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By Russ Lande
Sporting News


SAN ANTONIO -- The Senior Bowl is over and the focus now is squarely on Sunday's Super Bowl. Still, many in the NFL will have their eyes trained on the pro prospects playing this week in the Texas vs. The Nation All-Star Game. In the 2008 NFL draft, more players were drafted that participated in this game than any of the other all-star games. A few players we're interested in seeing this week, listed in alphabetical order:

Wayne Daniels, DE/OLB, TCU. Daniels has the talent to be a very good outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. While he lined up at a variety of spots in college, he is not viewed as an elite prospect at defensive end or outside linebacker, and needs to prove to NFL teams where he fits best to avoid being a late draft pick.

Josh Davis, OT, Georgia. Davis has shown the ability to physically control his man. He does not do it consistently, though. He rotated in and out of games a lot at Georgia. Davis has a bad habit of stopping his feet and reaching to make and maintain contact. That flaw prevented him from playing well consistently. With a strong week, he could really move up draft boards to become a fourth- or fifth-round pick.

Ray Dominguez, OT, Arkansas. Dominguez is a smart player, but was an upright and straight-legged blocker too often. He is not an elite athlete, but his strength helps him to lock up a defensive end, and he can keep him tied up to eliminate him from the play. Overall, Dominguez has not received the hype of his teammate and fellow lineman, DeMarcus Love, but if he shines this week he could actually pass Love on many draft boards.

Nathan Enderle, QB, Idaho. Enderle had an uneven week at the East-West Shrine Game. He is a tall and very well built quarterback with a strong arm and excellent mechanics. However, he is wildly inconsistent and there are real concerns about his ability to make good decisions. He needs to step up after a tough week in Orlando, Fla., if he wants to avoid being a late-round pick.

Daniel Hardy, TE, Idaho. This season Hardy displayed many of the tools needed to become a good NFL tight end. He is a thin, linear athlete with the playing speed and hands to make plays as a receiver. He consistently showed the route-running ability, hands, concentration and fearlessness catching passes in traffic to grab the NFL's attention. In a season without a ton of tight end talent, a big week here could help Hardy move up draft boards into the third or fourth round.

Andre Holmes, WR, Hillsdale College. After offensive tackle Jared Verdheer had a very good rookie season with the Oakland Raiders, Holmes is this year's stud from Hillsdale. He is a big-play receiver who can turn short passes into big plays. He has the rare size (6-4 and 200 pounds) that NFL teams covet. With a strong week here he could move into mid-round consideration.

Eddie Jones, DE/OLB, Texas. NFL teams are still trying to determine whether Jones is best as a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme or as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. He is productive when he is aggressive and attacking the play in front of him. If he ends this week still viewed as a tweener, he is likely to slide or even go undrafted.

Jarriel King, OT, South Carolina. When King started at left tackle for South Carolina in 2009, he showed the athleticism and playing strength to pique interest. But as a senior in 2010, he struggled and his draft stock plummeted. He is able to block effectively out in space and in pass protection when using good technique. This is a huge week for King if he wants to prove he deserves to lock up a spot as a draftable player.

Jeremy Ross, WR/KR, Cal. Ross has been a jack-of-all, master-of-none receiver/returner at California and needs to prove to NFL teams that he has the speed and athleticism to contribute as a receiver. He has shown the strength to run through contact, but must prove he can do it consistently. Overall, Ross needs a big week if he wants to assure that he is going to get drafted.
 

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Draft Dish: Texas vs. The Nation players deal with conditions

By Russ Lande
Sporting News


SAN ANTONIO -- Preparation for Saturday's Texas vs. The Nation game began Tuesday with a morning weigh-in followed by two practices in the afternoon. The practices were held in cold and windy conditions, making it tough for the skill position players to shine. Making matters worse for receivers, the quarterbacks here all are below par. A quick look at which players caught scouts' eyes:


GOOD IMPRESSIONS

Isa Abdul-El Quddus, S, Fordham. He displayed very good athleticism and was very fluid and smooth with quick feet. He showed good instincts to come up quickly in run support and good awareness in pass coverage. He was always around the ball and broke up several passes.

