Official 2011 Senior Bowl thread

[borg]

Saw Watkins G (OT at Baylor) make it look very easy during 1 on 1s this afternoon. 26 years old, just started playing 4 years ago....lots of upside and little wear and tear. The OT from Auburn was very shaky

 

[Seneschal2]

Anyone have a round guess on Hankerson these days ?

Round two. Latest I've read said if he produces an impressive 40 he'll eek into round one. His week of practices has shown no negatives.

Love to have him on board with Price, as I consider the position a priority need. Round two seems to be BB's favorite for WRs (thrice), but I think it will take #33 for Hankerson.

 

[cstjohn17]

But those arms!

Von Miller is starting to look more and more like Elvis Dumervil. Short, quick, fast, long arms, but weak.

Miller seems way to small but apparently looks good rushing the passer.
2011 Senior Bowl Buzz: Day 2 - ESPN

It reminds me of the performance Clay Matthews put on in Mobile against Michael Oher, first a speed move then a bull rush right over him.

It was the bull rush that caught my eye, he was 60-70 pounds lighter than Oher but he lit him up.

 

[Keyser Söze]

My official WR binkies....Titus Young/Greg Salas

 

[MaineMan]

Miller seems way to small but apparently looks good rushing the passer.
2011 Senior Bowl Buzz: Day 2 - ESPN

It reminds me of the performance Clay Matthews put on in Mobile against Michael Oher, first a speed move then a bull rush right over him.

It was the bull rush that caught my eye, he was 60-70 pounds lighter than Oher but he lit him up.

ESPN/Mayock seem to be the only ones there gushing over Miller. Most everyone else I've read (reporting from on-site) is saying they're underwhelmed by him.

 

[PowerRunRevival]

ESPN/Mayock seem to be the only ones there gushing over Miller. Most everyone else I've read (reporting from on-site) is saying they're underwhelmed by him.

Kiper said he doesn't think Miller will last past the ten, so that must mean someone is whelmed by him. Schefter says he's going in the top five so maybe someone is even overwhelmed by him.

 

[MaineMan]

Kiper said he doesn't think Miller will last past the ten, so that must mean someone is whelmed by him. Schefter says he's going in the top five so maybe someone is even overwhelmed by him.

Well, IMHO, there are two distinctly different things being forecast here:
(A) Miller's talent level
(B) Miller's market value

The observers I mentioned are questioning only Miller's talent level, not necessarily his market value. Kiper, Mayock and Schefter, I think, are forecasting both. It's entirely possible that these "big cheeses" are overhyping Miller's talent level, but still spot-on wrt his market value.

In any case, I personally don't see him as a good fit for the Pats.

 

[MaineMan]

Saw Watkins G (OT at Baylor) make it look very easy during 1 on 1s this afternoon. 26 years old, just started playing 4 years ago....lots of upside and little wear and tear. The OT from Auburn was very shaky

Watkins is getting almost nothing but compliments for both run-blocking and passpro. Those I liked best include, "smart, patient, doesn't make mistakes", and "easily coached, immediately incorporates tips and improvements".

Weighed-in at 6035/312 with 33.8" arm. Projected 40 is 5.17.

Seems to me that the fact he's at an age where he'll be 30 by the end of his rookie contract is about the only thing keeping his stock down. OTOH, he sound like a guy who could start for the next 10-12 years.

 

[patchick]

Watkins is getting almost nothing but compliments for both run-blocking and passpro. Those I liked best include, "smart, patient, doesn't make mistakes", and "easily coached, immediately incorporates tips and improvements".

Weighed-in at 6035/312 with 33.8" arm. Projected 40 is 5.17.

Seems to me that the fact he's at an age where he'll be 30 by the end of his rookie contract is about the only thing keeping his stock down. OTOH, he sound like a guy who could start for the next 10-12 years.

Age is the one big negative, but the fact that he started football so late means his body hasn't endured too much punishment. And the Pats have taken other older OLs like Kaczur. (A fellow Canuck, too!)

 

[Mark Morse]

According to the DraftTek twitter feed, Bilal Powell is looking really good and probably (this is my opinion now) playing his way higher in the draft than we would spend on a RB.

Powell has trouble holding onto the football and I doubt he is even on the Patriots draft board. That is one thing that BB despises. I was watching the South practice on NFL Channel last night and saw at the end of a run that a DB knocked the ball out of Powell's arm.

BJGE = No Fumble in 4 years (2 Big Ten + 2 SEC) of college and has never fumbled in the Pros.

 

[DaBruinz]

If Von Miller goes anywhere inside the Top 10, That GM should be fired on the spot. Miller is not that talented..

