War Room's Senior Bowl week coverage....

Draft Dish: QBs Locker, Kaepernick among most intriguing prospects

By Russ Lande
For Sporting News


MOBILE, Ala. - With the East-West Shrine Game in the rearview mirror, it's time to focus on the jewel of the all-star circuit, the Senior Bowl. The best of the best seniors will be in Mobile this week, and just about everyone has something to prove. Here is a quick look at some of the most intriguing prospects:

SAM ACHO, DE, TEXAS
He is a quick and athletic end who greatly improved in '10. He is productive at the point of attack and on runs away from him, and he flashes some pass-rush skills, too. He is a smart with excellent intangibles, but he must prove he can be a consistently productive pass rusher to move up draft boards.

JEREMY BEAL, DE/OLB, OKLAHOMA
Beal showed good versatility at Oklahoma but must have a strong week so all NFL coaches can find a place for him in their scheme. In our view, he is best suited to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme but must prove he is smooth and athletic enough to play in coverage to get a high draft grade from those teams. To be rated highly by 4-3 coaches, he must show quickness off snap and all-around athleticism to be an edge pass rusher. He could move into the bottom of the first round or drop well into the third round.

JAMES BREWER, OT, INDIANA
Brewer entered the '10 season as a potential high pick because of his size, strength and athleticism, but he was injured early in the season and struggled the rest of the way. With all the top tackles in Mobile, Brewer must show he has the quickness and athleticism to protect the corner vs. speed rushers and the strength to handle power rushers to move back into the second round.

GABE CARIMI, OT, WISCONSIN
Carimi must step up at the Senior Bowl because there are mixed opinions about him. Some scouts view him as an elite tackle who merits a late-first-round pick; others say he lacks athleticism and is more of a mid-round prospect. He is a productive run blocker and can tie up pass rushers once he locks up on them. He must prove he is not stiff and has the athleticism and quickness to slide and protect the corner vs. edge rushers.

BRANDON FUSCO, C, SLIPPERY ROCK
Fusco is a thickly built and athletic lineman, and personnel men are excited to see him face top-level competition. He shows good quickness and is productive in the open field on pulls and traps. However, he often was jolted and driven backward by bull rushers in college. He must play stronger and at least show he can use his hands aggressively in pass protection.

RODNEY HUDSON, C/G, FLORIDA STATE
Hudson is a great player on film, but his lack of ideal size raises concerns as to whether he can maintain his level of production in the NFL. He is athletic and bends his knees to block with good leverage, playing strong at the point of attack despite lack of ideal bulk. He needs a big week to beat out Florida's Mike Pouncey and Penn State's Stefen Wisniewski to be the top interior lineman drafted.

JAKE LOCKER, QB, WASHINGTON
Long hyped as a can't-miss prospect by some media analysts, Locker failed to improve in '10 -- still showing shaky accuracy and decision-making skills -- and his stock has dropped to where we had him rated all along (a third-round prospect). To move back up draft boards, he must show marked improvement as a passer during drills this week and make better decisions.

COLIN KAEPERNICK, QB, NEVADA
Kaepernick is a tall and athletic QB who flashes the ability to make game-changing plays with his legs and arm. However, he played in a run-option offense in college and hardly ever was asked to dropback and make NFL-style throws. He will need a lot of work to play in a pro-style offense -- footwork, reading defenses while dropping back, going through progressions and making quick and accurate throws. Still, he has great natural talent. His stock will depend on how long NFL quarterback coaches believe it'll take to get him ready.

I really like Rocky Hudson. Or maybe I just really am sick of Gurode at C. Either/or, he would be a nice pickup.

Bob Sacamano said:

I really like Rocky Hudson.

Keep reading...

I figured as much.