Ray Dominguez, OT/G, Arkansas. Dominguez did a good job, mostly lining up at guard. He showed flexibility and pass-blocked with a good base, using his hands well to jolt and tie up the defensive tackle in pass protection. He also did a good job of maintaining his block. He was consistently quick out of his stance and was able to lock onto his man and eliminate him from the play.

Roberto Davis, DE, Northwest Missouri. He showed speed and dip to win consistently around the edge as a pass rusher in one-on-one and team drills. He showed he can play with good leverage and has good speed and good movement.

Brian Duncan, MLB, Texas Tech. Duncan displayed good run reads, instincts and athleticism and willingness to play physical. He is clearly the best linebacker on the Texas team.

Andre Holmes, WR, Hillsdale College. Although he dropped four passes Tuesday, he definitely showed he has the size and athleticism NFL teams want. Despite the drops, he generally did a very good job of reaching out and plucking the ball away from his body. He caught high passes well.

Daniel Hardy, TE, Idaho. He showed good quickness and athleticism running routes and showed soft hands to pluck the ball away from his body.

Jerrell Powe, NT, Ole Miss. Powe showed the foot quickness, strong hands and athleticism to beat most offensive linemen in one-on-one drills. He also displayed the raw physical strength and ability to hold his ground vs. double-team run blocks.

Jeremy Ross, WR, California. Ross was clearly the best wide receiver on the Texas squad. He showed good quickness, ran precise routes and made tough catches--although he dropped several easy passes. He did not, however, show the explosiveness or burst that scouts want to see.

Buster Skrine, CB, Tennessee-Chattanooga. Skrine has the best combination of quickness, speed and hips for the position as a coverage player. He displayed fluid movement and closing ability on breaks. He had a very good first practice.

Andre Smith, TE, Virginia Tech. Smith displayed very good athleticism--body control, especially--running routes and blocking. He caught the ball well for a big tight end who was used primarily as a blocker in college.

J.T. Thomas, OLB, West Virginia. He showed excellent lateral quickness, agility and explosive closing ability, making three great plays during the team period. He also showed instincts to sniff out plays and the athleticism to get to the play. He was the best defensive player on the field for either team.


BAD IMPRESSIONS

Mario Addison, OLB, Troy. Addison did not have a good practice. A straight-line player, Addison struggled to change direction quickly and was not able to adjust and move through traffic well. He looked out of place trying to break down and tackle on the move.

Stephen Burton WR, West Texas A&M. Despite catching nearly every pass, Burton showed a real lack of quickness and explosiveness in his routes. He is thickly built and looks and moves much more like a running back than a receiver.

Vance Cuff, CB, Georgia. Cuff is so tight in his hips and choppy with his feet that he lacks the talent to be good in man-to-man coverage. He struggled changing direction and could not get out of breaks to stay with the receiver.


Josh Davis, OT, Georgia. Davis struggled throughout practice. He lacks flexibility, which keeps him from being able to bend his knees and sink his hips to block with a good base. He was always blocking upright and high. Additionally, he did not use his hands aggressively and allowed defensive linemen to push him around way too easily.

Jamari Lattimore, DE, Middle Tennessee State. Lattimore has zero chance to play defensive end in the NFL, and at 218 pounds is wasting his time playing end here. In order to have any chance, he needs to move and be given reps at outside linebacker. Not only does he lack the size for an end, his technique is terrible.

Joe Morgan, WR, Walsh. A great play near the end of team drills could not overcome six dropped passes during practice, one of which went off his chest and was intercepted.

Reggie Rembert, CB, Air Force. He is far too small to compete at the position at the NFL level. He has quick feet and decent speed but is a straight-line athlete with stiff hips and lacks the length to make a play on the ball when in position. He is overmatched and does not belong here.

Chris Stewart, G, Notre Dame. Stewart is way out of shape, and combined with limited athleticism, he was beaten repeatedly. He was jolted and driven by bull rushers, could not slide side-to-side to handle quick pass-rush moves and ended up on the ground way too often.
 
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