 

[dryheat44]

If Von Miller goes anywhere inside the Top 10, That GM should be fired on the spot. Miller is not that talented..

I'll remember that when he goes to a team like San Diego and gets 12 sacks a year.

I don't think he's a fit here, but he absolutely is that talented that he's worth a top 10 pick for the right defense.

 

[Sciz]

I think he's a top-10 pick against the pass and a 7th round pick against the run. Somebody is gonna ignore his lack of ability against the run and take him high.

 

[DaBruinz]

I'll remember that when he goes to a team like San Diego and gets 12 sacks a year.

I don't think he's a fit here, but he absolutely is that talented that he's worth a top 10 pick for the right defense.

Because getting 12 sacks in a year is the "be all/end all" for how good a player is.. Getting 12 sacks doesn't matter if he gets run over by the RBs and can't hold the edge..

 

[dryheat44]

Because getting 12 sacks in a year is the "be all/end all" for how good a player is.. Getting 12 sacks doesn't matter if he gets run over by the RBs and can't hold the edge..

Of course not, but Dwight Freeney can't set the edge worth a damn either. Do you think that he wasn't worth a first round pick to the Colts (IIRC somewhere in the 11-14 range), and that Polian should have been fired? Terrell Suggs also went in the teens somewhere his draft year. We're still waiting for his first tackle in the running game. Fire Ozzie Newsome for wasting the pick?

Let's not lose sight of the fact there are 31 other teams in the NFL. Miller is going to be a great player for somebody.

Sh!t, Bruce Smith couldn't set the edge all the way to the Hall of Fame. Teams beat the Parcells Giants by running straight at LT over and over again.

 

[PowerRunRevival]

In reference to the Von Miller discussion here is what McShay said about him:

Miller has been spending most of his time at linebacker; at 6-foot-3, 237 pounds, that is where he'll need to play in the NFL. He was allowed to leave the LBs and join the D-linemen for one-on-one pass rush drills Tuesday, and it was impressive. He was unstoppable against players who are expected to go in the first two days of the draft. On the first play, he did an outside-in double move to beat Mississippi State's Derek Sherrod, and it wasn't even close. The move was so quick and so natural, Sherrod had no chance. The next play, Miller did a quick stutter fake inside, and then showed great torso flexibility by dipping his shoulder and following with a rip move that allowed him to tightly bend the edge and get to the QB (or in this case, a bag that was representing the QB). There were no wasted steps with him as a pass-rusher.

To see it in person in a one-on-one situation against a quality offensive tackle helps drive home everything you've seen on film. Another thing that stands out is just how athletic he is. When you think of a defensive end moving to outside linebacker, you think it will be a challenge athletically. But it does not appear to be so for Miller. It reminds me of Matthews -- and even Cushing to a lesser degree -- in how smooth the transition was for them. Both had experience playing hybrid DE/OLB roles at USC, but when they got to the Senior Bowl, they really showed they could do it all as traditional 4-3 outside linebackers as well. Also like Matthews and Cushing, Miller is proving he's receptive to coaching, specifically on improving his technique in drops and overall awareness in zone coverage. It's very clear Miller has the athleticism, speed and raw, natural football instincts to not only become adequate in coverage, but to make it a strength of his game, which already includes man-to-man coverage ability.

He's looking like a perfect fit for a strongside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme, but from talking to teams here that run a 3-4, don't count him out just yet as an outside linebacker in that alignment.

 

[dryheat44]

He's looking like a perfect fit for a strongside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme, but from talking to teams here that run a 3-4, don't count him out just yet as an outside linebacker in that alignment.

I wouldn't rule it out at all. I think his best position might prove to be in a 1-gap 3-4.

 

[pats_premi]

I don't know anything about scouting or projecting players in the nfl. However watching Miller, Quinn, Clayborn, A Smith, Bower and Watt on television, Miller appeared to be the most consistent at rushing the passer. I guess if BB is willing to use CB (Arrington) to rush the passer and then why not Miller ?

 

[Sciz]

I don't know anything about scouting or projecting players in the nfl. However watching Miller, Quinn, Clayborn, A Smith, Bower and Watt on television, Miller appeared to be the most consistent at rushing the passer. I guess if BB is willing to use CB (Arrington) to rush the passer and then why not Miller ?

Because that's about all he could do, and a situational pass-rusher who only has one more isn't worth the pick that he'll be taken with.

 

[WesWelker83]

I wouldn't rule it out at all. I think his best position might prove to be in a 1-gap 3-4.

I agree. People on this board need to realize there are other ways to do win other then the way the Patriots do. Pitt has won two super bowls with their one gap zone blitzing scheme and they are in the SB again this year with that scheme.