Senior Bowl Dish: Kaepernick shines, Stanzi bombs on Day 1

By Russ Lande
Sporting News


MOBILE, Ala. -- After the morning weigh-in, NFL scouts, coaches and personnel men got their first look at the top senior prospects in two Monday afternoon practices. Here is a look at five players who have reason to feel good about their day and five more who saw their draft stock fall on Day 1 of Senior Bowl week:


GOOD IMPRESSIONS

Colin Kaepernick, QB, Nevada. Kaepernick (6-4 5/8, 225) looked much thicker and better-built than expected at the weigh-in. In practice, he showed excellent zip and accuracy to all points of the field. After having played in a spread offense in college, he looked comfortable in his first day running a pro-style offense. He used his eyes nicely to look off defensive backs, and he moved quickly through his progressions. He also kept the ball on an option play and turned the corner in a blink.

Leonard Hankerson, WR, Miami (Fla.). Hankerson (6-1 5/8, 205) caught everything thrown at him Monday and ran smooth routes. He used his body effectively to shield defenders from the ball and looked quick in and out of cuts. He showed great agility and balance catching multiple off-target passes.

James Brewer, OT, Indiana. Brewer (6-6 1/4, 323) flashed the quickness to get outside to stymie edge pass rushers, and he also showed strength and power as a run blocker. Although he lacks elite lateral agility, he stayed square to his target all afternoon, locking on his man.

Brooks Reed, DE, Arizona. Although Reed (6-2 1/2, 257) doesn't look impressive physically, he dominated one-on-one pass-rush drills, winning every matchup with a variety of moves. He started with speed to the edge, then spun back inside on the second rep and finished with a powerful bull rush.

Sam Acho, DE, Texas. Acho (6-1 3/4, 257) clearly has the size and athleticism to play defensive end in a 4-3 scheme or outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. He has excellent arm length and showed the ability to win consistently with speed and quickness, but he lacks the power needed to bull rush or hold the point of attack vs. the run.


BAD IMPRESSIONS

Ricky Stanzi, QB, Iowa. Stanzi (6-4 1/8, 221) had a bad day and definitely looked the worst of the North quarterbacks. His passes showed no zip, and he did not show the arm strength to make deep throws. The biggest problem Monday was his terrible accuracy. Yes, he was working with new receivers, but his passes were all over the place. If he plays like this the rest of the week, he is certain to free-fall down draft boards.

Jake Locker, QB, Washington. For a player who came here with a ton to prove, Locker (6-2 1/4, 228) did not start off the week on a good note. Although he clearly showed the best mechanics of the North quarterbacks, his accuracy was all over the field. He seemed to be pressing and over-throwing much of the afternoon, causing many passes to float high. Locker definitely made a number of impressive NFL-caliber throws, but his inconsistency has to make NFL coaches nervous.

Lance Kendricks, TE, Wisconsin. Kendricks (6-3 1/8, 240) did not look natural catching the ball, trapping too many passing against his body instead of reaching out and plucking the ball out of the air. He did not look natural running routes; far too often he rounded them off rather than running them sharply.

Chris White, MLB, Mississippi State. White (6-2 7/8, 244) was out of place Monday; he looked stiff and lacked athleticism. He did not attack ballcarriers but tried basically just to catch them. He looked slow dropping into coverage and could not change direction quickly. He also took bad angles to ballcarriers and showed a lack of speed to recover.

DeMarcus Love, OT, Arkansas. Love (6-4 5/8, 318) continued his slide down draft boards, which began at the start of the 2010 season. He is a good enough athlete to play tackle in the NFL, but he really struggled throughout practice Monday. He was not aggressive with hands and again became a catch blocker, allowing defensive linemen to get into his chest and jolt/control him.

Senior Bowl Dish: Tennessee's Stocker, A&M's Miller have winning workouts for South

By Russ Lande
Sporting News


MOBILE, Ala. -- A look at players who helped/hurt their draft stock during the South practice on Tuesday of Senior Bowl week:


GOOD IMPRESSIONS

Luke Stocker, TE, Tennessee. Stocker had Tuesday's play of the day. On a seam route, he snared the ball with one hand and hung on despite being blasted by two defensive backs. He caught every other ball thrown his way and helped the quarterbacks with his ability to catch the ball away from his body. Stocker (6-5, 255) also showed very good agility, quickness and body control running his routes. He was solid as a run blocker against linebackers in the one-on-one period.

Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M. Miller (6-2 5/8, 237) has a superior combination of size and athletic ability for any NFL defense. Watching him go over and through the bags during the individual period, he appeared to be more like a defensive back than a linebacker. He was strong as a point-of-attack run defender, especially against tight ends, and did a great job of pressing and controlling blockers on the line. He dropped into zone coverage gracefully and showed an explosive closing burst to the ball. He didn't have the opportunity to rush the passer Tuesday, but it's not a concern considering his production through his career. He has all the physical skills to be an immediate starter in the NFL.

Danny Watkins, G, Baylor. He showed very good athletic ability pulling in the run game. Watkins (6-3 1/2, 312) was very quick out of his stance and played with strong fundamental technique in all situations. In pass protection, he showed excellent recovery ability and strength. He was very physical and showed a vise grip to lock on and control his opponent. He also showed intense focus and quiet confidence in his play for the second straight day.

Colin McCarthy, LB, Miami (Fla.). He established himself as the best coverage linebacker at this practice. He has loose hips and smooth change-of-direction ability to cover tight ends in man coverage all over the field. McCarthy (6-1 1/4, 235) showed strong anticipation skills and smooth closing ability in zone coverage. As a run defender, he showed better quickness and agility than strength, power or toughness.

Pernell McPhee, DE, Mississippi State. McPhee (6-3, 274) showed some pop and explosion coming out of his stance on initial contact. He did a great job of keeping separation from the blocker. He relied on his quickness and solid technique to make plays against both the run and pass. He went around the edge for a sack on one play. He quickly closed down the line of scrimmage from the backside on a running play. He showed strong awareness and good instincts throughout practice.

Marcus Gilbert, OT, Florida. He did a nice job in the one-on-one period. Despite his great size (6-6 1/2, 329), he was very quick to get out of his stance and showed the feet to deny the outside rusher a path to the quarterback. He flashed a strong punch to slow down the charge of the bull rusher, and he showed recovery and slide ability to stay with the spin and quick inside moves. He also displayed strong ability to sustain and finish his run blocks. Unfortunately, he appeared to get hurt and didn't take part in the final team period.

Derrick Locke, RB, Kentucky. He showed strong quickness and decisiveness as a runner. Locke (5-8, 186) didn't waste time in the hole and showed a one-cut-and-go running style. He was very efficient in getting upfield and did not dance laterally. He did a nice job of protecting himself, running behind his pads and breaking arm tackles within the box. He also ran sharp routes out of the backfield.

Zac Etheridge, CB/S, Auburn. Etheridge (5-11 1/2, 201) has good size and moves very well with it. He shows strong ability to change direction on the move in space. He was physical in the one-on-one period against the wideouts. He played free safety during the seven-on-seven and team periods. He showed very good anticipation and awareness in coverage, but he seemed to lack elite closing ability once the ball was in the air.


BAD IMPRESSIONS

Curtis Brown, CB, Texas. Brown (5-11 1/2, 180) He opened his hips too soon and wasn't able to provide tight man coverage from an off position. Receivers consistently beat him on their breaks, and he didn't show special transition or closing ability with the ball in the air. He was fooled by a double move for a touchdown during the team period. He was clearly the worst performer in his group Tuesday.

Greg Salas, WR, Hawaii. He struggled to secure the ball when it was thrown away from his frame and had several drops. Salas (6-2, 210) clearly prefers to use his body to help make the catch and consistently fought the ball on contact. He is upright and choppy as a route-runner and takes too many steps coming out of his breaks.

Lee Ziemba, OT/G, Auburn. In the one-on-one drills, Ziemba (6-6, 317) tended to get back on his heels out of his stance and couldn't regain good position against the pass rusher. He was jolted and moved back by bull rushers as well. He stopped his feet and lunged forward as a run blocker. He struggled considerably as a guard Tuesday and would be helped by a move back to right tackle.

