down the WR after a toss out to the sideline. All seem to support my impression of an reasonably alert and instinctive LB.
http://www.seniorbowl.com/2007/2007seniorbowlstats.htm
- South 2-4 at South30 Lorenzo Booker rush up middle for 1 yard to the SOUTH31 (Stewart Bradley).
- South 1-10 at South45 Jordan Palmer sideline pass complete to J.L. Higgins for 29 yards to the NORTH26, 1ST DOWN SOUTH (Stewart Bradley).
- South 1-10 at South45 Kevin Kolb screen pass complete to Dallas Baker to the 50 yardline, fumble forced by Stewart Bradley, fumble by Dallas Baker recovered by SOUTH TEAM at 50 yardline, out-of-bounds.
- South 2-7 at South32 Ken Darby rush over left tackle for loss of 1 yard to the SOUTH31 (Stewart Bradley).
I found this note on the Cotton Bowl:
http://www.attcottonbowl.com/news_room/practice_notes.php?uid=10
Nebraska senior linebacker Stewart Bradley forced and recovered a fumble on the same play in the fourth quarter. Bradley recorded a team-leading four fumble recoveries this season. As a team, the Huskers had 13 fumble recoveries this season, with four by Bradley, two by Bo Ruud – including one against Auburn – and one each by seven other Huskers.
NFLDraftScout.com had this recap of his Senior season and career:
Bradley returned to the field fully recovered in 2006. He led the team with a career-high 76 tackles (41 solos) in 14 games, earning All-Big 12 honorable mention. He had one sack, six stops behind the line of scrimmage and five pressures. With his increased range and speed from the knee surgery, he wreaked havoc in the backfield, causing three fumbles while recovering four others.
In 43 games at Nebraska, Bradley started 29 times. He finished with 175 tackles (94 solos), four sacks for minus-31 yards and 25 stops for losses totaling 75 yards. He registered 21 quarterback pressures, deflected three passes and returned an interception 43 yards for a touchdown. He recovered four fumbles and had three forced fumbles.
You saw him as awkward and I instinctive, what little we can take from Stats, he led Nebraska in tackles as a Senior (at SLB), and he led the North All-Stars in tackles. Led Nebraska in FR, and forced three himself. He forced one in the Senior Bowl. Not too flashy, but there is some consistency. I would presume you lead in fumble recoveries by mostly being around the ball. I wish I had some TV or game tape from the regular season to see him in action. But if we went back to my Senior Bowl scrimmage notes, I listed Bradley as one of my right place/right time guys...so I beg to differ.