Chris Neild, DT, West Virginia. Neild (6-2, 313) looked like a tight athlete and appeared mechanical in all of his movements. Although he was quick to shoot out his hands and engage the blocker in front of him, he had trouble disengaging quickly. He struggled in the one-on-one period due to his lack of power and quickness. He didn't stand out in any way.

K.J. Wright, LB, Mississippi State. He clearly was the worst performer in his position group Tuesday. Wright (6-3, 246) has a tall, lanky frame with very good arm length and reach. However, he is a stiff athlete with the calves of a wideout. He didn't play with leverage or power as a run defender, even against tight ends, and looked out of place in coverage. He didn't show pass-rush ability and doesn't appear to have enough athletic upside to be drafted as a backup.

Senior Bowl Dish: USC's Johnson impressive

By Russ Lande


MOBILE, Ala. -- A look at players who helped and hurt their draft stock during the South team's practice Wednesday afternoon on Day 3 of Senior Bowl week:


GOOD IMPRESSIONS

Ronald Johnson, WR, USC. He has good size (5-11 1/8, 186) with outstanding athletic ability, quickness and speed. He runs smooth routes and shows soft hands with the ability to extend and catch passes outside his body. He especially looked fluid and sudden on double-moves Wednesday. He shows that rare ability to not lose speed as he comes out of breaks to meet the ball. He adds value as a kickoff returner, too.

Bilal Powell, RB, Louisville. During the pass-rush drill vs. linebackers, Powell (5-10 3/8, 204) stood out by winning on nearly every rep. He showed a strong ability to strike the defender, bend and slide to protect the QB. He also showed a nasty temperament to finish blocks. He had limited opportunities to touch the ball as a runner or receiver Wednesday but did have one strong, one-cut run during the final team period that showcased his downhill running style. He lacks great speed or explosive quickness, but he is a load to tackle.

Rodney Hudson, G/C, Florida State. Hudson (6-2 1/4, 291) was quick out of his stance and set in pass protection. His quickness also allowed him to lead on screen passes and perimeter runs. He was the most consistent lineman Wednesday on either squad in terms of getting his hand inside to sustain blocks. He was proficient holding the point of attack against the run and pass because of consistent knee bend and leverage. He played both guard positions Wednesday but has not played center this week, his most natural position.

D.J. Williams, TE, Arkansas. Williams (6-1 7/8, 236) is a fluid athlete who is able to change directions and turn upfield naturally after the catch. He gets his head around quickly after his break and looks natural plucking passes out of the air. He uses his hands effectively to create separation and also decelerates well on comeback routes. Williams keeps a good base when blocking, allowing him to lock on and seal the edge. His main weakness is a lack of explosiveness off the snap.

Allen Bailey, DE, Miami (Fla.). Bailey (6-3 1/4, 278) looked great in one-on-one drills Wednesday. First, he beat his man by ripping back inside and dipping his shoulder, and then he defeated him a second time with a solid bull rush. During team drills, he was able to consistently stack up bodies and shed blocks at the point of attack, and he showed the lateral quickness to shuffle along the line and finish plays. He also scored a sack by using his upper-body strength to defeat his man.

Danny Watkins, G, Baylor. Watkins (6-3 1/2, 312) has helped himself immensely all week. He plays with consistent leverage, showing the flexibility and athleticism to bend his knees and sink his hips vs. bull rushers. He also is able to consistently get his hands inside his man's frame, enabling him to sustain blocks.

Curtis Brown, CB, Texas. Brown (5-11 5/8, 180) shows some tightness in his hips, but he has a good backpedal and a solid burst to break on passes in front of him and recover when beaten off the turn. He had a nice pass breakup Wednesday, showing good ball skills and awareness. He showed good closing ability and good recovery speed in "off" coverage and in zone.


BAD IMPRESSIONS

Courtney Smith, WR, South Alabama. Smith (6-5, 230) is too big and slow to play wide receiver, and he does appear able to move to tight end. He consistently needs extra steps to make cuts, and he stumbled several times coming out of breaks Wednesday. He had a bad drop and looked in over his head vs. elite talent. He has played himself out of the draft this week.

Andy Dalton, QB, TCU. Dalton (6-2, 213) has a thick frame and smooth, consistent passing mechanics, but he made several bad decisions with the ball Wednesday. He forced a pass into coverage for an interception during the first team period and then threw a deep go route late that died and came up short during seven-on-seven drills. In the final team period, with the pocket collapsing, he jumped and threw the ball high to his check-down receiver in a lot of traffic. He also appeared to be aiming the ball on several off-target throws during the one-on-one period.

Sam Acho, DE, Texas. Acho (6-1 3/4, 257) showed poor discipline, getting sealed consistently on the edge vs. the run Wednesday. He looked mechanical and lacking instincts as a pass rusher, too. It was his second poor practice in as many days.

Preston Dial, TE, Alabama. Dial (6-2 1/8, 238) is not a smooth or natural athlete, and he lacks the quickness to separate from man-to-man coverage. He is easy for defenders to read because he is so deliberate coming out of breaks. As a run blocker, he showed poor balance and appeared out of control along the line of scrimmage. He clearly is the worst tight end in Mobile.

Lee Ziemba, OT, Auburn. Ziemba (6-6, 317) is a big, stiff, waist-bender who stops his feet way too often. He falls off run blocks and cannot move his feet well enough to sustain blocks vs. speed rushers. He took bad angles to block, too, on the move. For example, on one play he came out of his stance early and still couldn't locate and hit on his second-level defender, even with a head start.

Shareece Wright, CB, USC. Wright (5-11, 182) showed stiff hips when turning and running and lacked a closing burst when breaking on passes. He did not show awareness in defending passes downfield with his back to the ball. He was spun around like a top on one play. His lack of hip flexibility and late reactions are big concerns. He is most effective in playing passes in front of him, but when out of position he lacks the speed to recover downfield. Fast NFL receivers will abuse him.

Senior Bowl Dish: Kaepernick shows consistency

By Russ Lande


MOBILE, Ala. -- Here's a look at seven players who helped their draft stock -- and seven who didn't -- during the North's practice Wednesday morning on Day 3 of Senior Bowl week:


GOOD IMPRESSIONS

Colin Kaepernick, QB, Nevada. He has established himself as a consistent player with the most upside to develop on the North squad. He has rare size, athletic ability and mobility for the position, and he also has the passing skills to make plays from the pocket. He has a minor flaw in his passing mechanics to repair--he pulls way back before starting toward his target. His long arm action can be shortened slightly by an NFL quarterbacks coach without dramatically altering his overall throwing motion. He shows the ability to throw with anticipation and doesn't simply wait for his receiver to come open. He puts the ball right on his receiver's hands as he comes out of his breaks. Occasionally, he will try to throw into a tight window when he would have been better off going to the next receiver in his progression.

Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue. Kerrigan had a dominant day rushing off the edge. He beat three top offensive tackle prospects--Indiana's James Brewer, Colorado's Nate Solder and Boston College's Anthony Castonzo--by rushing off the edge with pure speed and an aggressive rip technique. He has been labeled by some as strictly a high-motor player, but his speed and burst were something the best North O-linemen couldn't counter.

Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College. Castonzo went a long way toward separating himself from Solder Wednesday morning. His ability to sink his hips and deflect the bull rush was impressive and consistent throughout practice. He also did a better job of getting his hands inside his man's framework than the other tackles and showed great footwork and recover ability.

Kendric Burney, CB, North Carolina. Burney showed a fluid backpedal and was able to flip his hips and run with his man without giving up ground. In man coverage, he showed solid technique and was able to stay tight on receivers. He also displayed a willingness to defend the run and demonstrated the aggressiveness needed to beat blocks and get to the ball. One skill he seems to lack is an effective closing burst from off coverage, as he was not always able to close in time to make plays in front of him. He seemed very open to receive individual coaching.

Casey Matthews, LB, Oregon. Matthews has played outside linebacker most of the week, and he had his best practice Wednesday morning. He showed good quickness and agility moving laterally, and he was able to stay square to the line of scrimmage. He flashed solid read-and-react skills, as he was able to quickly diagnose plays and attack downhill. On one play in team drills, he was lined up at strongside linebacker and was responsible for covering the tight end. He wasn't fooled by his man's initial down block and was able to change directions and stay on his hip when he doubled back into his route. Matthews ended up reaching around to break up the pass. Throughout practice, he was aggressive against tight ends in coverage, using his hands to redirect them as they passed through his zone.

Titus Young, WR, Boise State. Young caught every ball, showing a natural ability to pluck the ball away from his body. He showed exceptional balance, body control and quickness on his routes, and he was quick to turn upfield and attack after the catch. Though he is a legitimate deep threat, he also displayed the toughness to go over the middle into traffic. Once again, he demonstrated next-level return skills.

Cameron Jordan, DE, California. Jordan showed the first chinks in his armor today, as twice in one-on-one drills he got too high off the snap and was neutralized by Brewer. Outside of those two reps, he was dominant again. In team drills, he played with power and intensity while piling up three sacks. He showed the ability to consistently toss his man aside and get into the backfield. He was also successful against double teams, showing the proper technique to turn his back to the outside man and strike through the inside shoulder of the other. Through three practices, he has clearly been the top player on either roster.


BAD IMPRESSIONS

Jake Locker, QB, Washington. Even in his third full practice, he seemed unsure of himself. He didn't show confidence in the way he carried himself. He appears to be putting so much pressure on himself to be perfect in his technique that he isn't really cutting it loose and playing up to his ability level. He is capable of making a great throw with perfect mechanics and ball placement. But the next throw may be driven into the ground two yards in front of the receiver. He clearly possesses the physical and athletic tools to play in the NFL, but his lack of consistency with each dropback will keep him from being a serious contender for playing time as a rookie.

Niles Paul, WR, Nebraska. Although he has the size (6-1, 225) to play at the next level, he is a very tight athlete as a route-runner. He doesn't show explosive athletic qualities coming out of his breaks or separating from man coverage downfield. He appears to have hard hands and dropped a couple of balls during practice.

DeMarco Murray, RB, Oklahoma. He showed a lot of stiffness in his hips and limited vision and awareness as a runner. His focus appears to be straight ahead all the time. He doesn't appear to see cutback lanes develop. He doesn't show the ability to quickly drop his hips and accelerate in another direction. He wasn't at all effective in the one-on-one pass-rush drills against linebackers because of his lack of flexibility and lateral agility.

Nate Solder, OT, Colorado. Though Solder has the necessary physical talent, his technique remained inconsistent Wednesday. He has a habit of coiling his arms back, causing him to strike late. When he does strike, he tends to get outside his man's framework, which causes him to fall off blocks and take holding penalties. He was repeatedly beaten Wednesday when he got caught stopping his feet and reaching for his target.

Mark Herzlich, LB, Boston College. Herzlich struggled with his balance and looked like he was playing on his heels throughout practice. He struggled taking on blocks and was pancaked once by Solder. He seems to lack strength and base at the point of attack. He also struggled to break down in space and showed poor change-of-direction skills, as he was unable to adjust to cutbacks.

Lee Smith, TE, Marshall. Smith looked sluggish, both off the ball and out of his breaks. He appeared stiff and unathletic running routes, and linebackers were able to key on his poor change-of-direction ability. He also struggled to recover once knocked off his route and didn't demonstrate the ability to use his hands properly against aggressive coverage.

Jeremy Beal, DE, Oklahoma. Beal had the unfortunate task of following Kerrigan in one-on-one and team drills and clearly didn't show the same burst or aggressiveness rushing off the edge. He was consistently neutralized by his opponent's initial punch and didn't show the change-of- direction ability or agility to counter with inside moves. He looked like a one-speed player.

Senior Bowl: Baylor's Watkins, Texas A&M's Miller the stars of week

Russ Lande
Sporting News


MOBILE, Ala. — Prospects come to the Senior Bowl, in hopes of showing that one special skill that perhaps was hidden by their college scheme and meet NFL coaches and general managers for the first time, hoping to wow scouts and move up draft boards around the league.

Here is a look at the 14 seniors who improved their draft stock the most in practices and interviews this week:


1. Danny Watkins, G, Baylor. Watkins (6-3 1/2, 312) shined this week playing inside at guard and displayed the outstanding hand usage, technique and surprising strength. He will be a great NFL guard and should move into the late first round. Watkins reminds us of Patriots All-Pro G Logan Mankins.

2. Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M. Miller (6-2 5/8, 237) proved this week that he is an elite prospect who has the explosiveness, speed and athleticism to be an impact player in the NFL. Miller is a lock to go in the top 10 and could go in the top five. He could become a star in a 3-4 scheme, a la Cowboys Pro Bowl OLB DeMarcus Ware.

3. Cameron Jordan, DE, Cal. Jordan (6-4 1/8, 287) showed this week what we War Room scouts had seen all year: He is an explosive player who has the athleticism to defeat blocks easily and the strength to overpower blockers. He locked up a top-15 spot this week.

4. Titus Young, WR, Boise State. Young (5-11 1/4, 174) proved he is an explosive athlete with the athleticism to run good routes and burst to create separation from cornerbacks. He also displayed the hands to make tough catches over the middle and flashed the ability to be a dangerous punt returner.

5. Rodney Hudson, C/G, Florida State. Hudson (6-2 1/4, 291) looked good at the weigh-in and then displayed good strength and blocking technique the whole week. As one scout for an NFL team told us, "Hudson made himself a lot of money this week."

6. D.J. Williams, TE, Arkansas. Williams (6-1 7/8, 236) lacks ideal height and weight, but he proved to be a good prospect who should catch a ton of passes in the NFL. With his athleticism and receiving skills, he reminds us of the Chargers' Antonio Gates and Colts' Dallas Clark.

7. Leonard Hankerson, WR, Miami (Fla.). Hankerson (6-1 5/8, 205) displayed better quickness, agility and route-running skills than what we usually see receivers taller than 6-0. He also showed excellent hands, consistently plucking passes out of the air and away from his body and catching off-target throws.

8. Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College. Castonzo (6-7 1/8, 305) pass blocked with good leverage and hand usage to enable him to play strong. In our eyes, he won the battle over Colorado's Nate Solder and now is the top senior offensive tackle in the draft.

9. Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue. Kerrigan (6-3 7/8, 255) lacks great size but showed the strength, ability to play with leverage, technique and competitiveness to be an effective pass rusher and against the run as a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme.

10. Kendric Burney, CB, North Carolina. Burney (5-9, 181) showed better quickness and coverage skills than expected this week. He also proved he can absorb on-field coaching and apply it quickly, often showing improvements from snap-to-snap in practice.

11. Colin Kaepernick, QB, Nevada. Kaepernick (6-4 5/8, 225) clearly had the strongest arm of the quarterbacks at the Senior Bowl. He still must improve his mechanics, but he was surprisingly accurate and looked comfortable dropping back from under center after playing in a spread-option offense at Nevada.

12. Luke Stocker, TE, Tennessee. Stocker (6-4 7/8, 255) showed much better speed than expected and showed the hands and body control to adjust and make tough catches seem routine. For a player with real questions coming to Mobile, he erased most of those in three practice sessions.

13. Brooks Reed, DE, Arizona. Reed (6-2 1/2, 257) is built well and shows deceptive athleticism. He shows excellent hand usage, technique and smarts to consistently defeat blocks and pressure the quarterback or disrupt running plays.

14. Christian Ballard, DT, Iowa. Ballard (6-4 1/8, 288) displayed the quickness, agility and power to consistently win one-on-one drills. He was very effective at penetrating into the backfield in nearly all team drills. He proved he can play defensive tackle in a 4-3 scheme or defensive end in a 3-4 defense, definitely increasing his draft stock.

Rocky Hudson and/or Danny Watkins would be nice picks. I think we should try to come up with either of the two. Exactly what we need on the line. Smarts.